Palmetto State Armory JAKL Review

When I got an early look at the Palmetto State Armory JAKL in the days leading up to SHOT Show 2020, I saw a product with enormous potential. Taking piston operated AR15’s into the mainstream in a way no other company had done before, while offering numerous (eventual) calibers and barrel length options, PSA was betting on themselves in a big way. Fast forward a few years, and the opening salvo has been fired. Early design flaws and QC issues have been ironed out, and PSA is working on more calibers, and even a bullpup lower for the JAKL upper.

So, check out my review below to see the specs and features to the Palmetto State Armory JAKL.

Background of the JAKL

The JAKL was announced back in 2020, but then later publicly released in 2022. Palmetto State Armory is currently running both 5.56mm and .300 AAC Blackout barrels. With barrel lengths having a good range that range 8.5″ to 16″. The JAKL has been one of the most commercially successful piston operated designs for the AR-15 platform.

With many improvements over the years, throughout this article I will cover some of the variations, features and the pros and cons. So, be sure to follow along below.

PSA Jakl Features

1 Folding stock compatible

Compact storage and will fire when folded.

2 Monolithic upper

For increased rigidity and better accuracy.

3 Adjustable gas knob

To prevent overgassing and maximize reliability.

4 Piston system

Operates the gun cleaner, especially when suppressed.

5 Forward located “HK” style charging handle

Ergonomic location and can be right or left hand mounted.

Models and Variations

There are multiple models of JAKL. Black, FDE, Smoke, and OD Green colors are available. 5.56mm uppers are available with 13.7″, 14.5″ (pinned and welded suppressor mount), and 16″ barrels. .300 Blackout uppers are available with 8.5″ and 14.5″ barrels. Palmetto State Armory sells the JAKLs as complete firearms (with their own branded lowers), as upper receivers (with the necessary modified bolt catch), and as build kits that include the upper, the modified bolt catch, and the buttcap assembly that allows the user to affix 1913 picatinny stocks/braces to the rear of the gun.

Shootability:

The JAKL is an improvement over (many) direct impingement uppers for one primary reason; overgassed rifles are extremely common. This is double true when a suppressor is added to the mix, as the increased backpressure tends to overwhelm most factory setups. The JAKL’s adjustable gas system means you can dial in the gas right where you want it.

Beyond that, the gun shoots well. While it is a bit front heavy (even without a suppressor), the extra mass does soak up recoil and muzzle rise.

Accuracy:

I’ve shot 6 different commercially available rounds through the JAKL. From the lightest at 90gr, to the heaviest at 220gr, the JAKL ran through them all. The Barnes 110gr TAC-TX gave the best groups, coming in around 1 MOA consistently. Federal Fusion 150gr rounds have routinely disagreed with my JAKL, not grouping better than 3 MOA in the year and a half I’ve had this gun, despite shooting well in other barrels.

Given that the TAC-TX round is still hovering at $1.50/round, and has widely proven terminal ballistics, it’s nice to see the JAKL performing so well with it when it comes to accuracy.

Reliability:

With individual rights come individual responsibilities. So too it is with an adjustable gas system. The power is in your hands to make this gun run as reliably as possible. I found my most common deer hunting round (Federal Power Shok 120gr) runs well one setting lower than the Barnes 110gr round mentioned above. If I add my suppressor, I dial back one more click. If you change rounds without changing the gas system setting, you may well induce malfunctions.

So, this isn’t a gun for those who shoot a wide variety of “blasting” ammo into dirt piles, unless you just want to open that gas system up and let it rip. If you want to stick to one or two primary types of ammo for home defense, hunting, or target shooting, writing down your gas settings will keep your JAKL running flawlessly.

Some early JAKL’s did have reliability issues, and PSA responded with upgraded gas pistons. I only have a sample size of one, so looking at online chatter, it seems many of these early issues have fallen away.

Ergonomics:

There’s really only two differences ergonomically speaking, between a standard direct impingement upper, and the JAKL’s upper. First, the modified bolt stop on the JAKL is set in a slightly recessed cutout. Second, the charging handle is located along the side-top of the handguard, similar to an Mp5.

The bolt stop is slightly tougher to hit (by the tiniest margin) because it doesn’t protrude as much. This is a very slight difference.

The non-reciprocating charging handle is an excellent addition to the JAKL platform. Not only is it located in a much more natural spot, we’re one little detent cut away from inheriting the “HK slap”.

Value:

The JAKL runs the gamut on pricing, so hold on.

Complete guns run from $999.99 for a .300blk pistol, minus brace, to $1499.99 for a 5.56mm rifle with cerakote paint job.

Uppers run from $649 to $899, and include the modified bolt stop. This doesn’t include the necessary parts to convert a mil-spec lower to JAKL compatibility. See below.

The “Buffer with brace/stock adaptor assembly” consists of all the parts needed to adorn your mil-spec lower into a JAKL compatible platform, with exception to the bolt stop that is sold with the upper.

That’s a lot to cover just to ask… is it worth it? So far, my answer is a definite yes. With absolute sympathy to those who suffered early adopter growing pains, my JAKL has run, and run well. The recoil impulse is slower and heavier than most direct impingement AR’s, but very comfortable. Accuracy is good enough for hunting, with easy shots on a 6″ gong at 200 yards. The folding stock option makes transport and storage easier. Finally, the JAKL makes for a far more visually varied finished product, with many buyers opting to create SCAR or ACR lookalikes.

Considering the cost of entry starts around $750 (upper plus adaptor for lower) and peaks around $1500, PSA’s JAKL sits right in the mid range pricing for AR15’s. This is far from unreasonable for an OEM piston driven, folding stock compatible, reliable AR15.

The JAKL Pros and Cons 

Best Ammo for Your PSA JAKL

Here are some ammunition suggestions for your Palmetto State Armory JAKL.

Barnes 110 Tac-TX is my go-to round for home defense. Federal 120gr Power Shok is a close second best, and comes with a more reasonable price. MagTech’s 200gr subsonic round is quiet and reliable.

JAKL Upgrades and Accessories

There’s not much of an aftermarket for upgrades to stock JAKL parts, but accessories we have in droves.

The SB Tactical folding triangle brace is a reliable go-to option. Moving to stocks, F5 Manufacturing makes the Modular Stock System that includes the Buffer with Stock Adaptor Assembly, essentially cutting out the price of PSA’s $99 kit.

How to Care for Your Palmetto State Armory JAKL

My Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for something different than “just another AR”, the Palmetto State Armory JAKL provides just that. A different operating system, a few changes in ergonomics, and a wide array of visual customizations make the JAKL and excellent base for the gun of your dreams.