PALMETTO STATE PA-15 20” 5000 RD REVIEW

A couple of years ago, I bought the PSA (Palmetto State Armory) PA-15 20” with the old school detachable sight system, A2 handguards, and Mil-Spec trigger. I wanted to take a few moments to look at the concept of the M16 platform (A1, A2, A3/4) and why I even bothered going with this type of system over the venerable and much loved M4 style (16”) rifle.

MY HISTORY

​The M16A2 was the weapon I qualified with in Marine Boot Camp. It was rugged and easy to use. When I was in the Fleet, I mainly had an M16A4 which weighed as much as my Tavor7 after being all decked out with sight, light, laser system, sling, grip pod, and cleaning kit in the stock. The rifle was long, heavy, and cumbersome with everything on it, but we wielded our rifles with confidence and did not cry about weight. But I guess it was a different time when people took the weapons they were issued and made them work.

NOT WHAT I ORIGINALLY WANTED

Would it sound odd that this rifle isn’t the rifle I originally wanted? My original intent was to get an M16A2 clone, but this rifle was the closest to reasonably priced at the time. Now I am looking at going with a Springfield SA-16 after the new year as my dedicated war rifle. With that said, I did spend $600 to get an FN upper to eventually replace my current rifle, or make a new build with. If I get a lower, it would be less than $200, and I can install the CSAT rear sight assembly and the Holosun AEMS. I could start having some real fun with sights and setups. The rail gives me options, but it is just not as secure as the built-in sights of the actual A2 receiver.

IDEAL BALLISTICS AND FUNCTION

I have heard some AR15 afficionados talk about how the M16 is the perfect rifle because it is the ORIGINAL barrel length the 5.56 was designed around. I suppose that makes sense, and it shows in ballistics tests. Since the GWOT, the 5.56 has gained a reputation as being somewhat anemic. Some people really advocate for 300 Blackout while other argue for a 6.8 variety. It can be easy to get lost in the ballistics section of gun-talk, but all I know is I have seen the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of well-placed 5.56 on a human body. Personally, I would use the old reliable 7.62/.308 if I had a choice, but sometimes, the mission cannot support my desired bullet loading. In this case, I will default to what I know for a fact will deliver my lethal payload to my target with speed, precision, and reliability.

TACTICAL COURSES & PRACTICE

During the middle of 2023, I took two tactical training courses with Max Velocity Tactical. During each class, you were required to shoot at least 1000 rounds each. Before each training course I would shoot about 500 rounds to prep and then shoot another 500 rounds after each course to reinforce the training in coordinated practice. At the end of the year, I participated in the alumni training course that lasted about a full week and I shot about 1000 rounds out of the rifle. After that training, I have shot at least 1000 rounds total to practice and maintain my skills. In all, I have surpassed the 5,000 round mark a while ago.

Since the tactical training classes, I have put at least hundreds of hours into the rifle and used it repeatedly for light infantry refresher training. It is incredibly easy to shoot and my wife loves how little recoil it has out of its 20” barrel.

FEATURES & EXPERIENCE

Barrel:

-          20" Nitride 4150 Chrome Moly steel barrel, chambered in 5.56 NATO, with a 1/7 twist, M4 barrel extension, and a rifle-length gas system.

-          The barrel is finished off with a PSA A2 Classic handguard, F-marked front sight base, and A2 flash hider.

The barrel is not chrome-lined, and some people feel that the barrel is lower quality because it is Melanite-treated and not cold-hammer forged. The FN barrel I got is cold-hammer forged and classic parkerization. The handguards are a bit fatter than the normal A2 handguards and I replaced the handguards with green Magpul handguards, almost immediately. I put zip ties on the grip reference points for a consistent grip while shooting, and it has paid off in spades. I also have had a lot of fun doing bayonet practice with this rifle, using a SOG bayonet. The bayonet lug is sturdy and true to form, allowing you to turn this 40” rifle into a 46” spear. Badass.

Upper:

-          Forged 7075-T6 A3 AR upper is machined to MIL-SPECS and hard coat anodized.

-          Uppers include forward assist and dust cover.

-          Made in the USA by a mil-spec manufacturer. 

I changed the charging handle out for a Bravo Company Medium charging handle. Also, the recess that locks the charging handle in place is worn and rounded now after all the practice I have done with the rifle.

Bolt:

-          Full-auto profile bolt carrier group.

-          Shot-peened, mil-spec Carpenter No. 158® steel bolt and gas Key Hardened to USGI Specifications, Fastened with Grade 8 screws, and Staked Per Mil-Spec.

-          8620 steel M-16 profile carrier.

The BCG is well-made, but I always kept a spare bolt and BCG on hand in case there was a random issue during a tactical course. I also had a Lantac bolt specifically in case the BCG was fine, except for gas ring failures or lug sheering. It seemed like the inside of the BCG was chrome-lined and very easy to keep clean.

Lower:

-          Forged 7075-T6 aluminum and are marked "MULTI" for caliber.

-          The finish is hardcoat anodized.

-          Mil-spec diameter 7075-T6 buffer tube is hardcoat anodized, and has an A2 butt stock and classic A2 grip.

-          The fire control group is a PSA classic mil-spec style, single-stage assembly.

The trigger on the rifle has been superb, and spot on for a MILSPEC trigger. I feel like it is getting close to the point that I should be changing the springs out in the lower receiver. The stock of the rifle has been recently replaced with the Magpul Rifle stock, and I have thoroughly enjoyed its stability and storage capacity. Also, I changed out the grip to a Magpul grip that stores a generous amount of CLP in a squeeze bottle. The safety is very easy to manipulate at this point, and is no longer positive. Perhaps a new selector is in order.

Included: PSA Mil-Spec AR-15 Carry Handle

The carry handle has been the only sight on the rifle since I got it. I used blue Loctite and marked the screws, and have had zero issues with it walking back on me. I rarely use the 0-2 peephole, and have merely used lamp black to prevent glare on the front and rear sights.

I recently performed a DIY spray paint job on my rifle using cheap stencils on Amazon and gun paint. I like the old school woodland pattern, so shocker on what stencil I chose. I probably put on about 10 coats and ran through 3 cans of each color. It took two weeks for the rifle to stop smelling like a paint shop.

MAINTENANCE HABITS

With this rifle, I treated it well and did not torture test it unnecessarily, mainly to save myself the cleanup and the pain in the butt of having to scrub off firing residue from the bolt. I lubricated the rifle through the BCG vent holes habitually after running a course of fire, just to keep all the firing residue on the bolt wet. This helped to prevent it from sticking stubbornly, and made later cleanup little more than a wipe down and reassembly in the field.

During my pre-training practice, I used the stock BCG only. While I was at the tactical training courses, I swapped my bolt with the fresh Lantac one. After each day of shooting, whether in practice, or in training classes, I habitually cleaned and relubed my rifle using nothing but BreakFree CLP. I would prefer to use Slip 2000, but I had about a half-gallon of Breakfree CLP, and it has worked pretty well to keep my weapons lubricated and clean.

I’VE BECOME ATTACHED

The list of things I love about this rifle is long, but justified.

-          Can mount a bayonet and get extra reach

-          Allows easy precision shooting with the iron sights

-          The rifle is MILSPEC and performs well for less money

-          The rifle has never rusted and the finish is tough on the rifle, despite working in the rain, snow, and high humidity.

-          Nothing was poorly assembled on the rifle

-          Dead nuts reliable

-          Delivers good accuracy at range, if desired

-          Inexpensive to replace

-          Has a place for cleaning kit and CLP in the stock, as any self-respecting rifle should.

-          Great build base for making an M16A4 clone, or something similar

-          Sometimes, old school is the best school.

-          People underestimate the rifle because of the PSA name and brag about spending twice as much on a Colt, yet their Colt is the only one presenting any malfunctions while shooting hundreds of rounds in a fire and movement course.

-          Runs steel-cased ammo like it was made for it.

-          Fun to LARP in the woods with as a wannabe LRRP

It is not all rainbow and sunshine, though. I do wish the barrel was forged, but it can be a pretty expensive process to forge barrels. The good news is that changing a barrel is relatively inexpensive compared to buying a whole rifle. You can just buy an entire upper assembly and do a straight swap. Granted, the barrel would last longer if it were forged, but it all depends on how you treat the rifle. If you are machine gunning ammo through the rifle, the heat and friction will have an effect on your rifling and possibly degrade your accuracy.

WRAPUP

I am not a big AR fan in general. I am more into bullpups, and I have spent a lot of time on bullpups for this reason. But I do love the M16A2 its history and practicality when run with minimal accessories. I especially adore how well this rifle has worked for me, so much that I go a new upper and will be getting a new lower to build a new rifle that is not painted. This time I will minimize the work I do to it, but perhaps I will slap some triangular handguards on it for that functional nostalgic feel. A little hockey tape will help give a good grip. If you are not looking to get one of these rifles, you are wasting your money.