Armory Sponsor
Joined:
Jan 2025
Posts:
121
EE: 100% (72)
PA, USA
Posted: 5/27/2025 5:54:01 PM EDT
|
Are there any? If so, which and does one have to then buy a short buffer setup, shorter BCG etc or are there plug & play options that do not require a bunch of extra parts that make it cost a fortune? |
|
Reap weaponry sells a kit for around $500. No extra stuff needed.The scy @RacingOrange |
|
I like my A3 Triad with an FM-15 upper once I figured out that the reason it wouldn't run reliably was the POS Rise Armament trigger I bought for it and nothing to do with the upper or bullpup kit. I'd almost say it's my favorite bullpup, period, out of all that I've owned or do own: Tavor, MSAR, AUG, MDR. Lighter, less bulky, better trigger than all. That said - I don't really consider it a "service grade" weapon. Too many threaded fasteners and points of failure. It's cool, it's well engineered, and after some more testing I'd likely be happy to consider it a home defense gun. But riding around in a vehicle or any kind of sustained use in challenging environments, I'd be hesitant to recommend it for. ETA: I bought an FM-15 upper complete, and the Triad kit for the FM-15 with the RA trigger. The only thing additional I needed and had on hand was an SBR lower, a magazine release and a bolt catch (and the required springs/pins). The Triad kit was missing a part and A3 had one at my doorstep 72 hours after I emailed them. They were also very responsive to questions I had prior to purchase. Very happy with them. |
|
Originally Posted By m200maker: Reap weaponry sells a kit for around $500. No extra stuff needed.The scy @RacingOrange I like my Scy, 12.5" Mike-15 combo as a pistol. |
Joined:
Jan 2025
Posts:
126
EE: 100% (72)
PA, USA
|
Originally Posted By Kuraki: I like my A3 Triad with an FM-15 upper once I figured out that the reason it wouldn't run reliably was the POS Rise Armament trigger I bought for it and nothing to do with the upper or bullpup kit. I'd almost say it's my favorite bullpup, period, out of all that I've owned or do own: Tavor, MSAR, AUG, MDR. Lighter, less bulky, better trigger than all. That said - I don't really consider it a "service grade" weapon. Too many threaded fasteners and points of failure. It's cool, it's well engineered, and after some more testing I'd likely be happy to consider it a home defense gun. But riding around in a vehicle or any kind of sustained use in challenging environments, I'd be hesitant to recommend it for. ETA: I bought an FM-15 upper complete, and the Triad kit for the FM-15 with the RA trigger. The only thing additional I needed and had on hand was an SBR lower, a magazine release and a bolt catch (and the required springs/pins). The Triad kit was missing a part and A3 had one at my doorstep 72 hours after I emailed them. They were also very responsive to questions I had prior to purchase. Very happy with them. I have everything but a HG & barrel to build an AR for this & had a bad experience with FM before so won't be buying a complete upper just to do this project or anything ever from FM |
Joined:
Jan 2025
Posts:
134
EE: 100% (72)
PA, USA
|
You’re going to need a bufferless upper, or an expensive bufferless conversion or shortened system. SRU’s kit allows you to run the $100 Kentri 3.5” buffer system with an optional buttplate extension. Brings the LOP to the same as the Hellion. I’ve owned all of them and the SRU precision SARB-15 is my favorite. I like the way it feels and the mag release. I run milspec uppers with a dead foot arms 2.5” buffer system. 11.25” FM-15  10.5”  6”  8” 
|
Joined:
Jan 2025
Posts:
135
EE: 100% (72)
PA, USA
|
Originally Posted By Thor: You’re going to need a bufferless upper, or an expensive bufferless conversion or shortened system. SRU’s kit allows you to run the $100 Kentri 3.5” buffer system with an optional buttplate extension. Brings the LOP to the same as the Hellion. I’ve owned all of them and the SRU precision SARB-15 is my favorite. I like the way it feels and the mag release. I run milspec uppers with a dead foot arms 2.5” buffer system. 11.25” FM-15 https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/66797/IMG_8446_Original-3555661.jpg 10.5” https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/66797/image-3475321.jpg 6” https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/66797/IMG_6088_Original-3425088.jpg 8” https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/66797/IMG_6334_Original-3407722.jpg Looks cool, but I'm in this almost $1k just for buffer & bullpup kit at that point. Pass |
|
Originally Posted By RacingOrange: Looks cool, but I'm in this almost $1k just for buffer & bullpup kit at that point. Pass Yup. They are all expensive if you don’t run an FM15. The SCY runs into the same problem, but you can use a standard buffer with it if you don’t mine a 2’ LOP, haha, This was my TRIAD kit with a custom 9.5” 300BLK Upper. Next to a 4.5” AR pistol and an 11.25” AR. 
|
| I still need to assemble mine, I have the 16” Foxtrot Mike upper. I didn’t order early enough to get a shirt but did get discounted price. Now I believe it’s much cheaper and what I also for polymer is now the aluminum price. Kinda pissed about that but what can you do. |
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
|
Originally Posted By Wangstang: @Thor Sounds like you've tried several variants. Which one had the best trigger system? By that I mean which one had the best feel with the least amount of points of failure/looked durable? Every play with a 5.7 upper to make a P90'ish build? Never played with a 5.7. I was looking around for a short barrel upper, but couldn’t find one at a decent price. Both trigger mechanisms are nearly identical in geometry. The SRU kit does have thicker transfer bars, but I can’t see the thinner bars of the A3T kit will cause any flex unless you’re running a heavy ass trigger to begin with. I also don’t “feel” the extra mass of the SRU bars. On the SRU kit I actually clipped some coils off the trigger return spring. This made it feel nearly weightless and was an especially noticeable improvement over the A3T when running the Geissele 2-stage. I never did mess around with the return spring on the A3T kit. I sold it before I thought of trying it. |
 Failed To Load Title The SRU is definitely cool! |
|
Also, if SS or FRT is a consideration, go with the SRU, a JAKL upper, and an AS Designs JAKL trip kit. The pool to draw from with SS/FRT and and AR bullpup kits is quite small, but I’ve seen 4 SS equipped SRU/JAKL/AS builds, and reports of 2 A3T/JAKL/AS builds that would not work with the SS/FRT. Mechanically, the only differences is the trigger transfer system. The A3T does have thinner bars, so maybe there’s a flex issued getting introduced during forced reset, or there’s the way the mechanism contacts the trigger. The A3T is more complex with a couple adjust ablable bushing where it meets the trigger but that allows it to work with flat and curved triggers. The SRU kit is very simple on the contact end, just the end of a metal screw contacting the trigger (adjustable for travel) but it only works with curved triggers, though it can work with some G$ flat triggers too. Here’s how mine sits right right:   July 29, 2025 |
Joined:
Nov 2025
Posts:
1
EE: 0% (0)
USA
|
Originally Posted By lazyengineer: I have yet to hear sufficiently satisfactory field reports on the non-buffer style recoil systems required, to give me confidence to spend the non-trivial total project cost money chasing this. I've heard good things on the BRN-180 upper. |
|
Originally Posted By lazyengineer: I have yet to hear sufficiently satisfactory field reports on the non-buffer style recoil systems required, to give me confidence to spend the non-trivial total project cost money chasing this. Deadfoot Arms is solid. I had two. The one I still have is atwell over 1k rounds trouble free. It’s just the most expensive option. Almost as much as getting an FM-15 upper! |
Joined:
Dec 2024
Posts:
24
EE: 99% (165)
AZ, USA
Joined:
Dec 2024
Posts:
25
EE: 99% (165)
AZ, USA
Armory Sponsor