AR Sponsor
Posted: 8/16/2024 10:00:45 PM EDT
|
BLUF: I don't like it. I bought a Honey Badger about a month ago. Shot it at the range a few times and this is my impression to date.  Likes: Looks sexy Very lightweight; amazingly so Accurate Dislikes: Pretty much every ergo -- Ambi safety; hate them -- Pistol grip; too thin/small -- Stock -- Shooting supersonic ammo -- $$$$ I hate ambi safeties in general and this setup is no exception. I replaced it with a Radian Talon-GI. The Magpul MOE-K grip is too thin/small. The lightweight really encourages one handed carry/handling but the grip is just too awkward for that. Replaced it with the Reptilia grip I think it was supposed to come with. Much better grip. Same short length but the extra girth make the hand hold much better. The stock style is not anything I like. I see this style seems to be popular, but for me, I just don't like it as it doesn't fit my style of shooting. I've shot this at the range with both supers & subs using a VOX-K2 and MG7-K cans. Both suppress very well. Supers are, at best, unpleasant. With a good cheek weld, it's down right painful. ETA: Last range trip, I had a loaded 10-rd Lancer mag I inserted, go past whatever is supposed to limit the mag insertion, got jammed up real good and deadlined the gun on me. I'll be running that mag in another gun tomorrow to see if that was a mag issue. (update 9/9/2024) It really doesn't like the Lancer 10rd mags. I see now that the manufacturer expectation is to use standard GI aluminum mags. Great looking gun. Super lightweight (it really needs to be experienced; amazing) and great handling. Very accurate. Other than the stock, the ergo issues are fixed, but it's off-putting to have to do that for a $3k gun. Unfortunately, as the 110gr TAC-TX is the go-to defense ammo for this platform, it's performance with supers, combined with the poor stock, make it a deal breaker for me. |
|
Did another range session today. There's something bad about shooting supers with this gun. I tried adjusting a few things (angle, face placement, sholdering) nothing helped. Just stings the side of my face. It'll be relegated to the back of my safe until I figure out what to do with it. |
|
Quoted: Did another range session today. There's something bad about shooting supers with this gun. I tried adjusting a few things (angle, face placement, sholdering) nothing helped. Just stings the side of my face. It'll be relegated to the back of my safe until I figure out what to do with it. Run it with an Eotech on a riser see how it feels |
|
Honestly this and the rattler strike me as a gun that’s meant to be carried and used for Hd, not for enjoyable range visits. And if that’s your thought it’s fine. I have a rattler and it’s not really as comfortable to shoot as a 18” JP, but it actually fits in a backpack and the real rifle doesn’t. Price of ammo is the same thing. I enjoy training with 556 or even 22lr versions of the gun, but carry one with $1/round ammo. |
|
Those range trips amounted to 20 rds of super and 30 rds of subs total fired. Zeroing/familiarization with different optics/suppressors/ammo. Relegated to subs only wouldn't be a bad thing. It's the easiest one I have to fit in a small pack. Supers are off the table as I'm building a 300 HAM'R for that. |
|
Thanks for the review, OP. I’m sorry to hear that the HB didn’t work out to your expectations. It sure is a damn cool-looking gun, but if it fails functionality-wise, I get the bad bill of health. I believe I mentioned in another thread of yours that I built an 8” Blackout pistol. I’m very pleased with the gun. Yeah, the Law Tactical folder bumped the price point more than I wanted, but I appreciate how compact it is for rifle-like performance. This is a picture before optic and QD brake for the can. Attached File |
|
Step 1 transformation is complete. I changed out the stock setup for a LWRCI ultra compact stock kit and a standard BCG. Shot supers just fine. Undergassed for subs; won't pick up new rounds. I'll need to figure that out. Next step *might* be swapping in my Wilson Combat 1/7 8" barrel. The 1/7 makes more sense if shooting supers. |
|
Quoted: Thanks for the review, OP. I'm sorry to hear that the HB didn't work out to your expectations. It sure is a damn cool-looking gun, but if it fails functionality-wise, I get the bad bill of health. I believe I mentioned in another thread of yours that I built an 8" Blackout pistol. I'm very pleased with the gun. Yeah, the Law Tactical folder bumped the price point more than I wanted, but I appreciate how compact it is for rifle-like performance. This is a picture before optic and QD brake for the can. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/69794/IMG_8996_jpeg-3302903.JPG Yeah, nice setup. I actually built a 300 BO (I call it "The Dirty Beaver"  ). I've been comparing the HB, Sig Rattler and my build to see which one I preferred. The Dirty Beaver just got converted to a 300 HAM'R and it sings.  The Honey badger will probably be my go to 300 BO, but it'll likely end up just being the receivers. |
|
Quoted: Honestly this and the rattler strike me as a gun that’s meant to be carried and used for Hd, not for enjoyable range visits. And if that’s your thought it’s fine. I have a rattler and it’s not really as comfortable to shoot as a 18” JP, but it actually fits in a backpack and the real rifle doesn’t. Price of ammo is the same thing. I enjoy training with 556 or even 22lr versions of the gun, but carry one with $1/round ammo. Friend of mine with money wanted to get into 300 blackout. I recommended the Sig Rattler as a good option because he mentioned he was interested in backpack carry. Being a upper-upper-middle-class small business owner, naturally he didn't listen to a word I said and he went to a gun store and they sold him a Maxim PDX and a Honey Badger SD. Fast forward a year and the Maxim PDX can fit in a backpack, as long as no suppressor is attached. The Honey Badger is relegated to home defense because it's quiet but he tried to sell it and no one will buy it since it's a two-stamp nightmare. So now he's looking at getting a Rattler to be his backpack truck gun....which is what I freaking told him to get from the beginning. |
|
I've only shot my buddy's Honey Badger SD, and I refuse to stop ragging on him for spending $4,000 on a two stamp one trick pony. It sucks for everything but extremely quiet home defense. It gets extremely hot before you're through the first mag and sure, you can put rail covers on it, but that doesn't change the fact that the gun sucks to train with. When using subs, it's whisper quiet. The gun is extremely lightweight, but being super quiet with subs is really the only selling point of the Honey Badger, in my opinion. I just tell people who are looking at the HB to buy a Sig Rattler because it covers a lot more use cases than the Honey Badger can, including being an outstanding backpack gun. |
|
So far, I've swapped the stock assembly for a LWRCI UCIW ultra compact setup. Swapped the BCG for a Colt mil-spec. Swapped the ambi safety for a Radian Talon-GI. Magpul pistol grip for the Reptilia version. And a few other parts for aesthetics. I've got it running subs fine and supers are now tolerable, but honestly, this firearm really doesn't like to shoot supers. I do have a Wilson 8" barrel (1/7) with a RifleSpeed gas block that I'm contemplating swapping in. Would it still be a Honey Badger at that point?  |
|
Quoted: Oh man, great to see it all together! How close was the nut and backplate to the rail? Does it need to be a little darker? I had nothing to go off of other than comparison pics online. |
|
Quoted: Thanks. Some more shots of Thor's amazing work... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15341/7e05fe97-b7f6-48b5-bf0c-86708604970c-3317861.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15341/cd4c3c0a-b15e-4865-b822-1f0fd226a81b-3317862.jpg Looks nice! |
|
Thor's work inspired me to do something different. Since this platform is best suited to subs, I put the entire gun back to the way it was from the factory (excepting the ambi safety). I'll build out a different upper using my Wilson 8" 300BO barrel. And taking advantage of Thor's talent.  |
|
Quoted: Behold, the Honey Beaver.  https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15341/20240924_092912-3331865.jpg Thanks for the review. I don't want a Honey Badger anymore and I've wanted one since before they were available to us peasants. Years ago, instead of waiting, I rolled my own interpretation and wondered if I did the right thing. I have my answer becuase it's basically the same as your Honey Badger Improved. 
|
|
Quoted: Thanks for the review. I don't want a Honey Badger anymore and I've wanted one since before they were available to us peasants. Years ago, instead of waiting, I rolled my own interpretation and wondered if I did the right thing. I have my answer becuase it's basically the same as your Honey Badger Improved. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53990135094_427b32b3a7_b.jpg I wanted a honey badger pretty bad. But since Qs insane postings on social media and I decided to go with a rattler instead. I finally got to handle one in person a few weeks ago and was pretty impressed how light it is, but at this point mine at like 2 pounds heavier is vetted, reliable, and folds up smaller, so I'm not too disappointed. I may do an ultra-light build eventually cause I'm getting old
|
|
Quoted: I wanted a honey badger pretty bad. But since Qs insane postings on social media and I decided to go with a rattler instead. I finally got to handle one in person a few weeks ago and was pretty impressed how light it is, but at this point mine at like 2 pounds heavier is vetted, reliable, and folds up smaller, so I'm not too disappointed. I may do an ultra-light build eventually cause I'm getting old Have you considered a Honey Snake?  Attached File |
|
Quoted: Have you considered a Honey Snake? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/66797/IMG_5562-EDIT__1__jpg-3333210.JPG Yeah I have a 7.5" 300BO barrel that fits (with a tucked pistol can) into a 12" samson rail. It's light and really quiet with subs, but I always take it apart and don't use it much. If I want 300 I usually want it to do rifle things, so I mostly shoot supers, and my pistol can isn't rated for that. My rifle can is and is already on the rattler so I just take that. If I want to shoot generally quietly I put my 22 can on a bolt gun, pistol, or shoot 9mm/45 subs for less money. I don't NEED anything in 300 subs at the price they go for. Plus rattler is short term SHTF and set up for that. My Long term is a 14.5" 556 with LPVO. |
|
Quoted: george-oh-my.jpg ETA: And just like that, my Rattler is no longer for sale. Hah! I'm sorry? Attached File |
|
Quoted: Well the Honey Badger has officially been returned to factory configuration and put in the back of the safe. 130rds total fired. Not sure what to do with it. Form 4 is a bitch. That is a bummer. I always thought they looked cool, but were probably not worth the cost. It isn't like there is anything special to rolling your own 300blk since +87% of it is a run of the mill 5.56 build. |
|
Quoted: @Thor And I can't praise Thor enough for his incredible work on matching the stock and buffer tube to the Honey Badger look. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/15341/20240909_130319-3317735.jpg OK, I admit, this is one of the finest rifles I have ever seen. |
|
Thor does amazing work. ----------------------------- Well, (ironically?) the Honey Badger is back to being my primary HD weapon albeit subs only (Lehigh 194gr ME). Every time I pick it up, I'm just amazed at how light and easy handling it is. I have a DeltaPoint Pro on it now; seems like a perfect fit. I'm working on a different 300BO build at the moment. Not sure if this will replace it or not. I had/have plans on a 300 HAM'R being my primary HD gun, but need to do some T&E before making that decision. |
|
It was designed around 300 Black/Subs at a time when few had understood the dynamics, and at a weight/profile that brought something new to the market. Yes, ergos suck and their take on an Ambi safety makes me think they just don't have skilled shooters on their staff. Once you have a good, high grip on the pistol grip, that style of ambi safety is a non-starter. The other ergos are mostly the compromises to get the weight/size down to absolute minimum dimensions (which I get, and love about the gun). But I think it is a hard market to be in, a little like the MP5 - spend 3K on HK, or 1K to get hopefully 95% of the performance. Speaking of MP5, I wish they'd make a gas PCC based on the Honey Badger, but I think that is unlikely. Whatever Q is doing seems to work for them, but they are forgetting that the guns need to be fun to shoot, and super lightweight is at odds with that. |
|
Quoted: It was designed around 300 Black/Subs at a time when few had understood the dynamics, and at a weight/profile that brought something new to the market. Yes, ergos suck and their take on an Ambi safety makes me think they just don't have skilled shooters on their staff. Once you have a good, high grip on the pistol grip, that style of ambi safety is a non-starter. The other ergos are mostly the compromises to get the weight/size down to absolute minimum dimensions (which I get, and love about the gun). But I think it is a hard market to be in, a little like the MP5 - spend 3K on HK, or 1K to get hopefully 95% of the performance. Speaking of MP5, I wish they'd make a gas PCC based on the Honey Badger, but I think that is unlikely. Whatever Q is doing seems to work for them, but they are forgetting that the guns need to be fun to shoot, and super lightweight is at odds with that. Kevin Brittingham is like the little Italian guy that runs the dive Italian place that is kind of a vibe to certain people, and they make their sauce not to everybody's taste but to what they personally like with a mishmash of premium ingredients and the people who like it...LOVE IT and eat their every Friday night and do all their special occasion dinners there. The people that don't eat there don't like the sauce or say the prices are too high and just go to Olive Garden and think they have much better "EYEtalian food". They are content with their consistent, comfortable middle of the road serviceable "Tour of Italy" and "endless bread sticks and salad" and think people who pay for that high end Italian food are just getting ripped off but too dumb to know it. Meanwhile the people at the high-end place love the homemade "gravy" and handmade pasta and the bartender who mixes their martinis just right and rave about the freshness of the calamari. The owner of the authentic joint doesn't want Olive Garden eaters at his place and is more than happy to keep welcoming in "overpaying" customers and invites them to tell their friends with an active social media campaign where he brags incessantly but somewhat charmingly about how much better his pasta is and anybody who doesn't think so can go fuck off. |
AR Sponsor