https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tNh_Srni6s

I can confirm this wiggle. I discovered it after installing a 4-12x Zeiss Terra scope to the rifle and shooting it for groups. I noticed some movement in the rail when checking the rifle over before shooting my first string. I too tried to tighten it and discovered I couldn't remove the play in the fit between the aluminum 1913 rail and the polymer mount it attaches to.  I contacted Beretta and they said they are checking for this issue in QC and it shouldn't happen. They said it could be fixed.




















 

Thanks for posting in here.

I hope you don't mind that I've been copying and pasting your quotes from BerettaForum.net in this thread and the M4Carbine.net ARX thread trying to get the info out there.

If you could keep us informed about the fix that Beretta has for the loose rails that would be great.

Maybe you could also find out more info about the updated lower receiver we have been hearing about here.

I'm also happy to see that the Lancer AWMs work with the ARX in your latest video.

I can't wait to see your full review video.

 

Interesting, I didn't know that their hammer forge machine came from Italy.

During your review of the ARX I would like to know how it stacks up against the SCAR and the ACR in your opinion since those two are the main competition for the ARX.

Also, I would like you to check the return to zero ability of the quick change barrel. Though I don't know how accurate that test would be with a loose rail, maybe Beretta can fix it before you do that test?

I will likely make a separate video comparing the ARX to the SCAR, ACR, Tavor, XCR, etc. I like to keep my videos under 20 minutes in length and by adding such a comparison to the ARX review it would likely take it well past that limit.  Plus, I think the topic is deserving of it's own video.

 




 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOZKwlvppaE

I appreciate what the guy was trying to do but he came off as a little unpolished and to be honest this was just a run down of features as opposed to a review of the rifle. Still nice to see more vids on it though.

Isn't that kind of far forward to mount an eotech?



 

Probably because of the rail wiggle he failed to mention.  

 

I agree, it was almost as if he was trying to mimic something he may have seen in COD.

Tim looks much more refined when he shoots in his videos.

Yes i know what you mean I don't want to bash the guy too much but something about the vid just seems off, he just didn't seem professional as a presenter and didn't strike me as a knowledgeable shooter/firearms expert (something about the rapid fire shooting seemed odd too) where as MAC always has videos that seem to be well produced and informative. Maybe i'm being unfair but I was hoping to learn something new about a product I was considering buying and I didn't.

But that's just my opinion which is worth exactly nothing so i'll leave it there.

What I'm interested in is how this gun would work as an SBR project given quick change barrels, Consider if beretta would sell the barrels separately you could have with a SBX type shroud installed so you could suppress it with the can under the shroud to keep length down. Or if you could have custom gas port sized barrels for suppressed and unsuppressed barrels as I saw mentioned on one early video about the rifle. If they would get the rail issue sorted out if needed I would definitely buy one. Im also curious given the polymer construction how durable the folding stock would be over time.

Does anybody know which part is the registered firearm for the gun, is it the upper or lower?

The upper is the serialized part.

The serial number is on the upper, just behind the ejection port.

 

I must have this rifle.  Damnit, I have to sell a couple of items to get it.  The gun hobby/love sucks.  I wish sometimes I was into golf or cars.  Banning those hobbies never makes it to political platforms.  FBHO!!!!!!

If you're going to make rails, the bottom rail would be nice too.

MAC please review the recoil and muzzle rise of the Beretta vs the scar 16s

That's really not much of a contest. The PWS FSC brake on the SCAR is considerably more effective than the Beretta's A2 style birdcage. If a PWS was mounted to both I suspect the differences would be negligible.

 

Regarding the rail wobble, if you're going to use that as evidence of inexcusable manufacturing sloppiness, then there are plenty of Colt ARs that should be in the rubbish bin for wobbly uppers. I understand the theoretical difference with respect to mounting optics, but since the ARX seems to have acceptable accuracy even with the loose rail, I'm not sure I would be so quick to freak out over it.

On an AR though the difference is that a wobbly upper is fixed to the barrel and sights but a wobbly rail on the ARX upper receiver is not in any way fixed to the barrel.

I'm not really freaked out over it but I am willing to wait and see how big of a problem this is and what the fix might be before I spend my money on it.

I've waited to long for this rifle to give up on it yet.

Yes, I said that in my post. But the wobbly upper is not connected well to any part of the rifle that you are holding, so it ain't exactly good for accuracy. I say that if people are getting 2-3moa groups with it using cheap ammo and a 10lb trigger, that the rail wobble is a non-issue.

Same here............not sure about this one just yet

If there's an easy fix for the loose rail, I still might take the plunge. I see a trickle of these things hitting gun broker now.

I picked an ARX-100 up last Friday.  My rail screws are tight, but the rail can can be moved slightly at the front end too.   It's strange because there is a hole through the dovetail under the rear of the rail that looks like it's designed for a screw, but there is no screw mount on the rail there.  It seems like putting a screw there would eliminate the problem.  Has anyone sent their ARX back to Beretta or talked to them about the issue?  I'm curious what they have to say about it.

Put about 100 rounds through it yesterday at an indoor range for a function check.  It was 100% reliable.  I was intrigued by how they designed the swappable ejection, which worked as advertised just by pushing a plate through a hole in the receiver.  Was surprised how clean it was after shooting.  Other than brass staining on the bolt face, but the rest of the bolt, carrier, and insides of the lower and receiver didn't look like it had been fired at all.  It doesn't seem to be designed to let you separate the gas cylinder from the piston to be able to clean the piston head.  Not sure how that's going to work out in the long run.  I think the controls could use some work.  The safety is pretty stiff, and the side mag release buttons are small and the mag catch spring too strong.  It's harder to release the mag with my right index finger than on an AR.  The mag release under the trigger, which also can be used to activate the BHO, seems to require a fair amount of force to push the mag catch out enough the fully release the mag.

Any one know what the weird little tool is that comes in the bag with the manual?

#1.  I really like my ARX-100.  I am keeping it, and its been 100% reliable through 500+ rounds of testing.

That said:
I spoke to Beretta CS last Friday.  I still can't register my rifle with the online warranty service and I have the top rail wobble.  Guy at CS said their engineers are looking at the issue and coming up with a solution.  I expressed my concern about not being able to register for warranty and he told me, "Don't worry about it, keep trying once a week.  The IT guys will update the website eventually."

I have to be honest with you; that blasé attitude might cut it with a $50 purchase... not so much with a $1500+ item.  I'm not freaking out but I am a little less than impressed with the people who answer the phones at Beretta.

It's at least a sight tool.  One end is for rotating the front sight post for elevation and the middle is a screwdriver for adjusting the front sight windage.  Haven't figured out what the square end is used for.

Yeah ok, thanks! BTW thats the first thing I took off my ARX! (sights) I think a set of airsoft flip ups would be a step up over the cheap included Beretta Lego sights!

Just picked mine up this afternoon.
I've been waiting a while, and was browsing Gunbroker last week to see if they were out and came across a seller with one listed for $1399.

Won't get a chance to shoot it until next weekend, but so far just finger banging it I'm pretty happy. The controls are placed well, and I am left handed so that is nice to have out of the box. Us lefties are generally ignored. It is light feeling but a little front heavy, though I've  been shooting bullpups recently and that could be skewing my perception some.
The safety is a little stiff but not too bad. Trigger is heavy but smooth, I don't think I'll be worrying about changing it.

The factory flip sights are... awful. They're getting swapped out for Mbus Pro's asap. The stock could use another inch or two of length.

I'm going to mount a heavy scope on it tonight and see if there's any rail wobble.

I'm curious. Is the bottom rail cover / hand guard removable?

From what i've seen yes it is but it doesn't cover up a rail....the little piece on the bottom in front of the handguard is all you get

Wow. I thought the piece actually covered most of the rail. So the ARX100 only has a bottom rail that's about  1.5"  in length?

according to the videos i've seen yes...someone linked one earlier in the thread that explained just that. It might have been a MAC one

Yep:

This Vid here at 7:20 mark

So... It's here. I have been playing with it for a couple hours now and have some initial thoughts. I'll run through the rifle from front to back:

The Barrel: Hammer-forged 1:7, chrome lined and appears to be MP tested. It is a slightly thin profile ahead of the gas block but a fairly heavy profile under the handguard. I wish they had stuck with nitriding as initially planned but I have no problem with the barrel. The barrel flares at the threaded end which makes me worry that there might not be enough meat to chop and thread it once I SBR it.

the gas block: there is a normal setting and an "adverse" setting which has a larger port. No suppressor setting. This is a bit disappointing but is in line with what beretta had said previously, that they would rather sell a separate quick-change barrel that comes pre-tuned for suppressor use. We will see if that ever comes true. That being said, it looks like someone could make a replacement plug for the gas block with a smaller port without too much effort.

The piston: looks well machined. Beretta reps claim it stays in constant contact with the bolt carrier during the cycle. This is utter bullshit. It only has about 1/3 as much travel as the bolt carrier, and you can see the piston lose contact with the carrier through the handguard slots as you cycle the weapon manually.

The handguard: it really does feel much slimmer than it looks in photos. It is a bit tall, however.  Overall it feels OK in the hands. I don't love it but I don't hate it; it's not as good as the best AR hand guards but is far better than the worst AR hand guards. The side rail sections are removable but it looks like the plastic nubbins that hold the screws would still be sticking up from the sides of the handguard, so I'm not sure they should really be called "removable." The plastic nubbins look like they would be uncomfortable to hold.

The QD barrel: works exactly as advertised. The tabs are a bit stiff to depress, which is probably a good thing. The barrel slides right out and slides right back in with minimal effort. It latches firmly in place. MAC is planning a return-to-zero test.

The T-rail: this is the rail under the removable plastic guard underneath the handguard. I have no clue why beretta left this proprietary for the ARX-100; the only thing that will mount to it is the GLX grenade launcher which they don't sell to civilians. I will be leaving the cover on, most likely. The rail is plastic, not metal, unlike the other rails on the gun.

The sling mounts: they are basic and work fine. QD would preferable but I don't hate these.

The magazine: this has been covered elsewhere. Generation 3 pmags wont work, but pretty much everything else will. Generation two works fine, as do the Lancer L5 magazines. Emags also work fine. In short, there are plenty of excellent magazines that will work with this rifle, I'm not worried about the compatibility. He included magazine is a basic but good-quality steel USGI mag.

The charging handle: the side swap feature works as advertised. However, the handle is extremely small, and difficult to fully grasp. It is also a bit short; my index finger knuckle drags across the brass deflector every time I charge the weapon. Even considering the swapping feature and the field stripping method, I think they could have given us a larger charging handle to grasp. I hope someone introduces one that is slightly larger on the aftermarket.

The controls: fully ambidextrous, as advertised. The safety is very stiff, but I imagine this might loosen up with use. The trigger is slightly heavy, but short and crisp, and it doesn't bother me. The bilateral magazine releases work well but are fairly small. The bottom magazine release does not appear to work well. It is connected to the bolt catch/release, and it is extremely difficult to press it far enough north to release the magazine. I am not an AK-47 user, so this doesn't bug me much, but it is important to know.

The grip: I really hate the A2 bump. It has to go. There is a nice storage space in the grip.

The stock: there are four positions. It is actually a lot better than people have theorized. The cheek weld is decent and wide, and the plastic does not feel cheap or flimsy. The butt end is checkered and grippy.

The sights: cheap and plastic. They are easily removable, so it is easy to replace them if you like. The height of the rail over the bore is slightly high, but the upside is you won't need a $100 riser to attach your red dot sight of choice.

The springs: everything is slightly stiff, and takes a lot of effort. I'm hoping this improves with wear.

Takedown: is not intuitive, and takes some practice, but works as advertised. Once you have done it a few times, it is relatively simple to take apart with no tools. Even the ejector/extractors disassemble without tools.

The ejection: the switch works as advertised, and is easy to push with the tip of a bullet or ball point pen. I have not yet fired the gun, so I can't comment on how well it works, but others have, and it seems to work well in their reviews.

The "rail wobble": mine has this to a very slight degree, but I am having a lot of trouble imagining how it would affect the gun's function. Have you ever watched a slow-motion video of an AR-15 or AK-47 firing? They flex like crazy, all over the place. The wobble on mine is less than a millimeter, and seems to always return to the center when I stop fiddling with it. I can imagine that this might affect the gun's precision if it was capable of benchrest accuracy, but this is a combat rifle. If I get 2-3 MOA, that is more than enough.

So far, overall, I am impressed with it. There are certain features that I really like, and there are others that I prefer the AR-15 or ACR. I think it's a worthwhile addition to the stable for anyone who is bored with ARs, is left-handed, or just wants to try something new. With some additions (better sights/optic, broken-in springs, a larger charging handle, and a short barrel) it could really be a star.

Thanks. I'm sure there's a good reason for the design.

The ARX160 22lr has a full bottom rail. Wondering if the subject Cover will fit on the 22lr model??

Doubt it.  What's under the cover on the ARX-100 is Beretta's proprietary T-rail and that's what the cover is meant to fit.  Only the forward exposed part of the bottom rail is picatinny.  Beretta is supposedly coming out with a full length bottom picatinny rail that attaches to the existing bottom T-rail in place of the cover.

I'm somewhat confused. I've seen photos of the military ARX (sbr) with a full bottom rail. Perhaps the rifle was a prototype?

Here's a few photos..:

Notice how far away the full rail surface is from the underside of the forend in the pictures above as compared to the ARX-100 below (except for the bottom one you posted - that may be a prototype).  The full rail slips over the existing rail and is pinned at the rear through a hole that is currently covered up by the lower handguard cover.

This

Also some of those pics if not all are the 160 not the 100. I would imagine the military model offers more options.

The rifle in the mac vid was a production model arx 100 not a prototype.

LOS,

The first three pictures in your line up show the ARX with the rail attachment installed.

The last picture in your line up is photoshopped.

As I mentioned above...



The forward 2" of the 6 O'Clock rail is standard picatinny, the next 6" or so is a proprietary, larger-format rail called the T-rail, which is proprietary to beretta and only interfaces with the GLX grenade launcher.  I have no idea why they didn't change this to all-Picatinny for the civilian version since they don't sell the GLX to civilians and we therefore have no use for the T-rail.  The entire 6 O'Clock rail is molded polymer, unlike the 12, 3, and 9 O'Clock rails which are metal.  There is a youtube video from Italy that shows a guy converting a Magpul AFG to work with the T-rail using a dremel.  You can also purchase a full-length Picatinny rail which slides OVER the T-rail, much like the factory rail cover slides on.  That is what is pictured above on the rifles with full-length 1913 rails underneath.

Hey, me too. I bought the first of the three that were for sale for $1399 and picked mine up yesterday from my FFL. I did see another place I buy from on gunbroker had a couple listed at $1450. I am guessing $1399 is the dealer price then.

I dislike the safety more than you. Mine is also stiff, but from the firing position, my thumb can't quite disengage the safety without adjusting my hand. I will wait patiently for an aftermarket extended one. And I agree, those sights on it are shit. I dropped an EOTech on it and the sights sit so high the co-witness is useless. I will also be looking at those MBUS Pro's very quick. But no rail wobbler and everything else has been great.



That is the military ARX 160A2. They went to a full length rail for it.

A lot of valuable info from all..! Thanks.

Thanks for the reviews guys and keep it coming as you use it more.

Some detail shots:

Whole lower:


FCG (very narrow hammer to go between the twin ejectors):


Barrel collet system:


Disassembled BCG (didn't remove firing pin or spring.  Everything in pic done without tools).


Barrels are MP inspected:


ARX vs ACR:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3Indp_6SBU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wc6bKBMruo

How did you remove the ejector/extractors?  They aren't part of the disassembly sequence given in the manual.

It's a bit tricky. Push them forward against spring tension then tilt outward at the front. To replace, hook the spring on its ledge, push forward, and tilt inward when the ejector clears the retention notch. The springs are really stiff and it is hard to get back together. I recommend only doing one side at a time, leaving the other one in place as a reference for how it should look until you are confident in your technique.