Review of Sig Sauer Adaptive Carbine Platform
[Karma fronting]
I was backing down the drive way to go to Jay Henges when I noticed a box on my porch. My Sig Adaptive Carbine Platform has arrived. I stopped, pulled back up and brought it in for a little GunGeekGasming all over it.
First impressions: The video you can see on the internet ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9IZ_6qm56o ) makes it seem like it's a snap to put it all together. It is not. Be sure you have a rubber mallet handy, and the safety warning to make sure your pistol is unloaded is as much about safety as it is about making sure you don't just shoot the ACP in frustration. Everything fits together very tight, which is good and bad. It's bad in that you're supposed to clean your gun every time you go shoot it, and disassembling and reassembling this time and time again will be a nuisance.
Nitty Gritty: If you watch the video Sig put out to hype this device up, you'll see them pull this little pin in and out to hold the device that clamps onto the rail in place. This pin looks much like the pins on an AR-15 that hold the upper and lower together. It probably is that exact same pin. On the AR-15, those pins stay the lower receiver, and serious disassembly is required to get them completely out. On the ACP they didn't design the frame around the detent so well and I wound up pulling this pin completely out of the frame, twice, sending the detent and detent spring flying both times. Luckily I found them both times, and while it was a bitch to do, I got everything reassembled right both times. Now, this would be a really annoying thing if this pin weren't completely useless. Maybe other people's ACPs won't be as tight, but remember me mentioning the rubber mallet? That piece that links the tactical rail of the pistol to the ACP's body is so tight fitting on both linkages that I really did have to use a hammer on it to get it into place. Not only that, but the back piece clamps to the frame such that it will hold that linking piece in no matter the recoil. So, it's forgivable that they designed a completely pointless pin wrong as I will not care one bit if I lose it.
Also, the method used to cock the pistol within the ACP basically uses a metal plate in the front, with a channel for the barrel to move within, that pushes on the front of the slide to push it back. I didn't check, but I'm doubtful that it's covered in some soft material to prevent it from marring the front of the slide. So, don't put a gun you like the looks of into this. Buy a used Glock, or something, they're ugly to start with. ;)
Actual Firing Experience: Since it was not an easy task getting the gun in and out of this frame, I decided only to bring the gun set up with my .357 Sig barrel, and use up some ammo to free up an ammo box. I found that it takes a little practice to let go of that cocking lever right such that the gun went fully into battery, so I may start using the slide lock lever "the wrong way" which is to shove it down to release the slide. That said, fifty rounds of .357 Sig fed, fired, and ejected fine. The optic I brought to put on it is apparently broken, and I'm not sure what I'll do about sights, now. Mine came with a little cheap laser, but it was off target and I didn't think I'd be actually using it, so I left the adjustment "wrench" at home. I only stuck it on because it was there. So, I was hitting something like 8" lower than I was aiming, but everything worked between the gun and the ACP.
I got the "Enhanced" version for the sling and sling mount, but I suspect I could have been just as happy with the basic version, as the sling that came with it was useless for what I wanted the sling for. I'll ask around for advice on a better sling for it.
Aftermath: I'm glad I bought the Glock specifically for this purpose, as I probably won't switch it to other pistols, even if I can. It's gotten me thinking I want, probably much later, to go full SBR with it, but for now, I'll try to be happy with a pseudo SBR that isn't configured such that it has to be an NFA item. It would be much improved, I think, with a forward pistol grip, but that will also be an NFA change, so it'll have to wait until I can get the frame registered as an SBR. I won't say I'm unhappy with my purchase, as I haven't yet gotten it working the way I want it to. After I have it arranged "right," I can make a judgement call on whether or not it was a waste of money. I do, however, think it's a better buy than the RONI.
Update: I was playing with the sling, seeing if I can fix it, and I looked through the side of the gun and saw that the pistol wasn't even within the frame. It's "pointing down." This completely explains why I was having such trouble with that optic, since the gun was pointing a few degrees down. Even at 7 yards, a few degrees is a lot of difference to accomodate. I'm going to fiddle with other guns I have that have tactical rails. I may, yet, use my Sig for this. It's already a little beat up, so scratching it up further won't be a cause for concern.
Update 2: Having played with my Sig P229, it looks like it's the one for this platform. I could also use a Springfield XD, but the Sig even goes into battery when I ease the slide closed with the lever. I'll just have to get myself used to the idea of moving this thing in and out of the ACP here and there. It is getting a little easier with practice.
The future of that Glock 31, which I spent so much time and money getting ready for this project, is now questionable.
I was backing down the drive way to go to Jay Henges when I noticed a box on my porch. My Sig Adaptive Carbine Platform has arrived. I stopped, pulled back up and brought it in for a little GunGeekGasming all over it.
First impressions: The video you can see on the internet ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9IZ_6qm56o ) makes it seem like it's a snap to put it all together. It is not. Be sure you have a rubber mallet handy, and the safety warning to make sure your pistol is unloaded is as much about safety as it is about making sure you don't just shoot the ACP in frustration. Everything fits together very tight, which is good and bad. It's bad in that you're supposed to clean your gun every time you go shoot it, and disassembling and reassembling this time and time again will be a nuisance.
Nitty Gritty: If you watch the video Sig put out to hype this device up, you'll see them pull this little pin in and out to hold the device that clamps onto the rail in place. This pin looks much like the pins on an AR-15 that hold the upper and lower together. It probably is that exact same pin. On the AR-15, those pins stay the lower receiver, and serious disassembly is required to get them completely out. On the ACP they didn't design the frame around the detent so well and I wound up pulling this pin completely out of the frame, twice, sending the detent and detent spring flying both times. Luckily I found them both times, and while it was a bitch to do, I got everything reassembled right both times. Now, this would be a really annoying thing if this pin weren't completely useless. Maybe other people's ACPs won't be as tight, but remember me mentioning the rubber mallet? That piece that links the tactical rail of the pistol to the ACP's body is so tight fitting on both linkages that I really did have to use a hammer on it to get it into place. Not only that, but the back piece clamps to the frame such that it will hold that linking piece in no matter the recoil. So, it's forgivable that they designed a completely pointless pin wrong as I will not care one bit if I lose it.
Also, the method used to cock the pistol within the ACP basically uses a metal plate in the front, with a channel for the barrel to move within, that pushes on the front of the slide to push it back. I didn't check, but I'm doubtful that it's covered in some soft material to prevent it from marring the front of the slide. So, don't put a gun you like the looks of into this. Buy a used Glock, or something, they're ugly to start with. ;)
Actual Firing Experience: Since it was not an easy task getting the gun in and out of this frame, I decided only to bring the gun set up with my .357 Sig barrel, and use up some ammo to free up an ammo box. I found that it takes a little practice to let go of that cocking lever right such that the gun went fully into battery, so I may start using the slide lock lever "the wrong way" which is to shove it down to release the slide. That said, fifty rounds of .357 Sig fed, fired, and ejected fine. The optic I brought to put on it is apparently broken, and I'm not sure what I'll do about sights, now. Mine came with a little cheap laser, but it was off target and I didn't think I'd be actually using it, so I left the adjustment "wrench" at home. I only stuck it on because it was there. So, I was hitting something like 8" lower than I was aiming, but everything worked between the gun and the ACP.
I got the "Enhanced" version for the sling and sling mount, but I suspect I could have been just as happy with the basic version, as the sling that came with it was useless for what I wanted the sling for. I'll ask around for advice on a better sling for it.
Aftermath: I'm glad I bought the Glock specifically for this purpose, as I probably won't switch it to other pistols, even if I can. It's gotten me thinking I want, probably much later, to go full SBR with it, but for now, I'll try to be happy with a pseudo SBR that isn't configured such that it has to be an NFA item. It would be much improved, I think, with a forward pistol grip, but that will also be an NFA change, so it'll have to wait until I can get the frame registered as an SBR. I won't say I'm unhappy with my purchase, as I haven't yet gotten it working the way I want it to. After I have it arranged "right," I can make a judgement call on whether or not it was a waste of money. I do, however, think it's a better buy than the RONI.
Update: I was playing with the sling, seeing if I can fix it, and I looked through the side of the gun and saw that the pistol wasn't even within the frame. It's "pointing down." This completely explains why I was having such trouble with that optic, since the gun was pointing a few degrees down. Even at 7 yards, a few degrees is a lot of difference to accomodate. I'm going to fiddle with other guns I have that have tactical rails. I may, yet, use my Sig for this. It's already a little beat up, so scratching it up further won't be a cause for concern.
Update 2: Having played with my Sig P229, it looks like it's the one for this platform. I could also use a Springfield XD, but the Sig even goes into battery when I ease the slide closed with the lever. I'll just have to get myself used to the idea of moving this thing in and out of the ACP here and there. It is getting a little easier with practice.
The future of that Glock 31, which I spent so much time and money getting ready for this project, is now questionable.