What Makes Patriot Ordnance Factory AR-15 Uppers Different?

USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Is Patriot Ordnance Factory (POF-USA) really any different?  With a flooded market of AR-15 complete rifles and parts it’s sometime difficult to know the difference between quality and bare-minimum.  It’s equally as challenging to know the difference between an actual manufacturer and a mere assembler that stamps their name on parts.  Unique designs can be an indicator of an actual manufacturer, but it can also mean straying away from the mil-spec that so many of us cling to.  So what’s really worth the prices asked and more importantly what’s worth YOUR money?

Patriot Ordnance Factory is one of those upper-echelon companies that seems to ask a premium for their rifles and parts.  Yes, they’re good-looking rifles and parts, but what about those questions we asked earlier?  Last winter I had the opportunity to visit Patriot Ordnance Factory’s headquarters and factory in Arizona and see for myself what they’re really all about.  We covered that trip in this article.  Yes Patriot Ordnance Factory makes their own parts, and yes they have moved from what is “mil-spec”, but for good reason.  “Mil-Spec” is based on a decades-old design.  Engineering and manufacturing has moved well beyond the era of carbureted vehicles and analog-signal televisions, isn’t it time your rifle did too?

It can be difficult to see what all makes POF-USA’s parts different from casual observation, and even more difficult when assembled.  For that reason I decided to build an upper using mostly POF parts.  In the video below you can see some of the innovation that quietly makes POF different.

One feature that I could not show on film with my limited equipment is the E Squared chamber in the barrel.  This feature enhances extraction via tiny flutes in the chamber.  For a more technical explanation see POF-USA’s own video here.

So what were my results?  I hit the range and with only zeroing as a break-in tried loads from Nosler, Gecco, and Hornady covering both .223 Remington and 5.56×45 loads.  This was done without a muzzle device as I wanted my tuning of the DiCtator gas block to be done for maximum recoil reduction without the influence of a muzzle device’s effectiveness.  Shooting impressions and accuracy results can be seen in the video below.

From this experience I can not say that Patriot Ordnance Factory’s parts demand a premium, rather they have earned a premium.  Accuracy was not as good as one might expect, but the barrel isn’t broken in yet.  Keep in mind those groups were part of the first 50 rounds through the barrel.  The heat-sink barrel nut was incredibly effective, DiCtator gas block easily adjusted, and Puritan barrel provided just the right weight to serve as a tactical rifle without being too light to hold zero or too heavy to wield.  Future testing will heat the barrel up some more and also get closer to that sweet-spot of accuracy in a barrel’s life.  If you’re curious about what all went into this build the list of major parts used is below with links for current pricing and specifications:

• Barrel: POF-USA Puritan 5.56 Barrel
• Handguard and Barrel Nut: POF-USA Renegade Rail Kit
• Gas Block: POF-USA DiCtator Gas Block
• Upper Receiver: Bootleg Enhanced AR-15 Upper Receiver
• Charging Handle: POF-USA Strike Eagle Charging Handle
• Bolt Carrier Group: Sharps Xtreme Performance Bolt Carrier in DLC
• Ejection Port Cover: V Seven Ultra-Light Ejection Port Cover
• Lower Receiver: American Defense Manufacturing UIC Lower Receiver
• Receiver Extension and Castle Nut: Primary Weapon Systems Enhanced Buffer Tube with Ratchet Lock Castlenut and End Plate

Let us know about your experience with Patriot Ordnance Factory rifles or parts in the comments below.

About Graham Baates

“Graham Baates” is a pen name used by a 15-year active Army veteran who spent most of his time in the tactical side of the Intelligence community including tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Post-Army Graham spent some time in the local 3-Gun circuit before becoming a full-time NRA Certified defensive handgun instructor and now works as an industry writer while curating a YouTube channel on the side. Visit Graham on Youtube .