Palmetto State Armory Sabre Review: PSA’s Premium Grade AR-15
Paul B. 06.12.23
While at SHOT Show 2023, myself and fellow OutdoorHub writer Eugene were shown the new Sabre line of AR-15 rifles at the PSA booth, and I immediately fell in love with the look of one of their models on the spot. As soon as they were made available a few weeks later, I ordered one and began seeing if this is truly a Duty or Premium Grade AR.
PSA’s Premium Grade AR-15
Before we dive into this review, let’s first cover what the Sabre line is. Sabre is a new label from PSA for their higher tier of AR-15 rifles. Since launch, PSA continues adding more SKUs to the lineup to include barrel lengths, hand guards, stocks, and other accessories. At the base level, there are two forms of the Sabre. One being a Mil-Spec model with traditional forged aluminum receiver sets and a Billet model with ambidextrous billet aluminum receiver sets. Each Sabre includes aftermarket parts that many AR enthusiasts add to their rifles, like a Radian Raptor charging handle, Hiperfire trigger, ambidextrous safety, and sprinco springs.
Experience unmatched quality with our new Sabre firearm line. Featuring some of the best known brands in the firearm industry including Radian, Sprinco, JP Enterprises, and Hiperfire with an exclusive Sabre line of parts including Handguards, Muzzle Devices, Suppressor Mount Pin/Weld Options, and BCG’s.
There are models with factory pinned and welded 13.7 and 14.5 inch barrels, meeting the minimum length of 16 inches for rifles without the need for SBR tax stamps. The Sabre series is also available in traditional 16 inch models and include either an FN CHF barrel or 4150v nitride barrel.
The Sabre I chose was the first one that caught my eye on the SHOT Show floor. This one is a Mil-Spec series with a 13.7 inch mid-length gas 4150V barrel with a pinned and welded JMAC GFHC-E with Dead Air KeyMo compatible mount, rifle buffer with an A1 stock, detachable carry handle, two piece quadrail, and the other standard Sabre upgrades including Sprinco buffer and extractor springs, Microbest BCG, Hiperfire trigger, battle arms take down and pivot pins, radian charging handle and ambi safety. There was something about this combination of parts that really drew me in. A nice, chaotic mix of retro and modern that somehow blended together in a beautiful way.
At the time of purchase and writing, this rifle is available from PSA for $999.99. Compared to PSA’s competition in the higher tier AR market, that is a fantastic price, but is it worth it over a standard PSA AR-15, and can it compete with more expensive rifles from other companies?
Not all sunshine and rainbows for my Sabre
The first few times I took the Sabre to the range were fairly uneventful. The detachable carry handle was easy to zero, fit and finish was good but not perfect. The tolerances between the upper and lower receiver has a bit more slop than I would personally expect from a Premium rifle, but that does not affect performance or accuracy. What I did discover were ejection problems.
I first thought it may have been an over gas issue while I had my Sandman S mounted, but I would get a fail to extract nearly every magazine. Sometimes two or three times per magazine. After troubleshooting including, cleaning, lube, different magazines, and multiple ammo types. I threw in the towel and reached out to Palmetto State Armory’s warranty department. I’ve owned a few PSA products over the years and not once had to send anything back for service. Time to see how that process would go. I sent a message to PSA’s warranty dept with pictures of issues attached, and within 48 hours I had a prepaid shipping label. I sent the rifle in and later that same week I had a detailed breakdown of what they found after recreating the issue while using the same make and model suppressor. Repair complete, address verified, and my Sabre was sent back. Communication with PSA was fast, clear, and transparent. It only took one week, including shipping times, for PSA to handle the entire process.
Issues fixed, how is the Sabre?
Excellent. This is one of the softest shooting ARs I have experienced anywhere close to this price range. After falling down the rabbit hole of suppressing 10.5 and 11.5 inch AR-15s, I had zero interest in subjecting myself to that nightmare again. Seeing the 13.7 option seemed like the perfect blend of short maneuverable rifle while still being a good suppressor host. The gas tuning on this rifle is nothing short of phenomenal. Since my initial issue was resolved, this Sabre has chewed through 1,500 rounds of mixed cheap, bulk, and match grade ammo without a single hiccup.
Even with its relatively short barrel, this is a fairly accurate rifle. With an Athlon 1-10 LPVO and 55 grain bulk range ammo, this is a consistent 2 MOA rifle. With an optic with a finer reticle and match ammo, I’m positive that group could be shrunk to 1-1.5 MOA. I did not focus much on accuracy, as that isn’t really the point of this rifle.
While shooting suppressed, the Sabre is not over gassed and does not have excess gas in your face even with spirited shooting cadence. The rifle does a fantastic job of venting heat from the barrel and front sight post areas, making this a comfortable rifle to shoot quickly without burning your hand. The two piece quad rail is nicely machined and finished with no sharp edges, it is rock solid. I have not had any issues with shifting or any screws walking out. PSA’s new Sabre pistol grip has plenty of texture to keep your hand secure while incorporating a modern grip angle. The Hiperfire trigger is not my favorite aftermarket trigger, but is leaps and bounds nicer than a standard mil spec fire control group. It is a welcome addition and not one that I will be replacing. The Radian Raptor charging handle is one of my first upgrades I do to my rifles, I appreciate its inclusion in the Sabre series. The JMAC KeyMo muzzle device is an effective flash hider and mounts my Sandman S without issue.
The overall handling of the Sabre is excellent. The shorter A1 stock balances nicely with the 13.7 barrel. Between the weight of the rifle, how well it is gassed and tuned, and the ergonomics, it really is an enjoyable shooting experience.
Final Thoughts of the Sabre
This new line of ARs from PSA I believe will continue evolving and improving. My Sabre is a low two digit serial and while it is not perfect, I do feel it was well worth its asking price. The thing I would recommend for improvements is taking a closer look at the tolerances between the upper and lower receiver. The pivot pin on my rifle is very easy to bump open due to the loose tolerance. The included Sabre magazine is a bit goofy looking, I’m personally not a fan. It worked well enough, but I quickly added it to the bin of unused magazines and switched back to DSG Aluminum magazines. The materials and parts used to build the Sabre series of rifles is certainly a large step up from PSA’s standard line of AR-15s and after spending time with it these past few months, I would say that it would hold its own to competing rifles with higher price tags. Once my initial issues were sorted out, my Sabre has been exceptionally reliable. PSA has proven that they stand behind their product and will take fast actions to make any issues right. Overall, I am quite happy with my Sabre and would recommend one to anyone looking for a rifle that is a step up from a basic stripped down milspec AR. If you get a chance to try one out, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
