The Palmetto State Armory Jakl is a well-known commodity within gun culture at this point. The long-stroke piston rifle built around the AR15 is no stranger to love and hate; thus, the same is true with bullpups. This article looks to cause a ruckus and bring together two paradoxical and controversial weapon platforms and mix them together. The Jakl bullpup chassis article review is here, and it's twice the paradox with twice the Jakl bullpup. PSA Jakl mounted to an A3 Industries Triad with ZeroTech Thrive HD 1x Prism Common GroundThe PSA Jakl is a weapon that has earned a reputation as either just a range toy or as potentially a viable combat platform. The Jakl, in my opinion, is a combat-worthy weapon; it has been improved upon to ensure proper operation and function since its inception. The long-stroke piston system, part AK and part AR, is a proven design that has been shown with great success by the AK, Sig 551, and Deawoo. This article is not specifically about just the Jakl, but the Jakl is one of the only platforms that can run in both of these chassis while remaining true to a simple, reliable form. For the sake of variety, one Jakl is an SBR’d 10.5” and the other a 13.9”; given the design differences of the chassis, it was necessary to make a determination on the performance of both chassis.What is wanted is a fair assessment of each chassis based on a standard of measure. By using two Jakls, the evaluation can provide a baseline for overall performance. I understand this is subjective; I will use my three decades in SOF and contracting to evaluate how each chassis would perform in home defense, civil defense (dismounted away from home), and as a truck gun.These three basic classifications will help determine which chassis will provide the best performance overall. The use of a numerical grade akin to a Likert Scale will be used to assign a numerical value to each system for the corresponding category; the scale will span from 1 through 5, with 1 having the lowest value and 5 having the highest. At the conclusion, my evaluation will determine the chassis with the highest ranking and my personal feelings on each chassis. This article is not about the Jakl specifically; my personal outlook on the Jakl is extremely positive, and I have my own personal and professional opinions on the Jakl. It is also vital that you, the reader, understand that these are complete firearms mounted into a chassis; the weapon is complete minus the pistol grip, so the operating system is complete and unaltered. That aside, the focus is on a fair assessment of the chassis and how it can help you, the end user. We will assess the following areas:ErgonomicsEase of UseRecoil ManagementOptics and Accessories InterfaceDurabilityAppearance Black Talon Tactical/SRU on the left & A3 Industries Triad on the right Meet the PlayersThe first manufacturers are Black Talon Tactical and SRU. This company has a long history in the machining industry as a highly skilled professional shop. With their attention to detail, it is no surprise that their work on the Raptor is not surprising in the realm of bullpups. The Raptor platform is based on the SRU SARB-15 (real steel) chassis. Both Black Talon Tactical and SRU are professional shops and operate at the highest levels of professionalism and precision. Black Talon Tactical takes great pride in its work, and the same is said of SRU. In both cases, I have had excellent interactions with both companies, and both are receptive to input and evaluation.The other player is A3 Tactical. A3 has become well known in the 2A community for their line of parts, ranging from grips, stocks, braces, and forward grips. The reputation of A3 has been hard-earned and is solid. The popularity of the A3 Tactical Triad bullpup chassis has also seen great reception and is well-engineered. A3 is a company based around shooting and a lack of desired components. A3 is a company that went out to make what they needed and grew from there. The Triad chassis can be purchased in polymer and aluminium, with the polymer having a very wide selection of supported platforms. ChassisThe two chassis take a slightly different approach to how they execute the overall interface with the host weapon. Both systems interface directly with the host weapon by means of locking into the handguard; both encompass the lower receiver, and both lock into the lower receiver’s pistol grip interface; this provides several points of connection, making both extremely solid. SARB15/RaptorIn the case of the SARB15/Raptor system, it only encompasses the bottom half of the lower. This reduces weight, but this approach can potentially be less strong than the Triad, which encompasses the entire lower receiver. The SARB15/Raptor has an open stock area at the rear for tying into the system for slings and continues to reduce weight. There are a few small parts that could benefit from metal parts, but the overall chassis is sturdy. Installation is fairly easy, with the chassis being in two main pieces that sandwich onto the rifle’s lower receiver. Like the Triad, the system uses AR15 pistol grips. The trigger uses a long hinging link bar to interface with the donor weapon trigger. The pull is smooth and doesn't have the same spongy feel as past designs by means of both a high-quality trigger in the donor weapon and the use of an all-metal trigger bar. Like the Triad, the SARB15/Raptor provides a Picatinny-compatible cheek rest for the end user; the SARB15/Raptor’s cheek rest is also molded to assist in the deflection of brass. Installation is straightforward, with a link to the installation instructions online. The chassis comes in well-made packaging, and the parts are easy to discern when assembling. TriadThe Triad is a little more encompassing, and the chassis is a bit heavier. In the case of the aluminum chassis, users will have a serious package that goes far beyond many other dedicated platforms. The Triad is designed to enclose the entire lower receiver, providing greater stability and durability of the chassis. The A3 Triad is offered in both a polymer and an aluminium version. The system can be ordered as a pistol or a rifle. One point of the design is the ability to choose to cover the selector on the receiver of the donor rifle. This makes the interface with the platform less prone to accidentally placing the donor rifle on safe, resulting in a hard pull when using the platform. While the SARB15/Raptor is weapon-specific, with the ability to extend the chassis, the Triad is specific to the weapon platform and the configuration. So, depending on what barrel length you have, you will need to purchase the corresponding chassis for it. The Triad also uses a provided handguard that is both specific to the configuration and has the same array of add-on accessories seen with the SARB15/Raptor. 10.5” PSA Jakl mounted in the Black Talon Tactical/SRU PDW. Hands OnRunning both platforms side by side, the way the rifles fire is not different, which denotes that felt recoil, dependability, and basic operation of the rifle are the same and short barrels were used on both to ensure relatively equal performance. Each platform felt relatively the same when shooting, but it's the full integration of the end user with the platform that needs explanation. 10.5” PSA Jalk BTT/SRU PDW w/ Zero Tech Thrive HD Prism 1. ErgonomicsThe ergonomics of each platform felt good. The integration of the primary hand felt comfortable, with both platforms using a 90-degree pistol grip; the interface between shooter and rifle felt good. The support hand was made more comfortable with the addition of a forward grip. While the Triad offered an integrated forward grip, it felt uncomfortable and out of place on the chassis. Due to the lack of support, a handguard extension was added that was not natural to the platform. This provided much-needed room that wasn’t allotted. The integrated forward grip on the SABR15/Raptor was perfectly done; the forward grip integrates well and feels perfect with a natural placement and provides incredible support.SABR15/Raptor: 5Triad: 4 10.5” PSA Jalk BTT/SRU PDW w/ Zero Tech Thrive HD Prism 2. Ease of UseEase of use can be stated as how well the end user can interface with and run the weapon from shooting to changing magazines, or fixing malfunctions through breaking the weapon down. The stock weld felt virtually identical in terms of the marrying of the shooter to the rifle. This was seamless; both platforms offered cheek rests that attach to the 12 o’clock rail for comfort and protection. Hand space for the shooting hand felt natural and roomy; neither chassis felt restrictive, making the use of one-hand operation of controls easy to conduct. The use of the selector on the Triad felt natural and identical to the AR15; indexing was simple, fast, and flawless. The SABR15/Raptor had a good tactile interface, but the bulging of the chassis around the selector made indexing the safety awkward. The chassis gates around the selector make it difficult to index rapidly onto fire or safe. Both platforms offered unfettered access to the side charging handle, but the selector on the rifle itself was far too exposed on the SABR15/Raptor. The magazine release of the Triad is left to the stock configuration; they provide an ambi magazine release for the right-handed shooters, as you will be hard-pressed to reach around and under to make that work as a right-handed shooter. The SABR15/Raptor provides an innovative and instinctual magazine release that is fast and natural.SABR15/Raptor: 3Triad: 5 13.7” PSA Jakl in A3 Industries Triad w/ Zero Tech Thrive HD 1x Prism 3. Recoil ManagementRecoil management is nearly moot, but a quick comment on how it felt with both platforms is a necessity at this point. Both systems operate normally as intended from the factory. Recoil was normal for the platform, and it was because of the gas settings that I feel it's valid to say recoil is normal and identical.SABR15/Raptor: 4Triad: 4 13.7” PSA Jakl in A3 Industries Triad w/ Zero Tech Thrive HD 1x Prism 4. Optics and Accessories InterfaceOptics and accessory set-up is something far more personal. This portion looks at how the ergonomics and overall layout provide support for what you are using the platform for. Both are short-barreled systems; bullpups are known for having less-than-desirable rail space. There is not much room to operate on either platform, but the mounting of optics was easy. The need for a high-mount optic is a requirement, given your face is not only on the top rail; it's resting on a cheek rest on the top rail. The integration of lights and lasers requires more creative solutions. Combo mounts like the Hydra or from Unity Tactical are a wise investment if you use pressure pads or intend to run a magnifier. Sling integration is more difficult with the SABR15/Raptor, while the Triad provides QD solutions and makes mounting a sling more advantageous.SABR15/Raptor: 4Triad: 5 5. DurabilityDurability is fairly close, but given these are both full aluminium weapons mounted into a chassis, the overall durability is obviously good. The real test comes from the chassis itself. The SABR15/Raptor uses less material than the Triad, so metal reinforcement would have been highly advantageous. Upon assembly of the SABR15/Raptor, a small part at the back of the chassis that is purely cosmetic snapped, and it appears that the main chassis housing is very durable, but given that only half of the lower receiver is encapsulated, metal should have been infused for support. The Triad uses a full wrap-around of the lower. The Triad is growing its offering of aluminium housing for the platform, so some weapons are already supported with an aluminium system, making the Triad extremely durable.SABR15/Raptor: 3Triad: 5 6. AppearanceAppearance becomes more of a personal opinion and a matter of what the individual prefers. The SABR15/Raptor has a clean appearance, and the integrated forward grip adds a certain appeal that is unique and reminiscent of a futuristic weapon. The gap at the back in the “stock” area is less than desirable but not ugly. Overall, the SABR15/Raptor is a handsome system. The Triad is a very well-laid-out system and gives the appearance as if the weapon was built as a bullpup. The Triad feels professional and exudes a confident feel; that said, it could use a little buff in appearance to add to the overall feel or vibe, but still looks great.SABR15/Raptor: 4Triad: 4 ConclusionThe bullpup chassis is a newer step facilitating greater customisation and adaptability to those who want to adapt a bullpup into their collection. Some may argue that these chassis are more for the use of range theatrics or fun, but I would argue against that notion. These are complete rifles that simply have furniture that reconfigures the controls to allow for the bullpup adaptation. Neither platform affects the use of the weapon, and both run a trigger bar and provide for an excellent trigger if you use a match trigger in the donor weapon. Both platforms perform excellently and offer amazing flexibility if you need a compact platform that doesn’t have to sacrifice the performance of the donor weapon barrel length.The score came to 23 points for the SABR15/Raptor and 27 points for the Triad. This score is absolutely subjective, and your mileage may vary. The bullpup systems allow these weapons a natural adaptability once unattainable without investing in a special weapon platform. Now the end user can choose the platform and chassis of their desire. While the Jakl is forging a strong reputation with those that use them, the chassis upgrade breathes new life into an excellent weapon. Whether you choose the SABR15/Raptor or the Triad, you will absolutely have the opportunity to customise your approach for use. Be it home, civil defense or something new, the Jakl and a chassis system will give you a dependable edge.