by Scott Smith | Contributing Editor
The ambidextrous controls and machined-in trigger guard.
As I sit here its mid-July and the temperatures are steamy, but it beats a cold wet summer. The big drawback to weather like this is it makes it hard to get excited about hunting—now a cold drink on the other hand will get one’s attention. One thing that did help get me thinking about the upcoming season was the arrival of a new Patriot Ordnance Factory P308, 16.5” NP3 finished AR-style rifle (POF-USA, 23011 North 16th Lane, Dept. TGM, Phoenix, AZ 85027; phone: 623-561-9572; online: pof-usa.com).
You can see the rugged bolt on the bottom image and the accuracy of the P308 on top.
POF has been manufacturing piston AR-style rifles since 2004. POF was founded to correct issues with the gas impingement system in dusty, dirty conditions. Frank DeSomma, the founder along with his son developed a short stroke piston to keep the dirty gases out of the firing chamber, and then designed the Corrosion Resistant Operating System (CROS), and a two-piece Modular Railed Receiver (MRR).
These designs dramatically dissipate or reduce heat build-up around the rifle’s moving part to enhance reliable accurate operation of the rifle. This system works so well you can fire several magazines and the bolt carry group will still be comfortable to the touch and there will be virtually no fouling of the locking lugs.
The POF P308 on a BucK Commander pack, ready for the field.
POF addresses one area of complaint with large bore AR rifles, the weight. POF flutes the barrel to maintain the barrel’s rigidity and performance while increasing surface area for faster cooling of the barrel during sustained fire. My sample P308 tips the scales at just over eight and a half pounds empty; with optics and full magazine it is right around ten pounds. I have seen heavy barreled .223 Rem- chambered ARs weigh more.
For hunting purposes the .223Rem is not large enough for whitetail deer and larger animals. The .308 Win is capable of taking most big game in the US and the caliber is generally readily available with many loads specifically for hunters.
One feature of the P308 that sticks out is the muzzle brake. This brake mates flawlessly with the barrel. If it were not for the flats for a wrench, you would think it was a piece of the barrel.
POF’s awesome muzzle brake; double up on the hearing protection when shooting under cover; as well as it works, it’s just as loud.
When you look at it, you will notice there are three holes on the top right side and one on the top left. This helps counter the barrel rise as the bullet leaves the barrel, while the vertical ports stabilize and reduce recoil. Over the last decade I have fired several ARs and this is one of the most effective brakes I have seen on a rifle. The one drawback to it is the noise; it is one of, if not the loudest, brake I have heard. I suggest you double plug when running the P308; for your hearing’s sake.
The most noticeable feature of the rifle is the rail/forearm. This is a free float system designed by the minds of POF to take all stress off the barrel and to help dissipate barrel heat. The forearm slides on to a proprietary barrel nut but does not “attach” to it.
There is no stress to the chamber/ throat of the barrel so you do not flex the barrel, no matter where you grip or support it. The forearm is secured via a series of set screws that attach the monolithic system to the upper receiver. Because of this, I would ensure the forearm has any accessory rails installed where you want and need them so as to ensure the screws are properly torqued and secured.
Knight’s offset front back-up sights. This system is out of the way when you don’t need it and accurate when you do.
POF’s other furniture on the P308 is a VLtor EMod adjustable stock and Magpul MOE pistol grip. The EMod has compartments for batteries or small parts, with a factory install quick detach point for slings. The stock also has an anti-slip butt pad and is one of the longest adjustable stocks on the market. The MOE pistol grip is comfortable and lacks the pesky finger groove of the A2 grips. This allows the grip to fit most folks comfortably.
Other nice appointments of the P308 are the ambidextrous safety and bolt release. These make the firearm easier to operate for lefties and even right handed shooters under stress; you can drop the bolt with your index finger of your shooting hand if you are right handed and the safety is easily swept on/off when dismounting the rifle.
My sample P308 was the NP3 finished version. The upper and lower receiver are hard anodized and plated with NP3 to help reduce friction and the NP3 makes them easier to clean.
The bolt is nickel plated to increase lubricity and, like the NP3, make the bolt carrier easier to maintain.
Anything that makes cleaning firearms easier is a huge plus in my book.
When you remove the bolt you will notice it looks much like an impingement system bolt; except the gas tube is missing. There is a flat face where the operating rod contacts the bolt to cock the rifle during the firing sequence.
This bolt is built to survive fully automatic fire, so I am willing to bet it will last the life of the P308 under what we would call “normal” use.
POF’s one piece forearm, the MRR-Modular Railed Receiver, you see the fluted barrel which reduces weight and aids in heat dissipation.
The P308 arrives without sights or optics. So I added a set of Knights Armament (701 Columbia Blvd, Dept TGM,Titusville, FL 32780; phone: 321- 607-9900; online: knightarmco.com) offset back-up sights. This combination would allow the end user to run the P308 for hunting (if it is legal in your state), range use or three-gun competition. The iron sights were zeroed at 50 yards and the optics at 100 to give the most versatility in real world use. The other addition was to replace the VLtor with a Magpul MOE with a Battleline SAPR fully adjustable assembly. These additions will allow the rifle to be used for hunting, three-gun, and precision rifle shooting; just about anything you wish to do with it.
Once I had the rifle bore sighted it was off to the range with a collection of Hornady (3625 Old Potash Highway, Dept TGM, Grand Island, NE 68803; phone: 308-382-1390: online: Hornady.com) and Black Hills Ammunition (PO Box 3090, Dept TGM, Rapid City, SD 57709; phone: 605-348-5150).
Zeroing the rifle took a few more rounds than it should have because the operator failed to notice the bases were not locked down. Major senior moment! Once the levers were locked the P308 was shooting like a laser. At 100 yards the rifle fired sub-one-inch five shot groups with both Hornady and Black Hills while at two hundred yards the groups opened up to just a hair over two inches. The ninety plus degree temperatures were not making it easy to hold steady shots. Suffice to say this rifle is capable of sub MOA accuracy at two hundred yards, just need younger, steadier hands than mine.
Battline’s SAPR on a Magpul MOE stock.
When using the iron sights and running the P308 as you would in three-gun competition, this rifle was dead-on accurate. There was no problem hitting the 3-Gun Pro series targets on the move or supported at distances from five to 200 yards. The POF muzzle brake kept the rifle on target, ensuring that controlled pairs were not a problem. This is saying something shooting a full power major caliber rifle; most of the time you lose sight of the target and I didn’t with this rifle.
When you need to clean the piston, you simply remove the plug. Push the locking button and rotate out the gas plug. At this point the piston and operating rod will come out of the rifle when you tip it forward. If it is doesn’t, a light tap on a padded surface will aid the parts in coming out. Those are the main parts of the system and they wiped clean with some clp. Thanks to the nickel coating on the bolt it too literally wiped clean.
I found the POF P308 to be an excellent rifle. It may seem pricey with an MSRP of $3129.99. However, this fine piece of equipment is built to produce results and last a lifetime. You will be hard pressed to find a better shooting rifle than the P308.
Author testing the P308 for accuracy from the bench.
