TESTIMONIALS & REVIEWS

A funny thing happens at a wind chill of 80 degrees below zero: Guns stop working. That trustworthy AR you bet your life on in the 120-in-the-shade deserts of Iraq faces a whole new set of problems when the mercury drops back into the Ice Age.

So if you’re the Police Chief of the Hooper Bay, Alaska Police department, where the average snowfall is more than 75 inches a year, you need a patrol rifle that can shrug off cold that threatens normal operation. That’s why after exhaustive testing, Chief James Hoelscher turned to the much warmer climes of Southern California and the fine gas-piston upper made by Addax Tactical.

Hooper Bay, Alaska, is the largest Yupik Eskimo village in the state, with 1,300 residents living on a peninsula south of the Yukon, on the coast of the Bering Sea. Chief Hoelscher’s small department is not only responsible for keeping the peace in the city, but also ensuring the safety of the Hooper Bay Airport, for animal control, EMS response, and did I mention they mostly comprise the city’s Volunteer Fire Department?

“Out here you have to wear many hats,” Hoelscher explained, “All of my officers are certified Emergency Trauma Technicians.” While major cases like homicides and sexual assaults are referred on to the State Police and their greater resources, dealing with the crimes in Hooper Bay is up to the local PD, “We are the first to arrive,” he continued, “so we have to be prepared to face anything.”

Image Building
The first thing Chief Hoelscher had to face when he took office was a department with a bad reputation among the local citizens. “We had some bad apples in the department, and that gave us a bad image.” So he remade the department, letting the questionable officers go and hiring new ones. Getting new uniforms. “We didn’t just get new versions of the old uniforms, we got whole new designs, with new patches and badges. The majority of our calls are domestic violence and alcohol-related felony assaults. But these are our people. I did not want them to get inflamed by seeing the same old police that they had come to distrust coming through the door. I wanted them to see an entirely new department.”

With the new look came a new mission statement, “To work in partnership with our citizens to create safer communities and preserve our unique way of life.” Hooper Bay is a community with more than 90% Yupik Eskimo population, and Hoelscher, a lifelong resident and half Yupik himself, knew that along with advanced training, his officers needed the best equipment to protect themselves and the citizens. Patrolling year-long in ATVs and snow machines, the department personnel are issued Remington 870 12-gauge shotguns and .40-caliber autoloading pistols. The department will approve any .40 that proves reliable, but Hoelscher favors the S&W 99, their version of the Walther P-99. He’s tried other .40s but finds it draws better from the Safariland 070 holster beneath his parka. That’s a leather holster, by the way, because plastic holsters get brittle under the constant cold.

Loaded for Bear or Belligerents
The Hooper Bay PD officers must qualify on each firearm every year, but Hoelscher explained that was just the tip of the iceberg, “My people are constantly shooting. They’re all hunters, recreational shooters. When they are not shooting for the force, they are out shooting on their own.” The high level of shooting ability comes in handy when faced with non-human threats like Polar bears. The department stocks a .45-70 lever-action Marlin and a .450 caliber AR, but rarely gets to use them, “Every house in Hooper Bay has at least 10 rifles in it,” Hoelscher laughed, “Usually a threat like that is taken care of before we can get there!”

Bears are covered, but the human threat in towns of any size these days comes from the drug dealers that migrate in from large cities to sell their wares in Hooper Bay. “We’ve had several drug busts working in cooperation with neighboring jurisdictions, so we needed a reliable semi-automatic rifle.” For the department’s patrol rifle Hoelscher had originally chosen the Bushmaster 5.56mm Carbine, but quickly discovered that normal direct-impingement gas system AR rifles, which require a lot of lubrication for reliable functioning, would not work in the harsh climate of Alaska.

He explained, “At below 20 degrees a lot of these gun lubes will solidify. Also, the rifle is in my heated truck as I drive to the call. Soon it’s outside where it’s below zero. Then back into the car, or the suspect’s house. The change in temperature causes condensation inside the action, and combined with the sluggish lube, the gun locks up.” Hoelscher heard about the new gas-piston systems, which offered reliability without excessive lubing.

By now the gas piston operating system conversion for AR-15 style rifles is well known to TW readers. It replaces the direct-impingement system of the original AR design and exchanges the long gas-tube running from the gas block under the front sight with a short-stroke piston. As used on the FN SACR and HK 416, gas-piston actions don’t send burning gas and fouling back into the receiver. This leads to a cleaner AR, as fouling around the bolt carrier group is all but eliminated.

The Chief did some research and de­­­cided on the Addax GPU—a modified PWS gas piston upper receiver made by Chris Haddadian’s Addax Tactical in Chatsworth, CA. Chris is one of the premier builders of AR-15 gas-piston upper assemblies and also a dealer/distributor of AR-series weapon parts, accessories and tactical gear. A family operated business since 2007, the Addax Tactical team comes with more than 40 years of family experience in military and government service, plus more than 20 years in firearms collecting and shooting.

It was Chris’ total confidence and knowledge about his product that convinced Hoelscher to try out the GPU. “That Chris knew what he was talking about is what made his system work for my needs.” Addax is not a manufacturer, per se, but they don’t just slap an existing PWS conversion kit into their uppers. “We are a builder, and we are building our own dedicated gas piston upper called the GPU.” Haddadian explained, “We’ve worked extensively with PWS over the last two years and this relationship has enabled us to successfully incorporate their efficient AR piston system in to the Addax gas-piston uppers.”

Ongoing Advancements
Chris is also constantly testing new barrel/upper combinations and working closely with manufacturers so they can specially machine their upper receivers to be used with the GPU. Addax also offers the retrofitting of most types of AR-15 upper assemblies to use their GPU/PWS Gas Piston System. “We’re using only high quality barrels and components that we have tested, and if they want, the operator can request his upper to include whatever custom features his mission requires.” Every GPU upper and retrofit is personally test fired by Chris.

It was this hands-on approach that impressed Chief Hoelscher. He custom-ordered the Addax Upper’s YHM 14.5-inch barrel chambered for 5.56mm with a 1:9 twist. Most ARs these days come with 1:7 barrels to get better performance out of heavier 60- to 70-grain bullets, but Hooper Bay PD issues Remington 55-grain Pointed Soft Point and American Eagle 55-grain XM177 Tactical FMJs. The upper was built on a Milspec 7075 T-6 receiver with a Bolt Carrier Group by Young Manufacturing. The rifle’s quad rail is the fine A.R.M.S. 50MCV, the flip up BUIS are from PRI and the flash suppressor/muzzle brake is the Addax Bulldog made for them by PWS that Chris says gives the best performance with his upper.

The Chief said Haddadian’s claims were borne out by his own testing. When the upper arrived, Hoelscher installed it on his Territorial Gunsmiths lower and took the rifle out into the snow. “I took it right out of the box and let it sit outside in zero degrees for several hours.” Chief Hoelscher recounted, “Then I brought it in to see if I could get condensation, then took it back out into the cold and fired it. It performed flawlessly.” Now he will begin getting the rest of the department qualified through patrol rifle training. “Addax is a great system. I have already ordered their 6.8 SPC GPU upper for long-range work.”

The best news is that Chris and Addax have developed in improved GPU with PWS that will be available by the time you read this. The Addax GPU Gas Piston Upper is not just for those who are full-auto shooters, or for LE and military—the GPU is a great choice for the AR owner who wants increased reliability with reduced maintenance. They back all of the components in their builds with a five-year limited warranty, in addition to the limited lifetime warranty from PWS on the gas-piston system components.

For current AR-15 owners who want a rifle that proved itself in the frozen Yukon tundra, that is cleaner and more reliable, the Addax GPU is worth a shot! For more information visit www.adxtactical.com.

8/7/09 - The Addax ATAC (Advanced Tactical AR Carbine) GPU (Gas Piston Upper) from Addax Tactical is a new gas piston AR upper that utilizes a long stroke piston system, with the piston attached to the bolt carrier rather than the short stroke piston of the earlier PWS system. This was originally developed for the shorty 7" Diablo upper by Primary Weapon Systems (PWS) but is also available for longer barrels.

PWS offers the long stroke system on three different uppers - the diminutive 7" Diablo, the DC-10 with 10" barrel, and the DC-16 with 16" barrel. Addax Tactical is a certified PWS gas system conversion installer with a semi-exclusive on the new piston system, and offers both the short-stroke and long-stroke PWS systems on their GPU builds, which are available in many more configurations. The long-stroke ATAC system is aimed at users who want a virtually maintenance-free upper - almost like having an AK on an AR.

Initial Range Report - The first time I shot the ATAC was actually when Chris stopped by a range session to drop it off. It was brand new, still shiny with oil. The pics below were taken at the initial range session, before I had set the upper up. Slapped on a T-1 Micro from another upper to give me an approximate aiming point and started shooting. After going through the first mag on slow fire, to allow the brand new parts to 'settle', we then put about 250 rounds through it on rapid fire, slow fire, with most of them double taps. It didn't feel any different than the GPU upper I had - recoil impulse is close to that of a DI gun, and noticeably less than an LWRC or HK 416. With the long-stroke piston and more reciprocating mass moving with the carrier, I expected to observe some increase in muzzle jump or recoil, but I didn't. Neither did anyone else who tried it.
Also on hand was an SBR ATAC with the PWS CQB_556 compensator, which directs all the muzzle blast to the front and was pretty sweet to shoot.

No malfunctions of any kind were experienced with the ATAC at the initial range session. Granted, it wasn't many rounds, but it was a good start. It was hot that day, and I had been shooting my Addax GPU for the first part of the morning. The gas block on the GPU gets very hot after a couple of mags have been put through it, but the free float hand guard doesn't conduct the heat to the shooter's hands as it doesn't contact the gas block. Since the rails on the ATAC are attached to the gas block, heat transfer was one of my concerns. Speaking to Chris, and examining it for myself, the top rail does heat up more than the side rails, as it's attached to the gas block with more surface area contact, and surrounds the gas piston tube. That's why it has the extra holes on top and slits on the side. The side and bottom rails got hot, but not as hot as I expected they would, and not uncomfortably so with rail panels on. Rail panels are recommended, since the gap between them is wide enough to allow a stray finger tip from sliding between them and contacting the barrel. The ATAC comes with the Magpul XTM rail panels that cover the side and bottom rails.

Cleaning - When I got home, I removed the carrier and piston from the upper to see how dirty it got. The piston had a bit of carbon baked on at the front, but that scraped off with a finger nail. All other carbon on the sides of the piston rod easily wiped off the Melonite QPQ finish. The bolt and carrier were practically clean, except for primer residue on the bolt face. No carbon, of course. I ran a bore snake through the bore, wiped everything down, and was done cleaning it. The big difference between the ATAC and the GPU was that the ATAC long stroke piston was much easier to remove, and there were no other parts to clean besides the piston head. It's the closest thing to an AK system for the AR. It is not recommended to stick anything down the piston tube. If something gets stuck, there's no easy way to get it out.

2nd Range report - This time I sat down at the bench to check out the accuracy. I used 55gr Prvi Partizan ammo, but in retrospect I should have brought more accurate (match) ammo instead of the cheap FMJ military stuff. But, my thought was to test it with ammo that it's more likely to be used with. This particular upper was built more as a hard-use carbine than an SPR/precision rifle.
I used a bipod and rear beanbag rest, and a 3-9 power scope. Wind was probably around 5 mph. The results from two 100 yard targets are shown below. I had hoped for a little better, but speaking with Chris afterwards, he's had very good results with better quality ammo, and Prvi Partisan M193 isn't known for its accuracy. On target one, I fired 25 rounds. The max distance between holes is 3.576", which is 3.415 MOA. Average distance to the center of the group (radius) is 1 MOA. Target 2 had 15 rounds on it, for a max of 2.534 MOA and an average distance to center of 0.899 MOA. 

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My Team and I originally set out to find a more reliable, gas-piston version of the Special Purpose Rifle for the kind of Special Operations we conduct all over the world.  From experience with Direct Impingement platforms failing at extreme temperatures or from the elements at the worst possible moments, we knew this had to take top priority.  I called Chris at Addax and explained the problems we were facing and gave him a huge list of specifications to deal with.  It had to be dead on reliable, no matter what we threw at it.  It had to be completely modular, built from the best parts that can be gathered from the industry.  It had to be multiple suppressor compatible with a low light signature when unsuppressed.  Finally, it had to be Cerakoted in USSOCOM Flat Dark Earth to protect it against corrosion and to standardize it as being “Ours.”  We demanded a match grade barrel and accuracy that exceeded even some of the current platforms in service with USSOCOM today.  That means SUB-MOA out of the box.  When I asked Chris  what the piston system would do to the inherent accuracy of the SPR, he conceded that some accuracy could be lost to the trade off of all the benefits you get with a GPU.  I asked specifically what that meant and he explained that he typically does not like to put out an “accuracy guarantee” to customers because of the problems this can cause.  Not all shooters are created equal, after all.  He did make me a promise though; “If you are not satisfied with how it performs in any way, send it back to me and I’ll make it right.”  While “accuracy guarantees” are thrown around in the industry a lot, I can assure you that statements like that one are not. 

            After range testing the SPR Upper  and breaking in the barrel, it deployed with us in support of the GWOT for more serious field testing.  On the range and in the field I can say that in a 5.56 platform of any kind, I’ve honestly never fired anything better.  It handles everything from M855 in an emergency to the heavier 77gr. MK262 Mod 1 ammo with ZERO malfunctions.  The accuracy using our 77gr. Match ammo has ranged from .75” groups to staggering .315” groups!  It takes dust and sand and keeps coming back for more.  Exactly what it was supposed to do.  Not only did the SPR upper meet our standards, but it impressed us all and well exceeded them.  When this Special Purpose Rifle runs suppressed, the team and I have taken to calling it by another name; “Death’s Whisper.” 

            Since the success of that last build, Chris has allowed us to try out some of his other GPU’s and we’re still impressed.  It’s not just the quality and reliability of Addax GPU’s, it’s the service that comes along with them.  There are other companies out there that we’ve dealt with before and we don’t now.  That’s because Chris guarantees his work where it counts.  If it doesn’t work, if it breaks down, if it won’t zero, if it so much as doesn’t look cool enough; Chris WILL make it right and that will keep us coming back for more.  Thanks to Addax Tactical and to Chris Haddadian for getting it right.

                                                                                                                       Ft. Bragg, NC  

Addax Tactical ATAC GPU Review
by Stuart Boyer
12-1-2009

Chris,

I currently have an ATAC 6.8 SPCII on order, but today was the first time I’ve actually handled one of your infamous ATAC custom builds. My friend was kind enough to let me play with his 16’’ 5.56mm NATO upper and “WOW!” doesn’t quite cover it. The gun was exhilarating to shoot. It made me feel like shooting my very first AR-15 all over again. The gas piston system performed flawlessly. Between my friend and me, we ran at least 1,200 rounds downrange in about two hours time with no misfeeds, failure to feed, etc. I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank you once again for the hard work you put into these beautifully crafted upper receivers and to let you know I am anxiously awaiting to play with my own ATAC. I also wanted to give you a little back story about myself and my excellent experience with you folks over at Addax Tactical.

I am a Cadet in the University of Washington Army ROTC program. One of my responsibilities is training my fellow Cadets in the proper function, use, and maintenance of the M16/M4/AR-15 family of weapons. At times I have even taught using personal use rifles and as such, I have worked with a variety of weapon systems made by a tried and true industry names; Colt, DPMS, Bushmaster, and Stag Arms to name a few. However, when I looked at acquiring a second personal use AR-15 I looked at the Addax ATAC gas piston uppers and I must say I was extremely impressed.

When I first called and talked to you about the ATAC GPU, not only did you seem sincere in your attempt to sell me on the benefits of your product, you seemed absolutely passionate about getting your customer’s the absolute best product for the money you charge. Nowhere in our conversation did you sound like the desperate car salesmen who would lie or hide the cons of the car just to make a sale and meet quota. The hour or so we spent on the phone we discussed both the many pros and cons of a direct injection system as opposed to your gas piston upper system, you were honest, sincere, and appeared dedicated to making sure I was happy with what I ended up with, even if it was not your product.

Additionally, Lale was extremely helpful logistically. When I was told you were ready to ship the upper receiver, I was in the middle of moving, but Lale worked out the logistics extremely well going so far as allowing me to split the payment up between two cards so I wouldn’t have to keep track of my bank accounts so carefully during my move. Furthermore, I was impressed by the amount of patience, time, and effort your company puts into each and every one of its products. Either you or Lale gave me a call and updated me with the situation every couple of weeks and anytime something had to be changed I was informed of my options.

Thanks to you and Lale, my experience with Addax Inc. has been the absolute best among all the other companies I shop with. You have exceeded my expectations in all aspects and if I had to say something negative, it would be that my original estimate was 15 weeks and it’s been drawn out. Even so, I can’t even begin to fathom the logistical nightmare you must have with your suppliers so it is completely understandable for missing the deadline. Thanks to the great customer service I’ve seen from Addax Inc., I am indeed a happy lifetime customer and you will be the first place I turn to for my AR-15 needs.

You guys are absolutely amazing!

Chris/Lale, I finally took the gun out for a shooting session.  I'm running it on a Noveske N4 and open sights for the time being.  I shot 100 rounds, with a patch of Hoppe's #9 after each 10 rounds.  No jams, no stove pipes, no miss fires, no nothing, but 100 rounds down range in perfect order.  I ran it a bit wet except for the piston.   A few guys came over to ask about it and were impressed with the quality build.  So am I. I've attached my target showing 100 yard results from the bench, Ultramax 55 gr, FMJ reloads, open sights, light wind and nice sunny, 70 degree weather.  Nice results. Thanks for the quality build, this thing shoots Sweet! Take Care! Mario

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Review and Comparison of the Addax Tactical Phalanx Flash Suppressor
By Stuart Boyer

Lets start off with a brief overview of what the Phalanx is from an excerpt from the Addax Tactical Website:
“The Phalanx is an Extremely Effective Flash Suppressor with a unique Six Prong configuration that incorporates a cone shape design on the inside of the flash suppressor prongs.
The combination of both features efficiently dissipates the escaping gasses while reducing the flash signature, and providing a smooth recoil impulse.
The Phalanx is coated in DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating, which is a very durable coating that provides Superior Erosion and Corrosion resistance over many other types of coatings.”
Now that your familiar with what were talking about here is my review of the Addax Tactical Phalanx flash suppressor, at the end of my write up you will find a link to youtube.com with footage of the testing of the Phalanx along with pictures of the device in the video and below for you.


To give me a basis for the review I compared the Phalanx to the two more well know flash suppressor on the market the standard A2 “Birdcage” and the Smith Vortex flash suppressor and ran no muzzle device on the test weapon as a reference point to compare all three to draw my conclusions from.
I found the Phalanx to be a very well thought out design that did a very good job at flash suppression. During daylight testing even on a rapid fire 30 rounds string I had zero flash interference with my sight picture. I was also very impressed with its low light and night time flash suppression. During both of these test it easily out performed the A2 and came very close to equaling the performance of the Smith Vortex in flash suppression visible by second parties (people other than the shooter). Flash suppression from the shooters point of view during all test was a very pleasing zero. You may also note during the night fire test the A2 and no muzzle device vids seem "glitched" or off that is due to the brightness of these devices overwhelming and burning out the camera.
As far as the construction of the Phalanx I was once again impressed, very clean lines and an excellent smooth even colored tough finish. The finish made it easy to clean off carbon buildup cutting down on your maintenance time. One of the reasons I noted for easier clean up was the lack of a cut in recess “shelf” by where the device meets the crown like exist on the Vortex. That spot has usually been a source of frustration for me in cleaning as its hard to reach on my Vortex without possible damage to the crown of the barrel and likes to build up carbon that will reignite later and also debris from cleaning your barrel gets pushed out and stuck there as well. Thankfully the Phalanx lacks that “shelf”. Installation required no washers though one is supplied and it fits down nicely to the barrel with a simple wrench or AR barrel tool with no alignment necessary.
Aesthetically she is not what I would call pretty but it’s a scarier, meaner look to it than most pronged devices in a way that I do find pleasing. Look wise if the Vortex has the girl next door look, simple and smooth lined, not too skinny on the prong but not chubby, than the Phalanx is the hot good looking biker chick on the crotch rocket your mom wouldn’t let you date. Think Meagan Fox. The Phalanx is slightly shorter than the Vortex as well (Phalanx 53mm, Vortex 59mm) and though I have no scale that can measure low enough to tell it feels lighter than the Vortex as well.
Of note also is the chisel like angle to the tips of the Phalanx prongs which I suspect would aid in being used defensively to push the muzzle into an opponent or to break glass, the latter of which I may have to borrow a junk car to test out. I also noted the Phalanx did act somewhat as a compensating device. Felt recoil compared to the other tested muzzle devices was noticeably lower and the Phalanx was easier to keep on target with quick follow-up shots.
In my opinion if you want an excellent flash reduction device with, light weight, short size, lessened recoil and great intimidating looks at a low price point definitely go with the Phalanx. I like the Phalanx so much she will be replacing the Vortex on my test rifle or I might use her as a swap out part on my newest SPR/dual purpose build whenever I need to swap from my compensator to a flash suppressor. I short I am very happy with this product.

phalanx video