In place of an AR-standard “T” charging handle you’ll find POF’s proprietary charging handle, with ambidextrous knurled aluminum extension handles on both sides, each measuring 1.5” long by 7/8” in diameter. The charging handle fits into a special notch machined into the bolt carrier. This system provides a straight pull bolt-action cycling, and because it sits in a notch (see photo), it not only retracts the bolt, but also can be used as a forward assist. The buffer tube and spring remain still in place and work to slam the bolt forward, picking up a fresh round from the magazine, chambering the round and putting the bolt into battery. Since all you have to do is pull the charging handle fully to the rear and let it go, cycling is fast and easy. The ambidextrous charging handles are mounted on rollers, making it easy to keep your grip and pull straight back to eject a spent round. The rollers also minimize wrist rotation. Another unique note on the charging handle is that inside you will find an optics adjusting tool for use in the field if needed. Used in conjunction with the storage compartment on the Magpul MOE pistol grip, you can carry the bits you would need for scopes and other accessories, should they work loose during a hunt or range session. The rifle employs a LUTH-AR MBA-1 buttstock which is adjustable for both comb height and length of pull. I found this to be a necessary feature, as proper length of pull and scope positioning is critical for cycling the bolt without hitting yourself in the nose.
Other key features include an 18.5-inch, heavy-contour, fluted Match-grade barrel rifled at 1:10” with 5/8×24 muzzle threading and POF’s Editors’ Choice Award winning E2 Dual Extraction Chamber Technology. A 14.5-inch POF Monolithic M Rail handguard with 22-slot Picatinny top rail extending over the upper receiver, 5-slot rails top and bottom at the forward end and full-length M-Lok slots along the slides and bottom is free-floated over the barrel. The controls—mag release, bolt catch, bolt release and safety selector—are fully ambidextrous. The POF single-stage trigger system has an “enhanced finger placement” trigger blade, is secured by KNS anti-walk pins and breaks like glass with no take-up, creep or stacking at an average pull weight of 4 lbs. 2 oz. as measured on my Lyman digital trigger pull scale. The ReVolt comes with one 10-round Magpul P-MAG.
My test day was your typical Long Island Spring day, just a slight breeze and an ambient temperature of 65 degrees. Ammunition consisted of Hornady 150-gr. SST and 178-gr. BTHP Match ammo, as well as Match loadings from Black hills in both 175- and 168-gr. Oh, and some Indian surplus left over from the ‘70s as a wildcard because why the heck not? So testing began with what the rifle was designed for, fast follow up shots. The problem with politicians is that they watch too many movies. They think that the average person can walk out of a gun store and successfully engage 10 targets in 4 seconds. The truth is there is the unfortunate business of aiming that slows down accurate shooting.
Following a rough zero and setting the Zeiss Diavari scope down to 6x, I began a rapid fire string of 10 rounds onto a standard 11 x 11 target set 100 yards down range. All 10 rounds of that Indian surplus ammo landed within four inches of the bulls eye without a single hiccup in feeding or extraction. My shot timer read back 30.12 seconds. This is just slightly less than HALF the allowed time for the prone rapid fire leg of a standard service rifle match. In short, it’s fast enough to go toe to toe with a semi-auto when hits count. And that sweet trigger pull obviously was a big factor in this fast and accurate shooting.
Shooting that big .308 quickly is also aided by the POF Triple Port Muzzle Brake, which keeps the gun rock steady during firing, making it effortless to stay on target between shots. It was really a joy to shoot and you forget that you are firing a .308 due to the low perceived recoil.
Rough handling of the bolt is not just acceptable, it is almost mandatory. If you get the opportunity to enjoy this rifle, remember that YOU are the gas system, so act appropriately and rack that gun like you mean it. Soft cycling of the action will lead to a stovepipe.
