One look at the UXR Elite rifle system from Primary Weapons Systems may make some folks ask, “Can you hunt with it?” Our answer is yes. You can hunt with it, you can target shoot with it, you can plink with it and just generally have a blast with this rifle that is built to do a lot of things for a lot of different people. The UXR Elite is a groundbreaking semi-automatic rifle built on the company’s Xchange platform with a modified long-stroke piston system, an ambidextrous receiver, an ambidextrous folding stock and a unique Barrel Xchange system that enables users to switch calibers and barrel lengths. It’s chambered in .223 Wylde, 300 Blackout and what we consider the most useful cartridge and the caliber of our test unit, .308 Winchester.
The receiver is made from a single piece of precision-engineered, anodized aluminum. It’s the heart of the PWS Xchange platform. It runs on a long-stroke piston system, as found in other PWS setups, for improved reliability thanks to reduced gas blowback, and cooler and cleaner operation. Ambidextrous controls include a safety selector, magazine release, bolt catch and release, a three-position rocker valve, length-of-pull adjustment and a reversible, non-reciprocating, folding charging handle that allows for unobstructed rail use. The presence of the PWS Bore Evacuator directs propellent gases away from the operator’s face and down the barrel. The adjustable, three-position gas system includes a dedicated suppressor setting.
The barrel in .308 Winchester measures 16.1-inches long, as it does in .223 Wylde. In 300 Blackout the barrel is 14.5-inches long. It’s made in-house of 41V50 steel, a chrome-moly-vanadium alloy. In .308 Winchester twist rate is an optimal 1:10 inches. PWS guarantees sub-MOA accuracy with high-grade ammo. PWS’ Barrel Xchange system allows an Elite owner to switch calibers and barrel lengths in moments. At the end of the barrel, a newly introduced Primary Weapon FRC compensator tames recoil. It’s removable, so the rifle may be used with a suppressor.
The UXR stock is an ambidextrous design, folding to the right or left as needed by the user. The folding mechanism also facilitates compact storage and easy operation in tight quarters, making the rifle easier to stow or deploy. Operators can fine-tune for comfort and usage with an optic with the length-of-pull (LOP) adjustment and a cheek riser. The folding stock attaches to the trigger housing. The Xchange fire control module accepts all M4, M16 or AR-15 triggers, but the UXR is built with a single-stage TriggerTech trigger adjustable from 2.5-5 pounds’ pull. A user-interchangeable magazine well allows for conversion between 5.56 NATO, 7.62 NATO and 7.62x39 magazines. Up front, an M-Lok handguard can be switched out for shorter lengths depending on barrel length. It is removable and replaceable without tools to allow for multiple configurations with return-to-zero.
The UXR is not a lightweight at 7.9 pounds, but it is a spectacular handful of fun as a groundbreaking rifle design. Its MSRP is $2,650, and for that price it comes with Primary Weapon Systems’ “vow,” the company’s warranty for all its products guaranteeing repair or replacement for any defects. Pick up one at a gun counter near you to see why PWS likes to remind us all of the old saying, “Beware the man with only one rifle.”
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