Gen 3 BRN-180

Rancid Coolaid · Jan 9, 2025

Yes, I did a search, no results. Does anyone have a gen3 yet?
Compared to gen 2, is it worth the swap? I shoot lefty often so the left side charging handle isn't necessarily a good thing. The sealed upper is, and they are hella maneuverable due to light weight up front and very light weight on the back end. Having run lots of piston guns, I am a BRN180 fan, but not sure about the gen3 just yet.

stanley_white · Jan 10, 2025

And I right when I see this new version has double the amount of holes in the upper receiver for junk to get into the system and also lacks a reciprocating charging handle which could have been used as a forward assist?

-Stan

Rancid Coolaid · Jan 10, 2025

You are correct in most ways. There are now 2 holes, but both are sealed - mostly. My big gripe for the gen 1 and 2 is the gaping hole on the right side at all times (at least for the 300blk version), and that is now addressed - by adding a second point of entry - and mostly sealing both.
The charging handle change is indeed a not great change, or seems so to me.
I'm sure I will end up getting one, and will report my findings.

I am a big fan of the gen2, but would never take one into combat. Then again, unless the world goes to absolute shit, my combat days are done - and this is mostly a conversation about other things I do with rifles now.

carbonbased · Jan 15, 2025

Man, the Gen 2 I had was such a piece of shit. Couldn’t get it to run even with multiple new parts sent by PWS (the manuf).

What really sealed the deal was the microscopic screw holding BOTH the little rubber left buttstock bumpstop AND an interior crucial bolt guide.

Looks like they did away with that idiotic design and instead used a replaceable long side piece, a bit like the Sig did.

carbonbased · Jan 15, 2025

If you go to ~18:21 in this vid you can see the Gen 3’s new long steel cam pin path/guide vs the shitty gen 2’s “solution.”

Too bad they didn’t open it up to show you how lame the g2 design really was.

Bigjake83 · Jan 15, 2025

I've been looking at playing with one of these in 5.56 but I can't find anything regarding accuracy?

What are all of you getting for accuracy ?
And if they more or less Blaster uppers how do they work with super cheap ammo like Tulu or wolf ammo?

Rancid Coolaid · Jan 15, 2025

I think I read the barrels are faxon, make of that what you will. I have a gen2 in 300blk and accuracy has been on par with other makers, but it isn't a 1k gun nor do I expect it to be. I have a 13.9 headed my way, 556, will do some mid-range testing with it, but the value of that platform to me is the cleaner running of a can on a folder that is backpack-able.
I'm not sure about this new charging handle, and I say that even as someone that runs lefty often with a rifle. I guess the handle on the right side never bothered me, or if it did, it was so long ago that I don't recall.

faylix · Jan 15, 2025

I have a gen 1 that I like to blast around with, That giant cocking handle is kinda funny.

I would never bring it for work, but it made a great range toy / blaster.

joe777 · Jan 16, 2025

Be cool if they had an 18-20" with a little heavier barrel.

Cascade Hemi · Friday at 12:45 AM

carbonbased said:
Man, the Gen 2 I had was such a piece of shit. Couldn’t get it to run even with multiple new parts sent by PWS (the manuf).

What really sealed the deal was the microscopic screw holding BOTH the little rubber left buttstock bumpstop AND an interior crucial bolt guide.
View attachment 8592354

Looks like they did away with that idiotic design and instead used a replaceable long side piece, a bit like the Sig did.

Mine runs awesome. The rubber bumper combo rail retainer is stupid. Someone makes a replacement that isn't rubber and doesn't cause the screw to come loose. Most of the quirks have been addressed by the aftermarket.

The Gen3 looks lame. They redesigned it until it's no longer interesting. The late Gen 2 receivers have full length steel rails.

carbonbased · Friday at 12:55 AM

Cascade Hemi said:
Mine runs awesome. The rubber bumper combo rail retainer is stupid. Someone makes a replacement that isn't rubber and doesn't cause the screw to come loose. Most of the quirks have been addressed by the aftermarket.

The Gen3 looks lame. They redesigned it until it's no longer interesting. The late Gen 2 receivers have full length steel rails.

Yeah, if I had had a Gen 2 with the steel rails (that ran well, unlike mine) then I’d have been all over that thing.

When I could get 5 shots off in a row without problems it seemed pretty accurate and I loved the right-sided charging handle. Also loved that I could use that handle to also push a round into battery…like an AK, I believe.

I needed to with my POS copy.

The moral of the story is to buy newish, relatively untested rifles from Brownells, who actually let you return firearms for a store credit if past 30(?) days. I think you get a full refund if you send it back it within the return window.

I used that credit to buy a PWS from Brownells. Which I also returned because I got unlucky again (maybe? Or is PWS overhyped?).

As mentioned, PWS made the Gen2 BRN-180. Not sure who makes the Gen3.

I then bought a new Armalite for a steal at PSA. It’s been running well.

carbonbased · Friday at 1:00 AM

Cascade Hemi said:
The rubber bumper combo rail retainer is stupid.

IKR?! I couldn’t screw it in tight or the rubber bumper would split. Thing was held in by simple rubber outward tension. Unbelievable. No steel insert for the screw to bottom out on, no nothing.

And without that tiny metal rail, the whole gun would go down. Auurrrgh!

I’m no engineer, but gdamnit, did some bimbo secretary design that part?

Cascade Hemi · Friday at 1:10 AM

carbonbased said:
IKR?! I couldn’t screw it in tight or the rubber bumper would split. Thing was held in by simple rubber outward tension. Unbelievable. No steel insert for the screw to bottom out on, no nothing.

And without that tiny metal rail, the whole gun would go down. Auurrrgh!

I’m no engineer, but gdamnit, did some bimbo secretary design that part?

Totally. Like I said, there's a aftermarket replacement that doesn't come loose. I've never had any problems with mine, it sucks you did. There's quite a few complaints like yours though, which probably drove the redesign. Mine became a FreeBR factory SBR. It's compact and lightweight.

Nylon Bumpers for BRN-180™

A customer requested a fix for a BRN-180™ issue that he had discovered. The rubber bumper (that the stock folds into) screw can come loose if not loc-tit'ed in place, and if overtightened, the screw can penetrate into the action through the steel bolt guide rail that it screws into, damaging...

store.otdefense.com

carbonbased · Friday at 1:16 AM

Cascade Hemi said:
Totally. Like I said, there's a aftermarket replacement that doesn't come loose. I've never had any problems with mine, it sucks you did. There's quite a few complaints like yours though, which probably drove the redesign. Mine became a FreeBR factory SBR. It's compact and lightweight.

Nylon Bumpers for BRN-180™

A customer requested a fix for a BRN-180™ issue that he had discovered. The rubber bumper (that the stock folds into) screw can come loose if not loc-tit'ed in place, and if overtightened, the screw can penetrate into the action through the steel bolt guide rail that it screws into, damaging...

store.otdefense.com

Cool. Glad someone thought of a solution.

The rubber bumper was the last straw for me. I had already replaced half the innards (PWS sent for free) and I just yelled FUCK IT after discovering the itty bitty screw/tiny rail/retarded bumper setup.

It’s hard to cut one’s losses after spending so much time on something, but I’m glad I did. I just have to believe I got unlucky, overall, with PWS, as they seem to get good reviews in general.

carbonbased · Friday at 1:18 AM

Cascade Hemi said:
Mine became a FreeBR factory SBR.

Just saw this. What?

Cascade Hemi · Friday at 8:58 AM

carbonbased said:
Just saw this. What?

Amnesty SBR, they are unmarked and it's as if the factory made them.

PappyM3 · Friday at 12:13 PM

Rancid Coolaid said:
I think I read the barrels are faxon, make of that what you will. …

Aannndd I’m out. I got really excited about this Gen, but Faxon is a deal breaker. All three of my barrels from them have had problems, from failure to extract due to a too-tight chamber on a 6.5 CM, to failure to feed because a gas port was way too small and short stroked a 9” 300blk with SUPERS, to one of their pricey “match” 14.5” gunner barrels exhibiting rust on the exterior shortly after purchase.

Faxon is a bunch of garbage. They have an 0/3 record with me.

Rancid Coolaid · Friday at 12:31 PM

I hear that often (which is why I mentioned it) but also have different experiences, for what it's worth. I have an 8.6blk barrel from them that shoots well. Admittedly, it is an N=1 for me, but maybe I'll get lucky twice.

Cascade Hemi · Friday at 1:38 PM

PappyM3 said:
Aannndd I’m out. I got really excited about this Gen, but Faxon is a deal breaker. All three of my barrels from them have had problems, from failure to extract due to a too-tight chamber on a 6.5 CM, to failure to feed because a gas port was way too small and short stroked a 9” 300blk with SUPERS, to one of their pricey “match” 14.5” gunner barrels exhibiting rust on the exterior shortly after purchase.

Faxon is a bunch of garbage. They have an 0/3 record with me.

Faxon makes perfectly OK OEM barrels; they make what the buyer specs. A Faxon branded barrel, on the other hand, meets only the specification and QC Faxon sets internally. It could be awesome or it could be a lump of coal. It is no different than ER Shaw, Wilson, GreenMountain, etc.

PappyM3 · Friday at 2:54 PM

Cascade Hemi said:
Faxon makes perfectly OK OEM barrels; they make what the buyer specs. A Faxon branded barrel, on the other hand, meets only the specification and QC Faxon sets internally. It could be awesome or it could be a lump of coal. It is no different than ER Shaw, Wilson, GreenMountain, etc.

Who does Faxon OEM for? Aside from these BRN-180s.

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Gen 3 BRN-180

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