POF redesign request

[robdes]

Let me start with the things that make the P308 great-

super accurate- I can't seem to shoot a big group with this gun and I'm a shi**y shot. I'm sure this is related to the rock creek barrel

boringly reliable operation- the piston system just hums along without any missteps. I haven't had a single misfeed, failure to feed, or misfire.


Super simple piston design- It has 2 parts, 3 if you include the gas plug. It makes the LWRC look like a Rube Goldberg contraption. It is a very elegant solution that seems to function flawlessly

Now the reason for the redesign request- The rail system is just not up to par with the rest of the gun. The rail needs to be machined into the receiver not bolted to it. Why introduce an extra component into the optic/rifle interface? I understand that they need the extra height to clear the piston, but this could easily be accomplished with a taller receiver. My rail system has come loose and I have heard of it happening to others. I have since loctited all of the screws that attach the rail, but the system doesn't inspire confidence. On top of the bad idea of having the rail screw to the receiver, the system is poorly executed. There is way too much slop between the rail and the receiver and there are a bunch of set screws that seem like they are there to deal with this. It just doesn't mount securely enough for my tastes.

POF is obviously an incredibly innovative and design driven company. They are continuously introducing great new products over there. They could easily design a new receiver and hand guard that would be light years ahead of the current design.

 

[damit]

Re: POF redesign request

The rail on my 415 recon was the same way. Simple fix though. I drilled a small "divot" on top of the receiver for the set screw to seat in. Tapered the end of the set screw, a drop of blue loctite and it was done.

 

[300WSM]

Re: POF redesign request

predator rail weighs a ton and then some.

 

[enmerdeur]

Re: POF redesign request

Is yours an older POF? My 308's rail has 5 taper headed screws spaced along the top of the receiver. Then there are 2 set screws that bear down on the barrel nut wedge. Those are then capped off my lock set screws. Then at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock position down on the sides of the rail are two larger set screws that bear on the sides of the barrel nut.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: POF redesign request

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dtac</div><div class="ubbcode-body">POF is obviously an incredibly innovative and design driven company. They are continuously introducing great new products over there. They could easily design a new receiver and hand guard that would be light years ahead of the current design.
</div></div>

If you'd like to drop the coin that it would take to do that I'm sure Frank would be interested in your input, but they are not ideas that have never been discussed.

Changing the system to a monolithic upper would be a change that would take a complete redesign, repatenting of a new design in a market where there are already lawsuits over the piston designs, and a complete retooling of the majority of the production line, not to mention all the incidentals that go along with such a major rollout and retool (literature, marketing, etc). The cost of a major retooling would be huge and where do you think those costs would wind up? Do you think its a needed enough change that the market would pay say $5K+ for a rifle?

Your points definitely have a validity, but if you look at the evolution of POF from being the first piston platform coming out of small machine shops and Frank's garage, to what it is today you will see that changes are made as they can be adapted and needs of the market change. The rail system and wedge block are pretty inherent to the proprietary design, and I'm sure aren't going anywhere anytime soon.