200 rounds of ammunition was supplied by Target Barn for the review

AR pistols have become very commonplace. Foxtrot Mike has designed their pistols and rifles to be a little different, but in a good way. They use an integrated bufferless recoil system in their Gen II AR’s. Foxtrot Mike sent me a 12.5 inch Mike-15 pistol with a few added in options. So let’s get into what advantages this Mike-15 has to offer.

When you first look at the Mike-15 Gen II, it looks very AR15ish. That is because most of it is. The lower receiver is Foxtrot Mike’s standard AR15 billet lower. But installed in the lower is a rear picatinny mount that also doubles as the bolt stop. The upper receiver system is where the difference is. Yes, it uses a standard AR barrel assembly and is still direct impingement. Because the Mike-15 is a bufferless system, the bolt carrier is different. As is the self contained recoil system that is placed above the bolt carrier, not behind like in a standard AR. This does make the upper about a quarter inch taller than your standard AR. The Mike-15 also uses a forward charging handle. All of these work very well together.

As mentioned, the Foxtrot Mike, Mike-15 lower receiver is billet. This means that it is machined from a solid block of aluminum, not from a forging. This allows Foxtrot Mike to add in some different features. One of those is an oversized built-in trigger guard. This guard also has a slot in the bottom of it. I don’t know if it is for weight savings, or if it is for something else, but it looks nice. Foxtrot Mike also machines in a radiused 3 dimensional magazine well. This is a pretty nice feature to aid in reloading the rifle/pistol, even if you can see a few light machine marks in the magwell. Some other advanced features are: a screw in bolt catch pin, threaded and set screwed spring for the rear takedown pin, a ball detent for the safety with a set screw to hold it in (normal style spring and detent work also), and a screw for tightening the upper to lower fit. This Mike-15 also came with an upgraded Hiperfire trigger and an ambidextrous safety selector. The safety selector came as a 90 degree throw, but can be switched to a 45 degree, which I did as I like short throw safety levers. The optional Hiperfire Eclipse trigger is fantastic and has a pull weight of 2.5 pounds. The Hiperfire is not listed as an option on the website, but contact them and they will let you know how much extra it adds to the price. I also have a stripped Mike-15 lower for a different project, this is partly why I know about all those extras. I should also mention that the rear picatinny rail installs into the buffer tube threads and has the recoil bumper attached in it. It also has a QD slot at the bottom of the rail, so if a brace is not attached, a sling can be.

The Upper receiver of the Foxtrot Mike is really where the huge differences are in this pistol, and their rifles. To start with, the upper receiver contains the recoil system. It is housed above the bolt. This recoil system consists of a dual spring and guide rod. The guide rod also goes through the top part of the bolt carrier. This allows the bolt carrier to push against the recoil system. The Mike-15 then uses a standard AR bolt assembly, but not a standard carrier. Because of this system, the receiver is about a ¼ inch taller than a normal AR’s receiver. The extra ¼ inch can make optics sit a little higher. This doesn’t cause any problems on the pistol version, but on a rifle, your optic may need a slightly lower mount. Foxtrot’s upper receiver does not have a forward assist, but does have a shell deflector. The Mike-15 gen II still uses a gas impingement system, so no differences over a standard AR in that respect. Except that the gas block is pinned, not set screwed or clamped. Foxtrot Mike then installs a 4150 barrel. This one is 12.5 inches with a mid length gas system. Because of the higher receiver height, a M-Lok rail that matches the height of the upper is installed. This handguard measures 11.75 inches, so it comes up flush with the muzzle brake. Depending on the rifle or pistol you order, the handguard length will vary. Lastly, Foxtrot Mike put a nice little 4 port compensator on this pistol. The comp works better than I was expecting it to.

Operation of the Mike-15 gen II is a little different then a standard AR15. Instead of using a rear charging handle, Foxtrot Mike designed a forward charging handle that is in the upper part of the handguard. The charging handle is basically in the part of the handguard that is taller, so it doesn’t affect the M-Lok slots or get in the way. You can set this charging handle up to be either right or left charging. The charging handle DOES NOT reciprocate. However, it can be angled either slightly up, or slightly down, depending on how you have it configured. It comes curved up on the left side of the firearm. A folding lever is also available from Foxtrot Mike. The folding lever folds out of the way against the upper, for a more streamlined charging handle.

Maintenance on the Mike-15 gen II is also a little different. Because of the self contained recoil system, you can not just pull the bolt out like a standard AR. On the top rear of the upper, there is a little square plug with a hole in it, located where the charging handle on a regular AR would be. One must use a small punch, or something, and push down the recoil spring assembly. Then slide the plug down. Watch out for lift off of that spring, as it can go flying. Then just pull the recoil spring assembly out, tip the gun back, and the bolt carrier should slide right out. All the other maintenance stuff is pretty similar to what a standard AR is.

The Mike-15 pistols come in a variety of options. Some of those are barrel length and different colors. These pistols can be had in the picatinny rail version. Meaning they only have the pic rail on the rear of the receiver. Or you can get them with a folding SBA3 brace. I'd opt for the folder. The Mike-15 12.5 inch they sent me had an A3 Tactical folding brace with an A3 Steady Brace. These braces are top tier and work great. Plus they are super lightweight. If you want one of these as an add-on to your Mike-15, just ask Foxtrot Mike Products to see what they can do for you. The A3 brace folds to the left side of the Mike-15. Because the Mike-15 uses the forward charging handle, the brace does not get in the way of manipulating the firearm. Yes, of course the Mike-15 will fire while the brace is folded because of the self contained recoil system.

The Mike-15 that they sent was pretty solid. I’ve run a bunch of bill drills with it, along with other stuff. Target Barn supplied some 5.56 to help with the review: 100rds of Winchester 5.56 55gr M193 and 100rds of PMC 5.56 55gr. The Mike-15 currently has over 500 rounds through it. I did run into a problem with the recoil system after around 150 rounds. The springs were binding up and wouldn’t allow the bolt to go rearward all the way. I contacted Foxtrot Mike and they sent the “new” style buffer springs and guide rod. I literally had them the next day! Somehow the “old” style guide rod had been installed in this Mike-15. It has run flat out since with zero malfunctions since the initial problem. During my conversation with Foxtrot Mike, they also told me that they have a buffer tube spacer that plugs the buffer tube in case you want to run the Gen II uppers on a standard AR. They sent me one, so I tried it. The Gen II Mike-15 upper ran fine on a standard AR lower with that buffer tube spacer. One thing to mention is that the Mike-15 uses a different manual of arms, kind of. Because of the forward charging handle, one needs to readjust a little. Is this a bad thing? I don’t think so, but I thought it needed mentioning. When it comes to that manual of arms, the Mike-15 also seems to take a little more muscle power to manually cycle the bolt. Probably a non-issue for most. Watch a short clip of how it runs HERE.

There are a few aspects of the Mike-15 that I really like. The first is the folding brace. I really liked this addition. One, because it folds and makes the Mike-15 really compact. Two, because it has M-lok slots in the arm. Having M-lok allows me to install a QD socket so I can run a sling easily. The next aspect I like is the weight. It weighs 5.6 pounds on my scale, and that is with the Lucid E7 blue-dot optic and the brace. When it comes to performance, the Mike-15 can hold its own. Being only a 12.5 inch barrel, I do shoot it slightly slower than a 16 inch barreled AR, but it is still fast. The Hiperfire trigger helps with the speed also. It is a very nice trigger upgrade. Lastly, I really like the self contained buffer system as it makes the Mike-15 pistol something you can shoot with the brace folded. I’d say the performance of the Mike-15 is above par for the price you pay.

Foxtrot Mike designs their products for the everyday user. You get a high quality product for not a ton of cash. The Mike-15 Gen II pistols start at $699 MSRP and work their way up from there, depending on options of course. If you are looking for a truly foldable ARish pistol or rifle, the quality you get from Foxtrot Mike is top notch. You can check them out over at fm-products.com.

Firearms Insider Reviews - Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Bufferless AR style rifle or pistol

Target Market:

Those wanting a non conventional AR that has the advantage of not having a buffer tube.

Features, Benefits, and Specifications of this product:

CALIBER: .223 WYLDE
OPERATING SYSTEM: DIRECT IMPINGEMENT
BARREL LENGTH: 12.5"
BARREL TWIST: 1:8
BARREL MATERIAL: 41V50 PREMIUM MATCH GRADE 41v50 BARREL, VACUUM STRESS RELIEVED, MELONITE COATED WITH A BURNISHED CHAMBER
GAS SYSTEM: MIDLENGTH
GAS BLOCK: 0.625" NON-ADJUSTABLE
UPPER RECEIVER: BILLET AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM TYPE III HARD BLACK ANODIZING
LOWER RECEIVER: BILLET AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM TYPE III HARD BLACK ANODIZING
HANDGUARD: 11.75" M-LOK FREE FLOAT TYPE III HARD BLACK ANODIZING
CHARGING HANDLE: 4 POSITION NON-RECIPROCATING FRONT CHARGING HANDLE
PISTOL GRIP: THRIL
BUFFER LESS
LENGTH (INCHES): 22"
WEIGHT (LBS): 4.7 without brace or optic

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Various lengths, rifle options, etc.

What others are saying?:

5 out 5 stars at Brownells - yes it’s for the rifle version, but it is still close

One of my favorites

I purchased the 16" as well as the 11.5" pistol version. I shot the 16" primarily and was able to zero at 100y and hit targets at 500y without issue. A bit more fine tuning with my scope could yield a bit more in its capability. Some things to note about the rifle: I had some issues with the first round in a magazine going into battery and having light primer strikes that were rectified through break-in. After a couple magazines, I had zero errors. The biggest issue I had was getting proper eye level with my sight. Be aware the Zhukov stock and the folding, mounting system sits 0.25" lower than a standard AR. You may have to buy the $15 0.25 Magpul AK Riser to get the proper eye line. I paired my 30mm LVPO with a low mount, cantilever scope mount. In all, it only cost an additional $50, but I wish there were a way to have the stock sit at the same level as a buffer tube would. This is information I wish had been noted in reviews/videos before purchasing the rifle. Am I happy with my FM-15?Yes, it's probably my favorite AR long gun. Would the sight-line information have changed my decision to buy? Maybe, but ultimately I'm happy to own such a unique rifle. Time will tell if I enjoy the pistol length version as much as the 16".Though, I do hope Foxtrot Mike develops a 300BLK, short barreled upper of the same style.

Link to other reviews:

Tiberious Gib on YouTube

Pew Pew Tactical

Price point:

MSRP = $699.00 +

As tested = Approximately $1125

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Foxtrot Mike or Brownells

Our Rating:

Pros:

Lightweight
Folding brace
Self contained recoil system
Pinned gas block
3D magwell

Cons:

Manual of Arms is slightly different
Harder to charge the firearm when compared to an AR

Score: 8.00 Great

Favorite Link: Gforce Arms Rapture review

Sometime around the beginning of 2020, Hiperfire contacted me about reviewing their new PDI drop in single stage trigger. Since I really like the other triggers I have from them, I suspected this one would be nice also. When it finally arrived in September, I was not disappointed.

The Hiperfire PDI is their latest “drop in trigger” system for AR15 style rifles. They even make one specifically for the Sig MCX platform also. Usually when I think of a “drop in trigger”, I think of the cartridge style, where all the parts are contained inside a cartridge, that just drops in where the trigger assembly goes. The PDI is slightly different. It is essentially a cartridge style, but with the hammer spring feet extending forward, like a standard GI trigger assembly. Installation is pretty straight forward for anyone used to dealing with AR triggers. It also comes supplied with an anti-walk pin set.

If you have ever seen a Hiperfire trigger, you know that they look a little different than a normal trigger. The PDI is no different. It uses a curved trigger with a “backbone”. The backbone consists of a toothed section on the back of the trigger shoe. One of the purposes of the backbone, is to install their “Hipershoe”. The Hipershoe is an adjustable finger pad that can be moved up or down, depending on user preference. Using the Hipershoe will also allow slight adjustments in trigger pull weight. If you move it down, it slightly lowers the trigger pull weight. Moving it up slightly increases the pull weight. The drawback to this is, may it be ever so slight, that more creep is added to the pull, when the pad is in the lower positions, and more trigger pull weight is added when in the upper positions. I only really noticed this when shooting slowly, as in precise aimed shots. The Hipershoe also helps individualize the trigger, by placing the shooter's finger in a better location for him or her.

One of my favorite aspects of the PDI trigger is it’s hammer energy. Lots of aftermarket triggers reduce the hammer strike energy to lower the trigger pull weight. Not the PDI trigger. It has Mil-strength hammer strike energy. What does that mean for you? Well, it means that you will probably never have a misfire because the hammer didn’t hit the primer hard enough. My sample PDI worked with every type of ammunition used, from steel cased .223 to 9mm and even .22LR.

My Second favorite aspect is the trigger pull weight. It comes in at a 2 lb fixed pull weight. Yes, 2 lbs. When I first installed the PDI, it measured 2-¼ lbs, but with some use, came down to the stated 2 lb weight. As mentioned earlier, the weight can be finely adjusted by moving the Hipershoe up or down the trigger face. When I say slightly, I get about ¼ lb difference in pull weight, from the top setting to the bottom setting. My least favorite aspect of the PDI, also includes trigger pull. There is quite a bit of initial creep in the trigger before it releases. When shooting fast, it is not really noticeable. But, when shooting slow, precise aimed shots, it is annoying. As the Hipershoe gets moved farther down, for the lightest pull available, this creep gets more noticeable. The trigger reset has to be mentioned. It is very positive, that trigger snaps back way better than I expected, basically like a standard mil-spec trigger.

The PDI trigger can also be used in Pistol Caliber Carbines (PCC’s). The design has a hammer collision bumper and disconnector crash protection. This allows the hammer to reset properly under the harsh direct blowback of most PCC’s. PCC’s tend to bounce hammers from their harsh recoil impulse, especially with lower trigger weights. Thankfully, Hiperfire has alleviated this with their PDI trigger. I ran the PDI in a 9mm PCC. I had zero times where the rifle went more than one round per trigger pull, something I can’t say about other PCC triggers I’ve used.

I used the PDI in just about every type of situation I could think of. It ran flawlessly in all of them and was a joy to use. Since I don’t use this trigger for slow fire, the creep was not an issue. The trigger pull weight is just awesome. I am able to shoot super fast double and triple taps, thanks to the PDI. This applies to 9mm, .223, and .22LR. I even use it with the “Blackbeard” system from MantisX. I really do think this trigger improved my speed on follow up shots. I even dropped the rifle with the PDI in it, and it still works as if it were brand new.

The Hiperfire PDI drop in trigger is everything they say it is. I just can’t get over the 2 lb pull weight in a drop in trigger system. Yes, it might be $180, but it’s not the highest priced drop in out there. If you are looking for a good AR15 trigger, for PCC or anything else, definitely go check out Hiperfire and the PDI.