Convert. Compact. Run.

No. The TRIAD is a chassis that houses a user-supplied mil-spec AR lower receiver. The lower receiver remains the serialized component.

No. The TRIAD is an unserialized chassis, not a firearm or receiver, so it can be shipped directly to your doorstep.

You will need a mil-spec AR lower receiver, a bolt catch with its spring, pin, and plunger, a compatible flat-faced trigger, and a compatible bufferless upper receiver assembly. A complete AR lower parts kit is not required, as the TRIAD includes the remaining internal and assembly components.

See below for compatible lower receivers and upper assemblies.

You will need a standard, no frills, Mil-spec lower receiver. These are by far the most common and least expensive receiver available. No receivers with integrated trigger guards. Integrated trigger guards swell downward, which would have required a taller chassis to accommodate. No billet receivers. There are simply too many companies making their own billet lower receivers. Most manufacturers have their own unique external features to distinguish them from the rest, and these are all in critical areas that keep the chassis slim. Compatibility would have required a much bulkier chassis to accommodate. Most of these features are cosmetic anyway and since they won't be seen inside the chassis, there is simply no reason to run a billet lower receiver in the TRIAD.

The TRIAD requires a bufferless upper receiver. Traditional AR uppers rely on a rear buffer tube, buffer spring, and buffer and are not compatible.

Compatible uppers include the Foxtrot Mike FM-15, Palmetto State Armory JAKL, Brownells BRN-180, and Matador Arms MAT-9 9mm upper. Some of these uppers are available in multiple calibers, so please review the caliber compatibility information below before purchasing.

The TRIAD is compatible with most single-stage, flat-faced triggers. The trigger face must be flat — a curved trigger will not interface correctly with the TRIAD's linkage. For the best operation, we recommend a short-reset cassette-style trigger rather than a standard mil-spec trigger.

Note: CMC triggers and Radian Vertex triggers are not compatible due to their physical dimensions.

TRIAD assembly is straightforward and can typically be completed in about 30 minutes. The chassis arrives preassembled with the trigger linkage self-contained, adjusted, and tested. All necessary wrenches are included; the only additional tool required is a 3/8-inch-drive ratchet.

Installation involves removing the left chassis half, inserting your AR lower receiver with the trigger and bolt catch already installed, reassembling the chassis, and adjusting the trigger actuator. You will then install the end cap or buttplate for your configuration and mount the M-LOK front takedown lug to the upper receiver.

For a complete walkthrough, view our TRIAD installation instructions.

In its standard configuration, the TRIAD has a 14.25-inch length of pull. Adding our 1.5-inch buttpad spacer increases the LOP to 15.75 inches.

See the overall-length question below for information on how overall-length requirements may affect your configuration.

A standard rifle configuration using the TRIAD chassis and a 16-inch Foxtrot Mike upper weighs approximately 6 pounds, 8 ounces without an optic or accessories.

For comparison, the Steyr AUG and IWI Tavor X95 each weigh approximately 7 pounds, 9 ounces, while the Springfield Armory Hellion weighs approximately 8 pounds.

The TRIAD measures 24.75 inches from the end of the barrel — not including the muzzle device — to the rear of the buttpad.

Overall length note: the TRIAD system is very compact. Our TRIAD chassis ships with two butt-plates: a standard compact butt-plate and a 1.5-inch extended butt-plate, designed to bring the firearm up to 26.25 inches overall. The following configurations achieve a 26-inch (or longer) overall length:

• A 16-inch barreled upper with our 1.5-inch extended butt-plate (provided with the kit)
• An 18-inch barreled upper with our standard butt-plate
• A 16-inch barreled upper with a pinned and welded 1.5-inch (or longer) muzzle brake
• A barreled upper shorter than 16 inches with a pinned and welded suppressor

See the TRIAD Disclaimer for the applicable federal definitions. It is your responsibility to ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Yes, but compatibility depends on the upper family. Uppers from the same manufacturer can generally be swapped without modifying the TRIAD. For example, you can switch between 16-inch and 12.5-inch Foxtrot Mike uppers with no changes.

Foxtrot Mike and JAKL uppers use different internal buffer components, so switching between them requires swapping those components or using a separately configured TRIAD assembly.

A BRN-180 upper can be used with a JAKL-configured TRIAD and should function properly. However, because the BRN-180 handguard is narrower than the JAKL handguard, there will be a visible gap between the handguard and chassis.

Yes. Once your Form 1 has been approved, you can install our buttplate upgrade kit. The kit includes the lower buttplate support, buttplate, 1.5-inch extension, buttpad, and all required mounting hardware.

The kit is available in the TRIAD collection.

We have successfully tested the TRIAD in 5.56×45mm, .300 BLK, .350 Legend, 6mm ARC, 6.5 Grendel, 7.62×39mm, and 9mm.

For 7.62×39mm configurations, the TRIAD is compatible with the BRN-180 upper because it uses AR-pattern ASC or Duramag magazines. The 7.62×39mm PSA JAKL requires AK-pattern rock-and-lock magazines, which are not compatible with the TRIAD chassis.