Review: POF Rogue 13.75-Inch Rifle

In the past, I have previously thought of AR-10 rifles as heavy, unreliable and inaccurate when compared to their AR-15 counterpart. Being a former police officer, firearms instructor, SWAT sniper, and shooting editor, I have had the opportunity to shoot and handle countless gas rifle platforms in every configuration from nearly every manufacturer. Many of the accurate AR-10 rifles I evaluated tended to be extremely heavy and finicky when dirty while the light rifles were often inaccurate. I never found one that I thought was worth its salt.

When I was offered an assignment to review the new Patriot Ordnance Factory (POF) Rogue 13.75” chambered in .308 Winchester my interest was piqued. I will admit I was skeptical but took on the task in pure curiosity to see if the sub-6-pound rifle would deliver in the most important categories of accuracy and reliability. Upon unboxing the rifle it was glaringly obvious POF had taken a different approach to critical areas of the rifle’s gas system, barrel nut, and bolt carrier group than what I had seen previously on .308 gassers.

Patriot Ordnance Factory is an Arizona-based arms manufacturer known for their innovative designs including pistol, rimfire, and AR-15/10 rifle platforms, and the latest Tombstone Lever Action 9mm — they tackle it all. POF has taken to designing and manufacturing some of the highest quality AR-15 and AR-10 rifles on the market with purpose driven configurations that deliver accuracy and reliability. The Rogue series is one of the latest creations from POF, and represents one of the shortest and lightest .308 Win. platforms I have personally found to date. Upon handling the rifle for the first time I immediately thought it would be a versatile platform for home defense while serving double duty for grizzly bear protection in the backcountry, where I spend most of my time.

One of the first things I noticed on the rifle upon inspection was the way POF designed the front of the handguard for easy access to the adjustable gas block. The control helps mitigate over/under gassing, allowing the user to tune the rifle for optimum reliability. While adjustable gas blocks aren’t unique to POF, the open-ended rail and large head of the adjustment screw makes tuning very easy compared to other systems I have used in the past. When a system is “user friendly” it’s going to be used properly — this system is well thought out and executed. Although I didn't run a suppressor this time around, the gun is definitely well-equipped at the muzzle and ready for a can. It comes with a Dead Air Keymo Muzzle Brake pinned and welded to the 13.75-inch barrel to make the rifle ATF compliant. The muzzle brake, alone, works extremely well for reducing felt recoil. There are also several manufacturers producing a variety of hub-compatible suppressors that can be adapted to the Keymo system, so finding a can that works shouldn't be an issue. If you want to go straight to the source, Dead Air makes great suppressors. With current wait times of less than a month for ATF Tax Stamps, I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase a dedicated can.

The next feature I noticed upon reading up on the POF Rogue rifle is the E2 Dual extraction technology which encompasses a different approach to chamber design than most AR rifle platforms. Four shallow grooves run down the length of the chamber’s neck allowing for a portion of the gas to blow back into the shoulder of the cartridge case. This breaks the “seal,” so to speak, of the brass that has expanded and filled the chamber after firing. Normally the extractor holding on to a small portion of the case rim has to pull the case free once the bolt carrier group (BCG) begins the rearward cycle, stripping the brass free of the chamber. While the traditional system works, it’s hard on extractors. The POF’s E2 system makes the extractor’s job light work. This is just another example of technology improving the performance and reliability of weapon systems with companies willing to step away from the status quo.

When it comes to common accuracy issues with AR10 platforms, the barrel extension and nut connection seems to be the common crux. While the accuracy issues can vary from barrel quality, ammunition, or receiver fit, I have found the barrel nut to be the culprit more times than not. Many are just enlarged AR15s in component design with small barrel nuts holding the barrel onto a short extension. The handguard is then attached to the barrel nut, which imparts torque into the barrel and receiver at the most critical point. POF created their Heat Sink barrel nut to extend the surface area of the barrel and receiver connection. This helps to alleviate the heat and gas expansion of the chamber, dissipating heat over a 3” surface area. Extending the length of the nut also helps reduce the effects of torque from bipods or vertical pistol grips being used to help control the rifle's recoil, ultimately improving the rifle's accuracy on target.

I selected a Leupold VX-6HD with Leupold Delta Point Pro in a 45-degree offset mount off the Badger Ordnance Condition One Modular Mount. I run the 1.93 Assaulter Height mount, as it is my old setup from my SWAT carbine. I prefer the heads-up position I get from the high mount for quicker target acquisition which also seems to help with recoil management as well for me. I felt this setup would be ideally suited on the Rogue 13.75” rifle for defense at home and in the backcountry offering and combine a wide field of view with zoom capabilities as the rifle would be ideally used for anything from 10 feet to 400 yards. The red dot offers a solid back-up sight and is great for fast work up close.

During my evaluation, I found the rifle to shoot consistent groups at 100 yards even after firing 10 to15 groups. Sustained shooting usually can lead to group dispersion when the barrel heats up, but the POF seemed resilient. I even went through several 10-round mags with the purpose of seeing what the gun can handle, followed by another magazine for accuracy testing at 100 yds. The rifle maintained an average 1-inch accuracy throughout several reiterations of the drill. For a sub-6-pound rifle, I was impressed with the rifle’s accuracy and consistent performance across the board with a cold bore and a rather hot barrel. The rifle was tested with Hornady Match 178-grain BTHP, RUAG Swiss 168-grain BTHP, and handloaded 165-grain Nosler Accubond bullets with 42 grains of Varget in Nosler Brass with Federal 210M Primers.

The Rogue rifle I tested wore a 4150 CrMoV steel barrel that has been treated with a black nitride finish to help ensure long-lasting durability. The 5R, 1:10-twist rifling is a proven match-accurate combination for 30-caliber rifles. The barrel configuration is no doubt a solid option and proved itself on the range during my testing. It’s worth mentioning the Rogue is also available with a 16.5-inch stainless steel barrel option, with 1:8-twist 6-groove rifling. This barrel configuration comes standard with a Micro B Brake to keep the overall length manageable while still maintaining a reasonable amount of recoil mitigation using the short, single-port muzzle brake.

Living in northwest Montana, in heavily populated grizzly country, I have been looking for a lightweight grizzly defense rifle setup to pack for scouting trips or when packing out meat from successful hunts. While a 12-gauge shotgun is a popular option, I feel this rifle proved reliable and accurate enough when topped with an illuminated reticle 1-6X variable-power optic — it, too, could make for a great option. Covering up-close protection with ample energy and serving double duty for longer shots, including big-game hunting inside 400 yards. I would likely load up some 168-grain Hammer Hunters and 165-grain Nosler Accubonds, as both would serve well for deep penetration on a charging grizzly while still maintaining adequate down range performance.

Being a lightweight, short-barreled rifle, excessive recoil and muzzle blast is a valid concern. I felt the Rogue handled extremely well for its size and weight in this category, allowing me to stack rounds on a charging grizzly target at 25 yards without any trouble. The rifle has a smooth operation cycle allowing me to stay on target through my optic and deliver lethal rounds in a reasonable time frame. The Dead Air muzzle brake worked very well at reducing the muzzle rise and doesn’t blow excessive gas into the shooter’s face, making it very comfortable to shoot.

The Match Trigger in the Rogue rifle came from the factory preset at 4.5 pounds and broke consistently on my gauge, with every trigger pull within an ounce of that mark. The trigger is a single-stage design, which I prefer over the two stage triggers, and breaks cleanly with minimal over travel. For quick shooting, a short reset is key to finding the rifles sweet spot delivering fast and accurate fire in a semi auto configuration. The enclosed trigger housing keeps the important working parts of the trigger clean and working properly compared to the usual mil-spec-style triggers found in many factory rifles. Gas guns are dirty and more times than I can remember I have had gravel, primer cups and debris blow into the trigger area on AR rifles which can lock up the mechanism. No such issue with the Rogue.

With all the upgraded features of this rifle, the smaller, less obvious features like oversized trigger guard, ambidextrous safety and ambidextrous Strike Eagle charging handle are some excellent upgrades on the rifle. QD sling adapters on the back of the extension plate allows for a single point sling as well as QD sling attachments on the MFT Minimalist stock and four more on the machined aluminum handguard, allowing for myriad sling configurations to suit the user’s preferences. These small attachments are often overlooked but a critical component for connecting the rifle to the shooter. POF did the customer right by including many small features that make the rifle ready to go straight off the shelf.

A rifle is the sum of its components, and the Patriot Ordnance Factory Rogue rifle is no exception. POF invested the time and resources needed to develop a rifle system that fills the niche for a defensive .308 Win. that a rifleman can utilize to its fullest extent right out of the box. Having a rifle with the shortest barrel possible while maintaining ATF Compliance was just icing on the cake for how this firearm is built and operates. The Rogue 13.75” rifle proved to be an accurate and reliable rifle system and set the bar very high for my expectations of what an AR10 should look like going forward.