[SHOT 2026] Adams Arms Launches Side-Charging Piston AR Line
Adams Arms are well known for their line of piston guns but what caught my eye at their booth at this year’s SHOT Show was their new side-charging rifle. Last year Adams Arms was taken over by OEM manufacturer Alexandria Pro-Fab, who had previously sold the side charging components as kits and rifles.
Now as Alexandria Pro-Fab integrates with Adam Arms they are excited to bring out the NRSC or Non-Reciprocating Side Charging line of piston guns with a side-charging upper receivers and an FDE cerakote finish. Pro-Fab has previously offered the side charging upper on direct impingement AR-15s, the charging handle has a locking lever which prevents unintentional cocking or movement of the bolt.
The FDE NRSC line will include a range of barrel lengths and configurations including 16, 7.5 and 8.5in barrel lengths and chamberings will including 5.56x45 and .300 BLK.
With the NRSC there’s no need for a special bolt carrier group, any mil-spec bolt carrier group will work fine. The NRSC FDE guns will be available later this year, likely this summer. No MSRP is available on the FDE NRSC series yet. You can pick up a black-finish non-reciprocating side charge upper on Pro-Fab’s site now for $235.
Check out Pro-Fab and Adams Arms’ websites for updates - alexprofab.com and adamsarms.net
Managing Editor: TheFirearmBlog.com & Overt Defense.com. Matt is a British historian specialising in small arms development and military history. He has written several books and for a variety of publications in both the US and UK. Matt is also runs The Armourer's Bench, a video series on historically significant small arms. Here on TFB he covers product and current military small arms news. Reach Matt at: matt@thefirearmblog.com
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It's great to see more Piston guns and side charging, instead of plain old Di guns.
I have a side-charging .300BLK pistol and I gotta say, it's a heck of a lot more convenient for a short handy application, and with the suppressor market getting blown wide open I expect to see a lot more interest in the design for AR builds going forward.