Website: https://palmettostatearmory.com/
Palmetto State Armory Overall Rating: [3.6 / 5.0]
PSA blends bargain pricing with improving build quality, but shipping lag and hit-or-miss support keep it from true top-tier status.
Palmetto State Armory Summary
Palmetto State Armory (PSA) launched in 2008 when founder Jamin McCallum began shipping magazines from his Columbia, SC garage. Today the vertically integrated brand builds AR-15s, AKs, pistols and accessories, runs 11 retail/range locations, including the new 1811 Sally Hill Farms super-store in Florence, SC.
Evaluation Criteria
Quality & Reliability
PSA’s record is improving year by year, and the numbers now back up the reputation shift.
AR & Sabre lines
Independent testing put 1,000 suppressed rounds through a Sabre-15 without a single stoppage, crediting cold hammer forged “machine-gun steel” barrels and MicroBest BCGs for the result. Pew Pew Tactical’s long term review of three mainstream PA-15 uppers also hit the 1,500-round mark “fully reliable,” awarding PSA a perfect 5/5 reliability score.
AK-pattern guns
The 9 mm AK-V remains a fan favorite; owners on PSA’s own subreddit report 3,000-plus rounds of mixed brass, steel, and aluminum ammo with no ammo sensitivity. TFB’s review did note a few magazine-related hiccups during break-in, but once settled the gun “ran great.”
Dagger & other pistols
Early Daggers suffered from metal-injection-molded striker fractures, especially after heavy dry-fire. Threads from 2023–24 show several breakages around the 800–1,000-strike mark, prompting many users to swap to OEM Glock strikers. PSA has since revised the part (it is now Glock-compatible out of the box), and recent reports of breakage have tapered off.
Quality control procedures
Forum staff confirm that every PSA-built firearm is test-fired before it ships and that extra QC stations were added when the Sabre line launched. While the single-round proof test is not as exhaustive as a full function fire, it filters obvious defects before products leave Columbia or Summerville.
Where problems still surface
- Occasional out-of-spec roll pins or loose gas keys appear in forum threads, though PSA’s lifetime warranty tends to resolve these quickly.
- Serialized items can wait in the warranty queue longer than parts, frustrating some users who expected a simple parts swap.
Budget does not automatically mean brittle any more. PSA rifles and carbines can now hang with mid-tier competitors on the firing line, and most of the lingering reliability complaints trace back to early run Daggers or break-in quirks that PSA has since addressed. Expect rock-solid performance from current Sabre, AK, and GF3/GF5 lines, and plan to run a reliability test on any older-stock pistol before you trust it for carry.
Customer Experience
Customer service is polarizing. The positives usually outweigh the negatives, yet issues persist enough to prevent a perfect score.
Warranty handling
PSA provides a lifetime warranty on their manufactured firearms. Customers who successfully navigate the warranty process praise the outcome, often receiving repaired or replaced firearms quickly and without hassle.
Yet, some complain that PSA rigidly requires firearms to be returned whole for warranty issues, refusing to send individual replacement parts, frustrating customers who would prefer DIY solutions. This sometimes leads to prolonged wait times or unnecessary shipping hassle.
In-store experience
The retail locations, including the impressive new Florence, SC store and range, are widely praised. Customers appreciate knowledgeable staff, friendly attitudes, and strong inventory availability. However, some reviews mention inconsistent knowledge among employees, especially regarding technical firearm questions.
Value for Money
Palmetto State Armory consistently delivers exceptional value, often making their firearms, parts, and accessories some of the most competitively priced in the industry.
Their greatest strength is its aggressive pricing. Their direct-to-consumer approach, in house manufacturing, and frequent promotional pricing mean they frequently undercut competitors significantly. Examples include:
- Complete AR-15 uppers selling at or below $300
- Dagger pistol regularly priced under $350.
These price points place PSA in a unique market position, making quality firearms affordable to the average consumer.
When compared with similarly priced alternatives (like Anderson Manufacturing, Bear Creek Arsenal, or Radical Firearms), PSA’s quality control, customer support, and overall reliability typically outperform expectations. They deliver closer to mid-tier quality (like Aero Precision or Springfield Armory) at notably lower price points.
Most PSA firearms require minimal aftermarket upgrades to achieve reliability or accuracy, though small tweaks (such as enhanced triggers or improved furniture) can further elevate the experience. Buyers often highlight that minor upgrades still leave PSA rifles cheaper than fully configured rifles from premium brands.
User Feedback
PSA holds an impressive 4.5-star rating on Trustpilot and maintains an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, reflecting overall positive experiences. Many customers share enthusiastic reviews highlighting helpful phone and email interactions, noting quick responses, friendly representatives, and clear problem-solving.
However, PSA’s customer service system still has gaps. Common criticisms include difficulty reaching representatives during peak hours, unanswered support tickets, and inconsistent communication, especially when customers experience delayed shipping or issues with third party parts bundled in PSA kits.
Shipping
Shipping from Palmetto State Armory remains their weakest area, frequently described by customers as unpredictable and occasionally frustrating.
PSA officially quotes a processing time of around five business days for most items, with serialized firearms typically taking 7–10 days. However, customer experiences vary significantly. Many buyers on forums and social media report quicker-than-advertised turnaround, with some orders shipping out in just two days. Yet others describe waiting periods of two to three weeks, sometimes longer, even for common or advertised-in-stock items.
Accuracy is generally strong. PSA rarely sends incorrect items, although a few isolated incidents of mismatched accessories or incomplete bundles appear in reviews. Packaging is usually adequate, ensuring products arrive without damage. Some reports, however, mention sparse padding or loose packaging leading to minor scratches or cosmetic issues.
Shipping fees from PSA are fairly average, not particularly high or notably low. Frequent promotions offering free or discounted shipping on select items help mitigate concerns about pricing. Serialized firearm shipments always incur standard FFL-related costs.
Returns
Palmetto State Armory’s return process earns average marks due to its reliable outcomes but restrictive and sometimes inconvenient procedures.
PSA provides a straightforward 30-day return policy for non-serialized items, offering refunds or exchanges for unused, unopened products. Serialized firearms or warranty returns require the firearm to be returned complete to PSA’s facility for inspection and repair. This approach can frustrate customers who face minor issues and would prefer receiving replacement parts directly for quick self-repair.
They typically charges a restocking fee of around 10%–15% on non-defective, buyer-remorse returns, plus customers bear return shipping costs. Warranty-related returns are generally cost-free if PSA confirms a manufacturing defect, but buyers can incur costs if the firearm is deemed issue-free upon inspection.
Customers report mostly positive outcomes when navigating PSA’s return process, especially praising quick refunds for simpler issues. However, many express dissatisfaction with PSA’s insistence on returning complete firearms for small repairs or replacements, feeling it unnecessarily lengthens resolution times.
User Feedback Highlights
- “I have a micro Dagger as a backup EDC and it’s run flawlessly.” – Reddit
- “PSA is the Wild West of shipping times.” – Reddit
We actively gather feedback from the broader firearms community to ensure our reviews reflect a range of real-world experiences.
Palmetto State Armory Final Verdict
Palmetto State Armory still offers the best dollar-per-feature deal in mainstream firearms, and its Sabre line shows real QC strides, but buyers should budget extra calendar days, and maybe keep customer service screenshots handy, when ordering.
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