PSA vs Faxon Firearms: AR-15 brands compared
PSA leads in 5 of 7 categories.
PSA for the price, upper receivers and complete rifles. Faxon Firearms for barrels and furniture.
From tens of thousands of real builds and live prices at 30+ retailers.
Our take
PSA sells affordable AR lowers, uppers, BCGs and complete rifles, and it makes them in house from forging to finished part.
Lifetime warranty · Transferable warranty · Value pricing · Vertically integrated
- Spending less: about 41% below average
- The more popular pick: in 17% of builds
- Upper receivers, picked 17x as often
- Complete rifles (Faxon Firearms complete rifles are rarely picked)
Faxon Firearms makes its own AR barrels in Ohio, like the Gunner profile, plus bolt carrier groups.
In-house barrels · Lifetime guarantee · ISO 9001 certified · Family owned
- Close to average prices
- Barrels, picked 14x as often
- Furniture (PSA furniture are rarely picked)
Many builders mix them: 23% of Faxon Firearms builds add PSA, most often the upper receiver.
Biggest differences
"Picked" is the share of builds with that part that chose each brand.
| PSA | Faxon Firearms | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price vs average | 41% cheaper | 9% cheaper | PSA cheaper |
| Share of builds | 17% | 9% | PSA 1.9x |
| Uppers picked | 14% | 0.8% | PSA 18x |
| Barrels picked | 1.6% | 22% | Faxon Firearms 14x |
| Parts listed | 2,037 | 664 | PSA 3x |
| Retailers carrying | 9 | 15 | Faxon Firearms 1.7x |
| BCGs picked | 7.7% | 6.0% | PSA 1.3x |
Price: PSA wins
For the same part, PSA parts run 41% cheaper than average and Faxon Firearms parts run 9% cheaper than average.
Builder favorite: PSA wins
PSA is in 17% of builds and Faxon Firearms is in 9% of builds.
Why PSA: PSA's Full Lifetime Warranty covers the guns and parts it makes, and it transfers to later owners.
Receivers: PSA wins
Builders pick PSA upper receivers (17x) more often than Faxon Firearms. PSA lower receivers are picked often, Faxon Firearms's rarely.
Why PSA: PSA owns its supply chain, including Spartan Forging and DC Machine, from forging the receivers to finishing the muzzle brake.
Internals: Tie
Builders pick Faxon Firearms barrels (14x) more often than PSA. Bolt carrier groups are about even. PSA charging handles and triggers are picked often, Faxon Firearms's rarely. Faxon Firearms gas blocks are picked often, PSA's rarely.
Why PSA: PSA's upgraded BCGs use a Carpenter 158 steel bolt that's shot peened, high pressure tested and magnetic particle inspected.
Why Faxon Firearms: Faxon barrels come in 4150 CMV or 416R stainless, button rifled, with QPQ nitride or PVD finishes.
Furniture: Faxon Firearms wins
Faxon Firearms picked more often.
Complete rifles: PSA wins
PSA complete rifles picked often, Faxon Firearms rarely.
Most picked PSA complete rifles
PSA PA-15 16" Nitride M4 Carbine 5.56 NATO Classic 13.5"$549.99, in stock at 1 store
PSA PA-15 16"Nitride M4 Carbine 5.56 NATO Classic Rifle$499.99, in stock at 1 store
PSA Guardsman-15 16" Midlength 5.56 NATO 1/7 CL$617.49, out of stockMost picked Faxon Firearms complete rifles
Rarely picked
Shopper clicks: PSA wins
Of recent clicks through to a store for these brands, 81% went to PSA and 19% went to Faxon Firearms.
The full record
Everything we track for PSA vs Faxon Firearms, from builds, store listings and daily prices.
| PSA | Faxon Firearms | |
|---|---|---|
| Share of builds | 17% | 9% |
| Price tier | Budget friendly | Mid priced |
| Parts listed | 2,037 | 664 |
| Part types | 29 | 16 |
| Retailers carrying | 9 | 15 |
| In stock now | 93% | 60% |
| Price change, 90 dayson the most picked parts | n/a | 5% higher |
| On sale now | None | 2 parts |
