When Guns & Ammo sent me an AR rifle for evaluation, I was confused when a box from US Palm arrived. Since the company’s founding in 2009, US Palm has earned a reputation for offering aftermarket product support to AK owners, including its signature hybrid polymer-and-metal magazine with a distinctive “waffle tread” pattern. Century Arms purchased US Palm in 2017, and building an AR-15 rifle represents a sea change for the brand.
Officially dubbed the “Storm CAT4,” the US Palm rifle is a direct impingement, gas-operated 5.56 NATO-chambered AR-15. Two versions of the rifle were received for Guns & Ammo’s testing: One in basic black and another with a green upper, lower and handguard. (Photographer Mark Fingar aptly referred to the color as “Hulk Green.”) Storm rifles are built on 7075-T6 aluminum upper and forged lower receivers, and these guns are loaded with features.
Mono-Loc
One of the best features is the US Palm seven-sided M-Lok handguard with Mono-Loc. The aluminum handguard offers seven faces with M-Lok slots where accessories can be attached for easy customization. At 1.6-inches wide, the handguard is trim, and an angular section at the rear of the handguard mates with a cutout in the upper receiver for superb stability, even in inclimate weather. A continuous Picatinny-style rail on the top of the handguard and upper receiver provide plenty of landscape to add optics, thermals, night vision, lights or lasers.
The 16-inch barrel with 1-in-7-inch-twist rifling is made from 4150 chromoly steel that’s hammer forged. A mid-length gas system cycles the action, and the muzzle is affixed with the US Palm Hurricane hybrid flash hider/compensator. The stylish design is in keeping with the “storm” theme, featuring three steel prongs twisted as if it were recovered from a tornado’s debris field. Perhaps it’s a minor detail, but it’s one of the coolest features on the rifle in my opinion.
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The lower receiver has bilateral controls that are large and easy to operate. I’m a fan of the bolt-release lever on the right side of the lower receiver, too. Close the bolt by smacking the large button on the left side of the gun (as most shooters do) or press down on the right-side lever to send the bolt carrier assembly forward. The ambidextrous magazine release is also straightforward to operate, and the two-position selector is slightly wider than the standard AR selector. There are no surprises here. If you’re familiar with the control layout of AR rifles, you’ll feel at confident running to the front with the Storm. It’s clear that serious thought went into the design.
For many, the upgrades will eliminate the desire to replace factory parts with aftermarket components. Storm rifles come with US Palm’s reduced-angle grip. Though I prefer a more vertical grip angle, it allows for improved trigger control and a more consistent and comfortable hold on the rifle for many. The grip measures 3 inches from the rear of the triggerguard and is 1-inch wide, which allows plenty of room for large or gloved hands. (Imagine shooting in snow and rain, for example.) The micro texturing on the grip also supports a firm hold when firing. I also like the slot within the integral triggerguard.
Two For One
Every Storm comes with a Hiperfire EDT Designated Marksman single-stage trigger. It displayed a crisp and clean trigger, short pull, and positive reset. The trigger shoe is sort-of flat and sort-of curved. At the top is a subtle curve, but near the base the trigger it is nearly flat. The design is certainly unique. While shooting, I tried to focus on centering the pad of my finger on the vertical flat at the trigger bottom, thinking I was exercising the most consistent rearward pull. The trigger averaged 3 pounds, 4 ounces, on my Wheeler gauge for a 10-average pull — a good thing.
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US Palm equipped the Storm with a Magpul DT Carbine stock. It wears Magpul’s dual-tensioning technology. Elevating the length of pull (LOP) adjustment paddle allows for smooth LOP adjustments. With 3.3 inches of travel, it’s easy to find the right fit for any shooting condition. I’m a fan of the Magpul design because it’s smooth, proven and stable.
Release the paddle and the stock stays in position without fuss. There’s no clattering when fine-tuning LOP, either. The LOP adjustment paddle is ambidextrous, so this rifle is set up for both left- and right-handed shooters. The Magpul stock also features a 11/4-inch footman’s loop and rotation-limiting QD mount.
Chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, the Storm comes with a 30-round magazine. The magazine well is flared at the bottom for both style and more intuitive reloads.
Overall length is 33.5 to 36.8 inches depending on LOP setting, and the rifle’s weight is 7 pounds. The suggested retail price is $1,399.
The Green Machine
The standard black Type III hardcoat-anodized Storm is a well-designed rifle loaded with high-end features. When it was time for me to select one of the two G&A guns for accuracy testing at the range, I settled on “Green Machine.”
Again, I commend US Palm for the control layout of the Storm. It runs like any good AR-15-type rifle, but it seems that every control on this one was easier to operate. The right-side bolt-release paddle still required some practice to become natural for me to use, but the rifle was easy. It’s also easy to shoot well. The Hiperfire Enhanced Duty Trigger (EDT) is a gem of an upgrade. It felt crisp, smooth and predictable to press.
The pistol grip places the wrist in a natural position, too, enabling you to hit your target with each shot. In addition to Magpul’s rugged and stable grip, I also like the rollover comb on the adjustable stock that’s more comfortable than the M4-style stock on most ARs.
The hard-touch buttpad has a serrated design that grips against the shoulder without inducing irritation, and the radius on the heel made it easier to quickly and consistently mount the rifle — even when wearing heavy clothes.
At The Range
The mid-length gas system rolled along uneventfully during testing, digesting 55- to 69-grain loads. With a Riton 5 Tactix 1-10x24mm scope mounted, the best five-shot groups hovered around an inch at 100 yards despite shooting in the wind and rain. My best five-shot group for the Storm measured .9 inch, but the rifle favored Lehigh Defense 62-grain Controlled Chaos ammo. It averaged 1.15 inches for five five-shot groups. The direct impingement (DI) gas system was flawless, too.
At max magnification and the stock extended, I made full use of the 41/2-pound Hiperfire trigger and clustered shots closely at 100 yards. Then I rattled a 300-yard steel gong, one shot after another. With the stock collapsed and the rifle held tight to the body, I could transition to shooting 25-yard targets while moving.
ARs are known for versatility, but the Storm is unique in that it felt just as suitable for close-range shooting as it did for longer precision work. For all its blessed versatility, most AR rifles don’t feel capable of performing these dissimilar tasks with equal skill. The Storm can. It’s easy to forget that this well-rounded rifle is US Palm’s freshman entry into the AR market because it exudes refinement. The sharp edges were all honed clean.
Some may feel the rifle’s receiver is a bit busy on the right side. The forward assist sits inside a unique housing that extends above the bolt release paddle on the left side of the rifle. Between the dust cover, forward assist and paddle, the collection of components felt a bit cluttered to me. However, I love the aesthetics of the rifle. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about a “Hulk” green gun, but it stands out in a sea of black rifles. I also love the Hurricane flash hider, too. The engineer that designed that feature for the Storm deserves a raise.
The Storm is US Palm’s proof of concept that it can build a stylish and functional AR at a reasonable price. I predict that it will be competitive, despite a saturated market for AR-pattern firearms. I suspect that US Palm may soon expand its list of aftermarket AR-15 parts, offering key components for do-it-yourselfers as it already has in support of the AK platform.
Since the brand was founded in 2009, we’ve associated US Palm with AK-type firearms, but that’s about to change. We were blindsided by the Storm with little warning. The winds are indeed changing, and a new era is blowing in for this company.
US Palm Storm CAT4
- Type: Direct impingement, semiautomatic
- Cartridge: 5.56mm NATO
- Capacity: 30 rds.
- Barrel: 16 in., 1:7-in. twist
- Length: 36.8 in.
- Weight: 7 lbs.
- Receiver: 7075-T6 aluminium
- Finish: Type III Hardcoat anodized
- Stock: Magpul DT Carbine
- Sights: None
- Muzzle: Hurricane flash hider/compensator
- Trigger: 3 lbs., 4 oz. (tested)Safety: Ambidextrous selector, two-position
- MSRP: $1,399
- Manufacturer: US Palm, 561- 908-7993, uspalm.com
Brad Fitzpatrick
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