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Falcon 37 – HABU Mod 1 Advanced Engagement Charging Handle

The HABU Mod 1 from Falcon 37 integrates a cheek riser into an AR charging handle. The concept was to make the charging handle more easier to use. The additional benefit is that it offers about half an inch of riser which will help out with cheek weld. The Mod 1 is designed for 5.56 weapons and a planned Mod 2 will work with 7.62 ARs.

Above you can see the HABU extended. Just like a standard charging handle, it returns to the forward position, under spring tension from the action spring against the bolt. It stays in place thanks to a new latch which doesn’t require a release lever. If the shooter needs to take immediate action, it is similar to racking the slide of a pistol with the nonfiring hand.

The HABU is designed to fit any stock and is manufactured by Bill Rogers exclusively for Falcon 37 from 7075 T6 Aircraft Aluminum and MilSpec Hard Coat Anodized. The cheek rest portion consists of 80/18 glass polymer.

I understand it will be available this week through Bravo Company.

www.falcon37.com

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47 Responses to “Falcon 37 – HABU Mod 1 Advanced Engagement Charging Handle”

  1. Just say no.

    Another great example of a solution in search of a problem.

    • I don’t get it either, but Bill Rogers/SF is rolling with them so there must have been a user demand; and not the “tactical band camp” user either.

      • SSD says:

        That is definitely what caught my attention.

      • Wouldn’t be the first time a former SF guy endorses something that turns out not to be such a great idea after all.

        • SSD says:

          Who is the SF guy?

          • You are right, Rogers is not SF, and frankly, his interest/endorsement is rather irrelevant when it is such a horrendously idiotic idea at face value. Plenty of “industry experts” out there endorsing and schilling new stuff as it is. It has reached the point where it is nearly meaningless.

            This is a a stupid product.

            • So when can the awaiting masses expect the arrival of the infamous PT McCain’s line of “Get Off My Lawn” merchandise?

              There is a broad line between industry expert and shill, but that is a convo for another type of post.

            • FrontDeskFocus says:

              And yet, if LAV had his name on it, PT “Banned-wagon” McCain would be singing its praises and commenting here about how his experience mirrors that of the almighty LAV with regards to charging handle manipulation and how “it’s about time” someone came up with a solution. Witness every single “Gunfighter Moment” column contributed by Vickers for confirmation. That being said, Bill Rogers has endorsed and “developed” some pretty awful products recently, to include a breakaway single-point sling and the Rogers “Super-Stock” which is notable only for being a super-cheap knockoff of the Magpul MOE. As far as this product goes, it claims to address a problem with the AR-15 platform that has never actually been articulated as a “problem” with the weapon’s design by any vocal group of end-users…nor does the solution look to another “ideal” shoulder-fired weapon as a model. Instead, it uses a pistol slide, and forces a particular method of manipulating the slide to be utilized in order for it to work. For a certain segment of the population, I could see this having some positive manipulation carryover, but it’ll likely end up going the way of the BAD lever…derided by most, utilized by some, and available at a 25-50% discount from Swap Meet and Exchange forums across the internet.

              • If you go to the website “the” LAV applauds it.

                • I don’t care who is praising it, it is a solution in search of a problem.

                  FrontDeskFocus, while I do appreciate all the personal attention you are lavishing on me, I have a wife who loves me and dog who thinks I’m awesome. I don’t require your affections.

                  LOL.

                  🙂

                  • washington says:

                    “solution in search of a problem”

                    most tired ass over used phrase in the gun community

                    70 percent of the time the guy saying it just means “I personally have no use for this so it shouldn’t exist”

                • SSD says:

                  That was an interesting catch. I asked him about it and it was a surprise. I guess that’s a good example that we must all be careful of what we say and to whom.

            • Shawn says:

              I agree with you Paul

      • Shawn says:

        There is no demand, Bill Rodgers is on the bandwagon for the money he gets paid for his endorsement.

        Frankly it it the must overpriced charging handle on the planet at $137, it adds weight to your gear if in combat.

        Also they have been promising this for weeks, Brownell’s have it listed as pre order only and nobody else is selling it.

        Over priced, over endorsed and not a very good idea.

    • Brent says:

      A more easier solution.

  2. patrick sweeney says:

    Hmmm, I see a great big lever by which one can bend the charging handle, making it inoperative.

    I’ve seen enough of the standard ones bent to not be an early-adopter of this one.

    • SSD says:

      I’ve never bent one but I’ve had them flex.

    • Steve says:

      Yes, this design certainly takes me back to mechanical engineering 101… One snag and you lose the CH.

  3. FWIW, I prefer using stainless steel CHs, with large latches, which I can then easily manipulate with my support hand, using the thick part of my palm.

  4. PLiner says:

    I wonder how easy/hard it will be to manipulate that CH/HABU when you need to mortar the gun to clear a jam?

  5. Marcus says:

    Easier to use? I didn’t think you could make using the charging handle more difficult or prone to failure. There seems to be way too much “flex” and rather than some type of “major motor skills” improvement it looks awkward and unnatural to operate.

    But what do I know. Maybe the Good Idea Fairy will package it with a Shamwow for extra value.

  6. Tom says:

    It looks like it could do a good job of managing gas blowback when shooting suppressed. That is a problem worth fixing on many AR’s.

    • Alec says:

      Is the problem really that significant? I don’t have much experience with suppressors.

      • Actually…it can get pretty intensely bad under the right conditions: little breeze, high humidity, and before you know you are choking on a cloud of gas/smoke/debris, and your eyes start burning and tearing up. Not too pleasant.

  7. HTEngg says:

    OK, I get that it might help with the cheek riser aspect. But if you don’t put your “nose to charging handle” you lose that aspect. I don’t like that it requires friction to pull back instead of a hook. I’m just thinking what happens when you get a coating of ice/oil/blood/etc. on that thing and go and grab it. Hooks/ledges/bolts are nice, even the auto handgun has the rear sights just in case. On the 7.62 version I worry if your face fits on the “corner” it will be like shooting a HK G3.

    On the other hand there’s the advisory board:Bill Rogers, Steve Reichert, Dakota Meyer, etc. has me doubting my impressions.

    • Fleur de lis tactical says:

      This product has me doubting the advisory board. I hope they at least got paid in exchange for their names on this turd

    • Carlos says:

      Rogers gets a pass, however Reichert and Meyer just means someone paid a “consulting fee” for use of their names…

  8. H.C. says:

    I mean, does anyone remember the cheek riser that larue made that collapsed when you racked the CH? Never used one but seems like the best solution if you simply must have a solid cheek weld on your AR/SPR…

    I don’t use one, but seems usable depending on your use…

    Meanwhile, if I had a really large jowel or third chin, maybe one, ummm, would need a cheek riser… Mileage may vary I guess

  9. danke says:

    This is nice. Well done written

  10. Matt says:

    So many AR15 aftermarket products are designed to, “catch fishermen, not fish.”

    It doesn’t matter if it is a good idea or bad, just that it is different and “solves” a problem that is mostly software, not hardware. Plus, we already reached the $100 CNC’d wonder charging handle mark, what’s another $30 bucks?

    Honestly, I didn’t know there was a problem with the AR charging handle until the intardwebs told me so. I never saw one break in 7 years of active duty infantryman service, and favored the ability to maintain a solid right hand grip while charging the rifle. Really, though, how often is there a need to use the C/H? With the bolt catch and “tac-loads” before the bolt locks back, how many times do you actually use a CH under stress where this design would actually be less beneficial, IMO. Under stress I want a bigger “handle” to grab onto, not a pad to lay my palm on. This design really makes no sense to me. Seems very limited and a solution looking for a very, very specific problem. I can see prone shooters liking it, and long-range accuracy folks, so perhaps.

    • Bill says:

      “So many AR15 aftermarket products are designed to, “catch fishermen, not fish.”

      “Honestly, I didn’t know there was a problem with the AR charging handle until the intardwebs told me so. I never saw one break in 7 years of active duty infantryman service,…”

      Well said. I’m amazed that I’m still alive, running a nearly stock AR. I even hold it normal-rifle-like.

  11. Joglee says:

    Also, how are you supposed to lock the bolt back?

    I can easily grab and use the CH with my right hand while holding the bolt stop, this however would make that fluid movement far more complicated.