What is the Flux Raider? That’s a good question. It’s not a firearm and not exactly a pistol chassis like the Roni. It’s something between a grip module and a pistol chassis designed for the SIG P320 pistols. The Raider comes in SBR and brace variants, and I went with the brace variant. Well, I didn’t. A friend loaned me a Flux Raider and I tossed in my P320C slide to see how it works.
Take note that you need an extended or threaded barrel if you use the P320C slide. I snagged a cheap barrel from Bear Creek Arsenal to make my dreams come true. There’s a lot to cover with the Flux Raider. It’s a feature-filled design that makes your P320 something out of a cyberpunk dystopia novel.
Breaking Down the Flux Raider
The Flux Raider uses your P320 slide and fire control unit. You insert the FCU and install the slide. Installation isn’t hard and doesn’t take long to pop parts in, lock them down, and call it a day. Flux Raider provides a handy video showing how to do it.
The grip module portion is the full-sized length for SIG P320s, so you have to use 17 or 21-round magazines. Forward of the main grip, you get something that’s not a vertical forward grip. It even says ‘Not a VFG’ right on it (for our friends at the ATF).
That’s because it’s a magazine holder that allows you to carry a spare magazine in the Flux Raider. The Flux Raider also implements a manual, ambidextrous safety positioned right behind the trigger.
Since the whole outfit doesn’t exactly drop into a holster, the manual safety is a must. Without a holster protecting the trigger, you need some form of safety, especially if you decide to sling it (there’s a QD cup) or use the Flux Raider’s special holster.
When you need to reload, you have three different means to do so. First, you have a button on the right-hand side below and in front of the trigger. Second, on the left-hand side, you have a tab you press inwards. Finally, behind the spare mag holder, there’s another button at the bottom.
When fully pressed, this button releases the magazine in the gun and the magazine in the spare magazine holder.
This setup allows for very rapid mag changes with a little practice. Sometimes it leaves you there looking dumb until you remember what you are supposed to be doing. After some practice, though, I looked a lot less dumb more often.
Pop Goes the Brace
There’s also have a rod sticking up and out on the right-hand side. The thumb can easily reach this rod and, when pressed, it deploys your brace with a spring-loaded snap. It’s super fast and can be done with one hand. That rod also doubles as a means to activate the slide lock.
The Flux Raider’s brace is a curved piece of polymer that wraps around the arm and conforms to it. It’s not a super-supportive brace like the SBA3, but it works. The length of pull is fairly short, and if you were to…I don’t know…misuse it somehow, your face feels close to the slide.
Yet the slide is fully encapsulated at the rear by the Flux Raider and can’t pop you in the mouth, even though it looks like it might. That raised rear hoop on the rear of he chassis features a rail for optics. You can also look through it to use your iron sights.
Sadly you can’t use slide-mounted optics with the Flux Raider, which makes the whole thing a bit taller than necessary. My guess is that rear portion is important for overall strength and durability.
How It All Comes Together
The Flux Raider is, of course, bigger than your standard pistol, but smaller than most subguns. It’s not exactly an AIWB configuration anymore. You can and will need to mount a red dot across the top, and a short front rail has just enough lip to mount a light.
Ergonomically it’s well put together. I was fairly surprised at the ingenuity and forethought that went into the setup. Everything is easy to reach and activate, and magazine changes can be lightning-fast when you utilize the dual magazine release setup. Deploying the brace takes no thought and can be done as part of your ‘draw’ with the Flux Raider.
The only tough thing is a slide lock reload while trying to use the bar to drop the slide. This will also unlock the brace, and any pressure being applied to the brace will make it collapse. It’s much easier to either slingshot over the top or use the support hand to hit an ambidextrous slide release.
At the Range
The Flux Raider takes your P320 and doubles its effectiveness. Hitting shots at 50 yards consistently is super easy. Even on smaller targets, I could engage and hear the ding of a 2-inch gong when I used a supported position. I took rapid shots in a standing, offhand position and kept 4 and 6-inch gongs swinging.
At closer ranges, the Raider makes it easier to shoot fast and recover. The brace makes a huge difference in control.
My first few shots felt a bit odd. The Flux Raider isn’t like other braced setups like the RONI kits. The recoil and muzzle rise is reduced, and it lacks any snap, which make for comfy shooting. Yet it still feels like a handgun ergonomically.
That extra control translates to faster and more efficient follow-up shots. The difference between my failure drill times with the Flux Raider and a dedicated PCC is minimal. Using the iron sights is possible, but it’s odd, and I don’t care for it. A red dot on the top is a downright necessity.
The combination of red dot and Flux Raider make for a rapid-fire, 0 to 50-yard gun. Instead of thinking of it as a sub-gun or a handgun, think of it as a civilian PDW. It’s light and small, easily carried in a bag, but still more effective than a traditional handgun.
I won’t lie, I love the look and feel of the Flux Raider. That cyberpunk appeal isn’t lost on me. While this setup isn’t for everyone, I had a total blast with it. I had zero reliability issues and enjoyed the ergonomics and performance increase it provides.
Sure, it’s not something I need, but we all know it’s not called the Bill of Needs.
Specifications
Length: 11 inches
Height: 6 inches
Width: 1.7 inches
Weight: 40 Ounces Assmebled
MSRP: $489.99
Ergonomics * * * *
The ergonomics are mostly awesome. Everything works as designed and is easy to reach and engage. The biggest downside comes from manipulating the slide from a locked, open position. It requires some real retraining.
Accuracy * * * * *
With my P320C, I can hit a gong at 50 yards, but with the Flux Raider, I can consistently hit that gong over and over without much effort. That’s a huge increase in pistol accuracy.
Customize This * * * *
You can put a light and red dot on it, and you can use most of your P320 upgrades. For example, I have the legion trigger installed and night sights. With a threaded barrel, you can use most suppressors and even compensators.
Overall * * * *
The Flux Raider is an awesome grip module/chassis design. It takes the modular design of the P320 to the next level and turns a handgun into a PDW. It’s fun, looks cool, and is well put together. It’s also fairly expensive, so keep that in mind.
Sounds like something fascinating to shoot.
Question: Where is the Flux Capacitor located, how easy is it to access, how often does it need replacement?
It’s between the warp core, and the disgronificator. You have to remove one or the other to access it, though it isn’t difficult for any engineer of Scottish origin or anyone who works on DeLorean’s. It needs to be replaced after 2 sequels or 3 total time travel events. The disgronificator needs to be replaced if one stops at a small town garage in Texas while in route between the east and west coast (If you get that I know what you were doing during “Rush Hour”).
I just knew this pistol was going to be too complicated to own.
Once again and the point is?. Apart form giving orgasms to immature wannabe Rambos. . This thing has absolutely no practical use whatsoever that cannot be covered far more cheaply except to make somebody a lot of dollars. The chances of any potential owner actually using it for any legitiamte purpose is as near zero ads me going into bloody space. It it was any use at all it wouldd be getting attention from the pros.
Night sights? What the hell for? Going creeping around the neighbor hood like peeping tom or playing Cowboys and Indians I suppose and getting youself slotted for your trouble. What utter childishness!
Haven’t the men folk of America got better things to occupy their tiny minds like sex and soccer. Talk about ‘marketting to morons’ and form over bloody function! Firearms like this have but one logical use and that’s to kill people. Not in self defence, as they are pretty bloody uselless for that particular function. but simply to kill people.
Does the average American gun owner realise just how bloody stupid he or she appears to the rest of the civilised world? Judging by the Police at Uvale it’s not as if the evn know how to use them?
Where were all them brave wannabe Rambos when the chips were down at Uvale? Hiding up and leaving it to the idiot police .
I mean flocking Police Officer with ballistic shields taking up the rear and using wall mounted hand sanitisers. Doesn’t a say much for either the Police OR the local Rambos does it? ANd the Local Rambos can legally assist the police in making an arrest using proportionate force so if one of them ‘brave buggers’ had shot the perp they wouold have been acting lawfully. I ask again WHERE THE FLOCK WERE THEY??
“Apart form giving orgasms to immature wannabe Rambos.”
LOL. 🙂
It really drives you *nuts* doesn’t it, little ‘albert’? You see all these guns here on TTAG, and it fills you with an impotent *RAGE* that you can’t have one!
Sucks to be you, loser! 🤣
Did anyone hear some kind of noise from the east? Sort of like a high-pitched, nasal whine through a set of crooked yellow teeth?
And from the fetal position as well….
To Albert
You mentioned night sights. Here is a story of interest on the absurdity of night sights. When you try and use a tritium sight you cannot see it unless it is so dark that you cannot identify the person you are shooting at. A cop had his son come home unexpectedly from college and he thought there was an intruder in the house. Because of the cops paranoia he did not simply turn on a light or shine a flashlight in the persons face but opened fire immediately and ended up killing his own son.
I might also add once the pistol is fired the muzzle flash blinds the user and follow up shots are very difficult and the shooter is far more likely to miss and get himself killed by return fire.
You’re making assumptions about night sights which are wrong. Having night sights doesn’t mean you should fail to identify what you’re shooting at. At night, my bedroom is dark. It opens to the great room which is dimly lit by a light at the top of the stairs. I can easily identify a person standing in the great room without using additional lights. However, it’s dark enough in my bedroom that I can’t acquire the outline of my sights very fast without night sights. I’ve tried it both ways. The night sights are much faster.
Spot on Dude. 👍
Don’t tell lil’dtard about how nearly ALL quality defensive ammo is loaded with low flash powders.
Only a complete morons would post “…..muzzle flash blinds the user and follow up shots are very difficult…..”. 🤣
Retard on lil’dtard. 👍
You don’t know because you don’t know. Therefore please refrain from from commenting on that which you know little to nothing about.
Go kiss your Queen’s ass or something “British”…..
“Firearms like this have but one logical use and that’s to kill people. Not in self defence, as they are pretty bloody uselless for that particular function. but simply to kill people.
Does the average American gun owner realise just how bloody stupid he or she appears to the rest of the civilised world.”
Do clarify, just how many people in the U.S. are killed with these crazy murderous contraptions? I want to hear the statistics, not just your yellow teethed tea breath. AR-15 deaths around 300 per year in the US. That’s it, 300! That is over 600 less than your acid attacks in the UK. 300 desther per the 300 million AR-15 rifles in the U.S. Homicides with pistols are a 5,000 per year however 3,000 of those are gang on gang violence, really the higher that number the better off the world is anyway. Another 1,500 of the 5,000 is justified self defense. People legally and safely protecting their families from criminals.
So I ask again show me the stats you are reading because they just aren’t there.
All of you from countries that still haven’t been to the moon seem silly to us that you are ok with criminals having guns robbing and killing murdering your families. You have no response to criminals but call the police, that way when the lory shows up 5 minutes later they can try preserving your body for your funeral.
Or you could just have a gun with you, get training, and be comfortable knowing it’s your lifeguard. Why on Earth would you not just have a firearm?
Just wait for the police to come and save you, oh wait you are already dead so you cant call for help.
You have bigger problems than our guns, Al.
Sort out your priorities.
“Does the average American gun owner realise just how bloody stupid he or she appears to the rest of the civilised world?”
How would YOU know?
Check yourself in somewhere, I pray you get the help you need brotha.
You ask a lot of questions, but never come back to look for answers. I can only assume that you don’t actually want to know anything. You’ve decided that you’re morally superior and therefore knowledge of the topic at hand is unnecessary. It’s a real shame
Albert, go suck your Queen’s dick.
the police actually stopped the parents who were dead set on going in and retrieving their kids themselves, from doing so.. And at least one MOTHER did mahange to circumvent the police and got het kid out herself. So much for your “version” , huh?
BTW… have you kissed the Queen’s ass yet like I told ya to last time you posted?
Cheerio! ROFLMAO
What is it like to be wrong 100% of the time AJ?
Hi! I think a good starting point to learn where this may be a viable choice for some is the video from Brass Facts ‘The Civilians PDW Concept- Why You Should Own One ‘.
https://youtu.be/Ya3Pfi_8UIY
This platform is not for most. But there is an application for some, or in a specific environment.
I’d love to answer your questions as I own one of these. But you never look back to see if anyone has answered your questions. Your questions aren’t genuine, they’re rhetorical. You don’t seek knowledge, you just revel in your own imagined superiority.
What a dick.
This is the beauty of fire-control unit based guns.
The major wear components, the barrel, slide, and the frame they ride on, are not required to be the legal part of the firearm.
I just know right now, there are brilliant people slaving over a hot laptop late one night working on making a 3-D printed fire control group to drop into a product like the ‘Flux Raider’, making firearms available to *all* the people… 🙂
My thoughts exactly. One with a sig M17 could buy the raider by Flux and turn a handgun into a “dual purpose firearm” / PDW/Sub gun easily and quickly. All it takes is $$. I like the sig application much better than the Glock one.
Make sure you get the safety removal pin if you plan to use a Sig M17. The external safety moves with the fire control group and the Flux Raider doesn’t have cuts to accept it
if you listen very closely
you can hear the sig parts crying out in unison:
“please…k k k kill me…”
Parts cannot cry. Only perform or fail. LOL
I hope they are going to build one for the P320 XTEN. That’s the one I want to buy. Then it makes sense over the 9mm.
I also hope Flux makes one for the XTEN. I got my Raider last fall and it’s great! The Raider sells out as fast as they can make them and that puts into question their capacity to supply a new product.
They are currently working on a 10mm. Already had a 45 version in the works just assuring it works for both. 10mm aftermarket parts are scarce though since it’s so new. Hope it gets bigger
That crap is reserved for Special Farces Delta SAS genuine Army SEAL Berets. How did you get one?
False, you can buy a Flux Raider right now online. It’s not a firearm, it’s a chassis that has a built in brace and optics mount
I was really hoping by now we’d have more FCU drop-in options like an non-serialized AR compatible lower or a non-FFL Scorpion or Extar body.
These chassis are neat and all but they’re all still just pistols with braces.
“Forward of the main grip, you get something that’s not a vertical forward grip. It even says ‘Not a VFG’ right on it (for our friends at the ATF).”
Good to know. I will now print “Not a select fire trigger” on my select fire homemade ghost AR15 and see how that works out…NOT!
This looks perfect as a car gun for those unfortunate enough to suffer a flat tire in Minneapolis.
I can feel the disturbance and the force already. There’s gonna be noobs all over my local range with these idiot sticks attached to their sigs. It’s going to be fascinating to watch them all try to figure out how to use them without ever reading a manual.
Stay safe, try not to be muzzled.
Never mind, a 12 year old girl just shot better groupings than me at the range so I immediately started looking for one when I got home. Sorry for being such an ignorant Fudd, I’m honestly intimidated by that little girl now.
ya got a point there IMO.
Interesting little PDW but personally I think I’ll stick with my B&T’s.
With a go faster trigger this would be a great gunm for drive bys.
These are Unabtanium right now. Gunbroker sellers asking $1500 and up for them. If you do not own a sig the Recover tactical 20/20, will do the same thing for glocks. These devices are always called range toys which is complete BS! They allow people with less handgun skills be very effecitve, with fast accurate deadly shot placement! Like you kids, wife, etc. Even that whiny brit who posted could defend himself. That is if he could even purchase a gun lol!
pollock – glad to hear that others see the utility of the Recover. I put one on a spare Glock just to see how it would work. I can get a good two handed (spaced apart) grip without the brace in use. Due to various injuries the brace gives me so so results.
What any (all?) of the various braces do is fill the niche between a handgun and a carbine. At least it works for me 😉
It looks cool but for the money its a joke for me. A friend of mine actually built an AR pistol for about $30 more and that would be much more capable for what you would need this.
Awesome to see this review, and glad you like it. Wish that people would try to understand its role, and actually try it out before passing judgment. I had dreamed for years about eventually having my designs on TTAG, I learned a lot from all the great contributors here over many years. 🤙
don’t want a p320.
now want an fcg.
Haha, yeah, while I have dozens of P320s for Raider dev, I very much dislike the P320 as a standard handgun. I am, however, blown away by the system as the Raider operating system, having tested the hell out of it.
Hey Ben, author thanks for making such an awesome product! You cant please everyone and I think the fact you have to limit these to one per person says a lot about the quality and how much people want want.
I can only wonder what the ATF is gonna cook up to stifle these?
“I can only wonder what the ATF is gonna cook up to stifle these?”
If it looks like a machine gun, or looks like it could be a machine gun, it’s a machine gun.
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