AAC Honey Badger
AR-pattern suppressed PDW chambered in .300 AAC Blackout.
The AAC Honey Badger is an AR-style personal defense weapon built around the .300 AAC Blackout cartridge, intended to be used with a suppressor. It was first made by Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) and takes its name from the honey badger animal.
In 2013, AAC shifted its focus to suppressor production. Jeff Still, Director of Accessories and Silencers at Remington Outdoor Company, stated the company decided to stop making rifles and concentrate entirely on silencers and related gear. Later, in 2017, Kevin Brittingham started a new company called Q, LLC. Besides suppressors and a bolt-action rifle of their own design, Q developed and sold an improved version of the Honey Badger.
On October 6, 2020, the ATF sent Q a cease and desist letter, claiming the Honey Badger pistol was actually a short-barreled rifle. Q attempted to challenge this but stopped making the weapon, confirming the halt in an official statement on October 14. The ATF suspended the cease and desist for 60 days on October 15, but Q chose not to restart production until the ATF made a final ruling, fearing the suspension could be withdrawn at any time.
The weapon is built to be convenient for military users already familiar with M16s, as it shares similar fire controls, handling, and magazine compatibility. It is suppressed and can be made even quieter with heavy subsonic .300 Blackout rounds. Kevin Brittingham, AAC’s founder, wanted a gun that combined the ease of an AR-15 with the portability of an MP5. The Honey Badger uses standard M4 upper and lower receivers, a short barrel with a very short gas system and fast rifling twist, a large detachable suppressor, and a unique buffer tube and collapsible stock with two prongs. With the suppressor attached, it is 7.62 to 15.24 centimeters longer than the MP5SD, but its unloaded weight is nearly identical.
Quick Facts
- Length
- 24 in retracted with suppressor · 29 in extended with suppressor / Q Honey Badger: 20 in retracted, 25 in extended
- Origin
- United States
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Manufacturer
- Advanced Armament Corporation
- Production Date
- 2011–2020
- Weight
- 6.5 lb (unloaded)
- Cartridge
- .300 AAC Blackout
- Part Length
- 6 in
- Rate
- ~800 rounds per minute cyclic
- Feed
- STANAG magazines
- Sights
- Picatinny rail provided for optics
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Honey Badger was developed by Kevin Brittingham, founder of AAC, who wanted a weapon combining the ease of use of an AR-15 with the portability of an MP5. It uses a standard M4 upper and lower receiver, a short barrel with a very short gas impingement system and fast rifling twist, a large conventional detachable silencer, and a proprietary buffer tube and collapsible stock featuring two prongs. The weapon is suppressed and can be made even quieter using heavy subsonic .300 Blackout ammunition.
In 2013, AAC shifted focus to suppressor production, ceasing rifle manufacturing. Kevin Brittingham later founded Q, LLC in 2017, which developed and marketed an improved Honey Badger. On October 6, 2020, the ATF sent Q a cease and desist letter, asserting the Honey Badger pistol was a short-barreled rifle. Q ceased production on October 14, 2020, and though the ATF suspended the cease and desist for 60 days on October 15, Q chose not to resume production until a definitive ATF decision, citing concern that the suspension could be arbitrarily withdrawn.
Reader's Guide
The Honey Badger's significance lies in its role as a compact, suppressed personal defense weapon that leverages the AR-15 platform for familiarity and ease of use. Its design aimed to bridge the gap between the full-sized M16 and the compact MP5, offering military users a suppressed weapon with similar controls and magazine compatibility. The weapon's development and subsequent legal dispute with the ATF over its classification as a pistol versus a short-barreled rifle highlight ongoing regulatory challenges in the firearms industry. The cessation of production by Q, despite a temporary suspension of the cease and desist, underscores the uncertainty manufacturers face when regulatory definitions are contested. The Honey Badger remains notable for its innovative integration of a short gas system, fast rifling twist, and detachable suppressor, all within a lightweight package comparable to the MP5SD.
Did You Know?
- The Honey Badger is named after the honey badger mammal.
- It was designed by Kevin Brittingham, who later founded Q, LLC.
- The weapon is 7.62–15.24 cm longer than the MP5SD when the silencer is attached, but nearly identical in mass unloaded.
More in Submachine Guns, Part 3 1-16
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced