| Honey Badger | |
| Type: | Carbine Personal defense weapon |
| Length: | retracted with suppressor extended with suppressor
|
| Origin: | United States |
| Is Ranged: | yes |
| Manufacturer: | Advanced Armament Corporation |
| Production Date: | 2011–2020 |
| Weight: | (unloaded) |
| Cartridge: | .300 AAC Blackout |
| Part Length: | 6inches |
| Rate: | ~800 rounds per minute cyclic |
| Feed: | STANAG magazines |
| Sights: | Picatinny rail provided for optics |
The AAC Honey Badger is an AR-pattern personal defense weapon, designed primarily for use in a suppressed configuration. It is chambered in .300 AAC Blackout and was originally produced by Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC).[2] The weapon is named after the honey badger.[3]
In 2013, AAC began focusing their efforts on the production of suppressors. "We made the decision that we are getting out of the rifle-making business", stated Jeff Still, Director of Accessories and Silencers at Remington Outdoor Company. "We are going to focus all of our efforts on silencers and related accessories".[4] In 2017, Kevin Brittingham founded a new company named "Q, LLC". Along with suppressors and a bolt-action rifle of their own design, Q has also developed and marketed an improved Honey Badger.
On October 6, 2020, the ATF sent Q a cease and desist letter, asserting that the Honey Badger pistol was a short-barreled rifle.[5] Though Q tried to resist this claim, they ceased production of the weapon, and confirmed this in an official statement on October 14.[6] [7] On October 15, the ATF gave their cease and desist a 60-day suspension, but Q chose not to resume production of the Honey Badger until the ATF made a definitive decision, as they believed "the ATF could arbitrarily withdraw the suspension at any time."[8]
Both the rifle and the cartridge used were developed in close co-operation with American Special Operations units to create a suitable and effective replacement for the HK MP5 and similar close quarters combat weapon systems. The rifle is designed to be very convenient for military use where M16s are issued and in common use, since many similarities would exist in the fire controls, weapon manipulation, and magazines. The weapon is suppressed and it can be made even quieter by using heavy subsonic .300 Blackout ammunition.
Kevin Brittingham, the founder of AAC, wanted to design a weapon which had the ease of use of an AR-15, but the portability of an MP5.[9]
The Honey Badger was developed with a standard M4 upper and lower receiver, a short barrel with a very short gas impingement system and fast rate of rifling twist, a large conventional detachable silencer, and a proprietary buffer tube and collapsible stock featuring two prongs.[10] Whilst with the added silencer, it is 7.62-15.24 cm longer than the MP5SD, the mass is nearly identical unloaded.