First off, I'd like to take the time to thank our forum engineers (we won't mention any names) for showing us how we could save 0.03 Lbs!
To help make this incredible wight savings number really make sense, lets talk about spoons; An average dinner spoon weighs 25 grams, or 0.06lbs. So cut your spoon in half, and that's the massive amount of weight we just saved.
We really feel this is forward thinking.
We apologize to 50% of our pollers who wanted a top charging handle instead of side charging to suit their individual preference, but the weight savings made this a clear choice.
Hopefully no one wanted to use back up iron sights, because if you do, riser blocks will be now required and you'll look a bit @$#%ed up...
Or feel free to force your face downwards to try to get a sight picture. Comfort isn't important... right?
Do you really think the risers look better?
But seriously guys... Lets talk about what considerations went into the raven, in just this one single area.
1) Weight savings are so minuscule as the inside of the top charging system is obviously skeletonized, it's negligible.
2) We're introducing a system and concept to cater to literally every shooter in the world.
3) Optics remain at the comfortable height that you are familiar with, and the height is consistent as per every single well made firearm in the world.
4) It actually looks much cleaner when you don't have to add risers...
Other little things we did to make the RAVEN more comfortable that almost no one other company goes out of their way to do...
On the left and right side of the trigger pocket we added chamfers along all faces to give your trigger finger as much room as possible to comfortably rest.
Benefits
1) Allows you to keep shooting longer, without any discomfort. Competition shooting is all about trying to be as comfortable and relaxed in which ever position you are shooting in, to squeeze off perfect shots. When you're shooting for days, or weeks consecutively at big competitions, the last thing you need it your trigger finger bugging you and taking your mind off your game.
2) It shaves micro amounts of weight, WITHOUT a single drawback.
3) It looks great
Rest assured, we've done our absolute best to consider even the smallest things to ensure that the Raven is an absolute privilege to fire.
Currently the charging handle is reciprocating, due to the fact that the Raven is not a bullpup, left or right handed, you will not be anywhere near the charging handle as it moves.