Back in 2016 when WPA was a single person operation, Joe Weaver from Wolfpack Armory was tasked by a local police department to develop a rifle that was modular, lightweight, ergonomic, and accurate. At that time, Wolfpack Armory did not manufacture complete firearms but was up to the task. This was the birth of the AW15 rifle.
The original AW15 featured a carbine length gas system on a 1:8 twist 5.56 NATO barrel. It was a 16" rifle with a 15" lightweight M-LOK handguard, MFT Minimalist adjustable stock, Ergo grip, Magpul flip up sights, and polished mil spec trigger. This setup was not unheard of at the time, but most police departments were still used to quad rails and A2 sight posts (many are still using this setup). After about a year of proven duty use, Wolfpack released the AW15 to the commercial market. Over the years, the AW15 was upgraded with parts like the MK3 handguard and WPA Flash Comp as Wolfpack started moving manufacturing in house.
Once Covid hit, the forgings started becoming a rarity and in early 2021, Wolfpack replaced the AW15 with the WP15 that featured billet receivers. This change ultimately raised the price of each rifle due to longer machine times on the receivers. The WP15 is a very solid rifle, but Joe knew that Wolfpack needed to be able to compete in the competitive AR market. In early 2022, the team at Wolfpack set out to design the ultimate "do all" rifle. This rifle was to be a continuation of the AW15 only with many upgraded components that other manufacturers do not use on rifles in the same price range. This rifle would be called the AW15 MOD1.
The design changes came about through the years of testing and feedback from law enforcement, private security, and military personnel that had been using these rifles professionally. Over this time, Wolfpack had seen rifles coming back for service that had 40,000 or more rounds on them so they were able to start pinpointing when certain components reached their fail points. This data was then used to aid in the design process of the new MOD1 series rifles.
Many of the design aspects of the AW15 remained the same. Forged receivers, MFT stock, quad lock dimpled gas block, and the MK3 handguard had already been proven to be as solid as they come. The original AW15 carbine length gas system was replaced with mid length to increase the dwell time and soften recoil. The gas port was also resized to optimize reliability without overgassing. Barrels and barrel extensions are also black nitride case hardened independently to reduce the risk of corrosion on the barrel threads. The bolt extractor on the bolt was also upgraded to being made from solid bar stock rather than being cast. Cast extractors like most mil spec rifles are known to break easier and cause ejection issues due to not having as clean of an edge to lock onto the casing during ejection.
The grip was replaced with a Magpul K2+ grip which is now the standard on all WPA firearms. The K2+ grip places the shooters hand position at a steeper and more natural angle when shooting and also features a beavertail and rubberized coating. The flash comp was also removed from all rifle calibers and replaced with the HTS flash hider. The HTS flash hider an A2 flash hider made from stainless steel then polished and heat treated. This has proven to reduce carbon buildup and is a solid choice to help with flash and muzzle rise from 5.56 NATO.
The most notable upgrades are the addition of the WPA 2 stage combat trigger and V2 ambidextrous charging handle. The 2 stage trigger provides a consistent 4lb trigger pull with a clean break and smooth reset. The 4lb mark makes this ideal for a "do all" rifle because it is not too light to be a duty trigger (unless the department has weight restrictions) but is still light enough to not throw off your shot when hunting. The V2 ambidextrous charging handle can be charged from both the right and left lever. Unlike many other ambi charging handles, the engagement is always positive from each side and it is designed to be ergonomic. It also has a raised rear section designed to divert gas away from the shooters face.
Parts do not mean anything without proper assembly and quality control. Wolfpack Armory rifles are assembled using techniques that insure the assembly can take the abuse they were designed to take. Properly staked castle nut, barrel dimpling and threadlocking, and correct torque specs and all mandatory processes. QC is performed on every single rifle and live test firing is done at a minimum of 3 rounds per rifle with limited lubrication. Wolfpack takes all of these steps to insure nothing but quality products leave the facility.
All WPA firearms are backed up by an unlimited lifetime warranty. This means that if your rifle gets damaged, destroyed, or just worn out then your covered free of charge for repairs or replacement!