Alexander Arms....Disappointing

[oregonradman]

When I first read about the Grendel, I knew I had to have one. I did my research and came to the conclusion that an AA GDMR was the rifle I wanted. However, the barrel is threaded 3/4-28RH. I have a suppressor that I want to use and of all the available thread adapters, 3/4-28RH is not one of them. So, I sent a short email to AA explaining my situation and the reply was a very kurt....that's the way the barrels come. I waited a few days and then I called AA explaining again that I wanted to suppress this rifle and gave the specs of my can. I was instructed to call back in a week so that the chief engineer could be consulted. Called back and the answer is.....we won't thread the barrel differently.

Now I know some will say....just get the barrel threaded somewhere else. That sounds simple but as soon as someone other than AA touches that gun, AA will no longer stand by its accuracy claims. Another machinist working on that gun just provides a big out for AA.

Here is a company that is supposed to be the leader in the Grendel rifle....a custom gun maker....a company that expects someone to fork over $3600.00 plus for a rifle yet they can't thread a barrel differently upon request??? I was willing to pay extra. I was willing to wait extra. The suggestion from the other end of the phone was....call the barrel manufacture and have them make you a barrel to your specs and then build it yourself..... I couldn't believe my ears!

I don't think my request is that unusual for a "custom gun maker". I guess someone else will get my money.

Frustrating and Disappointing at the same time.....

[Bicyclewrench]

Not to be a smart ass, but I don't think there's anything on AA's website about being custom. Just because you're in business doesn't mean you have to fulfill every request made of you.

[stibuzz]

Yeah, I am not following your logic either. I could care less about what AA says because when you look at the big picture they will run their business as they see fit. For the money you said you were willing to fork over to them you could get a way better grendel rifle built or build it yourself and be set up just fine for your suppressor.

[Whelenon]

Doesn't sound like AA made any kind of effort. Customer no-service?

[oregonradman]

Bicyclewrench, You're right! Nothing said on their website about being custom. It was my assumption that when you have a $3600 price tag on a rifle, it would be custom.....

[oregonradman]

stibuzz, I agree! They can run their business as they see fit. But, I will not be contributing to their bottom line. As far as a better Grendel build....do you have any suggestions on builders?

[warped]

OK think about this for a second, your bbl is most likely made by SATERN, if someone else other than SATERN modifies the bbl in any way is the warranty going to be honored or should it be?

Put yourself in the shoes of the manufacturers and you might not think this was a case of not caring, they have to warranty every part and then in turn the manufacturers of parts that the rifle is comprised of needs to be certain nothing was altered after point of manufacture.

If you wanted a 9/16x24 thread you might have asked if SATERN would supply the bbl that way, if it was a 5/8x24 that you were after don't get your hopes too high because SATERN does not have to supply that threading as an authorized manufacturer of GRENDEL parts.

If you think I do not understand nor have any insight on this matter you might be mistaken.

Modify a WCI brake and I would tell you that you are out of luck without hesitation.

Someone a year or so ago took the advice of his local gunstore and tried to tap a WCI from 9/16x24 to a 5/8x24, he was left with junk.

If he would have actually bothered to ask BEFOREHAND he would have gotten the part he actually needed.

Does this now make sense?

[bwaites]

When I first read about the Grendel, I knew I had to have one. I did my research and came to the conclusion that an AA GDMR was the rifle I wanted. However, the barrel is threaded 3/4-28RH. I have a suppressor that I want to use and of all the available thread adapters, 3/4-28RH is not one of them. So, I sent a short email to AA explaining my situation and the reply was a very kurt....that's the way the barrels come. I waited a few days and then I called AA explaining again that I wanted to suppress this rifle and gave the specs of my can. I was instructed to call back in a week so that the chief engineer could be consulted. Called back and the answer is.....we won't thread the barrel differently.

The easiest way to answer some of your concerns is to take them individually, so here goes:
The GDMR is a great rifle, it was my first Grendel. It is not, however, a custom gun in the sense typically associated with that term. It is a production item, built with the highest quality parts that AA uses. As such, asking for customization is outside of AA's practice. Its a line item, and built to specific guidelines. AA threads the barrel in a standard manner to make sure no one puts a .223 suppressor or brake or other item on it inadvertantly. If you were to eventually sell the item, and someone were to do that, and have a "kaboom", AA doesn't want to be liable, and for good reason.

Now I know some will say....just get the barrel threaded somewhere else. That sounds simple but as soon as someone other than AA touches that gun, AA will no longer stand by its accuracy claims. Another machinist working on that gun just provides a big out for AA.

Frustrating, yes, but as others have pointed out, completely understandable. And so far as I know, AA doesn't make accuracy claims for any of their guns.

Here is a company that is supposed to be the leader in the Grendel rifle....a custom gun maker....a company that expects someone to fork over $3600.00 plus for a rifle yet they can't thread a barrel differently upon request??? I was willing to pay extra. I was willing to wait extra. The suggestion from the other end of the phone was....call the barrel manufacture and have them make you a barrel to your specs and then build it yourself..... I couldn't believe my ears!

AA is not now, nor has it ever been, a "custom" gun builder. In the past it was associated with another company that assembled "custom" guns, but AA itself has never advertised itself as such. AA sells all the rifles it can build right now, and in order to maximize those numbers it tries to build as many standardized rifles as it can. Trying to customize them in any way creates bottlenecks.

I don't think my request is that unusual for a "custom gun maker". I guess someone else will get my money.

Frustrating and Disappointing at the same time.....

There are licensed, custom Grendel builders. AA just isn't one of them. When you order a GSR or GDMR you get a custom quality rifle, but built to standardized guidelines that AA has found to represent and satisfy the vast majority of people who want that kind of rifle.

However, there are some very high quality, licensed custom builders who build wonderful rifles. To get what you are looking for, I would contact one or both of these:

http://www.precisionfirearms.com/

or

http://www.templarconsultingllc.com/templarconsultingllc.com/Custom_Rifles.html

Templar even has a unique rifle that has swappable barrels!

I'm sorry that AA couldn't fulfill your desires, but I'm betting one of the two above can!

Good luck, and please let us know how it turns out!

BTW, what suppressor are you considering?

[oregonradman]

Thank you for your perspectives. Although I don't necessarily agree with all of your points, I respect your opinions.

PS. bwaites.....My suppressor is an AAC 762-SD. To use it on the 6.5, I need a barrel threaded 9/16 x 24 or 5/8 x 24. (This is part of the frustration. AA's piston upper is threaded 9/16 x 24 but they are unwilling to thread the GDMR upper to the same thread pitch).

[bwaites]

Very nice suppressor!

I understand the frustration. Unfortunately, AA just isn't set up as a custom house and so they can't pull rifles off the assembly line and screw with the process too much.

Have you considered the piston? Bill Alexander wrote a very nice article here on the board regarding its accuracy.

Bill

[philmurphy]

When I first read about the Grendel, I knew I had to have one. I did my research and came to the conclusion that an AA GDMR was the rifle I wanted. However, the barrel is threaded 3/4-28RH. I have a suppressor that I want to use and of all the available thread adapters, 3/4-28RH is not one of them. So, I sent a short email to AA explaining my situation and the reply was a very kurt....that's the way the barrels come. I waited a few days and then I called AA explaining again that I wanted to suppress this rifle and gave the specs of my can. I was instructed to call back in a week so that the chief engineer could be consulted. Called back and the answer is.....we won't thread the barrel differently.

Now I know some will say....just get the barrel threaded somewhere else. That sounds simple but as soon as someone other than AA touches that gun, AA will no longer stand by its accuracy claims. Another machinist working on that gun just provides a big out for AA.

Here is a company that is supposed to be the leader in the Grendel rifle....a custom gun maker....a company that expects someone to fork over $3600.00 plus for a rifle yet they can't thread a barrel differently upon request??? I was willing to pay extra. I was willing to wait extra. The suggestion from the other end of the phone was....call the barrel manufacture and have them make you a barrel to your specs and then build it yourself..... I couldn't believe my ears!

I don't think my request is that unusual for a "custom gun maker". I guess someone else will get my money.

Frustrating and Disappointing at the same time.....

Radman,

If I had an AA upper and I wanted a high quality complete 6.5G or upper, I would go to Les Baer and I'd send the AA back. Period. The end. http://www.lesbaer.com/

Phil

[cecil1021]

+1 for precision firearms built me what i wanted in good time did everthing he said he would do,Mark is good to deal with

[Malchira]

Why not use a simple thread adapter? Even if it was necessary to have one "custom made", the expense should be minimal, especially compared to the $3,600 you're harping on.

[oregonradman]

Why not use a simple thread adapter? Even if it was necessary to have one "custom made", the expense should be minimal, especially compared to the $3,600 you're harping on.

The need for a different thread pitch is for an adapter. It is cheaper and easier to re-thread a barrel than to machine a new adapter. That is why I thought getting the barrel threaded at AA or Satern, at beginning, would be the best, easiest and highest quality option. By the above posts, I now know that AA is more of an assembly point than a manufacturer. Therefore, my original post was probably too harsh. I made an assumption that a gun at this price point was custom and that's my fault.

I will check out the above recommendations. Thanks

[davidj]

By the above posts, I now know that AA is more of an assembly point than a manufacturer.

They really seem to be. Do they manufacture anything?