A lot of manufacturers advertise their parts or rifles as Mil-Spec, when they aren't anything even close to it with a single part on the gun.
Because parts look the same on the outside, many people in the industry assume that they are, while scheming around the dealer/distributor/business pricing they see for the real cheap parts.
Take M4 uppers as an example. Aside from the call-outs for the alloy, the anodizing process, and critical dimensions (the raceway and extension ID has to be held to a certain spec or they are rejected), the Mil-STD also calls for a specific baked-on dry film lube to be applied to the inside of the upper, the RET, and aluminum mags. Dry film baked on helps suspend the lubricant used to keep the BCG running correctly in the raceway. Can a gun work without it? Sure, but it will not sustain thick lube in place as long.
The TDP also calls for a square receiver face, certain alignment of the 1913 rail in reference to the raceway and barrel extension bore center, and a laundry list of other call-outs consumers will never know about.
Very few manufacturers know about this, nor do they care to incorporate those features into the uppers. The ones that do come from a perspective of understanding or interpreting the TDP to meet time-tested requirements, mainly those to meet the arctic proofing up at Greely in Alaska. I could take up a whole page just talking about the upper receiver by itself and the TDP until you died of boredom. I could then spend another few pages talking about lowers, RETs, LPKs, barrels, bolts, carriers, cam pins, firing pins, detents, springs, extractors, barrel extensions, FSBs and gas blocks, gas ports, gas tubes, charge handles, etc.
A lot of very ill-informed people think of the Mil-Spec or Mil-STD as some bare bones, easily-achieved set of requirements from a lowest-bidder that they improve on, but the truth is only a handful of companies understand and reach for the TDP from a constant state of processes, checks, and inspections. I learned this the hard way with various FakeR-15s over decades. No, I don't own a single Colt AR15 nor am I a brand fanboy.
3 things that have really illustrated these things for me:
* High volume shooting with both Mil-Spec (real AR15s, M16s, M4s, M4A1s) and non Mil-Spec guns, especially in extreme cold conditions
* Getting into the Retro early AR15s of the 1957-1967 time frame, including acquisition of parts
* Stuffing 6.5 Grendel into the AR15 and learning about why certain things are what they are
Parts are definitely not the same. Most parts are meant for a market where the consumer maybe plinks a little here and there, without any concern for long-term reliability, durability, or functionality for extreme conditions.
Because parts look the same on the outside, many people in the industry assume that they are, while scheming around the dealer/distributor/business pricing they see for the real cheap parts.
Take M4 uppers as an example. Aside from the call-outs for the alloy, the anodizing process, and critical dimensions (the raceway and extension ID has to be held to a certain spec or they are rejected), the Mil-STD also calls for a specific baked-on dry film lube to be applied to the inside of the upper, the RET, and aluminum mags. Dry film baked on helps suspend the lubricant used to keep the BCG running correctly in the raceway. Can a gun work without it? Sure, but it will not sustain thick lube in place as long.
The TDP also calls for a square receiver face, certain alignment of the 1913 rail in reference to the raceway and barrel extension bore center, and a laundry list of other call-outs consumers will never know about.
Very few manufacturers know about this, nor do they care to incorporate those features into the uppers. The ones that do come from a perspective of understanding or interpreting the TDP to meet time-tested requirements, mainly those to meet the arctic proofing up at Greely in Alaska. I could take up a whole page just talking about the upper receiver by itself and the TDP until you died of boredom. I could then spend another few pages talking about lowers, RETs, LPKs, barrels, bolts, carriers, cam pins, firing pins, detents, springs, extractors, barrel extensions, FSBs and gas blocks, gas ports, gas tubes, charge handles, etc.
A lot of very ill-informed people think of the Mil-Spec or Mil-STD as some bare bones, easily-achieved set of requirements from a lowest-bidder that they improve on, but the truth is only a handful of companies understand and reach for the TDP from a constant state of processes, checks, and inspections. I learned this the hard way with various FakeR-15s over decades. No, I don't own a single Colt AR15 nor am I a brand fanboy.
3 things that have really illustrated these things for me:
* High volume shooting with both Mil-Spec (real AR15s, M16s, M4s, M4A1s) and non Mil-Spec guns, especially in extreme cold conditions
* Getting into the Retro early AR15s of the 1957-1967 time frame, including acquisition of parts
* Stuffing 6.5 Grendel into the AR15 and learning about why certain things are what they are
Parts are definitely not the same. Most parts are meant for a market where the consumer maybe plinks a little here and there, without any concern for long-term reliability, durability, or functionality for extreme conditions.
NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO
CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor
6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:
www.AR15buildbox.com
CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor
6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:
www.AR15buildbox.com