12-20-2013, 02:22 AM
LRRPF52 Wrote:I think one of the biggest problems really is that the gun industry, and especially the AR15 market are unlike any other markets, with boom and lull cycles that are extreme. Name me one other industry where consumers figure out after two purchases that they can bash parts together with minimal tools, talent, or knowledge, and get away with it in 5.56 or .223 Remington.
Look at the uncertainty with regulations, State-to-State nuances with what is and isn't legal, knee-jerk reactions from politicians who are hell-bent on shutting the industry down, and you have a recipe for a very volatile market. Don't tell me that SUV's or computers are comparable, because you can't assemble either with the limited number of tools or knowledge like you can an AR15, and Microsoft isn't concerned with the few computer builders out there buying CPU's and power supplies out from the production cycle, just as GM will never worry about people ordering too many engines to drop into their home-built autos in the garage with less than $50 in special tools.
In the AR15 market, these became very significant factors. Notice that the Freedom Group bought LAR, and immediately stopped them from selling receivers and BCG's on the side. LAR is the machine shop right here in the Salt Lake Valley that machines 80% of the uppers and lowers for the market, with Bushmaster and DPMS, and now Remington being some of the biggest users of those parts. Freedom Group now orders the shop guys to grind blem receivers up so they can't be purchased by you and me outside the complete rifle production chain. It was such that they consciously made the decision not to allow home-builders to compete against their interests.
Then you have yahoos trying to buy all the ejection port covers and forward assist assemblies as opportunistic predatory profiteers. It's easy to come from another industry and think that there are simple, easy solutions to these stupid AR15 companies, when outsiders haven't the first clue about the AR15 marketplace. There simply is no other market like it. I can tell you that AA does not sit around prolonging delivery of product out of inefficiency. The philosophy is to focus on manufacturing and delivering quality products as soon as they can.
As I have been truing all these uppers I have that I'm getting ready for the Lilja barrels, a forum member asked me to check his AA upper that I have. This is no BS, it was the only one that had a true receiver face. I put the lapping tool in it, slowly spun the upper in the light, and there was no light shining through at any time during the turn. With my other uppers, they have been all over the place, and take considerable time to slowly lap the face to get them true.
Not only that, but the AA upper is anodized after being true, and it has a very tight barrel extension tunnel as well. If you factor in the time that it's taking me to true all these uppers I have purchased, and you look at AA's pricing, they are doing for much less than I would ever be able to do, and I would have to out-source for anodizing. I've worked for a rifle manufacturer and witnessed the painful process that anodizing is going back and forth getting the color right, etc.
Even for other chamberings, I would prefer an AA forged upper over any of the ones I currently have as well, so rest assured that you are getting one of the best forged uppers on the market, if not the best. It sure would save me a ton of work.
Thats why Billet are so much nicer and for the money (just about $20 to $50) and time savings they are worth it. Much more solid and less flex if none at all. I wouldn't use another Milspec Upper and especially on a Grendel.