American Defense enters the Grendel Arena

[biodsl]

The new ADM Universal Improved Carbine Compact Hunter pistol.

https://www.admmfg.com/uic-compact-hunter-65g

[LRRPF52]

Very nice. I have some of their receivers and their UIC lower is my favorite lower of all.

[mdram]

$2150, WAY over priced.

[mtnlvr]

$2150, WAY over priced.

That was my thought too.

[LRRPF52]

$2150, WAY over priced.

When I added up all my parts for my Lilja 18” Wasp build with forged receivers, not even billet, I’m right around that price point.

You hit $1000 really quick just with the barrel, BCG, and receivers before we even talk about furniture, trigger, RET, buffer, action spring, lock ring and end plate, gas block, muzzle device.

$430 for the barrel at Group buy discount, (now $665 and my profile is not available as an order option)
BCG $180
Receivers $300
Handguard $185

Cerakote on RET, receivers, handguard, barrel $300
LPK $40
2-stage trigger $189
Mil-Spec RET $40
H2 buffer $40
Action spring $12
Pistol Grip $25
MOE trigger guard $10

Gas Block $40
Muzzle device PF Nox $50
Gas tube $11
Ejection port cover, spring, rod, C clip $12
BCM Charge Handle $50

Multiple shipping and handling costs for various online parts sources.


When you look at the UIC, given that it’s a billet set ($595) and everything controlled under one roof, with all the features they have unique to their lower receiver, the G2S trigger ($165), Surefire WarComp ($134), Raptor charge handle ($85), the money is there. I don’t see any problem with their price point.

They have a builder’s set with the billet receivers and handguard for $750.

[LRRPF52]

The breakdown for the 12” Grendel I did using 2A Armament billet lightweight receivers and handguard is even more expensive, even with the group buy 12” Faxon Barrel.

The breakdown on my 12” Grendel with forged receiver set is similar to the Lilja Wasp build, with the Faxon Barrel being the main difference in price point.

BCGs were more on both of the above since I used Bootleg.

Brace was way more for the Maxim Defense pistol brace.

LaRue MBT-2S triggers were less than Geissele and equally as good as a G2S, can’t tell the difference in feel, weight, break point, etc.

Then there’s the price of optics and mounts.

You just have to recognize what market you’re in.

A lot of us have spent way more money than we realized nickel-and-diming AR-15 builds over time, with a significant part of the cost coming from various shipping-and-handling.

You can easily hit over $2000 on a forged receiver set build and not be aware of it when spaced-out over time, even buying a mix of peasant and mid-grade parts.

[mdram]

my 20" was right around 1600 without optics, and that was with a pf bartlein barrel
no way i would do 2100, as that did not have optics either

[LRRPF52]

One thing I notice about this offering from ADM is that it’s only 5lbs 10 ounces as seen.

My 12” Grendel (with suppressor and optics removed) sitting on the scale right now is 6lbs 2ounces.

With LaRue SPR-1.5 and GRSC 1-4x CRS LPVO, it’s 7lbs 10 ounces.

With TBAC Ultra 5 added to that, it’s 8lbs 1.5 ounces.

With 17rd Elander added to that, it’s 8lbs 7.5 ounces.

Take that SBA4 Tactical waffle brace off and replace it with the lighter SBA3 and it will shave off some weight even further.

[Oso Polaris]

From the builds I have done, the simple answer is if you are building a quality rig then there is no price savings as compared to simply buying an off-the-shelf premium rifle, such as LWRC or Larue, etc. The only difference is you get to tailor the components exactly to your preferences.

Budget build that you still want to shoot, and not just leave on floorboard of truck, is $1300... premium is $2K and up. At least this is how it always works out for me. I pay retail pricing regardless of whether is a completed rifle or all the individual parts to make one.. same same.

[LRRPF52]

If you look right behind the mag release button on the UIC lower, there’s a bolt hold and release lever.

To lock the bolt to the rear, you can keep your hand on the pistol grip, pull the charge handle to the rear while lifting the lever up with your trigger finger, and the bolt is then locked back.

It’s very slick and intuitive, fixing one of the main problems with the AR-15 controls.

I have the UIC lower that I was planning on doing my 10” Grendel with.

[LRRPF52]

From the builds I have done, the simple answer is if you are building a quality rig then there is no price savings as compared to simply buying an off-the-shelf premium rifle, such as LWRC or Larue, etc. The only difference is you get to tailor the components exactly to your preferences.

Budget build that you still want to shoot, and not just leave on floorboard of truck, is $1300... premium is $2K and up. At least this is how it always works out for me. I pay retail pricing regardless of whether is a completed rifle or all the individual parts to make one.. same same.

Yup. There is a lot to be said for a company that knows how to solve a lot of the assembly problems and approach them from a manufacturing standpoint with tooling that the layman simply does not have.

Press-fit gas blocks is one of those things, though most companies just use slip-on crap and set-screw in place, next.

If you have a TDP you’re working off of as a manufacturer that is informed by decades of lessons-learned on the AR-15 family, you can really reduce your returns and CS margins by getting it right first, then taking care of customers who genuinely have a problem with the few that slipped through.

Most home assemblers just don’t know what they don’t know. As long as all the parts fit together and look great on social media, they’re satisfied.

Show up to a high volume course, and things start crapping all over left and right.

Biggest one is loose gas blocks, no matter how tight set screws are tightened. Gas seal just isn’t there, so short-stroking is common.

Next is clipping gas tubes and carrier keys.

Next is loosely-tightened RET lock nuts (castle nut).

Next is backwards hammer springs.

Etc.

Then there are things you can’t control like chamber dimensions. “But it says 5.56 right there on the barrel!”

“Yeah, and your throat is short and is jamming the lands with M193, blowing primers.”

It’s easier to just buy complete rifles from quality manufacturers if you don’t have time to go through all the trouble-shooting, tool acquisition, gauges, and somehow acquiring the knowledge base yourself.

I personally like the method where the top quality companies offer build kits with all their critical parts, and then I can assemble them after checking all the things I check.

ADM seems to have both of those options to some degree.