I am a quality parts snob, and I’m not ashamed of it. I have had great results from sticking with Colt or LMT parts for all my builds.
That being said, even I am getting a little weary of $250 Colt BCGs and LPKs.
Barrels are a whole separate topic that I don’t wish to address in this thread - So…
Who makes the best quality non-Colt/LMT BCGs and LPKs? Why do you think so?
One problem is that the probability of getting a bad parts kit from any manufacturer is pretty low. A person who has built one rifle, two, or a dozen on XYZ’s lower parts kit doesn’t have enough sample size to make a definitive judgment on quality.
I’m not really asking the guy who has built six Mega lowers with M1S/Nesard/Sherluk LPKs and hasn’t broken one yet…I’m more interested in guys like Iraqgunz who have a large pool of guns to look at and make some judgments.
In my personal experience, I’ve seen Bushhamster and DPMS hammers, triggers, and disconnectors that were too soft, and the engagement surfaces started looking chewed up under a thousand rounds. I’ve seen broken “Just as Good As” bolts, hammers, and extractors break when someone was dim enough to show up to a carbine class with a gun-show parts gun and expect it to run with 6920s.
I just keep one more LPK on hand then I need. That way, if something doesn’t work, I’ve got an extra on hand.
Colt doesn’t manufacture parts. And, judging from the recent backlog due to two parts (bolt catch and selector), it’s probably a good guess that only one or two places actually manufactures them for everyone.
being an “LPK snob” is inside the border of Ridiculousville… a completely wasted effort. stag, bushmaster, colt, LMT, whoever… if you can get reliable information that a particular manufacturer, who actually manufacturers their own LPKs, is using MIM parts in place of parts that should be machined, or some other dirty practice, then discriminate. otherwise, you’re just not going to see a difference. except DPMS- their FCGs are fuckin awful. i’d still use their springs, detends and pins though.
August,
Are you saying that Colt currently is waiting on bolt catches and selectors, and cannot ship rifles because of this? That’s what your post sounds like.
If so, I’d like to know where this info came from? Just curious.
Also, are you saying that Colt doesn’t manufacture parts? I always thought they manufactured most of their parts. ?? I know their selector levers are unique, and unlike any others you see on the market.
Very interested in your answers.
Thanks.
Also interested in what the industry folks think of the possible penetration of Chinese AR parts into the supply chain. I examined some gas keys today that I’ll eat my LaRue hat if they’re US made.
It sometimes seems that unless parts came from SAW or Brownells, you’re taking a chance on not getting what you ordered.
Bolts, carriers, and BCGs I expect we’ll see some counterfeiting in very soon.
Not true, Colt does manufacture most of their own parts including most of the lower parts.
Quietshootr,
The LPK issue does seem rather tricky. Over here I generally use Bushmaster LPK’s since they are the OEM for our weapons and I can get the quantities needed. Having said that if I detect a part that looks like crap or is suspect I will toss it out. On my personal weapons I used GandR lower parts and Colt because they "appeared’ to be better quality overall.
It would be nice to know who actually manufactures the LPK’s for the various AR’s on the market. I was under the impression that Colt made their stuff or in the even that it was subcontracted the subcontractor had to meet the MILSPEC.
Recently I ordered and received a Stag kit and based on the photos my wife sent me everything looked like it was GTG.
I tried to use Colt or LMT for my LPK’s when I first started to build rifles for “social purposes” but it hurt to spend almost the same amount as a new Glock would cost on parts. I then gave Stag/ CMT a try and used one of their LPK’s and I was impressed. I have shot the ever-living shit out of that gun and it is still ticking.
I still will only use a BCG from Colt, LMT, or BCM. Too many issues with anything else.
I have one of Grant’s G&R BCG’s in one of my builds and so far it has been GTG but I don’t have enough rounds down the pipe to be definitive, but I like what I see (and Grant backs his stuff up 100%).
I also like the idea behind Grant’s LPK as well. Take the best from all the options and sell it as a kit. Now if he could just get them in stock…
If you’re looking for a LPK a little more on the sane side of the price spectrum I would go with Stag/ CMT.
Quietshootr,
Where did you see the suspect gas keys, and in what way did they appear to be subpar?
Bzzzzt. Wrong. Colt makes almost ALL of their own parts, and the ones that they sub out have to pass Colt QC before they enter Colt’s supply.
I’m thinking it’s time for a new edition of “The Chart”, only this time, for parts, and here’s why: A high quality build can be as good as or better than a factory gun, PROVIDED A) it’s assembled by someone who truly knows what they’re doing, and B) the parts are high quality.
Gun show. They appeared to be cold-blued (looks like a Norinco AK blue job) and had no chrome lining.
i will give a bit of advice.
and a clue, to those who are gnawing this question.
just from accessing this forum over say, the past few years, all the information
has been disseminated( by some of the top men in the industry) to answer your questions. not to spoon feed a “market” with a “product” or to even gain sales at all. just a group of men (often using their real names not some nickname) discussing the building of m4carbines and how the market is evolving. we often build many kinds of rifles, and have been doing so for many years. in the past we have often been relegated to using surplus parts from many different countries.
my advice is to adapt this, not at all new, strategy to the acquisition of ar15 type parts. Grant discussed this strategy when he first offered the G&R kit some time ago. the main difference i see is that the whole m4carbine/ar15 playing field is alive and active. not subject to governments releasing stores of parts when the weapons become obsolete. in my mind this is a big advantage. the wars have put the system through real tests and many things now are quite different from
the way they were when colt ran the show on the civillian and government sides.
no one “kit” will give the optimum results.
i am more likely to remove one’s eyes with a sharpened spoon than to spoon feed the answers to a demanding public.(but that’s just me)
What is MIM ?
FCG - Fire Control Group ?
Thanks ,
God bless
Wyr
hey wyr,
mim is the acronym for metal injection molded.
fcg is fire control group.
i think i saw a seam indicating the mim process on a colt type 1 hammer i just used.
with respect to that hammer i notice thick and uniform finish on all surfaces including the sear engagement surface.
the radius that contacts the sear upper surface is very well machined and finished.
an important/critical part is worth a bit more.
he heh,
wrt bkb,
wtf does a quad zero know?
a seam doesn’t indicate MIM- forging and casting also produce seams, only billet leaves no seam.
Huh???
Yeah, what he said.
QuietShootr - I liked the rabbit w/pancake on top of his head better though… Should have left it…
The hammer is not MIM, and as noted before forging will leave a line.