Maybe we will get lucky and CZ will turn the company around. In the meantime, I am not paying Colt prices for a PSA-style parts gun.

This isn’t a knock against PSA or other parts guns but rather a knock against Colt for charging a premium for their product.

The mil-spec for government rifles requires a lot of 100% inspection, which drives up the cost. This is a vestige of the time when the M16 was designed, when we didn't have the kind of machine tools we have today, or the consistent metallurgy, so everything had to be checked. Today with better metallurgy and better machine tools, and much more advanced cutting tools, no one should be 100% inspecting anything - statistical sampling and control is how we do things now. But, the mil-spec hasn't changed to reflect modern manufacturing methods.

And no one makes all their parts anymore. Everyone buys parts from companies that specialize in the specific parts. In the old days things were done in house because there was no supply base. Today there are plenty of suppliers of good quality parts.

I prefer to build my AR's with the parts I like. But then I don't use them professionally. If I bought a factory gun, right now I would opt for Geissele.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lefty Sig,

Now I have to breakdown my 2013ish LE6945 and hope it's not junk parts. :-(

quote:

Originally posted by spdski:
Now I have to breakdown my 2013ish LE6945 and hope it's not junk parts. :-(

You're fine. Let's not get carried away.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by spdski:
Now I have to breakdown my 2013ish LE6945 and hope it's not junk parts. :-(

You're fine. Let's not get carried away.

It was meant to be slightly tongue-in-cheek.

That rifle has served me very well, and I've had zero problems. I trained thousands of rounds with it, carried it as a patrol rifle, and it has recently become a home-defense gun.

But, it could probably use a detailed take down, and would benefit from the deep clean necessary to ID each individual part.

quote:

Originally posted by spdski:
But, it could probably use a detailed take down, and would benefit from the deep clean necessary to ID each individual part.

I clean and lube my ARs after almost every training session or competition. Only once in a blue moon might I go into serious scrubbing, but that's likely only when a significant accuracy issue arises. My regular clean/lube process includes inspecting the bolt and related moving parts.

I don't have my round count log books with me right now, but I know I have tens of thousands of rounds through my various ARs. I've watched many thousands of rounds through buddies' ARs in training and competition. In my experience, parts failures on ARs are quite rare. Most of the stoppages come from ammo and magazines, then from lack of basic cleaning and lube. My first parts priority is who manufactured and chambered the barrel. Receiver, BCG assembly, and trigger follow.

Certain AR parts wear over time, regardless of who made them. I regularly replace firing pin retaining pins. I have no idea who makes them. Never had one break on me, but when they're bent, they go in the trash.

Gas rings are worth looking at, but I've found the issues are often overblown. One instructor had us students take out one of the three rings -- all of our rifles shot just fine. Then we took out 2 rings -- most of our ARs still functioned fine with only one of three rings. I now have one-piece rings on all my bolts -- just because. I have no issues.

The lugs on bolts should be inspected for wear at each cleaning. I've retired two bolts so far. I threw one away, due to some pretty noticeable beveling wear on two lugs. The second is in semi-retirement -- I keep it as emergency backup, in the unlikely event of a catastrophic bolt failure. This bolt has a touch of wear on the tip of one lug.

I have a couple spare firing pins, but never seen the need to replace my originals.

I have a couple of ARs with bolt cam pins that are showing a bit of wear. Possibly my next parts to replace.

I keep a spare drop-in trigger assembly. Never had to use it. More important is to clean & inspect the triggers every few thousand rounds. Since I shoot suppressed, my triggers build up some residue.

So far my biggest consumable is barrels. When they no longer perform to my expectations, they're done.

I saw a contractor's high-volume AR15 have issues during a training course. I recall he was close to 20k rounds on the gun, mainly with original parts. One day both the gas tube and the gas block failed. He was on his second barrel, and close to replacing it. IMO a poor decision on his part, as he kept the original gas block and gas tube when he retired barrel #1. I install new gas tubes and gas blocks when I install new barrels.

His mil-spec trigger failed the next day -- just after he installed a new gas block and gas tube. He wasn't a happy camper. Fortunately, these failures occurred on the square range, not while deployed.

Basic inspection during maintenance, and retiring parts before reasonable end-of-life goes a long ways. Regardless of who made certain firearm parts, some wear out with enough mileage. But many gun owners never shoot enough to get close to end-of-life on certain parts.

I picked up another surplus Mexican contract LE6920 today. CR prefix so figure 2015/2016 production? It was only $200 more than current 6920's go for and has the gas block sling mount installed as well as includes a sling and two pmags.

Most companies assemble vs. make in-house. Maybe that makes pre-2011 guns more special. People don't pay more for 2004-2011 guns so it's not as clear-cut as it might be otherwise (like pre-bans on imported guns).