Over the last few years I've picked up some PSA complete lowers for $125 - $150 ea. I need some uppers to complete the rifles. I was looking through the hundreds of PSA daily deal emails I have and ran across an ad for a 14.7" upper with a pinned & welded flash hider to make it 16". Mid length, light weight. No BCG, CH or sights, but I can add those...obviously at additional cost.

I am finding it hard to resist a FN CHF lightweight upper for only $420.

The purpose for this is home defense & plinking. I don't need 1 MOA at 600 yards. Just a good rifle at a decent price.

Thoughts, opinions or just a validation on me getting it?

https://palmettostatearmory.co...utm_content=77932796



Desc via PSA site:

Features

Barrel : A proprietary blend of Hammer forged chrome molly vanadium made by FN that is referred to as "Machine Gun Steel" by virtue of its use in FN's M249 and M240 weapons. The hammer forging process work hardens the steel, making it more durable. In addition, the chrome process for the bore allows for a lining almost twice as thick as a standard M16 for enhanced durability. Chambered in 5.56 NATO, with a 1:7 twist, M4 barrel extension, and a mid-length gas system. The special A2 light profile barrel allows for better balance and portability over the standard A2 profile and is Mil-spec phosphate coated. Barrel is High Pressure tested, and Magnetic Particle inspected, to ensure quality and dependability, and is finished off with a PSA 13.5" M-lok Billet Rail, .750" low-profile gas block, and a pinned and welded A2 flash hider. The pinning and welding is makes the flash hider a permanent part of the barrel which brings it to the legal length.

Upper : Forged 7075-T6 A3 AR upper is made to MIL-SPECS and hard coat anodized black for durability. Featuring machined T marks, and a mil-spec finish. These uppers are made for us right here in the USA by a mil-spec manufacturer.

Details

PSA 14.7" Mid-length CHF 5.56 NATO 1:7 13.5" Lightweight M-Lok Upper Pinned & Welded - No BCG or CH - 77932796

Barrel Length: 14.7"
Gas System: Mid-length
Barrel Profile: Lightweight
Barrel Steel: Cold Hammer Forged Chrome Moly Vanadium
Barrel Finish: Phosphate
Chrome Lining: Yes, bore and chamber
Muzzle Thread: 1/2-28
Chamber: 5.56 NATO
Twist Rate: 1 in 7"
Barrel Extension: M4
Diameter at Gas Block: .750"
Gas Block Type: Low-profile
Muzzle Device: A2 Style
Receiver Material: Forged 7075 T6
Receiver Type: M4
Hand guard Type: PSA 13.5" M-lok Billet Rail
Bolt Carrier Group Included: No
Bolt Steel: N/A
Bolt Carrier Profile: N/A
Charging Handle included: No
Overall Length: 23.2"
Weight as configured: 3 lbs

I have that same upper. I saw it go on sale years ago, had my father buy one for himself to build up. He never did anything with it, died, and I found it cleaning through this belongings last week. I built it into a compete rifle yesterday. It’s light, balances very nicely, and the build quality seems great from what I can tell. I haven’t shot it yet, but I have owned two other PSA mid length uppers with FN barrels and I can’t complain. Durability is the selling point, and I’ll probably never put enough rounds through one to wear it out, and a melonited barrel would probably be durable enough and more accurate. I don’t feel the need to go out and get one, however. FN makes great stuff, and they won away the military contract from Colt, so that says plenty.

You do get the the only part of this that is FN is the barrel?

^^^^^^^^

i personally like a shorter handguard. Ie: more of the barrel sticking out.

Price is not that great without a bcg and ch imho.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:.

Price is not that great without a bcg and ch imho.

My first thought as well.

I didn’t get into it, but when I told my father about this upper, it was on sale complete with BCG and charging handle and $300 something, but that was years ago like I said. I don’t know where the market is at right now, so I chose not to address the price.

Price is what I would expect for the times and they have come down quite a bit recently. I would avoid it since your stuck with barrel nut and their not so great “light weight” rail since its a pin and weld.

Buy an off the shelf rifle if you haven’t started purchasing parts yet, really only want one rifle, and don’t want to make this a building hobby. Spend a bit more than your thinking of for something like a bcm or daniel defense and never look back. The rifle will retain resale value on the used market and have quality parts.

No issues using PSA rifles. I would add the PSA BCG for $79 and get a different BCM handle. $600 for a good to go rifle has never been a bad deal. I think you are paying slightly more for the reduced size and pinned/welded flash hider.


https://palmettostatearmory.co...group-516446953.html

I've been poking around looking for another upper assembly to go on a spare lower.
I looked at the PSA one and kept looking.
For not much more a Midwest Industries upper is what I've been looking at.
Primary Arms has them for $499
https://www.primaryarms.com/mi...-14-combat-rail-16in

Thanks for the comments. Part of what attracted me to this unit is the forged barrel. I do have 1 BCG I picked up several years ago on sale. I'm not in a rush to get this as I already have 2 functional ARs. Both of the other ones I have have a forged 16" FN barrel, but with plain hand guards and a front post sight. They are pretty bare bones, and I don't have any with M-Lok (or any other attachment method for that matter).

I'll keep looking. I appreciate the feedback!

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:.

Price is not that great without a bcg and ch imho.

My first thought as well.

Well it's actually fine, considering the FN made barrel that is to M249 specs. Try to buy this kind of upper by anyone else for this price. You can't.
I have one of PSA "Dissy" uppers with the same CHF barrel and love it.

Oh, and I love full length handguards.

Well not only that, but it used to be that the only way to get an FN barrel for an AR was by buying a PSA upper. I'm not sure if that's still the case, but I don't see why it would have changed. If you want an FN barrel, that's how you get one.

I bought FN barrels for my SBR and 18"

For the "Extra" 16" Ar's I got, I just went Nitride, they'll likely never see over 1000 rounds each so I couldnt justify it.

But if this will be a an often used, or higher round count rifle, then that's not a bad deal at all. I love PSA for things like this.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Well not only that, but it used to be that the only way to get an FN barrel for an AR was by buying a PSA upper. I'm not sure if that's still the case, but I don't see why it would have changed. If you want an FN barrel, that's how you get one.

I was referring to uppers with CHF M249 spec barrel made by others (like Noveske and Spike's). You are not going to be able to get them at PSA's pricing.

Well, I threw down on 2 of the FN CHF PSA uppers I linked above yesterday.

I am not up to date on the CHF M249 spec, but the description on the PSA site says these barrels do conform to that spec.

Quote from the description above:
A proprietary blend of Hammer forged chrome molly vanadium made by FN that is referred to as "Machine Gun Steel" by virtue of its use in FN's M249 and M240 weapons.

To put it simplest terms, the M249 spec barrel has chrome lining twice the thickness of the M4/M16 barrel's chrome lining. Lasts longer. Costs more. Most of us will never need it. That's why you only see a handful of companies making them for the civilian market. Noveske was the first, and that was their claim to fame. Others followed, like Spike's and PSA.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
To put it simplest terms, the M249 spec barrel has chrome lining twice the thickness of the M4/M16 barrel's chrome lining. Lasts longer. Costs more. Most of us will never need it.

Exactly.

Chrome lining extends the life of the barrel's throat. It is extremely difficult to apply chrome lining consistently throughout the throat and bore. Thus a chrome lined barrel is almost always noticeably less accurate than a unlined quality barrel. When the chrome lining begins to wear out, it tends to break away in chunks -- and then the accuracy goes south in a hurry.

I suspect that most AR15 owners will not put more than a couple thousand rounds through any one barrel over the course of their shooting career. The pickiest of target shooters should get at least 4k rounds of great accuracy through a stainless or chromoly barrel. Once retired by the anal-retentive-accuracy shooter, said target barrel might still produce 2-3 MOA results for another 2k or 4k rounds. A chrome-lined or melonite-style barrel might go 10k rounds before accuracy really falls off. Or double that, if the shooter doesn't give a shit about accuracy.

I have that exact upper in one of my rifles and is my absolute favorite. Excellent quality.

I have a 10.5 PSA CHF upper that I love. It's over gassed, but a H2 buffer calmed it down nicely. Never given me a bit of trouble and honestly the fit and finish was better than my Colt SBR upper. I bought it on sale as a blemish and the only "blemish" I can find is one of the ears on the front sight is very slightly thicker than the other. Seriously. That's it.

That’s a great upper, you should get it. Especially since you have 16” ARs already, it won’t be like your only AR is pinned/welded, just one of them.

I have a pinned 14.5” mid length Daniel Defense light weight upper, it is a sweet set up. Light, good balance, soft shooting.