Heads up on cheap uppers

[birch]

I just happened to check PSA website and seen they have Freedom uppers complete minus CH and BCG for $169 plus free shipping. I cannot believe they could be making a dime on that.

[CraigOK]

I saw those and thought the same thing. Ive had great luck with PSA uppers too. Might have to pick up a couple for the kids

[birch]

I don't need one right now, but it would be something to put together a reliable barn gun for the same price as a 10\22. Very tempting.

[GL49]

What's CH and BCG?

[Ickisrulz]

What's CH and BCG?

Charging Handle and Bolt Carrier Group.

[dverna]

I am seeing complete AR's for about $450...not top of the line but serviceable. I feel a bit dumb buying one for $540 just before the election...anticipating a Hillary win...but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Now is a good time to buy as many manufacturers ramped up and have excess inventory to get rid of.

[osteodoc08]

I am seeing complete AR's for about $450...not top of the line but serviceable. I feel a bit dumb buying one for $540 just before the election...anticipating a Hillary win...but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Now is a good time to buy as many manufacturers ramped up and have excess inventory to get rid of.

$540 for a serviceable AR is still a deal in my book. Plenty of AR fire sales going on. Pick them up now and store them away. All this is cyclical anyhow.

[richmanpoorman]

Buy junk .... get junk.

[imashooter2]

Buy junk .... get junk.

Share your insight. Why are Freedom AR-15 upper receivers junk?

[richmanpoorman]

How many government contracts have they fufilled ? Nuff sed !

[condorjohn]

Is it "buy junk, get junk" or is it supply and demand?

[GL49]

Don't perceive this as wanting to start a fight, but I sometimes find it useful to not judge the quality of goods or services because they may have been used by, or supplied to, the government. Not to imply that the government can ever make any bad choices. If PSA were to triple or quadruple their prices, perhaps the government may be interested. :p

I, like the previous poster, would like to know what's wrong with them. Myself, I don't own an AR, but am considering purchasing one and would like to know what constitutes quality and what doesn't. If they truly are junk, I'd like to know why, so I can make intelligent choices.
Thanks.

[CraigOK]

Idk who makes the freedom barrels, but their normal.ones come drom FN

[Omega]

Nothing wrong with PSA's offerings, if they could mass produced them in numbers to fulfill a government contract, I'm sure the government would jump all over it. The government contracts mostly go to the lowest bidder, as long as their product meets milspec. I have a few PSA'S uppers and lowers and I see no difference in performance.

[dverna]

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/646140980

Is this junk? If so, why?

Not trying to be argumentative but looking for advice and knowledge. This is for SHTF and fun shooting. Not looking for MOA performance to 300 yards. If it will hold 8" at 300 yards that is good enough.

[Omega]

I have a DPMS upper in .300 BLK, does just fine out to hunting range.

[308Jeff]

Share your insight. Why are Freedom AR-15 upper receivers junk?

They're not.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/review/product/list/id/20065/category/5021/?p=2#customer-reviews


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crdPv6nAQwU

[osteodoc08]

They're made of appropriate alloy and the design is rock solid. The CHF barrels are from the FN plant in SC. The Freedom series are typical steel with melonite or SS. There is nothing wrong with the PSA offerings for a recreational user. Same as there is nothing wrong with a Ruger American or similar class of rifle.

That being said, I'd much rather have a premium makers AR offering if going into harms way. Not that they don't make lemons.

[merlin101]

How many government contracts have they fufilled ? Nuff sed !
You seem to forget that government contracts go to the lowest bidder! Or the highest briber.

[imashooter2]

How many government contracts have they fufilled ? Nuff sed !

It would only be enough said if you said it after some valid reason. Do you have a valid reason?

[cheese1566]

Buy junk .... get junk.

well, for only being here for a few months, it didn't take long to get banned.

[birch]

I have a freedom upper with melonite barrel. I bought the cheapest bcg I could find and put it on a blemished PSA lower.

I have weaver fixed four on it and I can put them all in an inch and a half at 100. I do mean all of them.

Never had a failure of any sort. There might be a noticeable difference in quality if I had a registered full auto group, but a of now, I plan on putting 20,000 rounds down the pipe. If the groups open to 2 inches, I still have another 10000 rounds before I have to think about buying another 69 dollar barrel.

Nuf said.

[Moleman-]

Generally you get what you pay for, but occasionally there are places that give you good product value for your dollar. That is what I think of PSA.

[mold maker]

Nope, you don't always get what ya pay for, but in this case, ya sure get a lot for what ya pay. :p Remember the same 1200-2500$ rifles just a couple years ago.
The quality of these uppers is up to mil. specs, just like the rest. That means it's good enough for our troops in harm's way.
Most mfgs of components ramped up before the election, in anticipation of great demand. Well, the demand disappeared shortly after Trump won the election and started to repeal Os mischief.
Having a warehouse full of lower demand inventory doesn't leave capital for other production so fire sales are rampant.
I have several of the afore listed uppers and am totally satisfied, and I paid more for them.

[Ickisrulz]

Nope, you don't always get what ya pay for, but in this case, ya sure get a lot for what ya pay. :p Remember the same 1200-2500$ rifles just a couple years ago.
The quality of these uppers is up to mil. specs, just like the rest. That means it's good enough for our troops in harm's way.
Most mfgs of components ramped up before the election, in anticipation of great demand. Well, the demand disappeared shortly after Trump won the election and started to repeal Os mischief.
Having a warehouse full of lower demand inventory doesn't leave capital for other production so fire sales are rampant.
I have several of the afore listed uppers and am totally satisfied, and I paid more for them.

I'll just point out that the PSA uppers mentioned in the original post are NOT milspec. The barrels are not chrome lined. Whether this is good or bad is arguable.

[shaper]

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/646140980

Is this junk? If so, why?

Not trying to be argumentative but looking for advice and knowledge. This is for SHTF and fun shooting. Not looking for MOA performance to 300 yards. If it will hold 8" at 300 yards that is good enough.

If I could find one for $419. it would be mine.

[osteodoc08]

I'll just point out that the PSA uppers mentioned in the original post are NOT milspec. The barrels are not chrome lined. Whether this is good or bad is arguable.

They have several different uppers to varying "quality" standards. Yes, some of them are chrome lined, some are also bare steel, some are stainless and some are melonite treated. The idea of needing a chrome lined barrel is not as benefitial when comparing to melonite. Melonite is quickly becoming the coating of choice.

[Dave18]

Pick them up now and store them away. All this is cyclical anyhow

Im afraid we will see the cycle go around sooner than many think, really hope Im wrong,

---------------------------------------
Melonite is quickly becoming the coating of choice,

while Im still of the chrome bore crowd, (just cause it don't rust), does anyone have working knowledge on melonite, Im still on the side lines on this, if anything convince me why I ought to go ahead and get things with a melonited finish, (Im not wanting to argue, just not familiar with it, )

[308Jeff]

If I could find one for $419. it would be mine.

I have one, and have never had any problems with it. Also own a DMPS LR-308 24" rifle, and it's one of the guns I'll never get rid of.

Used to own a pair of AR's with DPMS uppers on them, but lost those guys in my divorce.

[imashooter2]

Perhaps, but I would wager that the lion's share of those budget ARs never see 5,000 rounds.

[Bulldogger]

Seems a good way to enter the AR-blackout family, or that 50 Beowolf I've long admired.... Trouble is I could never get better than marksman with an AR. Never did like pistol grips. Humph. For SHTF, having my carry piece be the most popular rifle in the US makes sense, in terms of scavenging parts, but I'd have to really clamp down on learning how to use it!
Still, I do prefer my 30-30.

Tempting!

BDGR

[dragon813gt]

Perhaps, but I would wager that the lion's share of those budget ARs never see 5,000 rounds.

Bet you could say the same thing about the high dollar ones owned by those Smooth Operators.

[jhrosier]

I have bought a number of AR15 uppers from Delta Team Tactical recently.
They have parts in several price ranges.
The less expensive ones have been satisfactory for me.
Y.M.M.V.

Jack

[Ickisrulz]

I have a couple BCM AR15s and have never had any problems after thousands of rounds. I shot many, many Colt M16s in the military for qualification and training and had some problems. I think the malfunctions were due to magazines that should have been discarded years ago. That is the extent of my personal experience.

I have spent many hours reading the dedicated AR15 forums which have reached a consensus that the less expensive rifles are prone to failure when worked hard (e.g., training class). I have no personal experience in this area.

It does stand to reason that parts manufactured by different companies will vary in quality. I wanted to be certain I got good products and the price when I made my purchases wasn't that different.

[halvey]

Are the PSA's comparable to Anderson? I've used Anderson, older DPMS and RRA.

[308Jeff]

If I could find one for $419. it would be mine.

Just saw this: https://gunprime.com/product/dpms-panther-oracle-223-16-30rd-ar-15-60531/

$399 + $20 shipping

Aaaand... There's a $75.00 rebate going on them right now (started today, goes though 7/30).

[halvey]

$345 after rebate?
Man...


Just saw this: https://gunprime.com/product/dpms-panther-oracle-223-16-30rd-ar-15-60531/

$399 + $20 shipping

Aaaand... There's a $75.00 rebate going on them right now (started today, goes though 7/30).

[308Jeff]

Yup!!

[dverna]

Just saw this: https://gunprime.com/product/dpms-panther-oracle-223-16-30rd-ar-15-60531/

$399 + $20 shipping

Aaaand... There's a $75.00 rebate going on them right now (started today, goes though 7/30).

Thanks Jeff

I ordered two today and sent the link to my son. You cannot buy the parts and assemble one for that price.

[308Jeff]

You're welcome, Don! I'm probably going to order one or two myself.

[jonp]

How many government contracts have they fufilled ? Nuff sed !
How many has Weatherby or Ed Brown?

[jonp]

No problem with psa stuff, uppers or lowers

[condorjohn]

I'm waiting on a good deal from PSA on a 7.62X39 18" upper