Exactly what is wrong with Olympic Arms AR15s?
For years I have heard that the Oly Arms rifles are garbage. I do know that the early Oly Arms did have some problems but those have since been rectified. So, hopefully, someone can tell me what is wrong with Oly Arms? Please have specifics. I know there are a million opinions out there and I'm sure everyone has a good/bad story to tell about their or a friend's Oly rifle but I need some hard evidence.
I used to have an M1 that kicked out the 8th round (unfired)and clip together unless the clip was loaded exactly like arsenal loaded clips. Does that make all M1s garbage ... no! However, due documented failures and metalurgical problems the early M1903s could face catastrophic receiver failure. Did they all fail... no! But anyone who shoots a low numbered 03 is taking a risk at a catastrophic failure. This is hard evidence and kind of like what I would like to see on the Olympic Arms rifles.
TIA
BEAR
I've owned a Palmetto Arms AR-15 made by SGW for 25 years
The receiver is machined out of an aluminum billet, no cast, no forge. It works great and is dead reliable. I put a RRA trigger in it and it shoots very well.
If you go to Olympic Arms website
they specifically say that their barrels are marked 5.56 but are CHAMBERED for .223. I have a 1/9 heavy barrel that is unmarked except for "5.56" from their website I found that it is 4140 steel chambered for .223.
Quality control has always plagued OLY
With the prices down and availability of AR up these days, it costs no more to buy a high quality AR. Oly has been a problematic maker all along for over 20 years to my direct knowledge. At the cost of a Smith & Wesson or Rock River or other quality maker.....why save 50 bucks and get a Oly.
Yes, there are exceptions : a few Oly shoot good and may have been made right. Ya wanna bet the farm on your luck to get one of these with the record OLY has set?
Buy the best AR you can afford.
THere is a reason some AR are far cheaper than others. There are short cuts done in manufacture and that accounts to why they sell cheaper.
In sum: the answer to the problem with Oly is Quality Control.
There are a lot of really bad parts out and about
also how an AR is assembled can have a huge impact on accuracy. Simply unscrewing the barrel and remounting/torquing it can move the POI all over the map. I've got extractors that were bought 20 years ago, brand new and they won't even fit a Colt military bolt, let alone work. I just bought a new AR 15 carrier and bolt from armalite about a year ago and it (the bolt) won't even chamber in an Army 1-12 chrome barrel. They are a great design but never forget that they are just a bunch of crap held together with roll pins. The fact that they work as good as they do and shoot so well is more a reflection of the caliber and design than any inherent quality of the combined parts. That said, I love my RR trigger, and proper assembly can really make or break the rifle.