I’ve had problems with both component quality and customer service with Palmetto State Armory. I will summarize the issues and then post my email exchange with them. Per forum policy I have tried to resolve the dispute with them privately, with no luck.

In May 2011 I ordered a PSA “premium” bolt carrier group, two of the PSA bolt assemblies (MPI/shot peened), and some other stuff not relevant here. Upon receiving the order I saw that one bolt had a burr on a lug that was parkerized and apparently a manufacturing defect. I emailed them and they sent me a UPS call tag and a replacement bolt that had no apparent defects. So far so good. Everything went in storage.

In November 2011 I built a 300 AAC Blackout upper from components, and decided to use the PSA “premium” BCG in it. In testing of the upper it fed, fired, and ejected, but would only lock the bolt back about 15% of the time. I did normal troubleshooting and finally noticed that the bolt carrier’s cam pin track was not the same shape or dimensions as any other bolt carrier I have – it didn’t extend as far down the side of the carrier at the rear end (where the cam pin is when the bolt is locked). I also found it difficult, but possible, to remove the cam pin for disassembly. I didn’t change anything else, or move any of the gas system components at all.

I installed a lightly used BCM BCG in the same upper and immediately had both proper function and the bolt locking back on empty 100% of the time. I also noticed odd wear patterns on the PSA bolt, which I think may be from it being shoved into locked position by a carrier that wasn’t quite right.

I contacted PSA with the problem and asked for a replacement. They indicated they would do so if I sent it back (no UPS call tag this time). I sent it back. They returned to me what is supposedly my original BCG that they “worked on” and test fired 30 rounds. The bolt on the returned BCG shows severe wear, worse than what I sent to them, along with minor damage to one lug that looks like an impact, and I cannot remove the cam pin for disassembly no matter how I fiddle with it. I haven’t tried being destructive on the cam pin, since I don’t see any reason to accept a defective BCG that was returned to me defective. The carrier appears to now have a properly machined track, and that track appears to be parkerized (not sure that's compatible with this being my original carrier "worked on") but I can't tell for sure since I can't disassemble it.

As in the emails below I told PSA, politely, that this was unacceptable and asked for a refund of my purchase price, or at the least a replacement NEW BCG and covering my costs of shipping the defective BCG back to them. They told me on January 13 that they could send me a UPS call tag and replace the BCG, and I accepted by reply email. Since then, only silence. I’ve followed up, and tried calling on the 27th with no answer and no ability to leave a message. I’m aware of the SHOT Show and would have understood a week of nothing because of that, but it has now been three weeks of silence.

The emails below have my identifying information removed but all the other text is unedited.