Doublestar Patrol Carbine?

LettersFromEarth · #1 12-13-08, 19:08

I have been looking for a Colt 6520 (prices on those arent going crazy...yet) but a friend of mine has offered me a NIB Doublestar "Patrol Carbine" at a pretty good price (compared with a 6520 anyway). While Im not a fan of YHM rails or the GG&G sight that is on it $850.00 does seem to be an okay price and I could always sell/trade the offending parts. Opinions?

bkb0000 · #2 12-13-08, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by LettersFromEarth

I have been looking for a Colt 6520 (prices on those arent going crazy...yet) but a friend of mine has offered me a NIB Doublestar "Patrol Carbine" at a pretty good price (compared with a 6520 anyway). While Im not a fan of YHM rails or the GG&G sight that is on it $850.00 does seem to be an okay price and I could always sell/trade the offending parts. Opinions?

the doublestar parts ive seen have been kind of pieces of shit.. especially the lowers. one had so much sharp flash left in the trigger well it could literally cut someones finger.

its up to you, mang. you could put a good BCG in there and slowly start swapping out parts as they become available/you can afford to, and end up with a good rifle. in the end, you'll spend probably a little more than you would on a better rifle, but that doesn't necessarily mean you shouldnt do it.

complete cheap rifles don't possess the risk that cheap parts do.. there's more QC involved. in my opinion, the biggest risk with cheap manufacturers is having stuff be all out of spec and not even being able to assemble them. that said, i've recently had several parts from "quality" manufacturers go back for that reason... but this risk doesn't exist with a complete rifle- just gotta do the upgrades.

LettersFromEarth · #3 12-13-08, 21:04

The rifle LOOKs GTG and everything is nice and tight. The OEM trigger group has been traded in for "surplus"

FN parts and for the most part its a nice looking cabine. But Im just not feeling all warm and fuzzy about owning it. I really want the Colt. I got a jones for GAU type carbines and the DS could get me there but...its not a Colt.

bkb0000 · #4 12-13-08, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by LettersFromEarth

I got a jones for GAU type carbines and the DS could get me there but...its not a Colt.

whats GAU mean?

LettersFromEarth · #5 12-13-08, 21:34

Sorry!

Its Air Force speak for anything that fires a round. In this case its the older SP1 type carbines and they are called (by the AF) GAU-5's.

Iraqgunz · #6 12-14-08, 02:21

Correct me if I am wrong. Gun(s), Aircraft Unit. GAU-17 being one of my favorites.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LettersFromEarth

Sorry!

Its Air Force speak for anything that fires a round. In this case its the older SP1 type carbines and they are called (by the AF) GAU-5's.

Parabellum9x19mm · #7 12-14-08, 04:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkb0000

the doublestar parts ive seen have been kind of pieces of shit.. especially the lowers. one had so much sharp flash left in the trigger well it could literally cut someones finger.

i have a few DS lowers. they're all smooth. less flash than some Colt lowers i've seen.

i don't know about any of their other parts. i just like the lowers. they're inexpensive (at least they were inexpensive) and the roll mark is pretty small.

bkb0000 · #8 12-14-08, 04:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parabellum9x19mm

i have a few DS lowers. they're all smooth. less flash than some Colt lowers i've seen.

i don't know about any of their other parts. i just like the lowers. they're inexpensive (at least they were inexpensive) and the roll mark is pretty small.

have you assembled any? i dont really give a shit about finish- except for the one finish i spoke of, which was a hazzard- but finish is the only indicator you have of QC when looking at a lower, unless you have some kind of sizing jig or a caliper and spec sheet on hand to measure everything out. my fear is always getting something out of spec and having to return it... which i've had to do a couple times, recently. and it fuckin sucks.

bkb0000 · #9 12-14-08, 04:56

and actually, i can't believe i've never thought about doing it before- i'm going to take measurements from a known-good receiver, and i WILL measure everything out before i buy, at least in person. doesn't do any good for ordered parts.

Dave L. · #10 12-14-08, 05:13

Does Double Star make their own lowers or do they buy them?
I'm still a firm believer in "you get what you pay for".

bkb0000 · #11 12-14-08, 05:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave L.

Does Double Star make their own lowers or do they buy them?
I'm still a firm believer in "you get what you pay for".

Quote:

DoubleStar buys the best U.S. Mil-Spec parts available for all of its rifles.

this is from their website.. so they probably don't make them. they'd want to use that as a highlight if they did, im sure.

jar420 · #12 12-14-08, 05:21

[quote=LettersFromEarth;269465]Sorry!

Its Air Force speak for anything that fires a round. In this case its the older SP1 type carbines and they are called (by the AF) GAU-5's.[/QUOTE

The gun your're looking at should be ok...

Parabellum9x19mm · #13 12-14-08, 06:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkb0000

have you assembled any? i dont really give a shit about finish- except for the one finish i spoke of, which was a hazzard- but finish is the only indicator you have of QC when looking at a lower, unless you have some kind of sizing jig or a caliper and spec sheet on hand to measure everything out. my fear is always getting something out of spec and having to return it... which i've had to do a couple times, recently. and it fuckin sucks.

well, all you talked about was finish, so that's what i addressed

i've assembled 5 or 7 of them, most of them mine. those have been good. its a small sample, but whatever, they're not fucking blackthorne or vulcan or cast olympic. they're just as good as any of the stags, RRAs, bushmasters, armalites, etc. they work, they dont have the most cache` but you can make a fine build with one.

the Charles Daly M4-LE everyone here lusts over is built on a Double Star lower. are you saying that rifle a "piece of shit"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkb0000

this is from their website.. so they probably don't make them. they'd want to use that as a highlight if they did, im sure.

its not like doublestar are forging & machining their own lowers. noveske doesnt either. they're the same as all the other stripped lowers.

bkb0000 · #14 12-14-08, 07:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parabellum9x19mm

i've assembled 5 or 7 of them, most of them mine. those have been good. its a small sample, but whatever, they're not fucking blackthorne or vulcan or cast olympic. they're just as good as any of the stags, RRAs, bushmasters, armalites, etcs. they work, they're not the best but you can make a fine build with one.

its not like doublestar are forging their own lowers. noveske doesnt either. they're the same as all the other stripped lowers.

you know what? with all the problems i've had with my "top-quality" manufactured shit, i'm not going to argue with you. i actually put a bid on an essential arms lower on gun broker, for 130. it cant be any worse finish than my LMT, and it cant be any more out of spec than my sun devil. it doesn't come with an ergo pistol grip for me to BREAK, and it doesn't come with a daniel defense handguard that's broken at the welds. it also won't quote me 8-10 weeks and then, 8 weeks later, tell me it'll be another 6 months.

know where i can score some doublestars?

bkb0000 · #15 12-14-08, 07:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parabellum9x19mm

the Charles Daly M4-LE everyone here lusts over is built on a Double Star lower. are you saying that rifle a "piece of shit"?

whoa, snuck an edit in on me... chill out, holms- i didn't say doublestars were pieces of shit- i said "the parts i've seen have been kind of pieces of shit." and that's the truth.

any constructed rifle has added QC- the parts are subject to more hands and eyes, and if they're out of spec they most likely cant even be assembled- therefor Charles Daly rifles are filtered doublestar receivers. stripped receivers pumped out en masse and distributed are only subject to the guy who clears them from the shop and the gun dealer than unpacks them before you get it.

Parabellum9x19mm · #16 12-14-08, 07:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkb0000

whoa, snuck an edit in on me... chill out, holms- i didn't say doublestars were pieces of shit- i said "the parts i've seen have been kind of pieces of shit." and that's the truth.

any constructed rifle has added QC- the parts are subject to more hands and eyes, and if they're out of spec they most likely cant even be assembled- therefor Charles Daly rifles are filtered doublestar receivers. stripped receivers pumped out en masse and distributed are only subject to the guy who clears them from the shop and the gun dealer than unpacks them before you get it.

i edit too much, dun.

all i've seen are the stripped lowers, i wont speculate on any other parts or complete rifles.

i won't speak for all the double star lowers either, i'll just speak for the ones i've put together. those ones have been fine.

in fact, the only problem i've ever had with a lower was with a high-dollar billet.

SoDak · #17 12-14-08, 11:00

There was a post about this on TOS. I hope it's ok to link it.
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.htm...f=118&t=412497

The only post over there that I foud interesting was the one from the guy who worked for a contractor. I'm not sure how much one should take away from what he said, but it makes doublestar look a bit better.

warpigM-4 · #18 12-14-08, 14:18

LAR makes the doublestar lowers.The one i got has no flash very smooth.I like the rollmark it is small and looks better than that damn deer head

bkb0000 · #19 12-14-08, 14:26

hmm.. actually, i think i knew that. in fact, i think there's a couple manufacturers that make doublestar, depending on whatever it depends on. i'll look into that.

sidetrack- anyone know who makes delton lowers?

LettersFromEarth · #20 12-14-08, 15:29

I will say this IS a nice carbine. I've got zero time with DS and Im glad to see the opinions coming in regarding same. I've always "rolled my own" when it comes to ARs so buying one off the shelf is a new thing for me. But Im not so sure getting it will cure my want for a Colt (and I know getting a Colt isnt going to make me wish for a DS) but $850.00 is still a good price for a weapon that seems GTG as is.