ah, so i dumped my knight's and picked up a ratty Essential Arms lower ...

[30 cal slut]

Whilst training during LAV/Hackathorn Low Light I this past weekend, I had some serious feeding issues with my Knight's SR-15 "M4"model.

Back in Feb, a well-respected trainer (hint: "that's as wrong as two boys f*cking") his reservations about the quality of Knight's stuff. Accurate shooters, but not reliable, or something to that effect.

This weekend the damn thing wouldn't properly chamber a round with a half-full p-mag. Ken and some other folks peeked into the chamber and noted that the way the feed ramps were cut were likely contributing to the consistent misfeeding problem.

I had a bushie/POF gen I gas piston upper with me as a backup ... switched to it and it worked much better.

Came home from class and the next day trotted out to my local vendor. Traded in my Knight's for a ratty Essential Arms lower (pre-1993 as is mandated by my state law) and a Bushie DI upper.

Question for the guys in the know:

Is it worth it to upgrade all the lower internal parts (trigger, hammer, disconnector, spring, pins, buffer tube, spring)? It came with a RRA M4 folder. I'm also thinking of sending the lower in to U.S. anodizing to get it refinished.

Open to suggestions ... it's been a while since I've tinkered with AR innards.

thx...

-slut

[NoBody]

Whilst training during LAV/Hackathorn Low Light I this past weekend, I had some serious feeding issues with my Knight's SR-15 "M4"model.

Back in Feb, a well-respected trainer (hint: "that's as wrong as two boys f*cking") his reservations about the quality of Knight's stuff. Accurate shooters, but not reliable, or something to that effect.

I respect the heck out of LAV's opinion and he sees everything with all of his experience and courses he teaches. I've owned a Knight's SR-15 M4, M5, and SPR. My SR-15's all had great triggers, accurate shooters, and not a single malfunction of any kind. Of course, I never ran them hard and only used South African surplus (Remington Match for the SPR) ammo with USGI magazines. KAC's has always had great quality, but lack luster customer service.

[M4arc]

Why did you have to trade the lower? Couldn't you have just slapped a new upper on the Knights lower and been good to go?

Is the EA lower cast or forged?

[30 cal slut]

Ken had spotted something about the alignment of the lower that was preventing proper seating of the p-mags.

Please note: I'm not an expert on the AR design. I was also motivated to swap the entire rifle because the pre-2003 Essential lower allowed me to legally possess it in a pre-ban configuration (I live in a state where we have silly AW bans). The Knight M15 was a post-ban receiver and I couldn't affix a pre-ban upper on it w/o committing a felony.

[NoBody]

I would have tried USGI magazines myself to see if the issue was the carbine of the Pmags.

[30 cal slut]

I would have tried USGI magazines myself to see if the issue was the carbine of the Pmags.

sorry, forgot to mention I had same issue with USGI mags as well as a bunch others (c products stainless etc). funny thing was, HK mags worked okay for a while.

[NoBody]

Just curious, but where do you live, Slut?

[M4arc]

Is the EA lower you received forged or cast?

[30 cal slut]

Just curious, but where do you live, Slut?

PR CT.

[30 cal slut]

Is the EA lower you received forged or cast?

i have no idea ... will have to take a peek. should i be concerned either way?

[DrMark]

I hope you didn't throw the baby out with the bathwater, that is, trade the entire gun based on something that was easily correctable. Regardless, good luck with the EA.



Just curious, but where do you live, Slut?
Last time I used that line, I got slapped! :eek:

[M4arc]

i have no idea ... will have to take a peek. should i be concerned either way?

Well cast lowers are not as strong as forged lowers but I have a buddy that has an old cast EA lower that probably has 25K through it and he hasn’t had a problem so…

Is the logo/lettering raised or engraved on the lower?

[30 cal slut]

Well cast lowers are not as strong as forged lowers but I have a buddy that has an old cast EA lower that probably has 25K through it and he hasn’t had a problem so…

Is the logo/lettering raised or engraved on the lower?

i'll have to check, but i think the lettering is engraved, now that i think about it.

[M4arc]

i'll have to check, but i think the lettering is engraved, now that i think about it.

If it's engraved (recessed) then you have a very rare forged Essential Arms lower. A very good find in my opinion but since you live in a ban state I would double check to make sure it is indeed a pre-ban.

[khc3]

What did the people at KAC say about your problem?

[30 cal slut]

What did the people at KAC say about your problem?

nothing, i couldn't get in touch with them on the phone.

the thing shot really well until it hit about the 800 rd mark (federal m855 pd), then it had consistent feeding problems.

[30 cal slut]

If it's engraved (recessed) then you have a very rare forged Essential Arms lower. A very good find in my opinion but since you live in a ban state I would double check to make sure it is indeed a pre-ban.


oh Lordy, that's good news because I think I have two of them (one set up as a 9mm CAR on a RRA upper).

These are most definitely pre-ban, since I purchased them from a prominent FFL that keeps records of manufacturing dates.

[NoBody]

nothing, i couldn't get in touch with them on the phone.


Thus you confirm my original statement about their customer service.

[30 cal slut]

Thus you confirm my original statement about their customer service.

Yup, I called several times (but to be fair I didn't leave a msg). I suppose if they're busy making stuff for the military, I can understand if they're a small shop.

But when LAV says I've got junk ... da rifle ain't working on less than 1K rounds, it's a postban gun, and I can't reach the co... well, let's just say I ain't a very patient guy. Truth be told, I've gotten better service from HK.