Is this PSA upper and lower combo decent for the price? [Archive]

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heavygunner8

10-07-17, 19:18

grizzman

10-07-17, 19:27

Here we go again......

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heavygunner8

10-07-17, 19:29

Here we go again......

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What's wrong with it?

Kain

10-07-17, 19:30

sig1473

10-07-17, 19:35

Lots of mil-spec parts. Anyone agree?

Hardly.

heavygunner8

10-07-17, 19:35

Op, please go do a search on the site for PSA and you will get a metric ton of info on the general thoughts on the company, and you can make your choice from there. I will bank the general conscious at this time will be spend the extra couple hundred and get a Colt Trooper.

I already own a colt trooper m4. I understand PSA isn't well liked, since it seems most folks here say they're low quality, but if it's mil-spec, it's mil spec isnt it? According to that link, their bolts are MPI and HPT, I can't find any fault, unless there is something I'm missing.

bamashooter

10-07-17, 19:35

Upper: http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-18-rifle-length-223-wylde-1-7-stainless-steel-15-m-lock-upper-with-bcg-ch-mbus-sight-set-516446753.html

Lower: http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar-15-complete-blem-lower-magpul-acs-l-edition-fde-no-magazine.html

For $540, this seems decent from first glance. Lots of mil-spec parts. Anyone agree?

Not bad at all. Just cross your fingers and hope both are good.

Kain

10-07-17, 19:47

I already own a colt trooper m4. I understand PSA isn't well liked, since it seems most folks here say they're low quality, but if it's mil-spec, it's mil spec isnt it? According to that link, their bolts are MPI and HPT, I can't find any fault, unless there is something I'm missing.

Every part could be milspec, I doubt it honestly, in fact I can pretty well guarantee it. I doubt the GP is going to be to spec, probably speced for lower pressure steel cased ammo and not 5.56 NATO, granted this is more to do in most ways due to their average consumer, but the point remains. The lower has a carbine buffer, not an H or H2(Honestly don't remember which is standard these days in an M4), so that ain't milspec, the RE is milspec diameter, no reference to the dry film coating that would make it milspec or if it is made out of proper material, I doubt it is. There is also the issue that a rifle is more than the sum of its parts, and that is kind of the problem for most. While the AR is really a resilient design and can and will run with all kinds of changes in it that are outside the design spec, hell people kludge a piston onto it and they run, it still needs to be put together properly, and PSA's reputation doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies. If you are looking for a range toy, and want to go cheap, by all means buy the upper and lower, and run the hell out of it and come back with a review/report in 5-10K rounds. If you are looking for something for more, let's say social use, I'd personally be looking elsewhere. PSA can claim what they want, but they do not have the track record of delivering on those claims to the same degree as other brands that you will see others gravitating towards around here.

heavygunner8

10-07-17, 19:56

Every part could be milspec, I doubt it honestly, in fact I can pretty well guarantee it. I doubt the GP is going to be to spec, probably speced for lower pressure steel cased ammo and not 5.56 NATO, granted this is more to do in most ways due to their average consumer, but the point remains. The lower has a carbine buffer, not an H or H2(Honestly don't remember which is standard these days in an M4), so that ain't milspec, the RE is milspec diameter, no reference to the dry film coating that would make it milspec or if it is made out of proper material, I doubt it is. There is also the issue that a rifle is more than the sum of its parts, and that is kind of the problem for most. While the AR is really a resilient design and can and will run with all kinds of changes in it that are outside the design spec, hell people kludge a piston onto it and they run, it still needs to be put together properly, and PSA's reputation doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies. If you are looking for a range toy, and want to go cheap, by all means buy the upper and lower, and run the hell out of it and come back with a review/report in 5-10K rounds. If you are looking for something for more, let's say social use, I'd personally be looking elsewhere. PSA can claim what they want, but they do not have the track record of delivering on those claims to the same degree as other brands that you will see others gravitating towards around here.

So the brands I should go with if I want quality is BCM, Noveske, Larue, DD.. etc?

Kain

10-07-17, 20:29

So the brands I should go with if I want quality is BCM, Noveske, Larue, DD.. etc?

Kind of sort of, something like that. Words most here live by, "Mission drives the gear train." So do your due diligence and decide who fits the bill. It could be BCM, it could be Colt, could be DD, Sionics, SOLGWs, Centurion, or someone else. There are a number of companies putting out very good high quality rifles and gear. There are more putting out cut rate stuff that might be just good enough for some, and which they are relying on low information consumers, kind of like the media, who don't know what they don't know, and throwing out buzz words that make the person who knows just enough to to be dangerous, to go, "Oh, that is just as good!!" Educate yourself and read a lot of stuff before making a decision and make sure what you are buying actually fits your intended goal.

Which kind of brings me to the next question. What is the PSA build/assembly/whatever one might wish to call it, going to do that your Colt Trooper won't do? If you are looking for a "match grade" rifle, just because the barrel is stainless don't mean it match grade accurate. It is going to depend on the specs of the company buying it from whoever is manufacturing and their tolerances as well as their QC. Not to say that it might not be accurate, don't take that away from that, but for a little more money you might be able to get a better rifle.

Also some quick philosophy here, in the long run, what is $100, or $200, or even $300 dollars in a gun that you are going to shoot a lot? If you dropped $100 today, would you miss it in 3 months? Or even three weeks? What about a year, or two years. It is sometimes worth stepping back and considering are you buying what you want, or are you buying what you think will fill the roll of what you want because the price is a few dollars cheaper?

young_gun

10-07-17, 20:35

Upper: http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-18-rifle-length-223-wylde-1-7-stainless-steel-15-m-lock-upper-with-bcg-ch-mbus-sight-set-516446753.html

Lower: http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar-15-complete-blem-lower-magpul-acs-l-edition-fde-no-magazine.html

For $540, this seems decent from first glance. Lots of mil-spec parts. Anyone agree?

As an owner of a PSA rifle, I wouldn't even pay 540 cents for their garbage. BCM or Colt are the only ARs really worth it in my opinion.

ETA: That isn't to say other rifles are quality, but for the price BCM and Colt are a no brainer

heavygunner8

10-07-17, 20:35

Kind of sort of, something like that. Words most here live by, "Mission drives the gear train." So do your due diligence and decide who fits the bill. It could be BCM, it could be Colt, could be DD, Sionics, SOLGWs, Centurion, or someone else. There are a number of companies putting out very good high quality rifles and gear. There are more putting out cut rate stuff that might be just good enough for some, and which they are relying on low information consumers, kind of like the media, who don't know what they don't know, and throwing out buzz words that make the person who knows just enough to to be dangerous, to go, "Oh, that is just as good!!" Educate yourself and read a lot of stuff before making a decision and make sure what you are buying actually fits your intended goal.

Which kind of brings me to the next question. What is the PSA build/assembly/whatever one might wish to call it, going to do that your Colt Trooper won't do? If you are looking for a "match grade" rifle, just because the barrel is stainless don't mean it match grade accurate. It is going to depend on the specs of the company buying it from whoever is manufacturing and their tolerances as well as their QC. Not to say that it might not be accurate, don't take that away from that, but for a little more money you might be able to get a better rifle.

Also some quick philosophy here, in the long run, what is $100, or $200, or even $300 dollars in a gun that you are going to shoot a lot? If you dropped $100 today, would you miss it in 3 months? Or even three weeks? What about a year, or two years. It is sometimes worth stepping back and considering are you buying what you want, or are you buying what you think will fill the roll of what you want because the price is a few dollars cheaper?

The Colt serves all my purposes, mainly home defense, some range shooting. I just like AR rifles in general. Not really a purpose that I intend with them. I guess in that case, since I care about quality, I'll go with BCM. They're about twice as expensive as PSA, hope it's worth it.

Kain

10-07-17, 20:44

The Colt serves all my purposes, mainly home defense, some range shooting. I just like AR rifles in general. Not really a purpose that I intend with them. I guess in that case, since I care about quality, I'll go with BCM. They're about twice as expensive as PSA, hope it's worth it.

Given your response, I'd say you might be better off spending the money on ammo, training, and figuring out what aspects of the Colt you don't like, or like, or would like to change and then build or buying a rifle from there. Buying or building just because you can, while not a bad thing, can end up with you not gaining anything useful other than another gun taking up space, which while I have plenty of that, being proficient and learning generally is more useful, at least until you figure out what you want. This is especially evident in the AR market since it is nothing to put a rifle together opposed to collectors and such, of which there is an honest number of guys like that in the AR world, but they aren't doing what you and I are talking about here as far as our concerns with a rifle.

As far as quality, my experience with BCM, of which I have two rifles built with many of their parts and complete uppers, they are good, I like their midlength gas system, they have run well for me. The only issues I have had have been with craptastic Tula ammo, which is no surprise. Other than that they have been accurate, reliable, and I trust them. I have also found the company to be responsive and they do take care of their customers. That said, there are other companies who I feel are just as good in many ways. Do not rush to spend your money unless it is something that you have to have, also remember that black friday is just a month and half away, sales should be coming through pretty hot unless shit gets stupid.