Anyone with experience with STS Arms?

[bullitt]

I'm looking at buying a stripped lower from STS Arms (http://stsarms.com/) and was hoping to get some feedback. I'm mainly interested because they are local to my area and I'm hoping to get a good quality lower w/o paying the transfer fee to have one shipped to my local FFL from Noveske or someone else. Plus I can get one from them in any color under the sun. My only hold back is that no one seems to know anything about them or their reputation since they are pretty new. I was able to talk to the owner at a recent gun show.

This is what I learned:

-I was told they are sort of an off-shoot of Next Generation Arms(I think they moved into Next Gen's old shop when they moved to Idaho).
-They specialize in ceramic coating
-The owner told me ceramic coating in and out is the only way to get a truly reliable gun(that doesn't really surprise me since he sells ceramic coated guns)
-He said he gets his barrels and some other components from JT Distributing
-I've field stripped one of his guns at a local dealer and it has properly staked gas key, MPI marked bolt, M4 ramps, etc.
-They say their guns are mil-spec(f-marked sight, pin hole diam, etc.)
-I did hear one first hand report from someone who shot an STS Arms gun and they were impressed with how smooth it shot.

What worries me:
-Some of the things he said are counter to what everyone else I've talked to has told me, mostly his opinions of BCM, Noveske, and LMT quality.
-LMT, Noveske Colt, DD, BCM will likely still be in business in 20+ years. Worried about long term product support.
-Seems like if ceramic coating was as big of a deal as they make it sound that every quality manufacturer would be doing it.

So far my experience talking with them has been very good. They seem eager to make customers happy. I see the ceramic coating as more of an added bonus than a necessity.

If anyone has anything to add I'd love to hear it. Thanks.

[Iraqgunz]

If your bullshit meter went off, there is probably a reason why.


I'm looking at buying a stripped lower from STS Arms (http://stsarms.com/) and was hoping to get some feedback. I'm mainly interested because they are local to my area and I'm hoping to get a good quality lower w/o paying the transfer fee to have one shipped to my local FFL from Noveske or someone else. Plus I can get one from them in any color under the sun. My only hold back is that no one seems to know anything about them or their reputation since they are pretty new. I was able to talk to the owner at a recent gun show.

This is what I learned:

-I was told they are sort of an off-shoot of Next Generation Arms(I think they moved into Next Gen's old shop when they moved to Idaho).
-They specialize in ceramic coating
-The owner told me ceramic coating in and out is the only way to get a truly reliable gun(that doesn't really surprise me since he sells ceramic coated guns)
-He said he gets his barrels and some other components from JT Distributing
-I've field stripped one of his guns at a local dealer and it has properly staked gas key, MPI marked bolt, M4 ramps, etc.
-They say their guns are mil-spec(f-marked sight, pin hole diam, etc.)
-I did hear one first hand report from someone who shot an STS Arms gun and they were impressed with how smooth it shot.

What worries me:
-Some of the things he said are counter to what everyone else I've talked to has told me, mostly his opinions of BCM, Noveske, and LMT quality.
-LMT, Noveske Colt, DD, BCM will likely still be in business in 20+ years. Worried about long term product support.
-Seems like if ceramic coating was as big of a deal as they make it sound that every quality manufacturer would be doing it.

So far my experience talking with them has been very good. They seem eager to make customers happy. I see the ceramic coating as more of an added bonus than a necessity.

If anyone has anything to add I'd love to hear it. Thanks.

[warpigM-4]

If your bullshit meter went off, there is probably a reason why.

what he said !!


JT Distributing is Double Star if I am Not mistaken .

[STS Arms]

I'm looking at buying a stripped lower from STS Arms (http://stsarms.com/) and was hoping to get some feedback. I'm mainly interested because they are local to my area and I'm hoping to get a good quality lower w/o paying the transfer fee to have one shipped to my local FFL from Noveske or someone else. ...

The lowers STS uses are not manufactured in house. This is a good thing. We supply using the same manuf. Spike's Tactical and many others use.

This is the mission for rifles produced by STS: get good components, try to produce an affordable rifle. We're still sourcing components even as we are producing the first rifles with mainly JT parts. If a person wants it built using some other parts, we can, but it won't be $1250 retail anymore.

As for the coating and no major manufacturers using it, there are two reasons for that. First, the coating process is labor intensive and while the coatings are superior, the process costs way more than the $12 Colt spends in aggregate anodizing and parkerizing their rifles. Second, anodizing was new at some point, too and no major manufacturer was doing it either.

[bullitt]

STS,

I'm somewhat ignorant about the details of ceramic coatings. Are your coatings air cured or heat cured? How does it hold up to moisture/knocks/dings?

[bullitt]

STS,

I'm somewhat ignorant about the details of ceramic coatings. Are your coatings air cured or heat cured? How does it hold up to moisture/knocks/dings?

Nevermind, I found the answers to my questions on your website. Thanks

[STS Arms]

STS typically uses only oven cure H, two part coatings on the externals. The internals are done with Microslik and we're currently investigating the use of oven cure H on the bolt carriers and some other parts. We use air cure for some parts that can't be baked.