Do you know the definition of quality?
The military’s set of specifications (mil-spec, get it?) is contained within the TDP (Technical Data Package). The TDP carries a lot of weight with you guys and for good reason. It’s just about the only published (even if it is proprietary) specification for manufacturing a “known quantity” carbine/rifle. It has become the defacto standard, not on its merit alone but because no other standard has been published. Does this mean that anything that does not meet the TDP specification is “low quality”? This seems to be the dominant view, and I would say that it’s wholly incorrect. Phillip Crosby defines quality as conformance to requirements, not goodness or elegance. Learn this definition and understand it.
If I were to order 12 DPMS carbines from a distributor and they send me 13 6920’s is this a non conformance? Absolutely. The distributor failed to meet the requirements of my P.O. despite me receiving “more” & “better”. Similarly, the military has certain requirements. For example 1:7 twist 4150 MIL-B-11595E chromed lined barrels, with a specific gas port size, & a notched barrel. The 1:7 twist is to stabilize M856 tracer rounds, and the 4150 barrels hold up better to sustained automatic firing, the gas port is sized to attain a cyclic rate of 700-950 RPM only with 5.56 NATO pressure ammunition and the notch is to mount a M203 grenade launcher.
Are your requirements similar?
Why do we demand the mil-spec when the “me-spec” is more applicable?
Do we know enough about the platform to make decision about which parts of the mil-spec can be deviated from and when?
My intent here is not to justify people’s purchase of “inferior” equipment, but to bring awareness of what quality actually is and the importance of being able to define requirements of the end user and to enable us to be “thinkers” not “followers”. If you’re able to determine your own requirements find something that meets those requirements then do so & be able to explain why you deviated. If not then buy the known quantity but admit that your opinion is unqualified. The truth is, while I appreciate the effort rob_s has put into The Chart, I think that he’s created a monster because people lack the knowledge to understand what they’re looking at (to be fair he tried to explain the features) or what quality is… much less how to achieve it. Some folks will balk at the idea that one of the key principles of quality is to cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality but it wouldn’t make it less true.
Randy B. - Quality Systems Analyst
ASQ Certified Quality Improvement Associate
ASQ Cetrified Quality Process Analyst pending
API/ISO Internal Quality Auditor