The LPK was always sourced to somebody, no? Who was it sourced to before and why is it a problem now?
Last I heard, the barrels were coming from TC.
My 15A bought 4/08 did come with a LMT bolt, but the carrier was a shrouded semiauto, not M16.
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I was kind of afraid this was the route this discussion would take...
It's not so much of a disadvantage as it is "less than ideal". Which isn't the point though. The point is that they were doing one thing and are now doing another, with the replacement being generally considered a lesser (however slightly) option than the part it replaces.
Colt changes things too. They're machining their safety selectors so they can be changed to the opposite side, and they're going to the smaller .154/5" pins, both of which are generally considered to be better (however slightly) options.
BTW, Rob, The Chart still shows the M&P15 bolt carrier as M16.
I've got a M&P15T that I purchased back around the first of 08' IIRC, and it's SN is 70xxx, and it's got all the improvements as far as I know:
>It has the S&W built lower,
>It has the pinned Troy gas block, not bolt-on,
>Appears to have an LMT BCG, Enhanced semi-auto (has the firing pin shroud like the full-auto version, but doesn't have the extra meat on the back like a full-auto, this is probably why rob_s listed them as full-auto on his chart, the "enhanced" AR15 BCG has more in common with the M16 version than the AR15 version, IMO), and has the upgraded extractor parts,
>It's gas key is staked very nicely,
>It has mil-spec buffer tube with a properly staked nut,
>Has the Troy MRF with the bolt, rather than the little spring-loaded push pin for lower-half disassembly,
As far as my LPK, when I compare it to my brother's Colt, or my buddy's LMT, there seems to be no difference - it's just you're basic, run of the mill single stage heavy, creepy AR trigger, about 7# pull, but it's still heads and tails better feeling than a DPMS trigger! How would one tell who made they're LPK??
IMHO if S&W would offer the M&P's in both 1/9" and 1/7" twists, to suit everyone, it would be a hard AR15 to beat!
In another post you opine that the new SA BCGs are "better" than the older FA ones. The older ones I saw had all the quality features of the newer SA ones, so how are they "the best" S&W has put out?
Can you enlighten us as to what other quality indicators are going up? Besides M4 cuts, which may or may not matter to a given user.
I only handle new ones about once a month, so I may be missing something that a dealer-who makes his living selling them- is aware of.