Check your PM.
C4
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Sure, but he is out of the LE program and if you notice, parts are increasingly becoming "out of stock" on his website.
Give it some more time and you will most likely see nothing in stock (unless he has a buddy there or another LE dealer that is helping him out on the side).
C4
I also took Elmores AR15 class. I was yelled at quite a few times, but I learned a lot. I could never figure out why he wouldn't even touch on barrel changes.
I hope he's doing well in this economy.
Coming from what I have seen with most people, I can't blame him too bad.
Most people do not have the finesse or mechanical motor skills to remove a barrel without messing up the barrel nut teeth. By messing up the teeth, I mean even the lightest of distortion or marks which would not pass for a factory job.
It takes some decent amount of practice to do with and get the proper feel with the tools.
You cannot learn how to do this a few times in a class sitting a chair. You have to start working on your own guns to get this down.
What is so mystical about a barrel change?
1. People cannot get the wrench on square to the barrel nut or cannot get it pushed on all the way.
2. They use the improper wrench (3 prong) which doesn't distribute the torque over several teeth.
3. They can't get stuck barrels loose so they take a mallet to the wrench and distort teeth.
4. They tighten the upper vice block too tight in the vice and this distorts the threaded boss of the front of the upper receiver into a slight oval which makes barrel removal harder.
5. They don't use the proper grease or any at all. They use locktite on the barrel nut.
6. Pipe wrench or channel lock pliers on the barrel nut.
7. Propane torch on barrel nut.
8. Putting the upper in the freezer and then taking it out, water condenses on it, rust forms on barrel.
9. They use the clam shell vice blocks without putting a shop rag in between it and the upper. Failure to do this causes those rectangular scuff marks above the ejection port that look like shit and scream amateur.
10. They use a 1/2 drive breaker bar in the wrench which moves the center of torque 2" away from the centerline of the barrel. This pulls the wrench off the barrel nut and bends teeth. They should use a cheater pipe over the handle of the wrench instead.
This is just some of the more common things that idiots do.
Was there ever a conclusion, or rather any info at all regarding what the actual Reliability Package offered?
There is nothing mystical about a barrel change. Proper tools, training, and techniques are the key, and read the damn, FM, TM, or factory manual. Torque specs are used for a reason.
As Scotty has stated people do some really stupid things. I agree with that x 10. I have seen armorers do stupid things. Now I know for a fact that they went through the same training that I did, but it still happens. Cutting corners, using substandard equipment, and just overall laziness and lack of knowledge are the common denominator here.
As for what Mr. Elmore does, I can't speak of it. I have never seen a reliability job of his. Would I pay for it without the slightest clue of what is being done to my firearm? No. However some swear by his work, so that has to mean something to those that are seeing value in paying for it. YMMV. But I'll put $150 somewhere else.