Originally Posted by
LRRPF52
The PA-10 is a great kit project for builders or buyers if you want to find out what can go wrong with these guns, and then spend a lot of time trouble-shooting and fixing them.
When you see a complete AR10 sold for $699, ask how much engineering, testing, and evaluation went into the product.
How extensive is the QC program for critical dimensions like chambers, gas ports, bore uniformity, vent holes, chrome carrier bore dims, gas ring metallurgy, spring metallurgy, etc. when you can just say, "Send it back and we'll replace it."
The AR10 world isn't like the AR15 where you can ride the coattails of established dims and the result of de-bugging after 60 years of constant military RDT&E.
From an engineering standpoint, it's a totally different rifle due to the 7.62 NATO cartridge characteristics in the bore and gas system, BCG weights, spring rates, Bolt Carrier travel distance, cartridge shape, projectile weight stack in the magazine, recoil effects on the mechanical interaction of the parts, particularly the magazine and cartridge stack.
Look at how long it took Knight's to get the SR25s to a level of reliability that is acceptable. Look at how many small tweaks have been made to the vent relief hole locations, angles, chamber dimensions, gas port locations, gas port diameters, gas rings, magazines, bolt catch metallurgy and inspections, mag catches, buffers, recoil springs, gas blocks, gas tubes, carrier guide rails...basically every aspect of the gun needed more research, development, testing, evaluation, and incorporation into production after extensive testing across fleet samples. That kind of work costs insane amounts of money because you need competent engineering and testing staff who require higher-than-average salaries, with tens of thousands of rounds and fleet sizes for rifle samples.
No way any of that is happening for $699 per rifle. Buyer gets to be the tester at that point. As long as people understand that and are ok with that, it's an acceptable builder's/tester's kit rifle. Should be fine for those who may plink or hunt with it a few times a year max. Not something I would expect to crank out a high round count successfully.
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