worn anodizing in pivot pin hole on brand new Daniel Defense upper

[SouthwestAviator]

That's a call they're supposed to make through nonconformance reporting and quality/engineering disposition. If they can't meet the requirements (all of them, material, dimensional & anodizing) through rework, the parts get scrapped, or regraded (blem). They basically shipped non-conforming (blem) receivers and sold them as 1st quality, only question is whether they did it knowingly because someone would have to sign off on the decision to do it under any standard quality system.

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Couldn't it just be that everything was done right at the factory, but it's so tight that firing it causes the finish wear in the pin holes (there is almost no play between the upper and lower on mine)? I was told it was normal. My only concern is whether it will cause the receiver to have less service life. It’s present in the lower on mine.

ETA: I never noticed the finish wear in my pin holes until after I had about 1000 rounds through it. Not sure if I just hadn’t noticed it before then or if it was part of the break in.

[Androctonus]

Couldn't it just be that everything was done right at the factory, but it's so tight that firing it causes the finish wear in the pin holes (there is almost no play between the upper and lower on mine)? I was told it was normal. My only concern is whether it will cause the receiver to have less service life. It’s present in the lower on mine.

That seems unlikely. Potentially sacrificing receiver service life for an extra tight fit doesn’t seem like something DD would do. Tight fit is nice, but isn’t all that important.

[SouthwestAviator]

That seems unlikely. Sacrificing receiver service life for an extra tight fit doesn’t seem like something DD would do. Tight fit is nice, but isn’t really important.

Are you saying that the finish wear is unlikely to affect service life?

[Androctonus]

Are you saying that the finish wear is unlikely to affect service life?

No. I’m concerned about finish wear affecting service life. My upper may fit tight now, but wondering if the lack of finish will lead to a looser fit later. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t.

Seems unlikely that leaving pin holes without anodizing would be standard operating procedure for them. Don’t think they do that to have a tight fit, but with a reduced service life.

[Sry0fcr]

Couldn't it just be that everything was done right at the factory, but it's so tight that firing it causes the finish wear in the pin holes (there is almost no play between the upper and lower on mine)? I was told it was normal. My only concern is whether it will cause the receiver to have less service life. It’s present in the lower on mine.

From those pics, not likely. I'd imagine there's a whole batch of receivers just like it that they sent out.

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[Androctonus]

From those pics, not likely. I'd imagine there's a whole batch of receivers just like it that they sent out.

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Yeah, that’s probably true.

[Sry0fcr]

No. I’m concerned about finish wear affecting service life. My upper may fit tight now, but wondering if the lack of finish will lead to a looser fit later. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t.

Seems unlikely that leaving pin holes without anodizing would be standard operating procedure for them. Don’t think they do that to have a tight fit, but with a reduced service life.

Theoretically it could reduce service life, the holes are now bare aluminum now with no hardened anodized layer. In actual practice, how often are you swapping uppers?

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[SouthwestAviator]

Theoretically it could reduce service life, the holes are now bare aluminum now with no hardened anodized layer. In actual practice, how often are you swapping uppers?

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It’s not the swapping uppers I’m worried about. It’s once I get to high round counts. This sucks to even have to worry about with a $1600 rifle.

My wear looks a little different from the OP’s. It looks more like it was from firing as it’s in the direction of the the recoil and is spotty. Will post pics shortly. DD customer service assured me it was normal break in with the steel pins in an aluminum receiver.

[Androctonus]

On average, I separate uppers and lowers once or twice a week if I had to put a number on it.

[markm]

This is ARFCOM levels of goofball. There is nothing at all wrong with that upper.