How Many Actually Manufacture their parts?

[Rustynuts]

Newb to AR's. Do the different vendors actually manufacture their own lowers/uppers? Dealer told me today that there are only a couple that make lowers and most just stamp their logo on pre-made lowers. True?

[hower610]

I bought a Coleman Tyler Freedom lower, they are made and stamped by Mega

[ARin]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

Newb to AR's. Do the different vendors actually manufacture their own lowers/uppers? Dealer told me today that there are only a couple that make lowers and most just stamp their logo on pre-made lowers. True?

in the grand scheme, ya, its kinda true. many of the smaller vendors that have their own lowers are having them produced by another manufacturer.

this list is a bit old, so some of the info may no longer be correct, but it gives you an idea of how stuff is farmed out.

LMT = LMT, Lauer, DS Arms, PWA, Eagle, Knights Armament, Barrett
CMT = Stag, RRA, High Standard, Noveske, (new) Century, Global Tactical, CLE, S&W, MGI, Wilson Tactical, Grenadier Precision, Colt
LAR = LAR, Bushmaster, Ameetech, DPMS, CMMG, Double Star, Fulton
JVP = Double Star, LRB
MMS = Mega, GSE, Dalphon, POF, Alexander Arms,
Olympic = Olympic, SGW, Tromix, Palmetto, Dalphon, Frankford, (old) Century
Sun Devil = Sun Devil forged billet receivers
Superior = Superior Arms

[John A.]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

Newb to AR's. Do the different vendors actually manufacture their own lowers/uppers? Dealer told me today that there are only a couple that make lowers and most just stamp their logo on pre-made lowers. True?

True.

The only 3 actual manufacturers that use their own CNC mills that I know of for the majority of parts for complete guns and they are Olympic Arms, and LMT (lewis machine and tool) and mega machine.

And to take it one step further, I believe that Olympic is the only one of those who make their own barrels whereas the others outsource that part- Though a very important part of the gun).

But even with those I listed above, they still outsource many other parts like springs and plastic furniture and other various small parts, but for the majority of the actual manufacturing, those are the only few "real" manufacturers that I know of that do their own recievers, and for those making every single part on a whole AR, I don't know of ANY that do.

Hope that helps answer your question.

[ARin]

mega doesnt make complete rifles, or even parts. only receivers.

Olympic and Colt are both supposedly complete in-house facilities. that does not mean however, that they HAVE NOT or WILL not in the future farm out certain parts to meet demands.

[jonny4523]

Essential arms?

[Bidah]

CMT, which is now Stag Arms, is and has been a military sub-contractor making parts for a long long time. A question for them is which parts they don't make.