I used a PSA rifle kit I bought on Black Friday for my first AR build. Thus far it's fed every type of 5.56 and .223 round I've put through it and has come away unscathed. I've got maybe 3,000 rounds through it now and it's dead on from when I originally bought.

For the money I found it to be a great purchase and am very happy with it.

Edit: unfortunately I have no experience with the 2 other manufacturers you mentioned but at 100yds using irons I've outshot my friends Bushmasters, DPMS and M&P's. Maybe I built a good gun or got lucky but everyone who's fired it prefers it to their own rifle.

 

Thanks for your input!
I've heard a lot of people say (barring some event or action that might push the notion of ordering now rather than later) to wait for Black Friday because PSA runs REALLY good sales. I can only hope that the upper in particular I'm looking at might end up being on the list of "on sale" items... well... if I can wait for Black Friday

 

[QUOTE9=Grendel Prime;5713931]Thanks for your input!
I've heard a lot of people say (barring some event or action that might push the notion of ordering now rather than later) to wait for Black Friday because PSA runs REALLY good sales. I can only hope that the upper in particular I'm looking at might end up being on the list of "on sale" items... well... if I can wait for Black Friday [/QUOTE]

Between Black Friday to Christmas I find itincredible they manage to make money. Iirc my kit cost in the neighborhood of $450-500 before shipping

 

Kit meaning more than just an upper? Or was that just for the built upper?

 

good stuff for the price, for sure. I heard (but can't substantiate) they use FN barrels.

I've built 3 or so now with their parts for first AR buddies, and they all go bang and put holes about where they are pointed.

 

The ones with the cold hammer forged barrels (CHF) are from FN.

 

I reviewed my PSA Premiun upper a bit ago after a few thousand rounds. It has an FN made chrome lined barrel, but not one that is CHF.

https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=489721

good stuff for the price, for sure. I heard (but can't substantiate) they use FN barrels.

The rule of thumb is, if it is made by FN, then PSA will advertise it.

 

I bought one of their pre assembled chf pencil barrel, light weight uppers and it has been good. No problems. Shipping time was about one week. I will buy from them again at some point.

 

I've built PSA AR15s from lower parts kits, blemmed lowers, and complete barreled uppers. I have yet to have a problem.
Now, the PA10 I put together has been a different story. Same procedure, blemmed lower, lower parts kit, and barreled upper(less handguard). Performance has been less than stellar, though I think I have got the problems ironed out so accuracy testing can start.

 

Just like anything else, usually the more you pay the more attention to detail there is. Fit and finish is just ok. Good for a budget build.

 

Have you assembled any PSA kits? I assembled 2 Defender 16" kits and 1 stainless Freedom kit this week. Fit and finish were as good or better than my Colt. I will order more from them, either Defender or Premium kits.

 

Haven't purchased from them yet?, biggest problem I see is everything I want is always out of stock??

 

Yeah the upper I REALLY want is out of stock of course. There's a very comparable one in stock - with a clear difference that it isn't the FN barrel. I'd like that one if it comes back in, but there's no way to tell when / if that's going to happen any time that may patience will allow

Dollar for dollar though (not knowing when the other will be back in or how much it really will cost) I'm still torn between the Palmetto 18" rifle length w/o the FN barrel that is in stock, and a couple other 18" mid lengths I found... one in particular with a Wilson Arms bull barrel that looks like a really good deal for the money.

 

Don, the Defender kits do have the chrome lined CHF FN barrels. They also have the polished, nickel plated trigger group. You should try one.

Everything was good on the Freedom kit but the trigger. I will order a new trigger kit for it.

Thank you for telling me about PSA!

 

A year now and about 500 rounds for my Palmetto State Armory AR-15 that I assembled. No failures of any kind.

 

I've put at least 3,000 rounds through my PSA Premium carbine upper with FN barrel. It gets shot way more than my LE6920 and two BCM's. I'd own any PSA upper as long as it has an FN barrel on it. I don't really care for the PTAC or Freedom line because I want the best bang for my buck. I've done a bunch of orders with PSA, and have never had an issue. I've built several cold hammer forged and Premium PSA AR's and have had zero issues with any of them. Great uppers for the money.

Just traded a Swede Mauser for a PSA Premium upper with a Midwest Industries SS12 free float rail on it. Can't wait for it to show up, but it will probably get flipped down the road as I don't really need more than four AR15's.

 

I built a CQG AR15 using some parts that I acquired from PSA.

For that build, I purchased a spiral fluted 16" SS barrel. I like the quality. Ever planning ahead, I also purchased what they claimed to be a blemished stripped upper for about $25. Upon receipt of that upper, the only flaw that I could encounter was a slight change in the shading of the upper's finish.

 

One thing about PSA is they have several different levels of quality available. The "CHF" and "Premium" models are made by FN and are excellent. The "Freedom" and "Defender" lines are lesser quality but still on par with much of the Delton/DPMS/etc common stuff. The PTAC line is their lowest level and is functional but bottom of the line. If you want a sub $400 blaster then it's probably fine. I have one of the CHF uppers and am very pleased with it. Also several lowers and lower parts that have also been excellent.

 

What about the ones that don't particularly mark the "level"?

The one I'm looking at in particular is:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/psa-ar15-18-rifle-length-223-wylde-1-7-stainless-ssk15-upper-no-bcg-or-charging-handle.html
There's no mention of the "grade" of the upper, though it is using the SSK15 hand guard which seems to be a descent quality option.

There's one that is listed as a match:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-223-wylde-1-8-fluted-ss-match-ssk15-with-bcg-and-charging-handle.html
... but I was told the 416R is better than 416 (plus I don't need the BCG or charging handle)

but then there's this one that is listed as CHF and Match and 410 barrel... but of course it is out of stock:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-18-mid-length-chf-ss-223-wylde-1-8-sts15-upper-no-bcg-or-charging-handle.html

 

Me personally, I avoid stainless barrels like the plauge. With stainless when the barrel wears out it's shot, but at least with a quality chrome lined barrel you'll still be able to get decent groups even with a semi worn out barrel. Not so with stainless, when the barrel is worn it's toast.

I would look at this upper myself. http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-...sa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-15-free-float-a2-premium-upper-no-bcg-or-ch.html

Or, you could get on the watch list for this one if you're wanting more of an SPR'ish build. http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-...chf-5-56-nato-1-7-mid-gas-keymod-15-without-bcg-or-charging-handle-7779062.html

Black Friday is when the deals are EVERYWHERE. I'm holding out for Black Friday myself. I've sold a couple of guns, and it's making it oh so hard to do as money likes to burn a hole in my pocket.

 

Anything PSA , BUT PTAC

 

PTAC???
Please define.

 

Can't speak to the LPKs, didn't even know they offered more than one (price difference can't be too much? wonder if it's even worth it to make/carry both SKUs?)

Anyway, yeah I was speaking more about the important stuff (upper/barrel, bcg, bolt, etc.)