Armalite Parts and Customer Support

[axarob44]

I lost a firing pin retaining pin recently for my older Super SASS, which by the way a very accurate rifle with excellent fit and finish. Armalite has farmed all their parts out to a company called "Every Gun Part.com" out of Nevada. So I had to order a BCG replacement parts kit which came to about $90 all said and done. I still wanted to put away a couple extra retaining pins so I asked Armalite if I could buy a couple retaining pins because I couldn't find any other pins that fit the Armalite BCG. I tried Larue, JP and neither fit. So I can't find any on the secondary market that would work. Others are listed and from what I can tell all are made for the DPMS standard.

I called Armalite and was told they wouldn't sell me just a few retaining pins because " It's simply not worth our time or money". I talked to a rep at Armalite and I gave him my credit card number for five pins at $1 a piece ( I think that's what he quoted me). He said he would try to get some out to me. Never got any pins, no deal I guess. I will order another kit at $90 dollars. So they have the time for you when you buy a rifle but not worth their time to sell you parts after the sale. Yeah, I'm poor and all that but $90 for a retaining pin kind of sucks.

Anyone know of a place to get some retaining pins that fit a B-Series Armalite Bolt carrier?

ETA: This is after I waited a month as they were moving their factory to Texas I believe. So this request was after they moved and at least 2 weeks when I gave them my CC number. No charge on the card, so I guess they couldn't allow it.

ETA: Armalite came through for me I finally got a shipment notice for the firingpin retainer pins. Don't know if someone there saw this post but they are being sent. If Armalite monitors this forum, THANK YOU! It is appreciated!

 

[Jsp556]

Armalite AR10 Field Replacement Kit - For Sale - DSG Arms -

Armalite AR10 Field Replacement Kit This kit has everything useful to perform minor repairs to keep your rifle running for decades. Includes helical spring ele

dsgarms.com

$60 You’re welcome. Lol Might as well pick up an extra B series Bolt catch. I think they’re $16

Good thing is that it’s cheap to keep B series armalites running.

 

[axarob44]

Wow! They must have had a shipment come in because none of that stuff was on DSG's website a month ago. I have one of those sets and will buy another but I was looking for just the retaining pins without buying the whole kit. I guess I won't be able to do that.

They make the AR15 retaining pin available separately but not the AR10. $60 plus tax and shipping for the pin sucks.

I did find the one I initially lost so that's a plus I guess

 

[LRRPF52]

One thing I’ve been very cognizant of and wondering how it will all play out is the product market in these price points that just aren’t worth the squeeze for a company. It’s not just in this industry, but in everything. Inflation is vacuuming out the US-made lower price point goods and services that aren’t high-volume sales because these companies have to maintain payroll and operations while showing some type of growth.

None of them get special discounts on groceries, automobiles, home appliances, etc., so their prices and SKUs need to be higher. Things that used to be loss-leaders or marginal are no longer affordable at-all, and take up time being spent trying to stay afloat.

Look at what happened to Bushmaster/Windham Weaponry, which was really a series of strategic mistakes in acquisitions and branding. Bushmaster made some of the best chrome-lined barrels for AR-15s in the market and had a solid list of rifles that dominated distributor sales in Accusport and Ellett Bros. They’re gone, other than some no-names who acquired the brand (after Freedom Group sold off everything upon completion of bankrupting all the big brands it had under its wings. DPMS, Remington, Bushmaster, and Marlin.)

The companies who specialize in mass-produced forged receivers and nitrided barrels with more modern advertising have commanded much of the market that is not really deserved with the configurations or “quality” of their products, but they know how to maintain the attention of habitually-deficient ADHD types.

ArmaLite has not done that, even though they made the best large frame AR for the money, with the best BCG design. It’s not a good sign to see lack of small parts support with the sale of the brand to SAC. ArmaLite Inc. used to have such great parts support, that several of the other large frame AR-10 companies relied on their parts.

The engineering done on the ArmaLite Inc./Eagle Arms 1996-forward AR-10s is very solid, and overlooked by DPMS and the other imitators. KAC primarily services military clients and is in a price point only accessible to high-income customers, because they have so many contracts you will never hear about for various DoD and FMS clients for parts and systems that are specific to their end-users.

ArmaLite Inc. is great for the working and middle class customer, with a solid design that isn’t plagued with all of the issues the others are. They figured out their own TDP long ago on how to make a .308 or .308-based cartridge work in the AR-10 receiver set size, with parts that actually hold up over time and in all conditions.

If SAC adjusted their marketing model, updated some of the SKUs, and figured out how to gain the attention of the ADD crowd, it would help the brand out. I’d like to see a smaller frame receiver set with all of their other nuances, but I wonder if they have the engineering expertise anymore.

 

[GhostFace]

Well, during the 2016 election I picked up another B model because like most people I thought Hitlery would win. I also picked up a ton of spare parts from Armalite and DSG because the Dems had a ban planned for parts on semiautomatic. I have enough to build a couple of more rifles if i had the recievers. About the only thing I don't have a spare of is a bolt carrier. Hmm....I think I'll change that as soon as I finish here.

It's never a bad thing having spare parts. You'll never know when you'll need them. Armalite is so well built the only thing I had to replace are barrels. The rest of the parts are original to the rifles.

I say stock up on a couple field repair kits, bolts and bolt catches. Grab a barrel later when you have some extra cash burning a hole in your pocket.

 

[Jsp556]

The engineering done on the ArmaLite Inc./Eagle Arms 1996-forward AR-10s is very solid, and overlooked by DPMS and the other imitators. KAC primarily services military clients and is in a price point only accessible to high-income customers, because they have so many contracts you will never hear about for various DoD and FMS clients for parts and systems that are specific to their end-users.

ArmaLite Inc. is great for the working and middle class customer, with a solid design that isn’t plagued with all of the issues the others are. They figured out their own TDP long ago on how to make a .308 or .308-based cartridge work in the AR-10 receiver set size, with parts that actually hold up over time and in all conditions.

If SAC adjusted their marketing model, updated some of the SKUs, and figured out how to gain the attention of the ADD crowd, it would help the brand out. I’d like to see a smaller frame receiver set with all of their other nuances, but I wonder if they have the engineering expertise anymore.

As bad as I hate to say it, they need a good social media Influencer on the payroll. The rifles are solid and would live up to the expectations.

 

[axarob44]

I am more than pleased with the quality. I'm impressed every time I shoot it and clean it. The barrel is unbelievably smooth the thing just doesn't foul at all. Bolt gun accurate. Every part is solid. I have been putting away parts when I can. I'll just have to be very cautious when I take the BCG apart. I guess the old days of sending a self addressed envelope with a $20 bill inside for a couple of retaining pins is in the past. It just rubbed me the wrong way when he told me it wasn't worth their time. Well, it was when I bought the rifle. So $90 pins is what it is. I probably won't buy another which is kind of sad because they make (made?) a great rifle.

Actually I was looking at a 6.5 upper they sell but I have no idea if they build them to the same standard as they did in 2009. They really don't list any of the specs for that upper. If you can't tell me what it's made of why should I jump through the hoops? Nothing to explain what type of barrel. Are they made by Armalite? How are they made. It's like they put no effort into telling me what I'm buying. There are so many options these days, tell me why I should pick your offering. Easier to just build one.

 

[Jsp556]

They had the 6.5 barrels at Optics Planet for a while. Description was about the same as the SASS barrels. “Triple lapped” stainless etc. I skipped it since most people say that 22” 6.5 barrels need rifle +2 gas and the barrel was rifle gas.

 

[axarob44]

So much info

This description I'm not sure is right. Says chrome lined?

here The 20" says stainless steel. Would be nice to know on the actual website plus that's for an A-Series

 

[GhostFace]

As bad as I hate to say it, they need a good social media Influencer on the payroll. The rifles are solid and would live up to the expectations.

I've been saying since about '03 or so after owning a couple for a few years that whomever was their marketing person needed fired. If half the people knew that Gene (I forget his last name) and Karl Lewis from LMT worked on the Armalite AR-10 program their heads would spin. There is a alot of DNA shared with Armalite, LMT and KAC.

Armalite was the first (modern times) to use the spring loaded firing pins, A5 length RET and the only to have a balanced bolt lug design. They also used slow speed photography to do a few other things to enhance reliability.

They need to really hire someone to market their guns and have a presence on the boards.

ETA I don't think they sale chromed lined barrels anymore. When I bought two right after their move to Arizona I was told there were only hand full left and they were moving toward nitride and SS barrels. Maybe something might have changed since then or maybe it's a typo....

 

[BCP]

A month ago I lost some screws out of my ARMS rings. They sent me replacements for free. Leupold sent me a couple spare Allen’s and a turret screw thing for free. Armslite should’ve taken care of you imho.

Oh the stribog people sent me a free recoil spring no charge.

Armalite just being lazy lol.

 

[axarob44]

Armalite is sending the pins. Got a notice today. Don't know if they saw this post, either way it is appreciated. Thank you! The little things matter.