Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackZeda
I would love to get some input from my Z-brothers regarding an AR build.
Currently I have a mid-length rifle which works perfectly, but due to my mentality (minor OCD? having German heritage? being a Virgo?) it bugs me that the lower (YHM) and upper (CMMG) don't match. The solution seems simple...just get a YHM upper, but those haven't been available for over a year and I can't find one at the numerous gun shows that I have attended. Also, I am not happy with the CMMG at all. It seems to scrap material off the BCM Gunfighter CH which doesn't seem to be an issue with my Bushmaster uppers.
So I am looking to get a high-quality matched upper and lower set, which will be my last 5.56 AR rifle. I am highly motivated to buy a Noveske matched upper and lower receiver set from Rainier Arms, but I have been waiting weeks for one to become available:
Rainier Arms, LLC™ | Browse | Receivers - Lowers | Noveske Upper/Lower Matched Set
While waiting and browsing on their site I have come across a Mega Arms billet matched upper and lower receiver set:
Rainier Arms, LLC™ | Browse | Receivers - Lowers | Mega Billet Upper / Lower / CH - Combo
After reading up on the Mega Arms receiver marketing literature and reviews it sounds like it is on par with Noveske, plus it definitely has a cool, unique look. Plus it is at least $100 more expensive and made of a higher grade of aluminium.
So, should I go for the Mega Arms over the Noveske? Or am I being seduced by marketing hype? Do you see any drawbacks with that design?
Thanks in advance for your responses!
BTW, any suggestions for the lower and upper receiver parts would be appreciated as well. I am about to order a Geisselle trigger in order to make this an ultimate AR. |
Noveske uppers and lowers are 7075-T6 aluminum, same as the Mega. The difference is that like most ARs, the Noveske is machined from a forging whereas the Mega is machined from a billet. The lack of stress relieving in the billet machining process arguably results in a weaker end product, and as a result one often finds that the billet products end up being thicker/heavier than their forged counterparts with reinforcements in key areas. If not done well, you can get cracking in some of those areas. Bottom line, no real advantage and mostly marketing hype. Another downside of billet is that some parts may not work with a billet lower (BAD lever, some of the lower parts, Redi-Mags, etc.) Not saying Mega is bad, it's just not superior in any way, other than the fact that it's more readily available.
I have a VIS upper on my Noveske Light Recce. It's nice, but it is heavy. I also have a couple of rifles I built from Noveske matched uppers/lowers. I have yet to be able to ascertain, no matter how much I try to fool myself, that the rigidity of the VIS gives me any kind of advantage over the other two rifles.
Giessele triggers are excellent. They're all I use (all SSA's) and I've never had reason to regret that. I never buy lower parts kits. The quality is too variable. If you are considering a Giessele FCG, and a BAD safety selector, and some kind of grip other than standard, check out G&R Tactical. Grant has mix-and-match LPK's wherein he selects higher quality. Personally, I buy the FCG, grip, safety selector all separately. I then go to Brownells and buy a Colt bolt release and mag release (had too many off-the-shelf LPK's come with crappy parts like that), then all the other springs and detents separately.