All you ever wanted to know about the making of current AR-15s

[01coltcolt]

Here is a list of the AR-15 lowers/upper manufacturers. I found over the years, and compiled them here for folks. There maybe doubles in these lists. yeah I know? If you know of one NOT listed, please list it

Lewis Machine & Tool (Machinist)for:

LMT
Lauer
DS Arms
PWA
Eagle
Armalite
Knights Armament
Barrett


Continental Machine Tool (Machinist) For:



Stag
Rock River Arms
High Standard
Noveske
Century (New)
Global Tactical
CLE
S&W
MGI
Wilson Tactical
Grenadier Precision
Colt


LAR Manufacturing (Machinist) For:



LAR
Bushmaster
Ameetec
DPMS
CMMG
Double Star
Fulton Armory
Spike's Tactical


JVP (Machinist) For:



Double Star
LRB
Charles Daly


Mega Machine Shop (Machineist) For:



Mega
GSE
Dalphon
POF
Alexander Arms


Olympic (Machinist) For:



Olympic
SGW
Tromix
Palmetto
Dalphon
Frankford
Century (Old)


Sun Devil (Machinist) For:

Sun Devil forged billet receivers


Superior (Machinist) For:


Superior Arms
Lauer Tactical(New)


Aero Precision (Machinist) For:



Aero Precision
Surplus Ammo and Arms
Palmetto State Armory




Any other makers you guys can list please feel free if I missed them, Thank you

Zombie Defense

Sun Devil MFG

Advanced Defense Systems

JD Machining

Kaiser Defense

Stag Arms

Spike’s Tactical

Cobb Manufacturing, Inc.

Daniel Defense

C3 Defense

Tactical Innovations, Inc.

Rock River Arms

Armalite

Delaware Machinery

Superior Arms

Double Star Corp.

Essential Arms

Bushmaster Firearms

Fulton Armory

LWRC International

Smith & Wesson

Yankee Hill Manufacturing

Hughes Precision Products

DPMS

NoDak Spud LLC

CMMG, Inc.

SI Defense

Henderson Defense

Firebird Precision

Del-Ton, Inc.

Liberty Tactical L.L.C.

Tromix

Noveske Rifle Works

TNW Firearms, Inc.

Charles Daly Defense

SOCOM Mfg.

Sabre Defense

High Standard

L.A.R. MFG.

Alexander Arms

Aero Precision, Inc.

Olympic Arms

MEGA Machining

Bravo Company USA

Lauer Custom Weaponry

Blackheart International

Colt Defense



To clarify the Titles such as "Superior" "CMT", "LMT", ect are the machinest.
The INC. such as Colt Firearms, Armalite, Knights Armament, ect is the purchaser of parts to build said AR gun.
If you want to get more complicated look up the Key hole lower/upper forges that everyone is buying. This maybe a eye opener to you Name brand have to have buyers............

[Cole125]

Interesting. One you missed is JD Machine Tech.

http://www.jdmachinetech.com/

Edit: whoops you did list them. Well I have one of their lowers and its very high quality.

[Javelin]

It's not so much the parts but the lobotomy patients some of the these companies hire that put them together being the problem.

Past being true spec quality steel and proper forged aluminum QA/QC is everything in the AR game.

:wavey:

[Javelin]

I don't see Vltor on there....

Though I believe they make their own stuff in house.

:wavey:

[mixflip]

So do the machinists also own their own hammer forging machines?

[SFF900]

I'd like to add Primary weapons systems they make GREAT rifles!

www.primaryweapons.com

[Javelin]

So do the machinists also own their own hammer forging machines?

Not many but some do. Even Noveske runs their barrel blanks through the PacNor machinery plant (though their steel, requirements, setup, tooling etc. are all completely different than a PacNor barrel) and then they finish them up at their own shop.

But most just buy them in bulk from from big companies (FN, Wilson, etc comes immediately to mind) and then use them on their builds.

:wavey:

[8man]

What about Larue?

[WoodenPlank]

What about Larue?

I believe Sun Devil makes the LaRue billet uppers and lowers.

This should be in the Black Rifle forum, though, not general firearms. :whistling:

[JBnTX]

Does that list imply that Bravo Company USA makes it own AR-15's?

I only see their name in the long list at the bottom?

..

[01coltcolt]

Does that list imply that Bravo Company USA makes it own AR-15's?

I only see their name in the long list at the bottom?

..

Maker/assembler not machinest. I would call Bravo and ask whom machines their parts. More than likely its a machinest listed above. See the small square in front of BCM its the same forging mark thats on the DS Arms uppers Ive put together so my guess is=Lewis Machine & Tool (Machineist)
http://www.03designgroup.com/photo/bcm-complete-ar15-upper-and-lower-receivers/bcm-side-receiver.jpg

[JBnTX]

Thanks.

That does look like the LMT mark.

[rgb03]

Looks like the list from arfcom?

[Cmacc]

A worthwhile list like yours ought to have the word machinist spelled correctly. It's one of those pesky words thrown in to trip us up. Thanks for putting this together.

[01coltcolt]

Looks like the list from arfcom?

Not sure. But this and lots others like it have been around for awhile. I'm adding inputs if you guy have any?

[motorcyclist]

I belive PSA no longer uses Aero precision receiver castings.