I did contact PSA and try to get this straightened out, but the best I could get was a return and refund so this is just an FYI for potential buyers
A little background: I've purchased 2 uppers previously with PSA and both had to go back to have the barrel assembly realigned. Both came back with "yeah these were out of spec, sorry" letters so kudos to CS and the techs.
I recently received a "Hammer Forged Mock Mid Length Premium Dissipator Stripped Upper" and the first thing I do is try to affix a set of MOE Rifle Length Hand guards. The fit was a no go and as I look at the stock round handguards and realized that they were bulging at the center. They were a little too tight. As I looked at the upper, minus the handguards, I noticed that the endcap was a little off center in terms of it's lateral axis.
http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag27/Checkfoo/Diss2_zpsc6ff81df.jpg
My attention was then drawn to how it, the endcap, was affixed to the Front Sight Block. I did a little research on dissipators and found that all the examples, I had found, used a press fit pin that replicated the diameter of the gas tube. The one I had received used a screw with a head that exceeded the diameter of the gas tube. This, combined with the end cap angle, made mounting the moe hadguard impossible.
http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag27/Checkfoo/Diss1_zps2c4a4f75.jpg
The icing on the cake for me was a third discovery I made when I was examining the barrel itself. I noticed that the barrel was exactly identical to My PSA Mid Length, non dissipator, upper's barrel. This is odd considering the sight block locations. Most A2 profile barrels are contoured to .750" where the gas blocks or sight towers affix, depending on the gas system length, and then drop off to .735" A dissipator using an A2 profile barrel typically maintains a .750" diameter from the low profile gas block to the sight tower location. So the PSA version of a dissipator I had used a .750" clamp on a .735" barrel. It is pinned but....
http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag27/Checkfoo/diss3_zps7ec87f8c.jpg
Is the tolerance of this fit a non issue and will it hold up to abuse? I honestly have no idea. Even though it is pinned my confidence is low. I contacted PSA CS and the gentleman I spoke to had never heard of the issues I was having so it may not be an issue with every dissipipator upper they sell,.....mabye. He also was not able to relay to me that he had a real idea of what I was taking issue with. I was not able to exchange the upper for a different model as per PSA policy. Instead of me sending it back, on my dime, and exchanging it, they require a deposit of funds. Considering the POS I received I opted for a return tag and said thank you anyway.
If anyone has a PSA Dissipator that was assembled with the correct diameter barrel using the proper end cap attachment method please let me know. This could be an isolated incident. I wasn't able to actually speak to an assembly tech so I couldn't actually talk shop. I'm not sending it in quite yet till I get confirmation via email from PSA or someone on here.
A little background: I've purchased 2 uppers previously with PSA and both had to go back to have the barrel assembly realigned. Both came back with "yeah these were out of spec, sorry" letters so kudos to CS and the techs.
I recently received a "Hammer Forged Mock Mid Length Premium Dissipator Stripped Upper" and the first thing I do is try to affix a set of MOE Rifle Length Hand guards. The fit was a no go and as I look at the stock round handguards and realized that they were bulging at the center. They were a little too tight. As I looked at the upper, minus the handguards, I noticed that the endcap was a little off center in terms of it's lateral axis.
http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag27/Checkfoo/Diss2_zpsc6ff81df.jpg
My attention was then drawn to how it, the endcap, was affixed to the Front Sight Block. I did a little research on dissipators and found that all the examples, I had found, used a press fit pin that replicated the diameter of the gas tube. The one I had received used a screw with a head that exceeded the diameter of the gas tube. This, combined with the end cap angle, made mounting the moe hadguard impossible.
http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag27/Checkfoo/Diss1_zps2c4a4f75.jpg
The icing on the cake for me was a third discovery I made when I was examining the barrel itself. I noticed that the barrel was exactly identical to My PSA Mid Length, non dissipator, upper's barrel. This is odd considering the sight block locations. Most A2 profile barrels are contoured to .750" where the gas blocks or sight towers affix, depending on the gas system length, and then drop off to .735" A dissipator using an A2 profile barrel typically maintains a .750" diameter from the low profile gas block to the sight tower location. So the PSA version of a dissipator I had used a .750" clamp on a .735" barrel. It is pinned but....
http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag27/Checkfoo/diss3_zps7ec87f8c.jpg
Is the tolerance of this fit a non issue and will it hold up to abuse? I honestly have no idea. Even though it is pinned my confidence is low. I contacted PSA CS and the gentleman I spoke to had never heard of the issues I was having so it may not be an issue with every dissipipator upper they sell,.....mabye. He also was not able to relay to me that he had a real idea of what I was taking issue with. I was not able to exchange the upper for a different model as per PSA policy. Instead of me sending it back, on my dime, and exchanging it, they require a deposit of funds. Considering the POS I received I opted for a return tag and said thank you anyway.
If anyone has a PSA Dissipator that was assembled with the correct diameter barrel using the proper end cap attachment method please let me know. This could be an isolated incident. I wasn't able to actually speak to an assembly tech so I couldn't actually talk shop. I'm not sending it in quite yet till I get confirmation via email from PSA or someone on here.
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