AR upper kit purchase help

[Indybeer]

I'm new to the AR world, and am getting ready to purchase my first upper kit. For the most part all the kits I have looked at have been pretty evenly priced.

There is one however that is really cheaper than the others. I've done a search of this forum for info on Hesse/Vulcan/Blackthorne, and haven't found much.

I've also done a search on the web at various sites and have found alot of info, both good and bad about their kits. But there seems to be alot of bias on the more popular sites. There are alot of posts by people with no first hand knowledge.

So I am posting this here to get some actual firsthand info. Not passed on second hand by someone that knows someone.

Has anyone here actually purchased something from them? What was your experience with it?

[melensdad]

From what I have been led to believe Hesse/Vuclan/Blackthorne is a company that you want to stay away from. The current brand name I've seen them use is Blackthorne. They do have the lowest prices I have seen. The reports I've seen about their stuff are not complimentary in any way and there are threads about them on AR15.com and some other gun forums.

I had 2 of their uppers pass through my hands as part of some upper purchases I've done in the past. I did not test fire either of those uppers. The barrels were a bit rough in finish. I'd rate them below the finish of many of the other lower priced brands out there. JMO

[redneckmedic]

Check out 21st Centry, he has some good prices on good products. I bought a DPMS last summer, assembley was easy and had no issues.

[Lock n Load]

STAY AWAY from anything Hesse/ Vulcan/ Blackthorne, Hesse is the old name in AR parts and they have poor quality, poor finish and once its sold there is ZERO customer service according to accounts stated over on AR15.com.

ARFcom even blocked them from being a site supporter so they should speak volumes about their reputation.

Check out PKFirearms, they have complete uppers w/ BCG & CHs for $490- $550 and up...... alot of big names too: Bushy, Colt, Noveske, RRA, DPMS etc....

Heres the link: PK Firearms | Online Store


All week they had Bushy M4 uppers for $495.00 ($507.00 shipped from Illinois) but are of stock now, but check daily and if its listed its in stock.

HTH,

[LPMan59]

do not buy a vulcan!

there is a complete colt 6920 for sale classifieds.

BCM makes good uppers. or buy this from BCM's site:
Noveske N4 Light Carbine Upper Receiver Group

[absrio]

I also will recommend PK firearms. They have quality Uppers on there quite often. They sell out quick lately. I picked up a complete 10.5" barrel for about $550 shipped.

[Indybeer]

I'm looking for a 24" Bull barrel Varmint kit. Alot of the sites that carry complete the kits don't carry it. Model 1 has one but they currently have a 8 month lead time! I've been checking J&T, AR15Products and The Tannery Shop, but havent talked to them on availabliity.

After researching Blackthorne I've already decided to pass on their kits.

On PK firearms I can't find a link to any varmint kits. Guess I'll just have to keep looking.

Thanks

[curraheeguns]

I ordered an upper from Del-ton on January 1, 2009 and cancelled it yesterday. That is just too long to wait. Made me wonder what would happen if they sent the wrong thing or if something was wrong with it, probably have to wait another 6 months for a replacement!!

[melensdad]

Originally Posted by Indybeer

. . . but they currently have a 8 month lead time!

Sadly this is the case with uppers. Specialty uppers, like 20" and 24" varmint upper, have the longest wait times. M4 and other 16" uppers are now starting to come back into the market but still pretty slowly. I'm waiting for 2 uppers that were ordered in November and probably won't be delivered for another couple of months. One is a RRA and the other is an Oly in 45acp. Worse yet, the bolt carrier groups are still hard to find so uppers with BCGs are often good values because finding reasonably priced BCGs is still difficult (often $150 to $180 + shipping).

[Indybeer]

I blame this whole AR thing on my co-worker Tony. He got in on a stripped lower group buy on 1919A4 and that is all he talked at work for two months.. Of course that got me looking and the next thing I know I'm in on the same buy for three lowers, plus I just picked up a couple lowers from Law Enforcement Firearms on Tuesday.

It's a sickness and it's contagious!