Business Owner - Popular Types Of Uppers - Lengths, Rails Gas Tubes?

[DeanSports]

I'm a dealer for many brands of Rifle Parts and accessories.

I have been building complete upper receivers and selling them. They sell very well. I am the best price I can find and can always match others prices even when they have things like a cheaper plastic hand guard.

But, I have only been selling a single type of upper receiver. Mainly because it is one of my taste. But I was hoping to invest in this a little more.

My question is, what are the most popular "flavors" of AR uppers?

Barrel Length
Barrel Lining and finish
Monorail vs Quad Rail
Carbine Mid or Rifle Length
Muzzle - Black vs Chrome
BCG - 158 Carpenter, NiB

What are you thoughts?

 

[bobbittle]

Just want to start by stating that I am not advertising for myself. I will not post mt site, name or anything like that.

Nope, you just used it as your user name.

 

[DeanSports]

Thats not my intent.

 

[engineerpower]

Good luck, it's a tough crowd here. Not as bad as AR15.com, but it has its moments...

 

[wsenefeld]

16" barrel length is probably the most "popular". I personally have gotten bored with the vanilla flavors, so I've gone the sub 16" NFA route.

I'm getting away from NiB as it is a coating. I prefer melonite as it is a treatment and I feel it will last longer. Melonite provides durability comparable to cold hammer forging. This treatment can be done to stainless so sub-moa accuracy can easily be achieved.

Quad rails are heavy but if the tacticool crowd seems to be your clientele, you may want to keep them stocked. I think I'm going to prefer the new m-lok system. JL Billet makes beautiful m-lok rails that I may be "needing".

I prefer to use the longest gas system possible. My rifles have...
7.5" - pistol length
10.5" - carbine length
11.5" - carbine length
16" - midlength (x2)
18" - rifle length

Chrome muzzle devices look gawdy. Although, they probably go well with a gold plated ak or a gat...

For bolt material, people debate between 9130 and C158 so I don't know that you'll have a clear winner there. I'd rather know it's individually MPI/HPT not batch.

Not advertising my age, political views, or anything, so I'll just post them in my sig line... yup that'll fool 'em.

Edit: You're lucky this isn't arfcom. You would have already had your own pit by now.

 

[Psode27]

I'd sell what your clients ask for. some people go for a look way more that function. if that's the case it'll probably save you lots of money. I'll have to agree pretty much 100% with wsenefeld though. I hate quad rails. I want rails where I need them, nowhere else. I think chrome on guns generally looks dumb, but I have a thing for red for some reason.
I've just wondered about myself now though, I'm not sure if I'm "young" anymore... is 28 young? Kinda feeling old and fat lately.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I really like the apex line of hanguards.... lightweight, grippy, freefloating, strong (metal), and you only add the rails exactly where you want/need them.

 

[jwfuhrman]

The BCM KMR uppers have been selling really really well for me. I'm a factory BCM dealer and I usually sell for $30-$40 or more less than the advertised price on BCM's site. Since November I have done $10,000 in SALES alone of just BCM products, with 60% of it being complete upper receiver sales. The KMR handguards have been the 2nd best stand alone product sale.