MAPartsInc.com = rebadged LMT & less costly?

[wacki]

This company claims their upper kits are made by LMT. Anyone know anything about them? What is the catch? They have a sales rep at the local gun show selling "LMT Upper kits" for $500 or so.

http://www.mapartsinc.com/faq.asp#count_16

From the above link:

Why are your prices higher than some others that I have seen advertised?
It is because of quality factors. We buy all of our parts from current manufacturer USGI and Government Contractors. We make nothing on premises nor from any foreign country.

Everything is US manufactured that goes into your AR15 rifle. Our upper receivers are manufactured by Lewis Machine and Tool, and LMT cuts and chambers the uppers using Wilson or Mike Rock Premium Barrel Blanks, which they then headspace and test fire. We do have some Rock River Barreled Uppers as noted. [The few foreign parts that are shown on this website are so noted in the descriptions – they do not come in any rifle/carbine kit, period.]

 

[Gord]

I wish the website gave any info whatsoever about what's included with the uppers/rifle kits. Prices look good, but if they're LMT they probably don't come with BCGs or etc.

 

[ugaarguy]

Unless they're selling uppers with 1:7, Chromed, MPI barrels they're not quite LMT equivalent. The BCG should also have an HPT & MPI bolt. If it's a standard chrome moly steel 1:9 twist barrel I wouldn't worry though. You at least know it's got a properly cut 5.56 chamber, it's properly headspaced, and it's been assembled properly since LMT did the work. Add an LMT or BCM charging handle & BCG and you'll be good to go.

 

[rob_s]

Note that they say "Our upper receivers are manufactured by Lewis Machine and Tool". Uppers.

When they sell LMT, they charge the LMT price
http://www.mapartsinc.com/products.asp?catId=89

This is not a "rebadged" LMT
http://www.mapartsinc.com/productsDetail.asp?id=247

What is an "upper kit" anyway? A dustcover and a forward assist?

 

[wacki]

When they sell LMT, they charge the LMT price

The sales rep was saying anything that wears the LMT badge gets a LMT price. Otherwise there is not much difference in quality. I know he could be full of crap, but that was his story.

 

[rob_s]

I didn't know that LMT made 1:9 barrels.

 

[taliv]

keep in mind that even if it is LMT it doesn't mean it's the same quality as you would buy from LMT. it could be seconds or otherwise rejected parts from LMT's QC process

 

[rob_s]

Good point.

One of the things that makes LMTs products as desirable as they are is the fact that they do all the right testing. If they're selling un-tested parts to M&A then those parts wouldn't be as desirable, and the parts would cost less since they saved money on the testing.
(I'm talking barrels and bolts here)