What happened to Microtech (MSAR)?

They went bankrupt

Info here....
http://www.usaaug.com/showthread.php?t=1812

I bought one of their lefty MSAR-556s for a pittance, and I really like it. Due to the discontinued nature and the apparent unpopular nature, I was able to scavenge a half dozen mags from a bargain bin of a local gunshop for $175, so it's been a consistently reinforced good buy for me. Flawless function and decent quality.

Kinda want to buy a second one, they're cheap enough.

It's a shame they went bankrupt, but with the attention to detail and craftsmanship of these rifles, it's not hard to imagine that was part of the problem...

I don't know why anyone would be surprised!

It was cool but the AUG was never that great of a seller to begin with ... not even the original. 3,000 black, 6,000 green, and 1,500 Special Receivers (stripped) and in 97 when Steyr got 3,000 USR's in, it took dealers several years to get rid of them ... There was a total of 13,500 imported and even before MSAR started making them the demand wasn't that great.

... thats why I was stunned when 2 companies started producing them, then even more so when Steyr came in and started making a US A3.

At least the USA-AUG was a clone and interchanged with genuine Steyr AUG parts ... MSAR was just a look-a-like ... plagued with problems; quality was hit and miss but they rode on their good name when in reality they weren't a clone ... they provided a good looking but cheap imitation.

I was also looking for them last night. I would love to have a 300 black out barrel for my e-4. But unless some thing miraculous happens. It's a toy for the safe. or trades. I still love the platform maybe when the tavor shows up in the usa.

300 blackout is the only other caliber I'd be interested in for my AUG ... maybe Steyr will come out with it when they get back into production.

What happened to MSAR was the fact that it was run by Tony Marfione One only needs to examine his reputation in the knife community to understand. I had some web communications with previous MSAR Engineers and what they shared was some scary stuff.

From what I was told, there was a problem where money was owed and not paid to the barrel vendor (Green Mountain, IIRC) and to the company who was casting the receivers. Why this would happen when the Marfiones could afford large homes and a thorough machine gun collection is anyone's guess.

Some of the testing processes left a lot to be desired; bolts and barrels where ordered and spec'd for HPT and MPI testing. After the bolts and barrels were received, Tony had the boys hammer them with multiple HPT rounds and then shipped out without an MPI test to follow-up on that barrage.

From a design standpoint, most of the Steyr parts will not interchange due to some changes made by MSAR. Combined with the allegation that MSAR screwed the barrel & receiver vendors, the end result is a novelty rifle that most likely will have zero product support in the very near future.

If you want an AUG, buy an AUG. If you buy the MSAR, you'll be in for a ride.