Is TAPCO back?

[SlowFuse]

I searched around and didn't see this topic, if already discussed, I apologize.

I have been seeing ads on social media for TAPCO products. Is this company back in business? The TAPCO company I remember made cheap plastic stocks and parts for SKS's and 10/22s etc.

This company has a fresh new logo and a website, looks like they may be just selling rebranded ar15 and glock parts, barrels etc... Anyone know if this company is legit back in business? Same folks, maybe a buyout or maybe it's just a scam?

 

[mcb]

Tapco was killed off by Remington any chance of it coming back like it was died when Remington died.

If Tapco is back it's just that someone bought the trademark/copyright. (ETA: Tapco was bought by Sportsman Warehouse out of the 2020 Remington bankruptcy that ended the company) The new company has very little if anything to do with the original. That may or may not be a good thing.

Treat them like a brand new company, give them a try, but buyer beware.

 

[hso]

Treat them like a brand new company, ...but buyer beware.

I agree, but I'll add another warning, if you only see FB adds you could be dealing with fraudulent marketing.
I have been reporting dozens of scam FB adds I've dug into to find they're offshore "companies" in the past few months. Caveat Emptor.

 

[GBExpat]

TAPCO! ...

I recall a conversation with one of their Sales Reps 20+ years ago while I was placing an order. She told me that TAPCO stood for TheAutoPartsCompany but they had to stop mentioning that in advertising because too many folks were calling looking for car parts.

Not that kind of "Auto Parts" dontchaknow ...

It was about that time that I missed out on a small offering of M16 Parts Kits in nice shape that she told me about. I hesitated. <sigh & smile>

 

[Bill Raby]

Used to be that how cool you were depended on how many Tapco products you had stuck on your SKS. A lot of guys were working hard to fit the whole catalog on a gun. No need for Tapco anymore. Now everyone has a AR-15 and there are dozens of companies making silly aftermarket clutter for them. You can get parts with fancy geometric shaped holes and have a dozen batteries to make everything work. You can get tactical pants and fashion accessories with lots of nylon straps and buckles to really impress everyone. We are in the aftermarket golden age now.

 

[DustyGmt]

Tapco? Jeez I hope not. Although they made the most reliably unreliable magazines I have ever used.

 

[trackskippy]

Tapco? Jeez I hope not.

LOL. I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Capybara]

My AK has a Tapco G2 trigger in it, it's been great!

 

[Miami_JBT]

TAPCO AK build parties were fun with $69 Romanian parts kits and TAPCO receiver flats.

 

[.455_Hunter]

They may be not cool now, but a lot of military style semi-auto rifles were able to be sold here due to Federal compliance using TAPCO US-made components.

 

[mljdeckard]

I still have my Tapco'd SKS, and it's fun. But that wasn't what I really needed to make it run well. I put on Tech-Sights to move the rear sight closer to the eye, and a thinner front sight post, Kivaari trigger, etc. I had a smith shave off the magazine grooves on the bolt to be able to switch magazines. I just run it for fun, I've never had a problem with the Tapco stuff, but I have learned a lot since I did that, what, 15 years ago? I seem to remember the Tapco mags didn't work so I chucked them, the ProMag magazines work fine. It was when I loved every idea I saw about everything, it was fun to learn.

It seems now that my main problems are with stale ammo. If the rounds sit in a magazine for a few years, I get a lot of bad primers. So it's good, it's reliable, as long as a I use ammo that's either new or was stored airtight.

 

[mljdeckard]

I did a little googling, a few sites like MWI and PSA are selling Tapco parts, with varying availability. Didn't see a site for them, not sure who they fall under now.

 

[DustyGmt]

My AK has a Tapco G2 trigger in it, it's been great!

Same here, at least that is what came with my Romy G. It was leaps and bounds better than the trigger on my uncles Maadi. The G2 was actually a nice trigger in terms of comparison with PolyTechs and old Romies. My uncle had a Maadi that would slap the ever loving crap out of your finger after 1 magazine, not a sissy la la here but it litterallyfelt like youd had your finger slapped by a rat trap 30 times...... It was awful.

These particular guns were made for FA and their NFA compliant counterparts were no joy to shoot. AR FTW all around.....

Awesome AK, accurate too, horrid terrible trigger, I would love to upgrade it for him......

 

[GBExpat]

Now that the horrible TAPCO aftermarket mags have been mentioned I remembered something.

I am 99% sure that it was TAPCO that briefly offered 50ct packs of EXC-condition H&K G3 Alloy mags for $50. A buck apiece ... and it may have been with free shipping.

I could not resist and ordered 2 boxes ... and their description was accurate. Heck, many of them look new. So that is why I own 125-130 H&K G3 mags.

 

[DustyGmt]

I actually resorted to TAPCO about 15 years ago when I got ahold of a Saiga, I was aware of the conversion/cutout that could be done to make the SAIGA accept standard mag/stock/furniture since they were imported with stocks and furniture that kept them compliant and I used TAPCO to make it as compliant as I could, but looking back I wish I'd left the gun alone and kept the sporting stock on it. It was a superior stock for a 6'3" 200lb man whereas the standard AK furniture looks like it's made for the much smaller statured.

 

[tarosean]

 

[Ks5shooter]

Seems like everyone tried Tapco at some point.I did..

 

[Miami_JBT]

TAPCO actually made a lot of good products. Their G2 trigger for the AK was phenomenal as were their AK receiver flats. They made plenty of parts for FALs and CETMEs too. Their magazines, while ugly, who worked. The only issue they had with magazines was their first production run if 30rders for the Ruger Mini-14. Their second run worked flawlessly. Heck, their SKS duckbill 20rd mags were awesome. I still have two of 'em for my Soviet SKS and I still have some Mini-14 magazines too.

When TAPCO shuttered their doors, it was a loss to the industry. But what helped shutter their doors was the Bush barrel import ban and the general drying up of cheap parts kits. TAPCO was printing money when Romanian AK kits, metric FAL pattern kits, and CETME kits were all under $100 and you can build those guns for under $300.

 

[Savage30L]

I hope TAPCO comes back. They used to make ambidextrous safeties for the SKS, and a lot of other useful items.

 

[Navy87Guy]

My AK has a Tapco G2 trigger in it, it's been great!

I used the TAPCO G2 FCG on both my Saiga Sporter conversions (7.62x39 and 12 gauge) and they’ve been great. I did a little bit of smoothing on the hammer to keep the bolt fro, getting hung up but that was minor. It was an easy way to add three 922R compliance parts to my build!