Upper Reciever Questions - AR - A2

[Lovesbeer99]

I just bought a used Olympic A2 Upper off Gunbroker. It doesn't have any markings on it so how do I know it an Olympic and not a DPMS or BM?
Is there a way to tell if it's forged or cast? Do I care that it's forged or cast?

It looks brand new and un touched. I plan to use it for NRA HP and I'll take my current BM flattop and build a sniper rig to replace my Rem 700 in 308.

Thanks in advance

 

[Onmilo]

Olympic is one of very few if not the only AR15 manufacturer that has the capability to drop forge as well as investment cast and can produce all components of the AR15 rifle without outside vendor assistance.

Judging the clean lines, lack of mold lines and precision cuts indicitive of final machining, what you have is a forged Olympic upper receiver.

They do not mark the component parts and because all work is done in house, there will be no forging house marks on the receiver either.

The forged Olympic AR15 receivers are much, much better than the cheaper cast receivers in my opinion.

 

[kwelz]

For your sake I hope it is a DPMS or Bushmaster. (Wow I never thought I would say those words)

 

[Quentin]

For your sake I hope it is a DPMS or Bushmaster. (Wow I never thought I would say those words)

C'mon, it's not fair to throw a bomb in a thread like that and run away. You've got to explain what you mean!

 

[Lovesbeer99]

What do mold lines look like? Any photos?

Azziza - is your comment based on the quality of Olympic parts or do you have some political issue with Olympic? Just curious based on your comment, but with no explaination.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

I think Azziza is saying that it wouldn't be a step down if the receiver were in fact a DPMS or Bushmaster. In the AR world Olympic is generally considered a lower end manufacturer.

 

[kwelz]

Both.

Olympic has the lowest quality in the industry with the exception of Hesse/Blackthorn/Vulcan. Their parts are crap. Not low quality, not bad, pure crap. Broken receivers, out of spec parts, terrible CS, the list goes on.

In addition they are responsible for the ban on importation of Steel core 7.62x39 ammo.

The only thing an Olympic arms rifle is worth is whatever you can get for the materials as scrap from the materials. I would go without an AR before I owned another Olympic.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

How can I tel if it's an Olympic, or other brand? Any markings?

 

[rbernie]

Olympic has the lowest quality in the industry with the exception of Hesse/Blackthorn/Vulcan. Their parts are crap. Not low quality, not bad, pure crap. Broken receivers, out of spec parts, terrible CS, the list goes on.

Eight or ten years ago, this was certainly the accepted wisdom. How true does it remain today?

 

[Babarsac]

rbernie, that's a question I have as well. I would be interested to see how a current production Olympic stacks up against other AR's. I'd do it but well....school loans.

 

[kwelz]

In all fairness the Broken receiver issue is an older one. However the others seem to hold true even today.