Why is an Olympic AR-15 Bad?

[X-Rap]

It really sounds like having spares no matter who made the gun is the critical issue because failure at some point is inevitable. I say buy the best you can afford in all things and keep spares.
I bet overall magazines are still the primary cause of stoppages in semi auto rifles and pistols.

 

[Gordon]

My buddy has an early 80s SGW "Oly" carbine that has been nothing but good for him for 30 years. He bought a 9mm one to play with a suppressor in Oregon and it too runs like a watch and had good customer support. I have put maybe 6-7K reasonably hard use rounds thru my 1993 Carbine free float. I did replace the bolt/carrier a few hundred rounds ago rather than rebuilding it, again.
Would I buy a new Oly, prolly NOT in 5.56 as there are nicer ones for the same price today. I WOULD in a pistol caliber as they have a very good reputation for that.

"the deep jungles of vietnam, where the worth of a man is measured by the ears hanging from his dog tags." That is an insult to me , sir! A gross fantasy IMHO and I would have prosecuted such action if I saw it in my 2 1/2 years there .

 

[HKGuns]

I see nothing but perfectly happy Oly owners for the most part here, speaks volumes to me.

Regardless of what the ARF commando's that checked in say, there are a lot of other sensible comments that appear to be from the reasonable side of the fence.

Nothing you say is going to change the ARF commando's mind and they're certainly never short on opinion. Just ask them, they'll tell you all about it.

BTW: I'm not vetted and don't take any of my rifles into a sandstorm, but my head is down just in case.

If I were to take a an AR into a sandstorm, I would likely opt for a piston upper as sand and oil ("run them wet")make for a nice mess in the reciever.

 

[robMaine]

I own an Olympic A2 in 5.56, I have been extremely happy with it. No issues to speak of. I have heard more positives then negatives from everyone I have talked to regarding them.

Also regarding the Tacticool Commando crowd, my rule of thumb is not to take advice from anyone who owns FDE tacvests and armor that isn't agency/gov issued, usually keeps me safe.

Additionally, I am all for training, the more the better. But people need to keep in mind training WITH Mil/LEO does not MAKE you Mil/LEO.

 

[JustinJ]

When a person asks about the quality of an AR responses can only be made in relation to other ARs. Sure a low quality AR will suit the needs of the vast majority of civilians but so will a Ford Pinto. So just because my AR will probably never be shot at anything but targets doesn't mean i don't want a high end one or that i'm a snob. Even if home defense was not a consideration i still don't want the hassle and costs associated with having to repair, replace or correct inadequate assembly.

Another very important thing to consider is that positive anecdotal accounts of guns do not indicate a quality product. If 1000 people a specific gun and 90% run fine but 10% experience cracked bolts in under 200 rounds you will still find 900 people with a positive review of a gun that is actually junk. I'm not saying this is the case with Olympic ARs but keep individual accounts in perspective. I am for more concerned with negative accounts and since actual statistics generally don't exist a reputation is unfortunately one of the best indicators one has in choosing a gun. However, the best indicator of an AR's quality is adherence to military standard.

 

[kwelz]

This thread merely proves the point. If your Oly, or DPMS, or Hesse, has worked for you then great. That doesn't make the brand a good brand. It means your small sample size has been fine. I am sure there are plenty of happy Kia owners out there. But I would not compare one to an Acura. And if they cost almost the same I am going to buy the Acura. Sure both are cars. Sure both have 4 wheels and looks similar. But that is just about where the similarity ends.

Notice that the people who defend Oly and other similar brands are also the ones with the lest experience? Ask someone who has had to work with hundreds or even thousands of them and see what his opinion of them is.

And yes. I pay attention to my sources. I am going to give a lot more weight to the opinion of someone like Larry Vickers than I am a random person who thinks their DPMS is just fine because it works fine when they shoot it once a month.

 

[R.W.Dale]

Notice that the people who defend Oly and other similar brands are also the ones with the lest experience? Ask someone who has had to work with hundreds or even thousands of them and see what his opinion of them is.

and for these folks that's why the super high stuff exists. But here's the thing what do YOU do for a living? Don't confuse your wants with NEEDS and don't base your assumption of what will and will not work for others based on this skewed view of firearm usage based on whats essentially a fantasy.

To use the Acura analogy. If you just use it to commute and the speed limit is still 70mph what exactly does that new RDX do better than a shiny new Optima. ANSWER not a damn thing. Furthermore using Kia as an analogy just shows how out of touch a person is automotively. Kia makes cars that are every bit the equal of anything from honda motor corp with a much better warranty. At one time a honda was viewed as a cheap disposable japanese car and look where they are today.

 

[kwelz]

R.W.Dale I am not talking about super high end stuff. I am talking about something as simple as a Colt 6920 which can be had for well under 1K, in the same price range as these Oly arms rifles are.

And sorry, I am not as up to date on cars. Last time I checked Kia was still pretty bottom line. But then again I drive a Saturn.

 

[robMaine]

and for these folks that's why the super high stuff exists. But here's the thing what do YOU do for a living? Don't confuse your wants with NEEDS and don't base your assumption of what will and will not work for others based on this skewed view of firearm usage based on whats essentially a fantasy.

This is what it comes down to, I do not deny that more expensive guns may be better. If you are willing to pay for better quality more power to you. However, if the only reason you are disregarding lower end stuff is because Larry Vickers says they don't last as well in the sandbox, under sustained combat usage. I ask you this, when is the last time you have used your AR in actual combat?

 

[R.W.Dale]

R.W.Dale I am not talking about super high end stuff. I am talking about something as simple as a Colt 6920 which can be had for well under 1K, in the same price range as these Oly arms rifles are.

And sorry, I am not as up to date on cars. Last time I checked Kia was still pretty bottom line. But then again I drive a Saturn.

Understood. Honestly I've never owned an Olympic. I've shot a few and they always went bang and nothing I've seen gives me the indication they're not a completely serviceable sporting firearm.

Oh man our last Saturn was so bad it made this GM fanboi swear off the company FOREVER

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[kwelz]

This is what it comes down to, I do not deny that more expensive guns may be better. If you are willing to pay for better quality more power to you. However, if the only reason you are disregarding lower end stuff is because Larry Vickers says they don't last as well in the sandbox, under sustained combat usage. I ask you this, when is the last time you have used your AR in actual combat?

And therein lies the problem.
Here is an Olympic arms "M4" Equivilent
http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct349.aspx
The price is $939.00

Here is a Colt 6920
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=6920
The price is $965.00

So the price difference is less than the cost of a tank of gas..

If you look at the lower end options nothing much changes. You can get a cheap Oly for about 700 or an M&P for about the same. Or even a Spikes for a bit more.

And I never said the only reason I disregard them is because of what Larry has told me. I also base it on experience and basic understanding of the platform. I have seen a lot of low quality ARs fail. I have shown documented proof of it on this site. I would rather spend the extra 50 bucks and not take a chance.

Oh man our last Saturn was so bad it made this GM fanboi swear off the company FOREVER

Mine has been pretty good(07 Aura) However it is probably my last GM to be sure...

 

[holdencm9]

And therein lies the problem.
Here is an Olympic arms "M4" Equivilent
http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct349.aspx
The price is $939.00

Here is a Colt 6920
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin...ction&key=6920
The price is $965.00

So the price difference is less than the cost of a tank of gas..

Or a PSA 16" M4 equivalent for $600

The difference is basically another gun (not another AR...but a pistol or something). Or over 1,000 rounds of .223 ammo, or 25 magazines, or a year's worth of range trips, or maybe even a carbine class.

Not knockin' people that go either option. My goal when the Colts were down to $933 on CTD was if they go below $900 before Christmas, I'd get a colt, if not I'd get a PSA, so I ended up with the PSA.

I think people just need to do their research, be honest with themselves about their needs/wants/expectations, and establish some sort of criteria like I did. Obviously a Colt for only 3% more than an Oly is a no-brainer, but a Colt for 61% more than a PSA is kind of a gray area.

 

[JustinJ]

and for these folks that's why the super high stuff exists. But here's the thing what do YOU do for a living? Don't confuse your wants with NEEDS and don't base your assumption of what will and will not work for others based on this skewed view of firearm usage based on whats essentially a fantasy.

What one does for a living and what their 'wants vs needs' are doesn't make any difference when we talk about how good one AR is compared to others. Obviously we're not talking about needs because very few here need any AR to begin with.

To use the Acura analogy. If you just use it to commute and the speed limit is still 70mph what exactly does that new RDX do better than a shiny new Optima. ANSWER not a damn thing. Furthermore using Kia as an analogy just shows how out of touch a person is automotively. Kia makes cars that are every bit the equal of anything from honda motor corp with a much better warranty.

Rides better, better ergonomics, more reliable, etc. So apparently Consumer Reports is out of touch automotively as well. As is anybody who has actually rode in an Acura and a Kia. If costs were the same an Acura is a no brainer over a Kia just as a Colt is a no brainer over an Olympic.

 

[HKGuns]

Acura is a bad example. Everyone knows they're just re-badged Honda's with slightly different sheet metal and more marketing at a higher price point. A similar situation exists in a basic AR platform.

All that being said, my next AR, in all likelihood, is going to be an HK MR556. Why? Because I appreciate the engineering that went into the platform and have a lot of respect for the company that produces them. I imagine it will go bang every time I pull the trigger just like all my other guns.

 

[ExTank]

Well, I had my Oly, my string of ears, and I was wandering around in the jungle looking for a sandstorm.

Then my Oly jammed when one of the ears got caught in the action.

Then I got tired of hiking around in the jungle. It's hot, there's skeeters, and I'm not in the best of shape anymore. Plus, the batteries ran down on my laser pointer.

Got hungry, and tried to eat some tactical bacon, but it tasted like old shoe leather slathered in lard. Somehow or another, there's sand on it. Must be from when I dropped the can trying to open it with my Rambo III Kill-o-Nator Tactical Combat Knife. Thing weighs a ton.

Lost the knife, chucked the rifle in the trunk, and went to McD's.

 

[JustinJ]

Well, I had my Oly, my string of ears, and I was wandering around in the jungle looking for a sandstorm.

Then my Oly jammed when one of the ears got caught in the action.

Then I got tired of hiking around in the jungle. It's hot, there's skeeters, and I'm not in the best of shape anymore. Plus, the batteries ran down on my laser pointer.

Got hungry, and tried to eat some tactical bacon, but it tasted like old shoe leather slathered in lard. Somehow or another, there's sand on it. Must be from when I dropped the can trying to open it with my Rambo III Kill-o-Nator Tactical Combat Knife. Thing weighs a ton.

Lost the knife, chucked the rifle in the trunk, and went to McD's.

That joke didn't work so get a Colt so at least your AR does.

 

[R.W.Dale]

What one does for a living and what their 'wants vs needs' are doesn't make any difference when we talk about how good one AR is compared to others. Obviously we're not talking about needs because very few here need any AR to begin with.



Rides better, better ergonomics, more reliable, etc. So apparently Consumer Reports is out of touch automotively as well. As is anybody who has actually rode in an Acura and a Kia. If costs were the same an Acura is a no brainer over a Kia just as a Colt is a no brainer over an Olympic.

WAIT! So you're saying that with cars the experts couldn't be more wrong. But with guns an experts opinion is to be taken as if it were words from Jesus himself.

Translation-----experts are great provided they agree w me and thus boost my firearm self esteem

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[chad1043]

Still waiting for my vetting process to be completed before I express my constitutional right to post on a public forum... Oh wait, sorry I was just waiting for the definition of "quite a few" is...

Funny I saw QUITE a few Olys for under $700 when I did a search. Nice plug for Grant though... Like you do in most your posts.

 

[JustinJ]

WAIT! So you're saying that with cars the experts couldn't be more wrong. But with guns an experts opinion is to be taken as if it were words from Jesus himself.

Translation-----experts are great provided they agree w me and thus boost my firearm self esteem

No, i'm saying you're wrong. Consumer Reports car reviews are largely a result of data compiled from vehicle owners, shops, insurance agencies, etc. Their reports are actually based on statistics which unfortunately aren't available to us for most AR makers. Not that it takes statistics to know that riding in an Acura is more comfortable than riding in a Kia. Just as it doesn't take stastics to understand the reason milspec is better than cutting corners.

So are you saying that all ARs are equal? If not which are better and which are worse? Why?

 

[DammitBoy]

My experience with Oly customer service:

I looked up a product on their site, it was listed as "in stock". I ordered it with a credit card on Dec. 15th. I also ordered several other items from Midway the same day.

Three days later, I received my order from Midway. On January 6th, I called Oly and asked when I would receive my order. They said three to four weeks! I asked why it would take that long? "That's how long it takes, sir"

I'll be very happy to never do business with them again.

 

[chad1043]

What site did you order it from Dammit? I didn't see a page to place an order on olyarms.com.

 

[Zach S]

He asked if they are any good. The answer on the whole is no. It isn't even a matter of "combat worthy" like Bryan commented. It is a matter of the quality of parts. I would say the same thing about people claiming that a Hipoint pistol is as good as a Glock or HK.

Using your logic if my car can't take what a Humvee can then it's no good. My car will never see the sands of Iraq and probably won't survive long there anyway. But does that mean it no good despite being good for what I need it for?

I like his analogy. While my Caprice wasn't intended to tow heavy loads, be used as an ambulance, a moving van, or an off road vehicle, its done all of them. And its still going.

IMO, trusting an Oly with my life is akin to depending on a Yugo for a daily driver.

If you like your Oly, that's fine. I like mine as well. But if the S does HTF, the oly aint gonna be the one I pick up.

 

[chad1043]

If the S does HTF, I won't be reaching for my AR, I'll be reaching for my 22, my BugOutBag and my keys, but that's more of a topic here:

http://www.survivalistboards.com/

 

[jerkface11]

MO, trusting an Oly with my life is akin to depending on a Yugo for a daily driver

Yeah you shouldn't trust a gun that goes bang every time you pull the trigger. From what I understand they aren't even parkerized under the front sight base!!!

 

[ExTank]

That joke didn't work so get a Colt so at least your AR does.

Which of these words are you failing basic English on?

My Oly went bang every time I pulled the trigger. Only problem was from crap mags, sooooo....not the gun's fault.

Emailed customer service with a technical question, got a great, helpful, detailed answer back the next day. So no problems with customer service on my end.

As others have noted, finish was a bit rougher than other models, but it didn't effect shootability.

"Shootability?" Are 5 syllables too many for you?

"The plural of anecdotes is not data"

Well, Mr. Message Board Moderator, the OP didn't ask for a Gallup poll with statistical breakdowns of Feed Failures/per X rounds, or a breakdown of parts failure rates/per X rounds correlated against a climatological sidebar.

The OP:

Okay, I know I'm going to get hammered with anti-Olympic gun sentiment, but I'm actually looking for folks to reply that have owned an unmodified Palmetto Armory / Olympic Arms AR-15.

Please share good or bad comments based firsthand experience, not just someone that has heard about Olympic. Each model may be different, so more specifically...

Are the early models from 1978 ~ 1981 any good, or not and why?

Fire away and thanks!

The OP specifically asked for our anecdotal experiences. So why would you take a great big stinking poo all over us?

"The High Road," indeed.

mjrocker: I could have been more specific in my response. My Oly was a PCR 99 purchased in early 2000. I probably averaged 100 rounds/month through it for 10 years, but it was mostly warm-weather seasonal range time.

So there was probably more like some 200-300 rounds sessions or multiple trips to the range in the same month from May-September.

Again, my only problem was some crap mags.

ETA - Ooh! Look! An "Ignore" function! Buh Bye, all y'all TactiCool Fools.