got it on monday. went out ans fired some blackhills ammo. i have to say for the price ($520) its a hell of a gun. but my problime with it is this. at the ass end where the upper and lower meet, and the butstock begins there is a gap. nothing to get to huffy about, but i get sprayed in the right eye and face with gas when i shoot. bad smell and stinging eyes.[puke] im wondering if an Accuwedge would fix that by "tighning" up the connection. i called olympic and they said there wasnt much they could do about it. but after i got kinda pissy with them (mentioned their lifetime warrenty), they said i could take it down to em in about a week(i live 5 mi from them) and they would try and find a new upper that would seat better. what should i do? go with the $3 accuwedge. or take it down to them, or both? keep in mind this is my first AR so im kinda lost. but i did buy 3 30rnd mags for it and was able to "shape" them to fit the tight olympic mag well. so i figure im not too bad off. thanks
DB

An Accuwedge won't fix your problem.  The gun is under warranty, and is sounds like it won't be a big deal getting it back to Oly for a fix, so that is what I would do.  If you are gettinn sprayed in the eyes something is VERY wrong.

DirtyBob,
Now we know how you got your name.
Square business. When I buy a product with
a major malfunction like you have, I get my
money back! I go in and tell the first person
I meet that I want the Boss, the big Cigar
front and center, cause I got a problem, I
want satisfaction, an I am not going to repeat
myself up the chain of command. I would go to
the local law library and look up Small Claim
Law, type up a cause of  action, and have it
in my hand when I "light up the BIG CIGAR"!

Take it back and demand a fix or your money back. You do not have to fix anything, it is not your problem but Olys. Don't shoot that gun, until they fix the problem.

Karlozg

You get them to fix it!!!  They (O.A.) have a holier than thou attitude, and deny that they ever screw anything up and make it sound like it's your fault.  They've screwed up 2/3 of my orders, every time the ticket was right but the shipment was wrong.  You call 'em about it and they get pissy, their customer service sucks!!!!!  

[size=3]Don't just let them get away with it, just because its not their top of the line model doesn't mean that they can sell you shit. $520 isn't a number to laugh at, if they can't get an upper to fit tell them you want a new rifle or your money back.  [/size=3]

Approach them in a friendly manner and they will take care of you. They do get a lot of undeserved heat sometimes for service issues that sometimes relate to their building going into flames. They've always been eager to help  me and have offered replacement on the smallest of issues that turned out to be my fault. Just treat them how you'd like to be treated and they'll make you happy.  Good luck

If it were me and i lived only 5 miles away, I would tell them that a week is seven days too long and that a lifetime warranty is just that-LIFETIME!!! Not when they feel they can get around to it. I'm sure that as long as your are steadfast but polite, they will see how right they are. If they still give you the runaround, then hop in your vehicle, and go there to rant in person.Finally, DO NOT SHOOT this weapon!!! If gasses are escaping, it's not much of a stretch for the whole thing to rupture in your face.

Don't know if it's the upper or the lower (or both) that's out of spec, but this does sound like more than just an AR with "play". Here's what Olympic Arms tells people who are thinking about giving them money (from WWW.OLYARMS.COM):

"Q: What if the Olympic Arms product just ISN'T what I expected?

A: Above and beyond our standard warranty, we guarantee complete customer satisfaction. If you are not COMPLETELY satisfied with any Olympic Arms product for any reason, simply return it to us within 60 days for a replacement, credit, or full refund. The choice is yours!"

Will they still say that After you've spent your money?

You say you bought the gun new and I hope you did- that lifetime warranty is NOT transferable, and the "satisfaction" warranty lasts only 60 days.

The Oly plinker is a "budget" AR, a post-ban 16" with an A1 upper. I'll bet it's put together with parts that weren't up to par for their regular "PCR" AR, but not so out of spec that they'll actually cause a lawsuit.
Sounds like the Plinker may be a poor ambassador for the AR world.

Gonzo: the PCR line is made from forged uppers and lowers.  The Plinker is made from cast uppers and lowers, so it is not made from PCR rejects.

Dirtybob: are you wearing shooting glasses when you shoot?  Also, how big is the gap?  Can the lower shift side to side or up and down, or is it locked in place when the takedown pin is in place?

Kharn

Kharn
you're right, I lose that bet- it says that the rifle is cast in plain english at the very site I listed. Good to KNOW it's not a rejected-parts gun. I assuMEd incorrectly.

No doubt this plinker's prob is an isolated incident, but it may help better illustrate why quality ARs are forged...

Dirty, the Accuwedge will just give you a more consistent "puff" of bad smelling gas. It won't fix anything, unless the rifle is so loose that it's rattling, & then it'll only take the play out, and hold that gap as wide open as possible (for a better puff=).

I can't believe so many people are saying it's a major malfunction - IT ISN'T, sloppy QC maybe, but it's not dangerous.

You say this is your first AR... Did you know they all throw a little gas out of the rear end (usually around the charging handle)? Did you have the the thing drenched in oil other than CLP, or Thetra (A lot of people do that the first time, & are surprised how bad that stinks)?  They ALL smell bad, when you get them smokin' (CLP too).
You ARE wearing shooting glasses,,, right (please take this the way it's meant - only a question)?

I'm not positive, but I suspect (most of) the gas isn't coming from the crack you're talking about (try to get someone to stand on your left who knows what they're looking for - it IS hard to tell).

FWIW, you can get a tensioning pin that DOES pull the upper DOWN from Quality's (Bushmaster) newest catalogue (page 56), I've used them, & the one from Brownells - they work.


[b]Of course - take it back to Olympic first, they'll probably put a tensioning pin in (they cost 35 bucks - if it's that sloppy, they [u]will[/u] fix it), or they'll get it cranked down tight the other way ([u]don't let them do that[/u]).[/b]

thank you all very much for your input about my problime. i will write them an e-mail tonight that i have talked to other AR owners and have been told not to shoot this rifle. i will explain to them that im not trying to get anything other than i paid for. and i will also tell them that all i am looking for is a safe rifle. once again thank you all.
DB

this is the e-mail i just sent to olympic arms.
[b]hello again. i have posted one a few bulletin boards about the gas escaping from the rear of my AR and most people agree that almost all ARs do that. also most people that have replied saying that i should not shoot this rifle because it could be unsafe. please understand that i am not trying to get anything other than what i paid for. like i said before i love this rifle, matt finish, no frills or extras, just a nice shooter. i would like to make sure that there is no safety problem. i understand that a lot of people try and get something for nothing, i would just like to assure you that i am not one of those people. please let me know when a good time to bring in the rifle would be. thanks again
yours truly [/b]
think they'll understand im not trying to screw them out of a A2 flatop upper with a bull bbl? think they'll know now that im happy with the rifle but i want to make sure it is *GASP* safe? thanks
DB