AA isn't really set up to sell to do it yourselfers. They expect that sales are to gunsmiths or guys who build out a fair number of AR's, and order those small miscellaneous pieces from places like Brownells, etc.

This is an issue that has been brought up before, and there really isn't a good way for them to deal with it. They aren't a parts house, and don't really have a sales inventory type system. They are a manufacturer who happens to sell barrels and bolts, and a few other pieces because so many people have requested them that it was easier to sell those pieces than continually have people mad at them because they wouldn't. They are a small company, and you are as likely to get Bill Alexander on the phone when you call as you are to get anyone else. They simply don't have the system or the manpower to run a system to inventory or ship those little tiny pieces.

I've never heard of the issue with the flash hider though, and I'm surprised by that.

Thanks for the replies. I was not aware AA was setup that way, and I understand the business model. It means that guys like me get caught in the shuffle. I assume when I buy a gas block, a roll pin would be there, as I have equal expectation that it would come with the set screws. I did have a build list to work from, as I have done with my other builds. But I do not have a flow sheet for every manufacturer out there that details what they do or not include with their parts. It's not like I forgot to buy a charging handle...

Of all the uppers I have built, I've not run into these problems. Every gas block I have bought has had one included. Also, the flash hider did come with a crush washer, but the flash hider does not time correctly. Again, never had this problem.

At this point, I'm going to hit up a parts store and deal with it.

As with all businesses, especially one in the firearms business, I can imagine you could start feeling exasperated by not being able to please everyone. I empathize with that. Thank you for bringing the beowolf and grendel to the platform, along with other innovations, I appreciate that very much.

That being said, from a consumer standpoint, I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about AR15's. however, I do not have the history, business model, build sheet, and "quirk" worked out yet for all the manufacturers out there, I have a life apart from this hobby. I have been excited for this build for months now, and had all the other components ready to build it up for this weekend. Instead of super duper awesomeness, I'm frustrated and dissapointed.

Maybe there is sand in my mangina

At least I'll know for next time, and will do what I can inform other people I know looking to do a build.

ETA: both of you indicated that AA expects their customers to know what they are doing. I'd like to point out I've built numerous rifles (maybe around 15 or so in the last two years?) from the ground up, all have functioned flawlessly. Like I said before, this aint my first rodeo partner.

I order parts from several manufacturers and distributors on a regular basis. I do custom work on firearms and spend a lot of time helping customers assemble their ARs or refitting customer's ARs. I buy roll pins for gas tubes and crush washers by the handful and keep them on hand. I cant remember ever buying a gas block that included a roll pin, unless it was one that came with a nonstandard (longer) pin, and that was only once. I have ordered and installed many different gas blocks from many different manufacturers. I have had some gas tubes arrive with roll pins included, but most do not. I am actually very surprised to that you say you have ordered somewhere around 15 gas blocks and all included roll pins. I have been doing this for some time and have not seen it. Could it be that some of these that you assembled were rifle, upper, or barrel kits, or used complete uppers, in which case you would receive all parts necessary?

That's funny about the gas block and set screws and gas tube and roll pin. It's true that I have only built 1 upper. The gas block that I used did come with set screws, but then again it was a Larue. I used a BCM gas tube and that came with the roll pin. These places deal with home builders on a regular basis and understand that some builders don't want to order a $1 part and pay $10 shipping on it.

The gas block did come with set screws. Sorry for the confusion, I never meant to say that it didn't, just saying that I have the expectation that they would. Which they did.

Never got a roll pin with any gas block I've ever bought. Usually roll pins come with gas tubes.