What mil-spec trigger on a base AR doesn't suck? That's why I replace every trigger on every AR I have purchased with at least a Geissle G2S. They can be had for $130 delivered from many outlets today.

Funny thing is, the trigger that came on my AA $599 Blem was amazing. It was the best mil-spec trigger I have ever pulled. I had already ordered a Geissle the same day I ordered the rifle. So out the AA trigger went. I still have it and will put it in some up coming build. Probably a 9mm AR I am considering building.

I recently sold a bunch of spare AR parts and included like 5 mil-spec triggers in the bundle, but I held on to the one that came on my AA because it was so good!

With mil-spec triggers it is the luck of the draw. But even the decent ones are not so great.

With the exception of your rifle I have not heard of any serious issues with the AA Blems. Mostly very minor finish issues and trigger complaints and chipped finishes on charging handles. All mil-spec triggers suck and who cares about a cheap charging handle with a chip in the finish?

The majority of posts here have been people who have been very impressed with their bargain. Bud's has no doubt sold dozens or maybe even several hundred of these AA Blems. If there were problems we would be hearing a lot more about them.

To be honest I don't think these rifles are blems at all. This is just a way for AA to move out excess inventory accumulated when the panic died down. Isn't it strange that Bud's keeps getting more in after they sell out? Do you think AA just keeps screwing up their rifles? I doubt it.

PSA sells blemished lowers and complete uppers all the time. Are they blemished? Not that I can see on the several things I have ordered from them. Just a way to move inventory and make customers happy when they receive something that is supposed to be blemished and it's not. PSA has made tons of happy customers who keep coming back and praise them all over the net. Smart move.

Haven't you noticed how inexpensive ARs and AR parts are these days? Nickel Born complete bolt carriers all over the place for $100. Colt rifles for $800. Bolt Carriers were over $300 during the panic. Supply has exceeded demand and manufacturers need to move their overstocked inventories, This Blemished nonsense is just a marketing trick to move inventory, and allow a company to jack the prices back up after the surplus dries up and not look bad.

We all bought regular AA rifles at a great price, not blems. You just happened to get a lemon. Even top tier manufacturers churn out a lemon now and again. I have seen LWRC, Noveske, BCM lemons. Sorry you got a lemon, but as AA stated they will take care of you. I saw the original email posted here by AA and there was no reason for you to post what you did. You should have given them the opportunity to make it right first, or you could have simply stated you got a blem with this and that problem but AA is taking care of it and you will report back once you get the repaired rifle.

I have bought brand new expensive firearms that have had problems. I always give the manufacturer the chance to make it right before bashing them online.

HarrishMasher, thank you for your opinion.  Based on what I have read AND what YOU have said, I was expecting a rifle just as you received.  When I tell a company about a couple of issues (gaps in lower, see pics, etc... and there response is that it's a blem and I got what I got, well..., perhaps your more forgiving.  After all, it's wasn't your money that was spent on what I received.  I didn't give a rip about the charging handle, I simply pointed it out to add to the long list of things that seem to not have affected others.  I have a replacement here for the charging handle.  It's the totality of the circumstances.   If you one would have read the previous pages, it was made pretty clear.  Some of what your lecturing me on is exactly what I have already said.   The matter has been addressed and they are going to look into the matter.  Coming in here just to state your opinion of what I should and shouldn't have done in this situation, well sir, it's just that, your opinion...

Well, just remember this.  For every one vocal online complainer (I don't mean that in a bad way, either), there are likely 100's if not 1000's of satisfied customers.  How many people do you know that go out of their way to go to various online forums and sing the praises of a product (any product, not just firearms) that they bought and it worked as expected?  I personally don't know anybody that makes it their mission to do so, and I know I only rarely go out of my way to leave positive online reviews.  Just something to think about in terms of the likely non-issue that all of this appears to be.

It seems that PSA has spoiled us with their definition of "blem". I've bought two of their blem lowers and searched long and hard to see why it was a blem and not a standard lower. Instead of labeling this rifle a "blem", AA should have set expectations correctly by labeling it "POS".

the amount of blem on that rifle is outrageous. not the number of them, but more the severity. That upper lower fitting and excessive wobble you describe is not acceptable as a " blemish" to me.

that reject should have gone in the scrap pile.

I guess we here so much about palomino state armory's unblemished blems.

Well... this is gonna get interesting.

I am going to assumed OP did not send/include his mags with the firearm to AA?????  

I just picked up my Adam Arms blemish rifle.  I have minor upper to lower wobble but it is very close to my other ARs so I don't know if there is any significance to that.  Not enough for me to really be concerned with but I am not an AR master by any means.  I have some minor marks in the finish



       It is the same on both sides but I plan to use Alum-a-Black to hit those spots so again not any concern to me.  The charging handle looks fine as does the bcg and the inside of the receiver.  The trigger on mine feels okay and better than many other ARs I have handled.  I did several pulls with my digitial trigger gauge and it varied from 5 lb.s 15 ounces to 6 lb.s 9 ounces.  I expect this will improve with some grease and use.  All in all I am quite happy with this purchase and will recommend it to others.

        I hope to hit the range in a few days and will do several different types of ammo at 100 yards to see how she shoots.  I will start a new thread when I do so.

Edit.  I can't find my feeler gauges but I did find a spark plug gap tool and at it's worst on one side it is way tighter than .020 and I am thinking more like .010 or better.  Thanks Adam Arms.  By the way they are one good thing from Florida.

Sounds dangerous,I will IM you my address for proper disposal.

Glad I got a good one, so thats what a fully functional "blem" looks like...  Plus, my triggers not as bad as some have mentioned.  Usually I have the worst luck, lol.

At least this thread has cleared my way into a PTR-91A3S from Atlantic.

Hking

Again, I tried three different mags with three different types of ammunition.  When pulling back the charging handle and letting it go under it's own power, I could not get it to feed.  I would not have complained nor sent it back risking missing my target date of the 22nd otherwise.  The serious blems made me unhappy, but if it fired, it fired.  I can live with scratches and such as that's what a blem is supposed to be.   I cannot explain how you got it to work and I couldn't.  I tried to get it to feed as well as the shops gunsmith.  The only way to get it to feed, and not 100% of the time, was from an open bolt, and letting the bolt release take the bolt forward.  I tried sending a couple of IM's asking if you had received my rifle.  I guess I got my answer now.  I have the same mags that I used to test it as well as many others here.  I'll try it again when I get it back.  I'll video it this time just in case it does the same thing.  As far as the huge gap in between the receivers, I'll have to borrow some tools on this end and double check.  There was a lot of slop.  The pics showed the gap.  

OP how much do you lube your rifle?

If AA would be kind enough to please let me know exactly what was done to the rifle, if anything prior to firing it.  What exact ammunition was used?  And what exact magazines were used?  Often written word loses meaning as one cannot see facial expressions, body language, or hear tone of voice.   I do not ask these things in a sarcastic tone, I am genuinely curious.  Thanks you.

Cosmetic blemish is one thing, but ticking time bomb is another.  The "blemish" in this case clearly goes past cosmetic and well into mechanical function.  The AA rifles that I own do not look anything like that!

So your contention is that the rifle did pass QC then?

2012 New Frontier polymer lower is far better trigger, no drag, no grit, breaks clean.



1993 Bushmaster Dissipator is smooth as butter at 6.5 lbs.





This AA one feels like dragging on sandpaper, even though breaks at 6 lbs after honing.  Hope Geissle ALG-ACT is better, if not, it goes back to Brownell's.


 
 
 

No comparison, you'll feel it, like day & night......

 

All, don't mean to hi-jack ....but for those that feel trigger on your AA rifle feel terrible you can pick up G2S trigger here....the cheapest I have seen....bought one myself so get them while they are available for that price...







 

It arrived in today's mail.  Came with new hammer & trigger pins & the temporary slave pin to hold the disconnector in place (nice touch).  The pins were installed in the bores instead of loose, 3 symmetrical grooves instead of 2 offset.  They had the hammer spring pre-installed backwards (go figure that).  I've been gunsmithing for 30 years, something didn't look right.  Also have a Tipton Mag Well Vise block which mounts on the Tipton Best Gun Vise; it has a hammer drop block.  You're not kidding about "no comparison".  Trigger pull gauge says 4.5lbs.





 
 
 

Wow.  I didn't think people worried about stuff like that.

    I don't worry about stuff like that I only posted it to show the only imperfection on my rifle.  Please note the "not any concern to me" part.

I have WAY more slop than that with EVERY AR I own. I actually prefer slop (being an AK fan). Too tight is bad, slop leaves room for error. Seriously... that's nothing. As for "triggers".. Mil spec is a range of 5-9 lbs. So long as it's in that range and breaks when trigger pulled, and doesn't when NOT pulled... it's "mil spec". Feel, grit, etc are all meaningless. It's not a comp trigger... It's "mil spec" (made to work, nothing more, nothing less). All of my "mil spec" triggers are different, but all fall in that range. If you want more, get a comp trigger, a "mil spec" trigger is not that.
GREAT rifles at that price. I wish I had gotten MINE for that $!

I received my Geissele G2S trigger yesterday, swap out my ALG ACT trigger with G2S on my AR pistol, I like that 2 stage a lot, Geissele makes excellent triggers.  Every break is exactly the same, very consistent and crisp, 2nd stage break is exactly the same feeling as ACT.....worth every penny I paid for it but not Retail ($165) price though.  Highly recommend Geissle triggers.  I have 2 Mil-spec triggers and one feel horrible, very gritty and long pull, then the other one feels very similar to ALG-ACT trigger, if its nickle plated you can't even tell.....so more like ALG QMS instead (I never tried QMS so I don't know how it feels).  Another G2S coming for my M4 next week

 

OP, have you got the rifle back yet? any range results?

Nope, AA promised to have the rifle back overnight, which I personally thought was very kind and generous of them, given the circumstances.  That doesn't seem to be the case now.  I have no idea where it is.  I've tried various forms of contact with them to find out the status of shipping and been ignored.  Now I really feel like a taxpayer....  I understand their a little miffed because I posted publicly, but I felt that I had no choice.  I've read in various forums that either they are so busy or have their various reasoning, customers get forgotten about.  I went through this once before with a new AA upper a couple of years ago.  It was damaged and was replaced.  But not before me waiting 6 months of unanswered e-mails and phone calls and then I posted online, and they made it right.  They actually took really good care of me, despite the 6 month wait.  I was satisfied, and I think I dealt with Cody then as well, helluva a great guy.  Those same customers who go unanswered, once posting in public, get an immediate response.  That is the route we both chose unfortunately.  I was hoping to test fire it before the big day tomorrow.  I too am quite shocked.  I'm told one thing and another thing happens.  Again, I feel like I'm dealing with politicians.....  It is what it is though I guess.  Big companies do what they want....We will see soon enough.....

Okay, I'll take the hit on that one.  I read the same day thing as it was shipping same day.  That's not your fault.  I just saw the videos.  Very interesting.  Thanks for sending them.  I don't know what kind of voodoo magic you guys work there at AA, but that thing was not cycling for me or for the shops gunsmith.  It was never about publicly bashing anyone.  It was about getting an answer.  I had tried calling three times prior to posting anything, I even tried every extension and did so during your normal business hours.  I left a voice mail asking for a return phone call so I could explain the situation in person.  As I have indicated prior, written word can have many meanings and be interpreted in many different ways.  Conversations are lost in written word as it's one sided.  This is why I was trying so hard to personally contact someone as AA.  A simple phone call could have cleared up may things.  It has been past practice in having a difficult time contacting someone at AA, as has been indicated in your industry forums.  So, many people have taken to the forums to get an answer, and then someone at AA finally see's this and get the problem rectified.  I look forward to receiving the rifle back to test it on my end.  I have tried contacting you more than once requesting a tracking number or shipping information and have gone unanswered.  I understand that your a busy company and that I am only one of many customers and am nobody special.  If you would please, e-mail me the shipping/tracking information so I can make sure that someone is here to sign for it.  I would greatly appreciate that.

Maybe I can shed some light on this.  In today's world, people prefer the following order of communication:  text, email, voice-mail, direct-voice, in-person.  Texting has become preferred as a way of not having to directly communicate with anyone, especially one's parents.    Kids don't talk to their parent's anymore, they text & the parent's accept this behavior.  Helps to explain why voice mails are sometimes answered, just like texts .  Forums are a form of texting.
BTW, AA has reduced the MSRP's, so blem's are not the "Deal of the Year", anymore, MSRP is now $1015.  Could explain why Blem's were $599 & non-Blems around $750.




http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_126/652137_Big_things_happening_at_Adams_Arms__New_lower_pricing_.html

 

 

Well - did that happen? Today is the 22nd and as of 6:30 last night he had not received the firearm.

They will not answer any form of communication from me.  My wife just asked me if I would go to the store and find something else so we at least have something to give our daughter tonight.  While I understand and recognize that my daughters birthday is not their concern nor is it their responsibility.   Though ignoring repeated requests for shipping information simply is not professional, it's personal.  They cannot say that they didn't get them as I have e-mailed and IM'd on this very site.  I figured I'd go that route since they won't answer any of their extensions each time that I've called during their normal business hours.  

That brings me around to to what you said SpecProg.  You are right, and it is deeply disturbing.  This younger generation is very disconnected.  Written word can be very powerful, but also one sided, and often misinterpreted if you don't know the person.   A vocal conversation can convey so much more.  I much prefer to call a company if I have questions about their product, especially technical questions.  It only makes sense to me.

Again, my daughters birthday is not of concern to AA.  I don't really fault them for it being missed.  What I fault them for is for having very poor communications.  If a simple phone call had been returned, this whole mess would probably never had happened in the first place.  The pics of the rifle don't lie.  I would love to have been one of the lucky ones who received a "blem" rifle that was almost indistinguishable from new, but that isn't the case.  I expected a rifle that was rough looking as it was bound for paint eventually.   My two largest concerns were the the fact that I could not get it to load properly, and the amount of slop in between the receivers.  The rest is trivial at this point.  AA states (claims) that the gap is minimal.  Again, the pics don't lie, it's huge.  I thought it was real sloppy, so I passed it around to a few people at the shop to get their opinion, and they were shocked, even for a "blem."  What can I say now, well, nothing, because AA is fine with putting out a product that in some cases are almost like new, and in my case, we know that one.  But in both cases, AA is fine either way with their name on it.  It's the principal of the matter here now.  I paid good money in good faith.  I expected something pretty rough around the edged as that is perfectly fair.  If it had been tight fitting, worked right off the bat, and looked like crap, I would have been just fine with that.  Again, I tried calling and making this work.....

Speaking of calling and trying to make things work. Don't rely on Buds Gun Shop if you have a problem.  They will get very upset if you complain.  I had corresponded a few times back and forth with one of their customer service people to try and get this worked out.  I asked both them and AA that based on the pics, and what they see in person, to please switch out the upper with another BLEM upper that doesn't have all the slop and functions good.  Bud's tried to say that they have no control over anything.  While that may be true, they are still a large volume supplier of AA's product and I'm sure have a little bit of sway.  If they had asked AA to swap out blemmed uppers, I'm sure it would have been taken care of.  I don't know, perhaps I'm way off here and Buds has no control over anything.  I'm sure they have some blem uppers in their shop though.  After all, customer service defines a company.  So, I responded back, I was polite, but pretty stern.  I told the guy that I believe when a company takes care of it's customers and provides a great service, I like to "tell it from the mountain tops" as I believe in bringing that company as much business as possible.  I will tell all of my friends about that company as I want to make sure that they link up with a company that will take care of their needs.  I also told him that naturally, when a company forgets it's customers or provides bad service, that should be told as well.  End result of that conversation was the rep from Buds getting nasty with me and telling me that "demanding a new upper" in place of a belm upper was not gonna fly.  I did remind him that never once did I ask for something for nothing.  I never asked for a new upper.  I specifically asked for another blem upper and that he should go and reread the e-mail.  Personally, I don't see that as an unreasonable request.  So, again, in addition to his false accusations, he closed my account, erased my negative review of the rifle (it was professional and had been approved on their website BTW), voided my warranty that I just paid for, and Bud's pocketed the money, and then told me to shop elsewhere.  So, the extra money that I paid for their "lifetime warranty" was flushed down the toilet.  Closing my account was a tad bit over the top as I never asked for that.  He must be the real "sensitive" type.  If he or his bosses rereads my e-mail and doesn'' respond on a proof read and quick emotion, their going to feel pretty foolish.  Perhaps not as their a big company, but if I made my decision to screw a customer and it was based on a mistake I made, I would feel pretty foolish myself......

Sorry you are having such a miserable experience.  Personally if it were me and I had all those problems I would buy something else and get rid of that rifle when you get it back.  Too many negative memories.

     I was one of the lucky ones and so far my Adams Arms seems fine although I couldn't do any accuracy testing as the scope I mounted was broken (not through any fault of Adams Arms).  Function was perfect though.

Wow, so far I see that AA is not stepping up to solve this issue instead trying to make OP look as he is complaining for nothing as we all saw the pictures and they aren't "blemish" product, instead to me that's trash and for AA to even allow that trash to be sold one huge mistake on their part.   Do you really think someone (forget OP for a moment) will not complain about that AR in that condition???  REALLY be honest????  

"This matter is closed as far as we are concerned."  Condescend much?  Lol...

If they shipped that rifle back to me I'd pound it with a sledge and move on.

Sorry for the OP's loss but thankful he brought it to the attention of this board.  

I see Adams Arms is rolling out some new products, anybody want to roll the dice?

Hking

LOL, it's fun to ruin a company's reputation with sketchy info and vague comments!  Wee, hooray for the interwebs!

If I bought a blem I'd expect one.

He bought a blem hoping it would pass for a non-blem. Surprise! He got a blem at a deeply discounted price, but he thought he could whine about it in public and get his ass kissed. Kudos to AA for handling it properly.
None of those "issues" are anything but cosmetic, as AA demonstrated.

I figured this thread was going to go the way it has.
OP is in the wrong, and no business likes to deal with people like him.

The company ruined its own reputation by engaging in the manner they did on the forums. They were the one that took a combative tone and made condescending remarks.

I will avoid all Adams Arms products myself, and will not shop at Buds. There are plenty of other piston designs on the market.

The OP is a person who has problems with the truth who attempted to blackmail them by posting this thread when he had already made arrangements with them about his "problems" with the rifle.
AAs rep looks stainless to me, and I don't like piston ARs. I loathe weasels.

OP's first post mis-states the e-mail he received from Cody at AA.  Effectively starting the thread with sketchy info.  AA's first response on the thread was, please tell us what's wrong and we'll try to work it out.  What follows is a series of conjecture centered around how bad AA is and based on a mis-represented e-mail.  AA steps in and (not directed at the OP) gives the body of that e-mail in context.  At this point, they have been defamed and are trying to respond.  Given the aggressive and often myopic nature of arfcom (not pointing any fingers) it doesn't surprise me that AA is upset by the attacks.  Despite the OP's initial statements, AA has tested and proven to the OP that the rifle was and is in working order.  Operator error.  If you missed it, OP states that videos were sent by AA to show the proof.  That in addition to a detailed explanation of how the rifle was tested by AA at their facility.  AA never promised to have overnight, OP misread that.  AA never guaranteed delivery by the 22nd, OP also misread that.  So basically, AA is now defamed based on repeated mis-statements by the OP.  Yep, that's a company ruining itself for sure.

And for the record, the pics in the OP are suspect at best.  Using a low quality camera can easily over exaggerate the look of highly contrasted areas on a digital sensor.  A very thin but bright line will bleed over and appear to be larger than reality.  At this point, I see a lot of people who are quick to judge based on sketchy info and vague comments.

I bought the Adams Arms "blem" Mid-length, mine has been 100% and zero issues.  My gun also had zero cosmetic isssues, not a "blem"  to be found.  I count myself very lucky after seeing this thread, I was debating purchasing one of the Carbine blem's, I went another way and am glad as hell I did.

Walk into your LGS and get handed the OP's rifle.  That gap looks like crap and would lead me to believe much else is fo-kakded with that firearm.  Would you trust that a gap like that will not affect function?   Buy it at half price?  How about if we give you a "lifetime" warranty?  Not me, I'd hand it back across the counter and have a good laugh.

I guess  it comes down to who you believe and what your expectations are for a firearm.  I happen to believe those photos are not lying, not poor camera work, and not tricks of the light or what have you.  And I also happen to believe the OP when he states the rifle failed to feed mulitple times.

Hking

Deeply discounted? Dude he got a rifle that didn't function for him at like $170 less than a new rifle. This whole "half price" thing is bull shit. It's not even close to half price.

AA really fucked up if they didn't get the rifle back to OP by today like they said they would. If you can argue with that, then well, I'm going to assume you work for AA and your opinion will then be irrelevant.

Also you're wrong - they said they would turn it around same day for OP. They had it a week ago as of today. At max, UPS ground takes 5 business days anywhere in the continental USA. Had they turned it around as they said they would, he would have had the rifle today. AA is in Florida, and unless OP is in Washington state, it would likely be a 3 business day wait.

No sir, no problem with the truth at all.  I didn't attempt to blackmail anyone.  I knew that I was buying a cosmetic blem rifle, I expected a cosmetic blem rifle.  In order for it to be "blackmail" it would be me demanding a new rifle in place of the blemished rifle that I paid for.  I did no such thing.  I did ask for them to replace the blemished upper with another blemished upper that had less slop in it, and that functioned the same.   I didn't expect a rifle with a ton of slop in the receivers nor it to fail to feed.  As far as low quality pictures, well, not everyone has a high quality camera.  I used my cell phone like most people.  It is what it is.  You sir can sling mud all you wish, you can call me names and insult me as well.  I didn't stoop to your level, nor will I.  I will remain an adult and professional here.    The fact still remains that I got a really bad "cosmetic blemish" rifle and AA won't even have the decency to let me know when to expect the rifle, not even a ballpark, not a tracking number, despite repeated requested for said info.  These are the facts.  AA got upset over me posting this thread in public.  I can understand that.  I voiced my concerns to them in my initial e-mail with the pictures attached to that e-mail.  I attempted several times to reach them by phone during their normal business hours.  I did so after reading their e-mail effectively telling me that I got what I got.  I wanted to speak to someone there in person to try and resolve the situation.  To make it even more interesting, people come in here without reading over everything and make it personal and hurl direct insults towards me.  Hey, I can take it I'm a big boy.  I'll be the adult here......  

Pics don't lie, and for some of you to say you can accept such garbage in the pic as blem then I agree with Synyster06Gates that you must work for AA.....

 

Situation sucks on all sides.

Pics don't lie, but the OP sure didn't tell the truth.
It does function, the interior of a carrier has no bearing on the function of the rifle, neither does a loose upper/lower, the rifle does function, (magically!) and if he wanted a perfect rifle he shouldn't have bought a blem.
I expect blems if I buy blems, and I don't work for AA. I live in CO and I'm a big proponent of standard ARs. I don't even own anything they make.
I just know BS when I see it.

I'll be sure to go to you will all technical questions from now on sir....  I did tell the truth.  You don't know me and you you certainly aren't' in a position to judge me.  But, this being the internet and still a free country and all, feel fee to pound away sir and keep the insults coming.....  You must be a much better man than I.....

OP, with your condescending reply, you are losing whatever advantage you had in this argument. In my opinion you are sounding petulant.