Ok, so I have been wanting a belt fed for my collection since I dont have one yet. I was thinking about an RPD because there a little cheaper and I could afford to shoot it. I really like the DSA carbine with the rail and AR stock but I read that the DSA  RPDs have reliability issues. I have a chance to buy a Polish RPD parts kit with original barrel for $450. Is that a good price? I was looking at Project guns to do the build. Is this a good builder? Is the customer service good.

I emailed project guns and the price sounded good, sounds like it would be a little less then buying a DSA. I want to get either the shorty with 16in barrel or the super shorty with 14in barrel with perm fh. The only problem is he does not offer the AR stock.


So I guess my questions are:

Is project guns a good builder?
Any first hand experience?
Any other builders I should check with?
If I did go with project guns how hard would it be to put a different pistol grip, AR stock, and railed hanguard on?

Thanks!

James

I should add that if you can't send it away and not hear anything for months and months and are going to constantly badger him, don't waste your time.  If you have patience and don't care for weekly/monthly updates on how your precious is coming along Stan is the man.

I bought a polish kit with an original barrel from military gun supply for about that. I bought a receiver from DSA, and then sent it all to Len Savage to build it for me. I sold it at the height of the panic to buy a M11/9. Full auto beats semi auto beltfed every day.

Cool, thanks for the replys! Im prob gonna go with project guns, he has been emailing me back and forth. Between form ones and form fours,and other gunsmiths im used to waiting  lol! I saw that dsa sells there railed hanguard, but how do i but an AR stock and different grip pn it? Thanks

I sent a kit off to project guns January 2011. Still waiting on it. I'm not on a hurry, I don't bug Stan. When it comes it comes.

Be prepared to wait so long you forget you ever sent it in.

Maybe I'll sell it when I finally get it. It's a super shortie. I already have a full size postie they are fun but be prepared to inhale the gas.

I had a kit with Stan to be built.  It would be about half built now except the god-damned NY SAFE act..... fuckers!  I had to cancel the build. :(

FWIW, my buddy's tacticool DSA RPD runs like a top.

You shouldn't need to worry about form 1s or 4s if you are just doing a semi build.

Got mine

Beautiful! Is that a 16" Project Guns?

Yeah 16".  He's not doing 'super shorties' anymore.

I'll post a picture thread tomorrow

I have one just Ike that from Stan. Why isn't he doing super shorties anymore?

He mumbled something about having trouble with them.  Not sure of the specifics.

We are now doing a wood 16" carbine model of our semi RPD,

Also news for builders we have Semi RPD receivers in stock at $375 each plus $12 shipping to your FFL. Please call to order.

Thanks

DSArms

Pics?

we are putting it on the front page of our website today

Thanks

I see nothing.

If you are still looking...........Two Rivers in Missouri does excellent work. They quoted me $850.00 for a semi build and that included bluing.
They have a unique way of milling the upper so that you keep your original serial number on the lower.

DSA is your best bet.
Be careful dealing with Project Guns!!!!! It took me 8 months to get my RPD build. Stan Promised the build in 2 months and was real nice on the phone when he took the order. When I did not hear back from him in 4 months I called and he said he did not have a reciever for me after I was already charged for one at the time I put in the order and was told I was on the next build cycle. I asked him what happened to mine & he said he would check. He came back to the phone and said it was in my box and that I would be on the next build. I waited 2 more months and noticed he was now building Stens. I called back and left a message because no one answered the phone. I was never called back. I left emails and no one responded. I kept calling and finally got Stan. He told me he was busy & was real rude. I explained that he told me 2 months to start the build & he told me he would send my money back. I told him if he was going to be building it soon I would wait. 2 weeks later he had complete RPDs for sale on his site so I called him and asked if he would sell me one of the newly built guns and he said yes to call him Monday. I called back Monday & he was extremely rude and said he would not sell me one that I would just have to wait or he would return my money. He then told me he was building my gun and it would be done soon. He called me in a week and said it was done & where should he transfer it to. I finally got the gun & it was really dirty (Grit, Sand, Carbon). It was also what I would describe as a sub standard build, Scratches & bluing missing. Not all parts as advertised were missing also & when I emailed him asking where the additional parts were he never responded. He builds his own custom parts so if you ever need replacement parts you may never get them. I would never buy a gun from this guy again because he is unreliable, erratic & not trustworthy on his word. Be careful he also drops off the face of the earth for extended periods of time & he is a one man show. He may know what he is doing on builds but you may never get what you were promised. Oh and his site says he has been on vacation for months now & the same guns he says he has for sale have been there for months also. I doubt there are any real RPDs for sale. Your guess is as good as mine where he is. Good luck if he ever gets your money.

Ditto for my friend's DSA.  Granted they're expensive, but I'd rather deal with an actual business

there is wiselite arms and DSA they are the only other builders that I know of beside vector.

Just put the first 80 flawless rounds through my new DSA RPD I purchased from AIM surplus yesterday. Got to say the DSA's look good and function even better!

I bought a DSA last year and it has never run very well.  More disappointing is that DSA has never responded to any of my E-mails or calls.  Nothing, from them not even an auto reply.

Sounds like they sent you a lemon.
Mine still runs like a champ. only hiccup I had was a surplus belt issue. It had a couple of bent links that I had to take a pair of needle nose pliars to fix.
Can you describe the malfunctions you are having? Sometimes its the links.

About every third round is a light strike.  You can cycle it with no problem and if the primer gets popped it cycles fine.  After a year of frustration I am going to sell it and move on.  I had a Vector RPD that was bullet proof.  DSA seems completely disinterested in dealing with it though.

That sucks. I just took men out for the first time last weekend and ran a full belt through it with no problems. Ran great shooting slowly and quick double taps.

Have you tried a stiffer spring for the firing pin? Sounds like that could be your culprit.

Have you tried a stiffer firing pin spring? Also some of these shipped out with improperly heat treated secondary striker pins which would cause the light primer strikes. I would try to get DSA to send you a new striker pin and try that.

I've given up on DSA they haven't responded to any emails or phone calls. If they wanted to make it right they would have.   I've given them enough chances.

Thanks for the info though.   I wish DSA cared as much.

Actually, a stiffer striker spring will cause light primer strikes, as it acts against the recoil spring and the bolt doesn't get completely seated.  Ask me how I know.