My best friend, whom I love like a brother, asked me to help him with a project.  He wants to build a pre-ban 9mm carbine and also a pre-ban .223 carbine.  I convince him it would be more cost-effective to build both guns on one receiver and just switch uppers.  He says it sounds like a good idea.

So, I track down a beat up old AR target rifle.  Pre-ban Palmetto Arms forged lower.  Paid $500 for it off the books.  Not the receiver, the whole damn gun.  Barrel is useless, but enough other parts are salvageable that the actual cost of the receiver itself is around $300-$350.

I then do the research and recommend that he get an ASA 9mm kit for $699 which will have everything he needs to build the carbine on the Palmetto receiver.  He starts griping that this is too much money and if they can build .223 kits for $425 they should be able to build 9mm kits for the same.  Nevermind that it takes a different type of buffer, bolt, bolt carrier, hammer, barrel, upper, mag block et cetera.  Because there are fewer of these parts made, the per unit cost is going to be higher!  DUH!

So, weisenheimer thinks he can buy all the necessary pieces through SGN for less.  Well, surprise surprise, there aren't many 9mm parts out there.  Most of which are Oly (uses modified sten mags or the mags with the flared top end - not Colt style AR mags) or Colt (big time money).  So, the best he can piece together is around $950, but hey, it's all Colt.  Nevermind the fact that the lower receiver isn't so any appeal of it being a Colt 9mm is long gone!  Besides, every place you order from tacks on its own shipping charge.

The he starts in on how ASA wants $335 for a .223 upper when FAC only wants $285.  Now, I don't know if ASA is better quality or not, but he had no problem buying a Bushy kit from Gunsmoke before even though the price was $560 (on sale) versus the $425 that sherluk was charging.  Well, its for a Bushmaster, not a lousy FN!  DOH, they are made to the same specs for christ's sake and the military uses FN uppers!!!!!!!!!!

So he griping because he will have to put $1,500 into building his combined .223/9mm pre-ban carbine.  I know a lot of people who would be happy to pay that for just a .223 carbine.  Have I mentioned I have put probably 20 hours of time tracking down the bargain pre-ban lower and doing the research for him and countless hours listening to him bitch?!?!?!?!?!

Honestly, why do I bother.  even bigger question, why the hell did I give him that pre-ban lower??????????

Why would FN be prohibited from selling semi auto AR parts?

I asked the folks at Sherluk what parts went into their kits and they told me FN uppers, wilson barrels.  Are you saying that FN is lying?  They have a reputation for being pretty stand-up.

Why would it be legal to sell rejected FN parts but not parts that passed inspection?

Can you cite what law makes it illegal or prohibits FN from selling their uppers to civilians?  

David I bought my kit from them about two years ago and was told at the time it was an FN upper.  Not sure what they are using now.  All I know is that my experience with them to date has been top notch - great product at a very fair price.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but ANY upper receiver following Colt's design would thus be illegal to sell as a copy - following your logic.

The AR, to my knowledge, has been around long enough that anybody can make a clone now.  The exclusivity of the patent long ago expired.

I'm not believing this one at all until someone can show me what specifically prevents FN from manufacturing and selling AR uppers.

Here's the story:

FN wanted to compete for the SAW competition, so they did, and won.  But, the US wouldn't allow them to have the contract unless they agreed to build them in the US.  FN built a plant in the US and began producing the Minimi as the M249 SAW.  They then went after the M16A2 contract, and won that.  They also won the M4 contract, but Colt sued over their "proprietary design" (i.e., a few feature changes) and won, so Colt is now the sole-source for M4s.

Anyway, as part of the agreement to build a plant here and gain the military contract dollars, their contract prevents them from selling anything to anyone but the US military.  That means even the FBI, DOE, etc. can't buy FN guns produced in the US.

FN does have some work subcontracted out, and some of the alleged "FN" parts may (or may not) come from these subcontractors, though since they were never delivered to FN, that would NOT make them FN parts.  But in most cases, vendors call anything generic "FN," which also stands for "effin' noname."

-Troy