http://www.networkdweebs.com/AR/Receivers%20-%20Left.jpg

The barrel on this rifle is Bushmaster, and only Bushmaster, Colt, and FN make the upper receiver with a light gray interior (which this one has).  So unless the dude put an FN upper with a Bushmaster barrel, this is one of the roughest Bushmaster receivers I've ever seen.  

Is it even possible that this is a forged upper?  Bushmaster claims to have never made cast.

[url]http://www.networkdweebs.com/AR/Receivers%20-%20Left.jpg[/url]

Big pic, so I just hotlinked it instead of posting it.  You're right, that upper looks like shit.  Looks cast.

Colt and FN DO NOT use dry lube inside the upper recievers.  Its NOT milspec.  Only Bushmaster does this but it can be added by an individual quite easily.

That is NOT a Bushmaster upper.

That's what the gunsmith at Bushmaster told me (Colt and FN).  If only bushmaster does that, then this has got to be a bushmaster, doesn't it?

No it can be done just as easily as refinishing a magazine, any idiot can do it.  The finish will come off with just a spray of gun scrubber and can be put back on with some PermaSlik.    Bushmaster now also coats the inside of the buffer tube with the dry lube.  Colt and FN dont do this either.  I bought a Colt Alcoa Forge M4 marked flat top upper within the last few months and it had no dry lube inside.

Not everyone at BM knows what they are talking about.  I had a question about the firing pin ramp on semi auto carriers and a guy who worked for years and owned multiple ARs working in customer service had NO IDEA what I was talking about.  He had to transfer em to the guy in charge of manufacturing to get an answer.

You know, Devl, both you and TROY have posted recently that Colt doesn't use the dry lube on their uppers, which is the direct opposite of my own experience with Colt's.  Now I didn't challenge Troy on it , because I figure that arguing with him is giving yourself a 99 to 1 shot at losing an argument[:D]

I don't know what Colt does now on their commercial stuff, but my SP1, built in 1976 or 77, came with dry lube, and the GI milsurp A1 upper I just bought came w/dry lube in it, and I pulled it out of the sealed bag it had been packed in.

Again, I have no idea what Colt has done more recently, but at least during earlier times they DID dry lube the inside of the uppers.

BTW, those dingy looking things on the upper in that pic have nothing to do with how it was made.  Had a Colt A2 milsurp upper at one point that looked exactly the sam in that area.  Think it's from GI storage or handling procedures, or possibly from GIs clanking the bottom of the mags against it to make sure the rounds were seated.

 My 1976 SP1A1 has dry lube in the receiver also.

There is no way in hell that POS upper in that pic is Bushmaster.

Well why would the previous owner buy a bushmaster HBAR and stick some POS generic upper on it?  doesn't make sense...and there's only a few choices out there if this has the drylube.

I've never seen a Colt upper that didn't have the Dry Lube in the upper. But, then again, I don't care much for any of the post-ban Match Targets or whatever Colt produces now.

I've seen Colt SP1, M16A1, and M4 uppers all have the coating.

I'd be interested to learn more about the upper you have DevL. Does it have BOTH proof marks above and to the right of the ejection port???

Well I added those super-expensive $90 worth of toys after I bought the thing, who knows what the previous owner did to it.  

My biggest concern is cast or forged?

That is without a doubt a cast upper.

So if it's cast, who makes a cast upper with dry-lube?  I don't think FN is even that cheap.

I dont think that is a cast part. It just looks like shit. Does it have a symbol stamped on the right side of the carry handle just in front of the rear sight?

Anyone.  I can spray dry lube inside any upper.  Its real easy.  There is a prominant dealer we talk about here who is rumored to buy non Bushmaster uppers.  Spray dry lube in them.  Drop in non Bushmaster Bolt and carier and sell the upper as a factory Bushmaster.  The dry lube in there means nothing.

No symbol, so I guess it could be anyone.

I don't think it's a cast upper. I could be wrong but I believe Oly is the only mfgr. that makes cast uppers, and they have A1 style carry handles/rear sights. Looks like this upper was a QC reject from someone. Pits could be from machine work or from the annodizing process. I have a Bushmaster M4 carry handle that was sold as new for $30 less than BM wants and I guess the price was because of a small pit on the right side, similar to the pits on that upper.

Oly cast upper.

[img]http://www.gunsnet.net/album/data/500/6201A1upper-med.jpg[/img]

FYI it does have a little "lip" on the inside of the carry handle...maybe where both halves could've been fused?