I stopped by my local store/range today and inquired more about the AR 15 I was intrested in. They only sell Olympics so I asked for a qoute for an olympic with a chrome lined barrel and forged lower. He said that all olypmics were such, except for the plinker. Troy's fabulous chart shows these options are optional and not standard? Are all NEW Olympic Ar-15 rifles forged and have chromed barrels or is it only optional?

To answer your question, NO! Olympic Arms does not chrome line their barrels. They use 4140 chromemoly steel for their barrels on standard AR15's and 416 stainless steel barrels on their ultramatch, M4's and some bull barrels. All of their uppers & lowers are forged from 7076 T6 aluminum except the "Plinker" which uses A356 aluminum castings for their upper & lowers. I have an Olympic Arms AR15 and I am very impressed with it. They also have a "Life time warranty" on all of their weapons. [8D]

Phessor is correct Olympic's [b]Don't[/b] have chrome lined barrels (its not even an option anymore - at one time it was an $80 option).  Also, their front sights are cast instead of forged.

For a range weapon or varming hunter the rifle is fine.

Thanks for the clarifying on the barrels, I guess the guy was just trying to make a sell.

Correct all. Oly does not chrome line their barrels. No need to, and they are more accurate because of it, no doubt about it.

They did experiment with a product called Durachrome (?), but it is no longer available.

They now use a process called Blak-Tac (see other threads) that is used on all of their bolt carriers, is harder and more lubrous than hard chome, and costs way less.

I called and from what they told me, they are now experimenting with this in full barrel treatments as well. We shall see how that goes...

Really Chome lineing is not even an option any more, their web site say it is....

Stainless-steel is an option, though...and just as accurate as non-chromed carbon steel. IIRC, it's $42 extra.

By the time you're done adding in for all the 'extras', you could have a Bushmaster and not have to wonder about the quality...

Where are you at in UT?  I might be able to point you to a Bushmaster dealer or two..

There is no wonder of quality in a Olympic. They might be the underdog, but they are by no means less quality. Call them and ask them how many parts they make in house on their rifles and then compare that to Bushmaster. That will give you some idea on control of quality issues right there. Not knocking Bushmaster, but calling it how I see it..Oly has a 60 day satifaction guarantee and lifetime functioning and parts warranty. With that alone do you think they are sending questionable quality out the door??? I would bet Darkstar hasn't given one a chance....

There is no wonder of quality in a Olympic.
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Thats true you always get pure crap when you buy an Oly. I know I bought one. Never will make that mistake again however.
PAT

Hey glock, youre a dick. All you do is tell people that what they have is crap.
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Why dont you shut the f*ck up, and stick with glocks. END                                   Or maybe stick them up your ass.  END                                           Dont put people down for the kind of gun they like.
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This is not highschool where make fun of people for not wearing nike's.                         END                                           If you dont understand that just as much fun can be had with an oly or a colt or a bushy, than you need to go to another board.
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Go to hell pat P.S. you have a stupid name

I live near the Oly factory, handle their goodies in the showroom and at their table at the gun show, and know a few employees. I would not hesitate to buy an Oly due to quality. Configuration is another matter.

Hey glock, youre a dick. All you do is tell people that what they have is crap.
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Why dont you shut the f*ck up, and stick with glocks. END Or maybe stick them up your ass. END Dont put people down for the kind of gun they like.
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This is not highschool where make fun of people for not wearing nike's. END If you dont understand that just as much fun can be had with an oly or a colt or a bushy, than you need to go to another board.
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Go to hell pat P.S. you have a stupid name

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Were not in high school right. That’s why you just threw a 14-year-old temper tantrum. I tell people that Oly makes crap because I bought one and found out the hard way. By the way profanity and personal attacks are against the forums conduct code. Perhaps you should go elsewhere.  I prefer Colt. I have owned Bushys and they were ok. I have owned some Armalite products with some problems. But the company tried to make it right. Oly sent me a gun with an out of spec barrel that bulged brass. The floating hand guards were not screwed all the way in. The bi pod hole was drilled 20 degrees off. The upper was sent back to Oly and did not return for over a YEAR. They kept lying in the mean time about the return date. Saying it was in the mail and they were going to get right on it. Then when it gets back the trigger starts to double after its had about 2000 rounds through it. Oly says it’s not their problem and they told me to take it up with their subcontractor that did the set triggers.  I have never had a company treat me as bad as OLY. That’s just my tail. I have seen other former owners with their own share of problems.

So next time before you embarrass yourself by showing us your lack of self control and your entire vocabulary of profanity make sure you know the facts.
PAT

Why buy any product, not just AR's, from a company that buys its parts from surplus parts manufacturers for the cheapest price they can get?

Oly's quality is superior. Their barrels are excellent, and no one needs a chrome lined bore. This is a military MYTH to cover up their ineptitude for issueing M16's for the fisrt time into the most wet and humid climate on earth with NO MANUALS,  and  NO CLEANING KITS!! Non-chrome lined bores are lasting the military testers longer than chromed ones, and if it's accuracy you are talking about, look at the Army's newest sniper upper for the M16. It is NOT chrome lined.

Tcknudsonjr, have no doubt that buying an Oly is the best deal out there. Get what you want, and if you have questions, call Oly direct and they will answer all your questions. You can't even get Bushy to answer the phone half the time, and you'll never speak to a Colt rep that can actually help you.

Less Expensive
Equal or better quality
BETTER accuracy
Lifetime Warranty

Hmmmmmmmm.....

I have had a Bushmaster 20" preban, a Colt lightweight 16" sporter and an Olympic PCR-5. The Oly is the most accurate. The Oly and the Bushy are equal in reliability, the Colt is somewhat less reliable. The Oly has without a doubt the best fit and finish of the 3. The Oly is $300 cheaper. Easy decision. I plan on building an SPR type rifle next. Even if I could buy the Colt or Bushy for the same price as the Oly, I would still buy the Oly. Names don't mean shit to me. I want to buy the best, and cost is not always an indicator of quality.

You can't even get Bushy to answer the phone half the time, and you'll never speak to a Colt rep that can actually help you.
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Well talked to a Colt rep the other day and at least he did not lie to me like the people at Oly Did. Sorry but the simple fact is oly makes some of the worst crap on the market. They have the lowest customer approval rating I have seen. Their barrels are far from supperior. Well unless you call being headspaced improperly from the factroy superior. I have seen more oly's fail than any other AR15 variant.
PAT

Do yourself a favor and dont buy an Oly.  If you buy a quality AR from Bushmaster/Armalite/Rock River or Colt you will be considerably happier.  Oly has warranty service in the same class as Hesse and is only slightly ahead in quality control.

 You might get a good one or you might get a gun with a cross-threaded comp and a mag well that does not fit standard mags.  

I have owned 1 pre-ban Colt , 1 pre-ban Eagle Arms and 2 Olympic Arms AR15's. I love my Oly's and I loved my Eagle Arms. The one that was a piece of crap was the Colt. I would never own another Colt. And to put Olympic in the same class as Hesse, Ouch!
I have been in touch with one of the major manufacturers of ammo for the Military and Law Enforcement agencies in this country and they claim that the # 1 AR15 that has problems with firing out of battery is Bushmaster. Now I am not knocking Bushmaster, they make a great rifle. I am only relaying what I was told over the phone. So bring on the flames.  [8D]