Posted: 9/20/2011 3:47:53 AM EDT
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I just thought I'd take a minute to make everyone drool.
I toured the FN plant yesterday, and they had about a dozen buggies full of barrels headed in to be MPI checked and chromed that were roll marked "Palmetto State Armory." That doesn't include the other buggies that were for .mil gun and hand gun barrels. It was BEAUTIFUL!! (Not as beautiful as the long long line of racks of complete M16's headed to be sighted and test fired.) |
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Quoted:
I just thought I'd take a minute to make everyone drool. I toured the FN plant yesterday, and they had about a dozen buggies full of barrels headed in to be MPI checked and chromed that were roll marked "Palmetto State Armory." That doesn't include the other buggies that were for .mil gun and hand gun barrels. It was BEAUTIFUL!! (Not as beautiful as the long long line of racks of complete M16's headed to be sighted and test fired.) Out of curiosity, did FN provide any indication as to how long it takes to process the barrels through MPI? My patience with PSA, especially now that I am having to return the only upper I purchased from them due to a defect, is making me REALLY antsy to purchase one of the high-end barreled uppers. And BTW, PSA has been great about the defective return - it is just that I have to explain to my kids that there is yet another delay in getting our first AR fully operational - AND - I am not certain yet what PSA will do about the defect (the FSB was drilled in such a way that the sight is misaligned/canted). Anyway - I am still interested in purchasing through PSA and am hopeful they receive inventory of their high-end products (in the size and configuration I am seeking) VERY SOON. It would be interesting to know if you were able to get any indication about the length of time these last couple of processes at the factory require? |
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They did not indicate production time. The process is; barrel is shaped from a bar stock blank, then inspected at the MPI (magnaflux) station, then they move to a manual inspection (to determine actual required thickness of chrome needed to meet finished size), then they are chromed, then the outer phosphate is applied, then inspected again. I would imagine that the time from a blank coming into the plant to a finished barrel leaving is at least a week if not longer. Just to move from a raw blank to a machined but not coated barrel is six stations including the three automated stations. The cold forging machine was pretty cool to see in action. Not to mention the profiling and chamber cutting robotic station.
It should be noted that the tolerance for variation is not allowed to exceed 3 microns. A human hair is 83 microns. No cameras inside the plant. But the pictures would make you cry. |