AR Sponsor
Posted: 6/19/2007 7:53:21 PM EDT
|
Sorry if this is somewhere in easy sight, but I didn't see anything with specifics. What is the general manufacturing process for AR15 rifles? I mean, how much is hand done? The dimensions have to be so close (to be mil-spec), so how do they do it? Can computers and guided equipment create everything? How does it work? I want to know! Teach me, you elder ones. Regards, Mark |
Of course not, but they still need to be precise!  Do they not just feed the dimensions from... something like a CAD? |
|
CNC machines follow a computer program. Once the program is input, the machine does all the work automatically. A raw forging goes in the machine and a completely machined receiver comes out a few minutes later. There is very little manual intervention until the components are assembled. |
|
Not necessarily. There's more to the price than just the CNC work. Some companies have much more overhead...some have more QC checks....use different finishes...etc. Some charge more simply because of the name on the magwell. Plus, not all lower receivers are built to the same specs (rear shelf height, for instance). Regardless, you can buy a perfectly adequate upper or lower receiver for ~$125 or less from a variety of manufacturers. |
Most forged lowers run near the same price point. Complete rifles vary quite a bit, this is driven by quality of the LPK, BCG, barrels, QC on assembled unit, and company overhead. This is before you get market factors involved, if demand outstrips supply the price for a specific brand or model will increase. |
|
GI Factory episode on the M16 is here military.discovery.com/fansites/gifactory/videogallery/videogallery.html ETA: not the whole episode, but about 1/3 of it as I remember |
|
There is a little more to the process than just typing incommand aand the machine doing it automatically. The program is drawn in a CAD type program, and tooling has to be selcted. then they have to make jigs/vises to hold the assemblies. Once they insert the part in the Jig, they have to program the CNC machine to locate the 0,0,0 point. then the machine can do its programmed task. This may have to be done three or four times, most machines cannot do multiple processes in one program, sometime you have to turn the part over or 90 degrees etc. so this means multiple jig and setups.... Basically you are paying for all everyone above said, plus machine operators, tooling that gets used up in the process, and the time that it takes. But yeah most of it is automated.... |
Depends on the company. I think Colt broaches the magwell and has hard fixtures to do a lot of the work instead of machine centers. |
AR Sponsor