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Posted: 9/16/2012 6:59:27 PM EDT
| I picked up an FN marked A3 type upper at a gun show a while back. It seemed lightly used and functions fine. Shoots 3in groups @ 100 yds w surplus ammo and issue peep sight. Is this a military upper and if so is it higher quality or more durable than entry level uppers. the vendor claimed it was mil issue ?? JR |
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From what I understand FN themselves aren't allowed to sell AR parts commercially, hence you see a lot of companies offering their barrels, but as their own brand name, even though they are marked FN.
That being said, if it is marked FN, then it very well may have been a military issued/supplied part. Though I am speculating, i don't know for sure. |
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Probably a surplus barrel mounted in a brand X upper receiver. Upper receiver marked FN? Did it come with a BCG - if so marked FN? If only the barrel is marked, I'd bet dollars to doughnuts it's a frankengun. Not that it's bad, but I wouldn't bet it's a completely FN upper.
It's a shooter. Probably a good one at that, but I don't think you have something "collectable" or anything like that. |
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Pics... The only issue I am having is that FN upper receivers aren't marked FN. They are sterile uppers with forge markings only. That is not true. FN receivers are marked with an F and sometimes an FN. The F is a forge marking... I live in columbia, sc and have a few friends that work at the plant and have never come across one with FN etched in the upper. I have only seen about 20-30 so it is possible that they did mark them for a certain period of time. |
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Pics... The only issue I am having is that FN upper receivers aren't marked FN. They are sterile uppers with forge markings only. That is not true. FN receivers are marked with an F and sometimes an FN. The F is a forge marking... I live in columbia, sc and have a few friends that work at the plant and have never come across one with FN etched in the upper. I have only seen about 20-30 so it is possible that they did mark them for a certain period of time. None of the markings are etched, they are either stamped or raised digits. The F is not simply a forge marking. The F is always in combination with another code, the other code or symbol (the forge mark), indicate that the receiver was made for FN. That is why you have seen so many with an F. It isn't because FN have slick side uppers with just an F forge marking only, it is because you have been looking at FN receivers and not putting two and two together. I have gone through two surplus FN uppers and they both had F marked uppers along with the forge mark. I believe I have seen pictures of FN marked ones, but I can't find them right now. Some are definitely stamped FA and FK and FM and FMB if you look around. I may be confusing the FNMI barrel markings for the receiver, but I am sure I have seen FN ones somewhere. |
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Pics... The only issue I am having is that FN upper receivers aren't marked FN. They are sterile uppers with forge markings only. That is not true. FN receivers are marked with an F and sometimes an FN. The F is a forge marking... I live in columbia, sc and have a few friends that work at the plant and have never come across one with FN etched in the upper. I have only seen about 20-30 so it is possible that they did mark them for a certain period of time. FN uppers are marked with an "F" AND a forge mark to the right. |
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Whether or not it IS an FN upper/barrel the answer to you other question is no, it is not any "better" than any other upper with similar specs.
The uppers the military gets are essentially the same as you can buy from a dozen or so manufacturers and if anything a "civilian" upper has the ability to be "better" depending on what you consider "better" and what options you choose... We have more options than the average military user. |
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