Which 9mm upper would you recommend? I am leaning toward the Oly upper with the SOCOMM block so I can use inexpensive Sten mags. Colt is out of the question but I know that RRA makes one.

I am sort of in the same dilemma (check my post in the pistol & rimfire calibers forum).  My original intention was to go with the Oly upper for the same reason.  I can't afford the entire rifle now, so I bought a stripped receiver with the intention of buying the rest of the parts as finances permitted.  Plus, I've never built an AR before and thought it would be kind of fun.  However, I've found that unlike the pricing I've seen on most AR builds, where you can save a couple of bucks by doing it yourself, there is really no way you can build a 9mm Oly and even break even on the price of their complete rifles.  A quick search found a place selling the complete Oly 9mm rifles for $737 - could be places selling it even cheaper.  Finding anyone selling just the uppers was alot harder, and the best price I could find was only $10 below Oly's retail.  It seems like Oly wants to do alot of these sales themselves, direct to the customer, and so doesn't discount the upper very much for dealers.  I didn't think about this before I started my project (i.e., bought the stripped lower) - I figured Oly's $595 retail was just another artificially inflated retail price (just like everything else these days) so we think we are getting a good deal on the price we do end up paying.   The lowest I could find for the upper alone was $585 at Del-Ton - meaning that there only a $150 difference between the upper and complete rifle.  

So... it really depends on how exactly you are planning your project.  If you are thinking of going my route, well, there is no way you can get a new complete lower receiver for $150 - you can't even get that low assembling your own with "budget" parts.   If you already have a spare lower, or just want to swap the uppers with an existing rifle.... hell, you still may want to get the complete oly rifle - you'll get another complete lower for cheap.

Upon this realization, I started taking a more serious look at the RRA uppers.  They are much cheaper than the Oly uppers, but there are some additional 9mm parts you need to buy (namely the hammer...) and the mag block is about 2x the cost of the Socom block.  Still, with the pricing I've found, you'll probably be in for around the same money with either RRA or Oly and 5-6 mags (sten if Oly, converted UZI is RRA).   Obviously, if you plan on getting more mags than that, the RRA will start getting more expensive overall, but you still have the option of picking up some real colt mags down the road so you can get the bolt hold open to work.  If the AW ban is not renewed in '04, I'm sure you'll be able to pick up new colt mags for much cheaper as well.   In addition, Galati is selling a mag block that they claim lets the Colt (RRA) system use unmodified sten mags - one member has one in his hands now but is waiting to test it (keep an eye on the pistol and rimfire cal forum).  If this works, then the RRA will definitely be the much cheaper solution.

However, one member did suggest that I contact Stokes (mod on the for sale forums) as he may be able to get the Oly uppers at a more reasonable price.  I'm not sure exactly how much cheaper he can offer them for - I'm not ready to buy one yet, so I don't want to bug him right now.

Of course, this just looks at the cost angle.  I can't comment on quality/reliability.  However, the RRA offering has only been out a month or so, so there really isn't any long term data on it in any case.

Rocko

ASA,Colt clones, aren't bad.

I've had really good results from my preban Oly 9mm upper that I bought second hand. I've put 5K of 9mm Wolf through it since I've had it running Sten mags.
YMMV

I've been trying to make the same decision for about a month now. Colts are out of my price range. ASA and Oly, seemed to be the only alternatives. Then RRA came out with one. They have a good reputation from the LEGP coverage. They are priced reasonably. Plus, RRA has started chrome-lining their barrels. I'm waiting on confirmation regarding if all barrels are chrome-lined, or just the .223/5.56 for now. Please post, if anyone has an update on the 9mm barrel. Also, I inquired about the SOCOM mag blocks working in the RRA 9mm uppers. The reply was, "The mag blocks will work with ANY conversion that DOES NOT use the COLT style barrel. (flat front without taper chamber)". Soooo... Guess which one (RRA)I'm leaning towards? Maybe we can get a few people together for a "group price" on a few RRA 9mm uppers.  
     

I thought the RRA is a colt copy, and thus the SOCOM block wouldn't work?  My understanding is there is the Oly and the everything else (colt, ASA, RRA all use the same system).  If you have a C&R (and if you don't, why not?!) the ASA and RRA will run roughly the same by the time your done - the A2 ASA is $600 dealer cost (which you get with your C&R) at Brownell's, but includes everything you need.  You'll still have to fork out $125 for the colt style mag block for the RRA (I'm assuming is doesn't work with the SOCOM, here) and at least the 9mm hammer.  I thought you'd be able to use a normal buffer and recoil spring, but the ASA says it comes with that as well, so you may need to buy those separate for the RRA too.  So... no real difference price wise.

However, both ASA and RRA have proven themselves to be asses in the past, albeit in different ways.

Rocko

I recommend the Oly 9mm upper.

Contact Stokes, he has the inside line on these and gets a good price for them.

Look at the complete rifle section at EE.  There is one or two for sale.

Oly 9mm upper are accurate and fun.  I like the fact that all you need is the upper and magblock to convert your rifle to 9mm.    Sten Mags are cheap.  Compared to the 20-25 dollar uzi mags you can't go wrong with the OLY.


max

I have an ASA upper the only thing I changed was the hammer.

My Oly .40 S&W works great.

About 1K rounds thru it - not a single jam.

I got 4" groups at 100 yards with a Reflex II on my first (and only) try at distance.

I thought that was decent.

I have heard mixed things on the sten mags with the oly uppers. I got 15 sten mags in the closet for the day I move towards 9mm. But my dealer (class 2) was having issues with his socom/oly/sten mag setup. had to use the oly converted stens.

And the stens are a bitch to load.

Any thoughts?

Quoted: I have heard mixed things on the sten mags with the oly uppers. I got 15 sten mags in the closet for the day I move towards 9mm. But my dealer (class 2) was having issues with his socom/oly/sten mag setup. had to use the oly converted stens. And the stens are a bitch to load. Any thoughts?

Yes, use this loader It will make the bitch go away.





I don't know what "issues" he is having. The mags sometimes take a little fitting. I cut stops to match the angle of the mag well and fit the notch in the back of the mag where the paddle locks so they will all insert to the correct height so the bolt strips the round properly. If the mag still won't feed it gets shitcanned. They are cheap and plentiful.