I called Model 1 to get a price on a M4 kit, they said no problem $465.  I asked if it was a 16in or a 14.5 in barrel.  Guy on the phone says do you have a tax stamp? I said no, but my gunsmith is going to weld on a Vortex or Phantom.  He said "no tax stamp, no 14.5in barrel", so I asked if he could weld it on for me.  Nope, we dont do that here.  GRRRRR, so now what do I do.  

Get a tax stamp?

The owners of both M&A Parts and Model 1 Sales are related.  In fact, these two firms were born when their parent company Sendra/Nesard was closed by ATF action.  

Sendra/Nesard ran afoul of the law when they sold 16" Shorty CAR kits that came complete with 11.5" barrel, 5.5" flash suppressor and a little sheet that explained the importance of having those two items permanently attached with silver solder and blind pins.  It seems as if the ATF construed this as a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute illegal NFA weapons (short barrelled rifles) and thus it constituted tax evasion.

This is why both M&A and Model 1 sales are a bit touchy about non-NFA types purchasing short barrels.  

Bushmaster will sell you the barrel that you seek with the appropriate suppressor permanently affixed as per the law.  You could also contact J&T Surplus.

trust me, you dont want to buy from M&A anyways. I ordered from them what i thought was a preban kit (as pictured in their ad) but received a postban, the elivation nob was missing that pin that holds the the two peices together, and because of this i now cannot get a correct mechanical zero. The kit, which was suposedly "new" had dried mud in the trapdoor and buffer recess, and the extracter had much of its finished rubbed off in the high areas, and yet they claimed that it was "new" as well.

I wish i would have gone with J&T (or better yet gotten a bushy or RRA[;)]

We were about to buy a kit from M&A. Based upon this comment we won't. M&A should have made you happy with your purchase. Who needs the headache?

Model 1/Nesard will screw you, and their parts are junk.

I suspected that Model 1, M&A was related to Nesard. Nesard was also a supplier of the Branch Davidians. David Koresh spent about $10K with them for AR15 kits and parts which he had delivered to a mail drop under a company address. It wouldn't surprise me if Nesard were busted on the 11" + 5" technicality as payback for selling to David Koresh.

I've been burned by M&A during the "Great AR-15 Rush of 1999", but recently they've sent me some okay stuff.  

M&A kit with reconditioned parts.........$415
Junk Oly cast lower.......................$90
Assorted missing / replacement parts.......$0
Case of 5.56mm ammo......................$150
A day at the range..................PRICELESS

P.S.  Is it just me, or whenever you order something from them do you hear a dude pounding on something in the background?

Funny! Ha Ha.  I would, but no more SBR in WA. [:(]

I believe that was what he was trying to do.

Let me tell you my Model 1 story: I live about 30 miles from their operation and I needed my upper looked at. I asked if I could get it back before the BRC and he said he was going there so he would have it for me there. I sent it to him with about 2 weeks to go tell the BRC. I call several times after a week and no answer. Then, about 3 days tell the BRC I finally get a hold of him (I believe the asshole's name is Mark.)

"Did you finish my upper?" "What upper" I explain to him that I sent him an upper almost 2 weeks prior and he comes back with "Haven't seen it." I ask "Do you know where it is?" "Nope"  This fuck comes off like he doesn't even give a shit and I've got over a $1K dollars invested in the firearm and the BRC together. So now I'm panicking thinking the thing got pilfered along the lines. He has no tracking system in his operation and he has no idea about the uppers whereabouts. He then explains to me that he's been working on his warehouse floors and hasn't had time to do anything.... THEN WHY THE FUCK DID YOUR PROMISE ME YOU'D HAVE IT AT THE BRC!.... On top of this, He says He's not going to the BRC because of his warehouse problems.... SO WHEN THE FUCK WERE YOU GOING TO INFORM ME OF THIS!.....

I ask him if he can find the upper and he says he has no clue if he's even gotten it. He tells me to call the Post office. I beg him to check his stock...

I get a hold of the post office in Fox River Grove IL and ask if they have my package. They go to asshole's P.O. Box and say its there... I drive the 30 miles the next day and speak to the postmaster while picking up my packages. TWO (2) employees of the post office then inform me that the packages have been there since 2 days after I sent them... and... Fuck Head never even came to pick up his mail. Apperantly, he rarely picks up his mail...

All told, I stood to lose a shit load of money and all this guy could do was sit there with his thumb up his ass and wonder where all his customers must be going...

And if you read this you pathetic fuck. You owe me money for shipping and other little expenses in order for me to get back my property. Don't think you haven't heard the last of me asshole!

Isn't M&A the only place around still stocking STG58 kits? I was going to get a couple from them, but now...

You know I really do feel for all the folks that have been screwed by such people. Just remember one thing , there is NO free lunch and you really do get what you pay for. I am skeptical of buying ANY parts at a gunshow because most of them are mil-spec rejects.Too many of my friends have made purchases based on price "well, it LOOKED ok " . Then they have to piss away more money to make it right. I have 2 Bushmasters both custom order weapons and use ONLY their parts (haven't really needed them, just wanted spares ) . Never had a single complaint about them or their service and best of all , they never jacked me around , have been totally honest. I would be hard pressed to do business with anyone else. Just my .02 worth.