I did a search but only really found info on their pistol uppers.  I would like to know how the JSE surplus uppers are in quality.  And are they made by JSE or is JSE just selling somebody elses uppers?
To be clear I mean their custom .223 uppers like this one:
JSE
Thanks

I'm curious too ... I actually bought a custom 5.56 but have yet to get it out to the range cuz the past couple weekends have been crazy

Mine is a bulldog barrel and otherwise I can vouch for every brand or part I chose otherwise ... Let me know what u find out


There uppers seem to be a great value Price ...

been running one of there 16 inch carbine uppers for about 5 years and no issues to speak of . they build the uppers in house. I know because there shop is about 5 miles from my house and I spend to much money there.

I bought one of the $235 carbine uppers they had a while back. The receiver is a DSA. Overall, it looks good. Barrel is a bulldog (I think). It shot fine. It's no match king, but the feedramps looked good, and it shot well.

A couple things (minor) with the upper. The flash hider came loose. When I actually tightened it,  now it sits cranked over at about 1 o'clock. The front gas block (inexpensive rail type) is held on with set screws - which constantly come loose. I'd replace it with a standard FSB, but I have a feeling (never had the motivation to look) that the barrel doesn't have the holes drilled for the taper pins - which would make it too much trouble for me to change it out.

All in all, for $235 (assembled), it's worth it. I use it exclusively for my .22 conversion (can leave the red dot set up for the .22 on it), but could always drop in a BCG and have a spare .223 upper in a pinch. Can't complain at all about the upper or JSE for that matter.

A pin job is unique to the specific FSB/glass block and barrel.  You should check to see if the barrel is dimpled for the set screws.  If dimpled and tightened it shouldn't come off that easy.  You can put them back in with rockset.  If you can't get a upper to run without the gas block comming off you need to fix it.  If you have to expect to have to take a upper down, or have the equipment to do so then the upper is not a good deal, you just have a $50 stripped upper, $15 in upper parts kit, $25 in handguards, nuts, etc, a $10 gas tube and a basic $75-100 barrel.  If the flash hider is hand tight at 1'oclock that is acceptable, you need to wrench it back around.  A new crush washer should be .5 to 1.5 turns past hand tight.  Your used is probably ok if you wrench it from 1 to 6 on the used crush washer.

I have built several of the JSE rifle kits..I have been pleased with quality and service.  The rifles eat whatever I throw thru them and accurate enough.

What a coincidence. My JSE M4 upper came in Monday. Took it out yesterday and should have gone out again today but came down with lazyitis.

Here's what I found:

M4 flat top upper - Splintered A forge marking - with a 16" M4 profile barrel (DTI 1/9) - light profile under the handguards and the M4 feedramps.

A2 flash suppressor but the crush washer was installed backwards. The large side goes against the f/s not the barrel. After ~150 rounds it's still tight.

The standard triangle shaped front sight base/gas block is installed with taper pins. The sling swivel is installed with a rivet. But the rivet could have been tighter. You can actually move the rivet back and forth - or rather left and right.

The round handguard cap is blued and not parked. It's also loose on the barrel. You can move it fore to aft. Someone didn't make sure the front sight base was moved as far back as it should have been when they drilled for the pins. But when the handuards are on they are rock solid so in the end it doesn't matter all that much.

Oh, the upper sports the "T" markings too.

The bolt carrier is a full circle carrier that is cut back like the old Colt SP1 carriers. That is the bottom of the ring is ~¼" thick or so. The firing pin is shrouded.

Another oh yeah, the front sight post was screwed in just far enough to catch the detent. I ran it down so the flange was flush, or a click or two above, the base.

First day out if I could see it I could hit it!

A few minor issues but overall I'm very happy with the $375 I spent.

Yet another oh yeah. This is mounted to a Stag lower I bought a few years ago and I've got to really lube the hell out of the take down pins and hammer them into place with the heel of my hand. I use a live round to hammer the pins back out. With my hand again. This is the tightest mating pair of receivers I've run into. They have loosened slight in the 150 rounds so I imagine they'll loosen up a bit more with more shooting.

After 10 yrs hanging around this place I finally have an M4gery. All the hot rage back in the day.

BTW, the bottom half of a MagPul MOE handguard really scuffs up the finish when you install it backwards.

I'm please with the upper I got and wouldn't hesitate to order from them again.