Quote History Quoted:
milspec,
Lowest bidder for the lowest acceptable quality. milspec, does not mean the best spec at all.
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There seems to be some misconception that military specifications have something to do with bidding.
Military specifications detail the requirements and how adherence to these requirements will be measured by the procuring agency. In a way specifications may be regarded as “the lowest acceptable quality,
that will ensure the item will perform as required”.
People seem to forget the last part of that sentence.
As to bidding - Would you rather pay the highest bidder that makes parts?
When one buys parts that are made to military specification, you know exactly want the part is capable of. For example:
If I have a box of ammunition made to MIL-C-9963, I know that the velocity at 78 feet from the muzzle will be 3165 +/- 40 fps, with a standard deviation of 40 fps, it will have a mean radius smaller than 2.0 inches at 200 yards, it will have a chamber pressure that will average 55,000 psi, a port pressure between 12,400 and 16,400 psi, and not decrease velocity by 250 fps or increase chamber pressure more than 2000 psi at the extremes of -65 degrees F or 125 degrees F.
What can you positively state about a box of Federal American Eagle .223 Remington?
Similarly, if you have a true mil-spec bolt, you know that the material it was made from, the dimensions it is made to, the heat treatment it was subjected to, and the protective finish applied have been tested and found reliable, and of adequate strength.
If a bolt is not “made to Mil-Specs”, do you know it works properly and reliably? You might, or you might not.
Do Military specifications mean “the best”? no, of course not. But, they do allow you to know what you are getting.
Of course all this only applies to stuff that is actually made to “military specifications”, not stuff advertised as “mil-spec”. . . .