i have an A3 upper that has a funny looking  A buy the ejection port does any body know who made this?

If its a splintered A, Olympic Arms...

If the A has F stamped over the right side of it, Alcoa Forge product... Finished by Bushmaster...

olympic arms?



i have several splintered A upper recievers and they are from complete bushmaster rifles.

Quoted: olympic arms? i have several splintered A upper recievers and they are from complete bushmaster rifles.

According to this website,

www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/uppers/

Could be a mistake made by the author of the writings at biggerhammer or maybe at one time Bushmaster purchased receivers from Oly? Bushmaster has been known to go out of house for parts...

Anchor forge?

Alcoa forge





Anchor forge

FWIW, two factory Bushmaster rifles/uppers I have gotten direct from Bushmaster had the splintered "A" forging mark.  Both were A2s.

I now have three A4 receivers from CMT that have the spiintered "A" forging mark on them.

They are from Anchor Harvey forging company.  Many rifle manufacturers use these raw forgings.

"AF" connected is pretty exclusive to Colt equipment, AFAIK.


The bottom line on forging marks:

Unless it's an exclusive forging mark, like Colt, RRA (RRA laser etches most of their new receivers, but hundreds, if not thousands were made without this etching) and Armalite, and this receiver magically appears in your hands from thin air, THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL WHO FINISHED THAT RAW FORGING.


Additionally, biggerhammer's info was up to date in the late '80s and/or early '90s AND IS NO LONGER CURRENT TO TODAY'S AR PARTS MARKET.  It is a wealth of historical data, though.

Quoted: FWIW, two factory Bushmaster rifles/uppers I have gotten direct from Bushmaster had the splintered "A" forging mark.  Both were A2s. I now have three A4 receivers from CMT that have the spiintered "A" forging mark on them. They are from Anchor Harvey forging company.  Many rifle manufacturers use these raw forgings. "AF" connected is pretty exclusive to Colt equipment, AFAIK. The bottom line on forging marks: Unless it's an exclusive forging mark, like Colt, RRA (RRA laser etches most of their new receivers, but hundreds, if not thousands were made without this etching) and Armalite, and this receiver magically appears in your hands from thin air, THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL WHO FINISHED THAT RAW FORGING. Additionally, biggerhammer's info was up to date in the late '80s and/or early '90s AND IS NO LONGER CURRENT TO TODAY'S AR PARTS MARKET.  It is a wealth of historical data, though.

Thanks mongo, I didnt realize that site hasnt been updated latley...

You know what, I know better than to assume that it was OLY... I know its not possible to tell who the manufacturer from looking at a forging mark... biggerhammer threw off my better judgement, so to speak...

Ive seen many Bushmasters with just the key hole forge mark and other Bushmasters with just the AF smeared together forge mark too... Ive never seen one with the splintered A... I know their using them now though... Thanks bud...

Quoted: Anchor forge

The "splintered" A is actually an A over a H, for Anchor Harvey forge.