You know when you hear complaints you have to recognize that most the times you're only getting one half of the story. Even when Dave worked for MSAR he never got into arguments with folks here or said anything about them negatively ever or otherwise even though there were some who were total pricks to Dave. You get guys that want "parts" and don't send in their rifles and then you get guys with real deal problems, but they are something really tricky for MSAR, because YES to deliver us cost affordable rifles MSAR did contract out their optics and does contract out their barrels (the barrels though are from Green Mountain and they are REALLY good). So sometimes #$%@ happens, but I'll tell you I have NEVER seen MSAR not try their absolute hardest to please every customer (hell if need be Tony the CEO will get on the phone with you even though he's juggling two companies in two different locations right now). Then though you get these real jackasses who drink pure hateraid for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and those are the folks that have never owned an MSAR who like to drop their two cents and some even go so far as to make up lies like "MSAR is going out of business." Yeah, we've been hearing MSAR is going out of business since they started selling their STG and everyone seems to have some proof they just can't share with us. Of course, it's all crap. MSAR has been cruising along since 07' and long before that they were making knives that are still really popular among knife guys.



Look if there were two companies making AR rifles and that was it you'd probably see the same craziness.



I purchased my STG556 in 2008 about a year after they came out as a Gen 2/3 (jagdkommando flash suppressor and the last OD stocks to be made with the forward assist). I paid $1750.00 to get it home and that was a deal at the time on gunbroker. That's not chump change for me and that's a lot of money. I'll tell ya all the free stuff in the world wouldn't make me happy if my STG that I shelled out cash wasn't working so this whole notion that MSAR buys off folks like me with free stuff is total bullshit. How would I be happy with free magazines if the only rifle I can use them with didn't work? Would I really be singing their praises if it was prone to failures or just totally sucked? No way. Honestly, if the STG didn't perform like I wanted it to I'd keep my mouth shut, drop it on the E&E or Gunbroker and be done with it back to the world of ARs where I came frome. However, for over two years now and 3K+ in ammo through it I've been good-to-go. I can count on one hand the number of malfunctions I've had and I can chalk that up to one bad magazine and stuck case from crap ammo. Cleared them and moved on firing like I have with other firearms. No biggie.



Early on when I purchased my STG my charging handle was being chewed up pretty good. Being mildly OCD it bugged me so I complained about it and expecting just one charging handle I end up being sent three for good measure.



Many of the older folks here lead a campaign to do something about the high height of the STG rail, because it was PITA to cowitness BUIS with your primary optic with it since BUIS and various optic mounts are all AR centered. MSAR heard our demands and incorporated it into their E4 rail and sent a few of us who had offered our ideas free ones. Solved my BUIS cowitness issue and did exactly what I wanted. Now I've dealt with other companies before with similar requests and it's like talking to a wall. So MSAR's customer service goes beyond just talking to you when you've got a problem. A lot of the changes in the E4 came from folks here asking for them.



A lot of folks complain that they purchased a GEN 1 or GEN 2 and now their resale value sucks. Well, if you want an investment go buy bonds or gold. Truth is that every advance MSAR has made they've made darn sure to make it so that the previous owners can upgrade. I've upgraded my GEN 2/3 to a smooth stock, have the new E4 bolt and bolt carrier I'm running now, and if I had been inclined to do so I could have had my STG converted to take the E4 stock. If I buy an E4 barrel I can slap it on my STG. Nobody skips a beat. Heck, I'm sure in 10 years the MSAR rifles being produced will look really different, but I'm also sure I'll be able to upgrade if I want to. Other companies, you can't do that. There have been many companies that produce a certain rifle and then just drop it...that's it no more support or good luck ever seeing the thing evolve to keep pace with what is new.



One of things that I admit I fell for on here were folks trying to convice me that I had to baby my STG at first. "Oh your STG can't handle steel cased low pressure .223 you'll have all kinds of issues," some folks told me. Guess what? I'm cranking brown bear through it by the case now with no issues so far. I'll probably try some Wolf and maybe even Tula once I run through the Brown Bear and it's not going to worry me.



MSAR isn't a perfect company. They're not a mil contractor. They probably should do a lot more R&D before they issue a new rifle like the E4. They've got employe issues that can translate to quality sometimes, which is part of the reason for the move. All and all though I've been a happy camper with the STG556 and have found them to be like Uncle MSAR that I can call up when I need them for help. My STG556 is my PRIMARY Home Defense carbine and I rest safe at night knowing that, because it has proven itself to me again and again.





At the end of the day the MSAR guys were guys looking to take a rifle they really loved and do something more with it.  It's a great rifle that's the product of a lot of wisdom and experience.