So how many parts suppliers use parts from Armstek?

I'll bet the answer is most of them.

www.armstek.com/product/firearms.html

Armstek, Inc.
1/F, No. 3, Lane 66
Hulin St., Sinyi District
Taipei City 110, Taiwan

Are these the bi-lingual parts Armalite was talking about in their catalog?
 The slant on the rear of the telestock receiver extension looks familiar.

I only buy COLT PARTS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man, this makes me paranoid about LPKs now.  I'm not bashing Taiwanese made parts, but we really don't know where in the hell our parts are coming from.  That makes me a little bit nervous.  One of the worst things about globalism is not knowing the sources of products.

Quoted: Man, this makes me paranoid about LPKs now.  I'm not bashing Taiwanese made parts, but we really don't know where in the hell our parts are coming from.  That makes me a little bit nervous.  One of the worst things about globalism is not knowing the sources of products.

It's not so much not knowing the source as it is not knowing the quality.

If POF is an overseas company, then that's one more reason I'm glad I never messed with them. Part of the pride of owning an AR and insentive for buying one, is knowing the fact that it is an American Product.(with American Made Parts).

If someone has a list of companies that uses imported parts in their AR's please post it so I can avoid them. Thanks.

I looked at the pics of the lower parts made by the taiwanese company and damn that mag release button sure does look exactly like the mag release button from my cmmg lpk I bought,I've never saw another like it from any other supplier .WTF. Maybe coincidence?

Quoted: I looked at the pics of the lower parts made by the taiwanese company and damn that mag release button sure does look exactly like the mag release button from my cmmg lpk I bought,I've never saw another like it from any other supplier .WTF. Maybe coincidence?

Probably not.  Perhaps this is the reson why CMMG is tight lipped about their parts suppliers? Although, I was told their lower parts kits were DPMS. Perhhaps DPMS outsources their parts?

Quoted: Quoted: I looked at the pics of the lower parts made by the taiwanese company and damn that mag release button sure does look exactly like the mag release button from my cmmg lpk I bought,I've never saw another like it from any other supplier .WTF. Maybe coincidence? Probably not.  Perhaps this is the reson why CMMG is tight lipped about their parts suppliers? Although, I was told their lower parts kits were DPMS. Perhhaps DPMS outsources their parts?

A lot of these small  ar15 man. get there stuff from DPMS , If it looks like a duck walks like a duck it's a duck !

Well, this stinks.  Although I have no inherent problem with buying something from Taiwan, I also don't know squat about this company and their quality.  At least with U.S. companies that supply the military, you know there is a minimum quality standard.*

I was under the impression that there had to be some sort of markings on items that were manufactured overseas.  Has anyone purchased one of those DPMS pre-packaged LPKs before?  I would imagine that it says somewhere on it where it was made.

*(now, I don't buy DPMS or CMMG parts kits, but this makes me wonder where everybody else gets their stuff from.  Looks like I'm going back to Colt).

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Is it just me, or does that hammer and mag catch button look an awful lot like DPMS lpk stuff? Not that there's anything wrong with that. I've used couple with no problems. I just checked the hammer and it's a dead ringer for my DPMS hammer. Catch and safety lever also, from what I can tell from just a pic. It doesn't bother me since I've never had a problem with either kit. DPMS is still my preferred kit, I do stay clear of their bolts though.   It does not look like the DPMS hammer.  Well, it is shaped like it but the hammer they show looks like a MIM hammer.  The DPMS hammers I have(3 of them) do not have what looks like mold marks on them.  The DPMS hammer is a forged part. See the circles, two around the pin hole and one on the hook part of the hammer. www.armstek.com/image/products/firearms/mid/hammer_with_j_pin.jpg

It's the circles you mention that caused to me to say they are a dead ringer for DPMS, both of my DPMS kits, one of wich came in a DPMS blister pack, have the exact circles.

BTW, The US military bought millions of 5.56mm rounds from Taiwan back in 2006 due to ammunition shortage. and maxed out supply chain.

As long as they passed military inspection, I would have no problem purchasing rounds from that same company with assurances that the same QC standards were applied.  In this case, nobody knows squat about this company and I highly doubt that the US military is purchasing parts from them.  

I could be wrong, though....I would just like to know.

Looks like the hammer in some of the lower kits I have bought. Would be nice to know for sure because I think there is still the restriction on how many US parts have to be used to assemble an AR.

Quoted: It's the circles you mention that caused to me to say they are a dead ringer for DPMS, both of my DPMS kits, one of wich came in a DPMS blister pack, have the exact circles.

Hmmm...don't know what to tell you other than I have 3 DPMS hammers.  One I purchased separately from Brownells and it is in my 9mm AR right now.  The other two are in the DPMS blister package which doesn't say anything about where the parts are made.

None of the hammers I have, have any circles like the one pictured above.  I just checked the triggers and they do have those cirlces.  I assume they are mold marks from the injection molding.  ???  

For those who are saying "I buy only Colt"  where are you getting a complete Colt LPK and does it cost and arm and a leg...or just a leg?

The marks are ejector pin marks from the investment casting process.  The hammer is first cast in wax and those circles are the marks left on the wax when pins pop the wax hammer out of the mold.

I have never seen a forged hammer.  If someone thinks their hammer is forged please post a pic.

WHG

I dont think all AR parts are strictly U.S. only.Some mfgs contract foreign companies to build their parts to excact tolerances,they inspect them there and then in the U.S. when they arrive and distribute them out.When they do this the U.S. companies look at the cheaper labor market and use it to their advantage and pass the savings to the buyer.Do some mfgs make better quality parts than others?Sure they do,thats when WE find out how good they are(if they break or how long they last)over other mfgs.I dont see how you can tell U.S. from foreign,nor do i care at this point,because the markets so flooded.With that said is COLT all U.S. made?Company reps will say they are as a selling point.Some LPK kits fit tight and some drop in with no problem,which are which?IMO if the parts work and are decent priced,then ill buy them.If youre that concerned then make them prove the parts are all U.S. made.

only real problem is 922r , must have enough u.s. parts . otherwise its a banned import .as long as the quality is good i'd use it.Hell,i wish i could get a nice precision stock similar to the magpul for under $100 humbhole