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Posted: 7/18/2018 9:12:05 AM EST
[#1]
Best fitting lowers I’ve had are Twisted River Tactical’s (a local outfit to me).
3 for 3 have had ZERO play with the upper receiver without having to resort to beating the pins out for disassembly. I like the fit of my 3 TRT lowers better than my NoDak spud lowers, but you are right... the Nodaks fit VERY well too. The nodaks lines and centering matches up better, but the fit of the TRTs is better. |
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Posted: 7/18/2018 9:25:16 AM EST
[#2]
They keep a higher quality standard at the expense of wait times and quantity in stock. It is also reflected in their price.
The uppers they blem for anodizing issues are on par or higher than tier 1 offerings from other places. All that being said, their offerings are nothing but amazing and nothing short of a miracle for our community. |
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Posted: 7/18/2018 9:30:10 AM EST
[#3]
I've only used their AK receivers, but based on my experience I'd say it's attention to detail, and actually caring about their product.
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Posted: 7/18/2018 9:51:05 AM EST
[#4]
Get a 57 upper. You'll be happy with ALL your lowers.
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Posted: 7/18/2018 10:45:46 AM EST
[#5]
I name every part.
This one was Margret.   Polishing NoDak Spud LLC Retro Lowers |
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Posted: 7/18/2018 12:14:07 PM EST
[#6]
This forum needs a “like” button
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Posted: 7/18/2018 8:33:12 PM EST
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
This forum needs a “like” button |
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Posted: 7/18/2018 8:39:46 PM EST
[#8]
I'm pretty sure they have really tight tolerances. I think it says so on their website
... 100% Guaranteed one of them is going to reply |
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Posted: 7/18/2018 9:52:20 PM EST
[#9]
Yes, their A1 and other retro lowers fit perfectly. I also have an A2 lower made by them that fits perfectly as well. I called them once and asked if they made an 80% A2 lower and got the answer there was no interest and the market was flooded. Well it is flooded with mostly crappy A2 80% lowers. I really wish they turn out some 80% A2 lowers.
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Posted: 7/18/2018 10:12:26 PM EST
[#10]
I've had to use a rat tail file on the lugs of a few, maybe more uppers to get them to fit on NDS lowers. The last one I bought was fine. It seemed to be an issue a few years ago.
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Posted: 7/18/2018 10:19:15 PM EST
[#11]
Our earlier stuff was too tight sometimes, hence the language on the website.
The last few years we tried to ease the fitment slightly. But you still get a surplus upper here or there that is tight in the back end with our lower. 
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Posted: 7/19/2018 1:38:58 AM EST
[#12]
I don't know if it was an early version (2008), but my Nodak lowers were so tight that I needed a tool to push out the take down and pivot pins. That was with Colt and other "USGI" uppers, that were not used surplus.. Turned me off, so I sold them and the closest thing I do to retro is early A2 with Colt lowers.
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Posted: 7/19/2018 6:55:37 AM EST
[#13]
I have a Nodak A2 lower on my precision rifle and the fit is really tight and I have to knock the pins out with a punch, but there is zero play between the receivers. Makes for an extremely accurate rifle!
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Posted: 7/19/2018 7:34:39 AM EST
[#14]
Small batch craft brewing
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Posted: 7/19/2018 11:29:55 AM EST
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Small batch craft brewing |
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Posted: 7/19/2018 11:56:47 AM EST
[#16]
Mike, that was a great video! It shows the care and commitment you guys put into your parts. And...we are truly grateful for it.
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Posted: 7/19/2018 2:57:41 PM EST
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Our earlier stuff was too tight sometimes, hence the language on the website. The last few years we tried to ease the fitment slightly. But you still get a surplus upper here or there that is tight in the back end with our lower. |
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Posted: 7/19/2018 5:49:56 PM EST
[#18]
Doesn't Brownells use NDS receivers?
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Posted: 7/19/2018 5:58:29 PM EST
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I don't know if it was an early version (2008), but my Nodak lowers were so tight that I needed a tool to push out the take down and pivot pins. That was with Colt and other "USGI" uppers, that were not used surplus.. Turned me off, so I sold them and the closest thing I do to retro is early A2 with Colt lowers. |
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Posted: 7/19/2018 6:45:51 PM EST
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Doesn't Brownells use NDS receivers? Brownells uses forgings supplied by Nodak. |
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Posted: 7/19/2018 10:14:24 PM EST
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Have you ever considered making anodized 80's available? Plus many people like to do things to them to satisfy some specific detail. |
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Posted: 7/20/2018 5:48:13 PM EST
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No. The whole point of the 80% products is so I don't have to prep the darn things for anodizing. Plus many people like to do things to them to satisfy some specific detail. |
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Posted: 7/20/2018 6:34:23 PM EST
[#23]
I had a Nodak XM16E1 lower that wouldn’t even allow an early Colt “square forge” upper to close- the upper/lower would “spring” apart at the rear! I had to force the upper and lower together at the rear, and while squeezing them together, pound the take down pin into place. That same upper fits perfectly (minimal movement) on the four other lowers I’ve tried it on.
Because of this, I ordered another Nodak XM16E1 lower and mailed them my Colt upper, with instructions for them to “match” a lower to my upper. Nodak was able to send me a lower that fit my upper properly, without modifying the upper, just as I requested. Fit-matching a lower to your upper is a service that they offer for no extra charge, which I strongly suggest using. |
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Posted: 7/20/2018 6:49:46 PM EST
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I can understand that. I bet there's a market for them though. If I had any ability/skill/knowledge with anodizing and could get the correct color, I'd jump into the pool. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted: No. The whole point of the 80% products is so I don't have to prep the darn things for anodizing. Plus many people like to do things to them to satisfy some specific detail.
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Posted: 7/21/2018 1:23:10 PM EST
[#25]
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Posted: 7/23/2018 9:39:41 AM EST
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Me too Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted: I can understand that. I bet there's a market for them though. If I had any ability/skill/knowledge with anodizing and could get the correct color, I'd jump into the pool. |
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Posted: 7/23/2018 1:00:38 PM EST
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Anodizing yourself sounds fatal? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted: I can understand that. I bet there's a market for them though. If I had any ability/skill/knowledge with anodizing and could get the correct color, I'd jump into the pool. 
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Posted: 7/24/2018 12:16:14 AM EST
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I had a Nodak XM16E1 lower that wouldn’t even allow an early Colt “square forge” upper to close- the upper/lower would “spring” apart at the rear! I had to force the upper and lower together at the rear, and while squeezing them together, pound the take down pin into place. That same upper fits perfectly (minimal movement) on the four other lowers I’ve tried it on. Because of this, I ordered another Nodak XM16E1 lower and mailed them my Colt upper, with instructions for them to “match” a lower to my upper. Nodak was able to send me a lower that fit my upper properly, without modifying the upper, just as I requested. Fit-matching a lower to your upper is a service that they offer for no extra charge, which I strongly suggest using. What if I get bored and want to change things around? Decide one day that I don't want to do retro anymore and want to build a Mk12/M-16A2 rebuild/AF mixmaster / Mk18/ whatever out of the lower? |
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Posted: 7/24/2018 3:34:33 AM EST
[#29]
The “good fit-bad fit-no fit” with Nodak’s lowers seems to come down to one factor: a slight variation in the lower’s “upper deck height”. On most lower receivers, the upper deck height is kept “lower” (relative to the pivot & take down pins) than it is on a Nodak lower. That way, the upper deck surface of the lower doesn’t impinge upon the upper receiver, creating an excessively tight, binding fit. Nodak uses the higher deck height to create a “tighter” fit, at the expense of “universal fitment” to most uppers.
I’m left to wonder: Will the unmodified Nodak lowers that fit properly with their “designated” unmodified Colt upper also work with ALL USGI/Colt uppers, as will most other lower receivers on the market? Or would those “looser” Nodak lowers have fitment issues with SOME uppers too, just not as badly as the “super-tight” Nodak lowers? I’m glad to hear that they have changed their tolerance specifications to allow for fitment with a larger percentage of the USGI/Colt upper receivers on the market today. Maybe they are “in-spec” now, or at least close enough for rock and roll? That should result in less grief for us, and for them too! |
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Posted: 7/24/2018 8:17:38 AM EST
[#30]
I’m not sure what NDS does.... I guess I will find out in December of 2018 or early 2019 when my name comes up on “the list”
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Posted: 7/24/2018 8:31:33 AM EST
[#31]
The top datum was always within the print tolerance, just at the upper range.
.001"-.002" can be the difference in fitting or not. Hell, front pivot pins can change the fit. So some uppers were not compatible. So we loosened it up a bit to make it easier on everybody. FYI: Surplus uppers are not the pinnacle of consistency. I've taken one lower and tried 5 different uppers on it, and they all fit differently. If you don't like ours give Brownells your money.
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Posted: 7/24/2018 8:32:25 AM EST
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Or they could just make a lower that is in spec so I don't have to marry an upper to it for life. What if I get bored and want to change things around? Decide one day that I don't want to do retro anymore and want to build a Mk12/M-16A2 rebuild/AF mixmaster / Mk18/ whatever out of the lower? |
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Posted: 7/29/2018 12:28:11 PM EST
[#33]
You sent me off to the safe to check tolerances on my M16At clone. It is an 'A and two digits', which should make it very early. My upper is Colt NOS, and the fit is absolutely dead flat perfect. No wobble, no drama with the pins. None. Nada. Zilch. Much tighter than my other Colts.
The gummint was nice enough to give me an M16A1 in 1970, but I never had to run thru' the jungle with it. It still made me shake when I first put this one together. Can't imagine how the VN vets must feel. A tip o' the hat to NoDak; great stuff IMHO, and from personal experience. Moon |
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Posted: 8/3/2018 6:27:24 PM EST
[#34]
Having trouble shot for a new manufacturer of AR15 rifles on a line start up I can tell you that mil spec upper to lower fit will always be lose.
The owner of the company complained to me that they were not tight. I said you wanted the mil spec this what you get. He then told me how other companies have mil spec that were tight. I told him to measure those tight ones and he would find they are outside the mil std on several dimensions. Sure enough, every company that he measured with tight fit was out of spec and would not pass government inspection. He told me people we complaining and reminded that I asked him in the early design stage if he wanted mil std or tighter and he said mil std. He then got mad and said all the other companies are not mil std then even when they say they are and i told them that I knew that. Now this was all with minimums on the tolerances and they are still lose. We ended up changing the specs on several dimensions to be tight with the understanding that there might be some upper or lower out in the world that would be too tight to mount to his upper/lower. So when you find a tight upper to lower fit, its non mil std because the built in manufacturing tolerances will not let it be tight. |
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Posted: 8/3/2018 7:55:56 PM EST
[#35]
What is Nodak Spud doing that nobody else is capable of? Gotta admit, Brownell's is catching up.....but NDS is the OG of retro cool when it comes to supporting the movement business-wise. Brace and the gang are the OG retro cool of the smithing part!!!! |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 6:25:16 AM EST
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Having trouble shot for a new manufacturer of AR15 rifles on a line start up I can tell you that mil spec upper to lower fit will always be lose. The owner of the company complained to me that they were not tight. I said you wanted the mil spec this what you get. He then told me how other companies have mil spec that were tight. I told him to measure those tight ones and he would find they are outside the mil std on several dimensions. Sure enough, every company that he measured with tight fit was out of spec and would not pass government inspection. He told me people we complaining and reminded that I asked him in the early design stage if he wanted mil std or tighter and he said mil std. He then got mad and said all the other companies are not mil std then even when they say they are and i told them that I knew that. Now this was all with minimums on the tolerances and they are still lose. We ended up changing the specs on several dimensions to be tight with the understanding that there might be some upper or lower out in the world that would be too tight to mount to his upper/lower. So when you find a tight upper to lower fit, its non mil std because the built in manufacturing tolerances will not let it be tight. I really like the fact that NDS machines on the high side of the tolerance rather the low side. |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 9:26:29 AM EST
[#37]
We have partnered with Brownells to bring a higher volume to the retro market.
I am in constant communication with Brownells and offer advice or technical help when requested. They are working very hard to improve the products and are a company that will listen to it's customers. The BRN-10 is a prime example. My goal is to eventually get out of the retro products so I can concentrate on my own firearms designs. |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 9:29:52 AM EST
[#38]
Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut?!
Say it ain't so Mike! |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 9:37:39 AM EST
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
We have partnered with Brownells to bring a higher volume to the retro market. I am in constant communication with Brownells and offer advice or technical help when requested. They are working very hard to improve the products and are a company that will listen to it's customers. The BRN-10 is a prime example. My goal is to eventually get out of the retro products so I can concentrate on my own firearms designs. |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 11:10:43 AM EST
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My goal is to eventually get out of the retro products so I can concentrate on my own firearms designs. |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 11:21:34 AM EST
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: That's a pretty heavy blow for us to take around here! At the very least, sir, you need to give us a glimpse into what you are wanting to make.
We will not debut it until we are in production. |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 11:35:36 AM EST
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Sorry, not yet.
We will not debut it until we are in production. 
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Posted: 8/4/2018 11:52:12 AM EST
[#43]
Nodak Spud clearly states that they build their AR parts on the maximum side of specs to insure a tight fit.
They warn that two or three out of 100 will be too big to mate up sometimes. They offer to custom match uppers to lowers should you have an issue. |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 12:00:01 PM EST
[#44]
Please understand that I painted myself into a corner with this product line. The way I do it is too labor intensive.
In order to fulfill my dreams and aspirations I need more time to work on original designs. And I cannot do that when I'm polishing AR receivers. 
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Posted: 8/4/2018 12:29:52 PM EST
[#45]
Mike,
I don't have any of your AR products, just a couple of AK receivers (which were excellent, btw), but your company is a national treasure. Sad to say, I haven't been in the market for many years, but have you used your customer database to conduct any surveys from among your past customers? I'm sure you could reach out to any local university with a business or marketing program and find a couple of amateur statisticians (and their profs as a backstop) who could help you with the survey design, because I think it would be really cool to see how the answers change based upon what types of products people have actually purchased in the past. Of course, customer preference for whatever you have dreamed up in the future may not change at all, but my hypothesis is that the "AK aficionado" and "Retro AR aficionado" customer segments may respond differently to different things. And of course, the trick with every customer survey is, you could offer everyone a gold-plated happy ending, but the actual purchase behavior could be different than their wishing behavior. Hopefully, whatever comes back will confirm your own instincts about what the market wants, but it might not. I'm sure you're a savvy guy to remain in this business for this long, but I also selfishly want you to be really sure, so you can stay in business to provision us with cool products for a long time! (And I'm not sure if they're "your style", but I always wondered why no one had partnered up with KelTec or someone similar to do license production of their products...that way all the R&D, and all the risk was already borne by them, and then you can focus on delivering excellent quality and customer service...which clearly you know how to do better than most). |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 12:53:28 PM EST
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Please understand that I painted myself into a corner with this product line. The way I do it is too labor intensive. In order to fulfill my dreams and aspirations I need more time to work on original designs. And I cannot do that when I'm polishing AR receivers. |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 1:25:32 PM EST
[#47]
We will retain the 80% lowers until my new stuff has taken up the slack.
Then we will probably hand that off to Brownells also. |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 2:06:51 PM EST
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Please understand that I painted myself into a corner with this product line. The way I do it is too labor intensive. In order to fulfill my dreams and aspirations I need more time to work on original designs. And I cannot do that when I'm polishing AR receivers. I have to say that I own many of your lowers and some uppers that I have bought over the past several years. I have certainly done my share of recommending you guys to others. You and Harlan have done a great service for many of us on this and other related forums and FB groups. I understand your aspiration to get into what you have been yearning for and I support that. I know that the retro market will benefit from it. Until then, I, and others, will continue to purchase your products and urge others to do the same. I am certainly looking forward to getting my receiver set and CH that was ordered last November so that I can complete my last M16A1 clone build. |
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Posted: 8/4/2018 3:03:06 PM EST
[#49]
Many thanks for a great product.
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Posted: 8/4/2018 3:51:32 PM EST
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
http://e.lvme.me/pzv5j7l.jpg |
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