NEA lower - milspec or commercial?

Suther

Suther

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
27   0   0
Location
Fraser Valley
Bought an NEA lower from the EE back when c71 was being written just in case, and now I'm thinking of starting to build it out. My question is simple, is it milspec or commercial? I know, I know, it's NEA spec... If it causes me issues I'll just buy a new lower... But I need to know what to buy to start building it before I can run into problems with it.

Thanks!
 
The only thin milspec vs commercial on an AR is the buffer tube, which is a removable part. If your NEA is properly made (some are, some are less so), then it will take an AR LPK. What buffer tube you use is up to you. I prefer the milspec ones, but the commercial ones work just as well - you just have to buy the correct stock for the buffer tube you select. The only real difference is the outer diameter of the tube itself.
 
Claven2 said:
The only thin milspec vs commercial on an AR is the buffer tube, which is a removable part. If your NEA is properly made (some are, some are less so), then it will take an AR LPK. What buffer tube you use is up to you. I prefer the milspec ones, but the commercial ones work just as well - you just have to buy the correct stock for the buffer tube you select. The only real difference is the outer diameter of the tube itself.
Click to expand...

OK cool, and thanks! As you can see I'm new to the whole building ARS thing.
 
As Claven2 said, the tube you select will determine that. However, in my experience (5 NEA lowers) the hole for the bolt catch pin was oversized. I would have to open up the roll pin slightly for proper fitment.
 
They are mill spec.

Jäger said:
As Claven2 said, the tube you select will determine that. However, in my experience (5 NEA lowers) the hole for the bolt catch pin was oversized. I would have to open up the roll pin slightly for proper fitment.
Click to expand...

Mine was a BCL (same manufacturer) everything was a great fit.
 
Yycbulletsandbrass said:
Parts fitting does not mean it is milspec. Milspec involves manufacturing processes, materials, and dimensions.
Click to expand...

Right; dimensions and tolerances... that would include holes. And the BCL uppers and lowers are "mil spec"... and when I built mine all the fits were good with "mil spec" parts; therefore it is fair to conclude that everything was within tolerance.
 
I’ve never bought an actual NEA rifle, but I have been well served by their receivers and barrels....2 barrels, 2 uppers and 4 lowers and no real out of spec / fitment issues other than with 1 pistol grip - 5 minutes with a dremel on the grip solved that issue.

Get a decent quality parts kit and you should have no real issues...There is always the possibility that some parts may require a touch of filing/sanding here and there when assembling AR’s...Enjoy!
 
Meroh said:
Right; dimensions and tolerances... that would include holes. And the BCL uppers and lowers are "mil spec"... and when I built mine all the fits were good with "mil spec" parts; therefore it is fair to conclude that everything was within tolerance.
Click to expand...

They are far from "mil spec".
 
Meroh said:
Right; dimensions and tolerances... that would include holes. And the BCL uppers and lowers are "mil spec"... and when I built mine all the fits were good with "mil spec" parts; therefore it is fair to conclude that everything was within tolerance.
Click to expand...

question-31842991.jpeg
 
FWIW - no NEA lowers are Milspec. Literally the ONLY companies making milspec AR15 lowers are:

In North America:

Colt's Manufacturing Company, US
Colt Canada in Ontario, Canada
Lewis Machine and Tool Company in Milan, Illinois, US
Bushmaster Firearms International, US
U.S. Ordnance, US
Remington Arms Company, US
Daniel Defense in Black Creek, Georgia, US
FN Herstal, Belgium (partially made in the US and in Belgium for US consumption)

Internationally:

Forjas Taurus São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil
SME Ordnance, Malaysia
Sarsılmaz, Turkey
Caracal International, United Arab Emirates

In this case, Milspec means that they are manufactured to the official United States M16 and M4 rifle Technical Data Package (TDP) for a US Government contract, NATO contract, or US Government military assistance contract. This would include US Government methods of Quality Assurance And Quality Control, the correct and tested alloys, the right forging dies, machining tolerances, and finish.

Everyone else makes a visually similar product that in most cases will work just as well, but do not meet the TDP definition of "milspec".

Also, not all the above manufacturers sell milspec guns to civilians. Bushmaster, for example, sells a higher grade milspec rifle to government clients, while their civilian rifles are produced more affordably.
 
Meroh said:
When I bought mine I asked the dealer SFRC, and I am going by what they told me.

This turned into another NEA haters thread.
Click to expand...

Probably with good reason. With how many other excellent offerings we have why would you go with their subpar quality gear that may or may not work for really no savings. And canadian made isn't a real excuse. Canadian products should be a shining example of quality.
 
I am up over 10 builds 4 of them mine with nea and bcl uppers and lowers all have gone together fine i have used 8 different lpk with no issue. Buy some parts and star building.
 
870supermag said:
I am up over 10 builds 4 of them mine with nea and bcl uppers and lowers all have gone together fine i have used 8 different lpk with no issue. Buy some parts and star building.
Click to expand...

I had no intention of even having an AR, but the price for the upper and lower was so good, I could not turn it down. Sub MOA at 100 yards with the right ammo, and with close to 500 rounds through it, not so much as a single miss-feed. I wish I had bought them all at the time.
 
NEA sounds kinda like ANY, I say they're built to ANY spec.

I've got an AR I built on an NEA Z marked (blem) set and everything went together fine. I still wouldn't ever buy anything else with their name on it.

Regardless of the milspec argument going on I think the OP got the answer he was looking for in the first reply.

I love how as soon as NEA or BCL is brought up in any thread it turns into a chitshow. How do people still end up buying NEA/BCL products without knowing their reputation (that they earned and deserve)?

If you buy their crap and it works you're fine and have nothing to worry about, but...
 
Pretty sure the guy was only asking if it is a milspec or commercial buffer tube. Not if the entire thing is "milspec". 90% of AR's out there aren't milspec.

I didn't think that was a thing anymore with the sunset of the AWB.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom