On the retro AR industry..

JuicyFruit

JuicyFruit

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Why is it that no Canadian mfg has come up with vietnam or "A1" style AR15 parts as of yet? The retro industry is going strong in the United States, and yet not a single domestic "retro" part has made it's way into Canadian stores as far as I know. The fact that we can't even get Nodak parts is awful on it's own. I know people want these things, so I'm perplexed as to why nobody has stepped up to the plate.

The best we can do as of right now are DA556's, but the quality is mediocre at best, the only worthwhile parts being the teardrop forward assist and the very wobbly interpretation of an A1 upper. Barring that route, an SP1 comes up on the EE every other millenium.
 
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Well Nodak refuses to have any dealing with Canada, so there's that. Otherwise, we have an exceptionally small market, and those wanting to build retro builds are an even smaller portion. It just does not make economic sense for a company to risk it.
 
JuicyFruit said:
Why is it that no Canadian mfg has come up with vietnam or "A1" style AR15 parts as of yet? The retro industry is going strong in the United States, and yet not a single domestic "retro" part has made it's way into Canadian stores as far as I know. The fact that we can't even get Nodak parts is awful on it's own. I know people want these things, so I'm perplexed as to why nobody has stepped up to the plate.

The best we can do as of right now are DA556's, but the quality is mediocre at best, the only worthwhile parts being the teardrop forward assist and the very wobbly interpretation of an A1 upper. Barring that route, an SP1 comes up on the EE every other millenium.
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I think Rebel Rouser posted a thread a while ago about Colt USA will be releasing a bunch soon.
 
I suspect the reason is because it's a niche market within a niche market.....



JuicyFruit said:
Why is it that no Canadian mfg has come up with vietnam or "A1" style AR15 parts as of yet? The retro industry is going strong in the United States, and yet not a single domestic "retro" part has made it's way into Canadian stores as far as I know. The fact that we can't even get Nodak parts is awful on it's own. I know people want these things, so I'm perplexed as to why nobody has stepped up to the plate.

The best we can do as of right now are DA556's, but the quality is mediocre at best, the only worthwhile parts being the teardrop forward assist and the very wobbly interpretation of an A1 upper. Barring that route, an SP1 comes up on the EE every other millenium.
Click to expand...
 
Firearms in Canada = niche market
Restricted firearms in Canada= luxury niche market inside a niche market
AR15 market in Canada = fun times at the range with a rifle niche within niche within niche market
Retro AR15 market in Canada= about a hundred people
 
A run of the the furniture is the tough part. Also the lower forging is different. These need to be ordered from the forgers, and the dies are usually owned by the client.
 
Colt SP1 aren't that hard to come by up here if you're looking. However, if you absolutely need a retro/slab side AR, buy one online in the US and have IRUNGUNS or Prophet River import it for you. Takes only a few weeks in most cases.
 
mikethebike said:
Firearms in Canada = niche market
Restricted firearms in Canada= luxury niche market inside a niche market
AR15 market in Canada = fun times at the range with a rifle niche within niche within niche market
Retro AR15 market in Canada= about a hundred people
Click to expand...

I feel like that number is high.
 
I would have zero interest in a retro "Nam" era AR-15

There is nothing appealing about a gun Americans lost a war with.
 
Murica said:
I would have zero interest in a retro "Nam" era AR-15

There is nothing appealing about a gun Americans lost a war with.
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I think the appeal is more of an earlier model AR-15 instead of all the tacticool models with octo-rails and flip down night vision rear sights and all those other fancy hood ornaments people put on them
 
Murica said:
I would have zero interest in a retro "Nam" era AR-15

There is nothing appealing about a gun Americans lost a war with.
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I would never give up my old girl. My buddy gets zero asks about his flat top, I get lots of asks about my old school CAR 15. :)

Especially after the Chinese flooded the market.
 
It's called history :rolleyes:

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DSCN0327_zpscvwvwpub.jpg
 
My interest is not so much in the "retro" aspect, but in the features of what we now consider "retro" ARs.

Anyone who has handled an SP1 knows that it weights absolutely nothing and is laser beam accurate. The A1 carry handle is simple to use and rugged. Throw in modern features, like mag release fencing, collapsing stocks, modular polymer furniture, and you have a very handy rifle ideed!

Good luck finding a pencil barrel not made by Norinco, however. Mine has been very accurate, but I'd like something with better workmanship. It'd be nice to be able to replicate the design philosophies of the old rifles, if not the details.

mIoOCj6.png
 
Murica said:
I would have zero interest in a retro "Nam" era AR-15

There is nothing appealing about a gun Americans lost a war with.
Click to expand...

I guess this guy has zero interest & finds nothing appealing in Lugers, P38's, MG34's, K98 rifles, MP40's etc.
After all the Germans did loose the war ! :rolleyes:

Although I knew an old German solder years ago & he said they didn't loose the war they just came in second ;)
 
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