Why not billet uppers?

[Oldmandan]

Is there a reason people are not making billet uppers?

It seems like everybody and their mom is making 80% lowers right now, why not make billet uppers. There's definitely a need, with all the 80%'s being made. Do they require some sort of special tooling or something? Maybe a special lathe operation for the threading?

To me, it seems like this would be the hot ticket right now...

[peacedivision]

Like Wilson Combat, Mega Arms, Centurion Arms and countless others?

[alfred1222]

There's plenty of billet uppers, when I buy them, I buy a pair, billet upper and lower, that are machined together to increase their tolerances and tightness. Mine are black rain or seekins

[ScottsBad]

If you are asking about 80% uppers, there is no need for them because there are no serial numbers on them. The other problem is that the machining has to be much more precise on an upper.

If that's not what you are asking, then the answer is that there are tons of billet uppers being made.

[Oldmandan]

Like Wilson Combat, Mega Arms, Centurion Arms and countless others?

Yes, I'm aware. Nobody has any stock, for a decent price anyway...

.Why wouldn't/couldn't one of these new companies be able to provide these.

Alot of these newer guys seem to be able to turn product out quickly.

[zfields]

Yes, I'm aware. Nobody has any stock, for a decent price anyway...

.Why wouldn't/couldn't one of these new companies be able to provide these.

Alot of these newer guys seem to be able to turn product out quickly.

Because the Pre-made cad file isn't floating around all over like the lowers (not saying it isn't out there, just not passed around as much).


Also, most people are more worried about getting the lower in their possession, which is the "firearm" which may be unobtainable at some point.

[starsnuffer]

Billet uppers can't be made to the same spec as forged uppers because they'd fall apart. Almost every good billet upper will have thicker areas around the barrel threads and additional reinforcements. The upper is handling a lot more stress then a lower receiver is.

Because of this, nearly every billet upper is made to unique specs of the manufacturer, which is proprietary information to them and not something they'd have any reason to share openly.

-W

[jasonnorcal]

Like scottsbad said, there's no point to an 80% upper

[AaronT]

He's not talking about 80% billet uppers.