Author Topic: *** Bren-ACR Stock adapter 3rd run ***  (Read 7306 times)

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wags68

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Re: *** Bren-ACR Stock adapter 3rd run ***
« Reply #15 on: November 29, 2017, 11:42:25 AM »
Same issue with joining the group as well.  Please advise.

Offline LeeMajors

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Re: *** Bren-ACR Stock adapter 3rd run ***
« Reply #16 on: November 30, 2017, 09:37:54 AM »
Sorry folks, I'm so crazy busy I hardly have time to get on here anymore, and barely time to shoot.  Need to downsize all my open projects...

I'm the owner of Lucky Irishman Firearms dba LIFe Industries and the designer and manufacturer of the Bren 805 stock adapter for the ACR stock.

A few things, for those who didn't follow the first two runs. 

It's absolutely true that I don't like to keep stock on the shelf.  Learned that lesson with our Sig556 ACR stock adapter, among others.  Made 50, pre-sold 25, then it took nearly a year to sell the remaining 25.  I also have nearly 40 M1A Zukhov Stock adapters I haven't been able to move, even pricing them near cost, and 30 of the M4 buffer tube to M1A stock adapters collecting dust on the shelf for nearly a year now, as well as M1A winter safeties, FAL wide foot mag releases...  things just aren't selling very fast in the firearms business since Trump got elected. 

That's a lot of money tied up in inventory in my basement workshop for a home-based business, so now I only make a run of adapters when I have enough people to cover just about all of the machining costs, can break even on production, then sell the rest slowly over time.  This isn't my day job, just a fun side hobby that makes a little money here and there. 

To the differences between our adapter and the MAA.  First, the MAA is a direct-bolt to rear of receiver adapter.  Ours uses the rear head that is on everyone's CARBINE (rifle not pistol) version. The push button at the back that allows you to slide  your existing stock off is how ours interfaces.  You just slide your stock off and put our adapter on, install the ACR stock to the adapter with the included roll pin and spring, and you're done.  If you have a push-button on your existing rifle, you have the CZ rear head.

If you don't have the CZ rear head, either because you bought a pistol and now have your SBR form 1 from the BATF or just did a Form 1 SBR right off the bat, you'll need to get one from CZ-USA.  They're $35. 

Second, ours is better than MAA because we paid attention to details.  This is not because we're super smart, it's because we've made their mistakes before when we were just starting.  They didn't use super small steps on their CNC so you see ridge lines on theirs.  We use much smaller steps as the milling head passes, which takes longer per part, but since we use larger pieces of bar stock, we can do them with only a slightly slower process.  It's worth it, even with the wasted material, but it costs a little more to machine.

We then soda blast our adapters to take the shininess (is that a word?) out of it and give the anodizing a better surface to adhere to so you get closer to true black than blackish-purple.  The anodizer then makes sure they leave it in the bath at the right temperature. 

Ours are made right here in the USA from start to finish, not sure if MAA is or not.  Last batch they said they were waiting MONTHS for the anodizer... not sure why, our anodizer does ours in 36 hours - I even offered to refer MAA to him.  I suspect it's because they're coming from out of country, but that's just a guess based on experience, I cannot say that for certain.

We use a small shop for machining, which is why we can do a small batch at a time (min 30 pieces).  Most shops required a minimum 50-100.  He's also not always available because of this, so I have to get lucky and catch him when he's less busy, like right before Christmas, so the timing is good on this.

So... we pulled the trigger on a machining slot - he starts Monday.  We are up to 18 firm commitments at the moment at a price point of $149 including USPS Priority Mail shipping.  Should be done by the end of the week and off to anodizing, here and shipping to you the week after that (13th-14th-Dec). 

I also sell ACR stocks for $170 including shipping, which is usually cheaper than Bushmaster, BUT... for a limited time, Bushmaster appears to have discounted them on their website WELL below dealer cost at $118 plus shipping (which varies from $18-30 depending on your location).  That puts this stock combo the cheapest it's ever been.  My adapters will go on Gunbroker and our website for $179 shipped when we finish them, this is a discount price (my machinist went up $20 per piece from the last two runs for cost of materials and his Haas upgrade). 

Grab them while you can.  Typically it's 6-8 months between batches and eventually that time will grow as we reach market saturation. 

You can find us on FB or at www.lifeindustries.net - my apologies in advance, still working on the website.  Anyone here do web development and want to trade some adapters/stocks for helping me finish cleaning up my e-commerce side?  I hate web developing. 

Thanks for everyone's interest!
« Last Edit: November 30, 2017, 09:52:04 AM by LeeMajors »