What is the difference between Forged and Billet receivers in an AR rifle?
Forged: A forged rifle is built from a slug of metal which has been heated then crushed between the dies of a forge. Think of it as a hammer and anvil, each having half the shape of the slug you want. The metal is forced to shape. This allows inexpensive manufacturing because almost all of the waste material is eliminated, but at the same time limits the ability to customize a part. There is no “spare” material in which to cut or add new features, such as solid trigger guards, enlarged magwell flares, more ergonomic shaping to the contact points, etc.
Billet: The part starts life as a solid block of metal however large is required to fit the finished part within the original dimension. This allows a designer to add features to the rifle in almost any way imaginable, so long as it doesn’t interfere with the “universal” features that are the key to the AR-type rifle family. Larger trigger guards, made of integral metal instead of a separate plastic component, enlarged and flared magwell, shape and design that is more attractive, reinforced shape and size for heavy duty use, all of these things are very difficult if not impossible with a forging (because the metal has already been removed) but are quite easy with a rifle born from billet.
Does a Billet receiver and upper unit have the same strength as forged units?
Material testing reveals that billet material rates around 5% higher in most of the key engineering strength measurements, primarily tensile strength, yield strength, and bearing yield strength.
What advantage do I get in a product that is Made in America?
As a domestic company located in Fulton, MS, we are committed to having our fabrication / manufacturing done locally, and in fact, we do most all of it in-house. One advantage of doing so is that it allows us flexibility in “mass customization”. As most of our rifles are custom, and made-to-order, we can track, control and prioritize our manufacturing efforts to align with our customer’s needs. With regards to the components that we do not fabricate in-house, we love having it done not only in the U.S., but as close as possible to our facility.
What makes DSP Armory better than some of the more established brand on the market now?
With the AR market saturated with manufactures what is that one thing about DSP Armory that makes me want to give you a serious look? At DSP Armory, we take maximum advantage of our small company structure. We don’t have 150 years of history, tradition, and reputation to fall back on if things are not right. Nobody is going to buy DSP AR-15 because it’s what their grandfather used, whether it’s worth a bean or not.
A DSP Armory rifle is a tough built, finely tuned, methodically designed and highly optimized firearm. This means that attention to detail and unquestionable reliability are paramount. Each component is chosen based on its ability to perform, not how cheap we can buy a bucket full of them. Every rifle that leaves our factory gets personal attention from almost every member of the team at some point, right down to the Owners, both of whom are avid hunters, outdoorsmen, and shooting enthusiasts. One adds decades of engineering experience to the mix, the other adds military and law enforcement experience. Along the way, between raw materials and a finished rifle, both owners, along with the rest of the team, handle, inspect, operate, and often proof fire every single firearm produced.
These are not cookie cutter commodity rifles sold at your local big-box store. These are professional grade firearms, purpose built for the demanding task at hand, and designed to flawlessly perform for the shooter, whether the target is a relaxing day at the range, a hard day of training, a trophy hunt of a lifetime, putting a fine meal on the family table, or protecting families from any who would do them harm.
What are some of the unique features that make your rifles better that the rest?
The entire receiver set has been designed with the shooter in mind. We begin with a strong, integral trigger guard, shaped to reduce uncomfortable rub-points, allow the use of a gloved trigger finger, and designed help the shooter’s strong hand to remain in a more natural and ergonomic position. This adds comfort and confidence for that “once in a lifetime” shot as well as in a long day of shooting. Other areas of the rifle have been reshaped and optimized to protect the controls while allowing easy indexing for operating the rifle. The magazine well has several key features. The inside of the mag-well is significantly flared to aid in faster reloads with less “eyes down” time. The outside edges have been reshaped and reinforced for shooter comfort. The front face of the mag-well has been enhanced with an omni-directional grip pattern for serious traction for the support hand, intended to look as good as it functions.
Can I buy uppers and lowers from your directly?
In most cases, no. Our production is tight and every component has a home allocated before the first chips hit the floor, so squeezing in an extra receiver means putting a delay on a completed rifle. Sometimes a few can be made available, but not often.
How many different calibers do you offer?
All calibers compatible with the rifle system are available by special order. DSP AR-15 Calibers: .204 Ruger, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8SPC, .223/5.56, 350 Legend, .450 Bushmaster, .458 Socom, .50Beowulf, etc. DSP-10 Calibers: .243Win, .260Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308Win, 7mm-08, .338Fed, .358Win, etc.
Why use an AR rifle for hunting varmints, hogs and big game?
When hunting any animal, you need to choose a caliber with enough oomph—ideally in one shot—to take that animal down. The bigger and tougher the animal, the bigger and tougher the caliber should also be. The right caliber, bullet and shot placement are base ingredients to a successful hunt. Hunting versions of the AR design are currently offered by DSP Armory in popular chamberings ranging from the varmint-hunting .204 Ruger and .223 Remington through .308, 7mm-08, .243, .260 Remington, 6.8mmSPC, 6.5 Creedmoor, 350 Legend and .338 Federal big-game cartridges and on to big-bore, close-quarters, dangerous-game chamberings like the .450 Bushmaster, .458 SOCOM and .50 Beowulf.