Receivers for Top Tier barrels

[DVDVC]

[Mustangfreek]

[Old Bob]

The side charger billet upper receiver I got from Precision Firearms was a thermal fit with a Wilson Combat barrel.

[Klem]

The only billets I have experience with (Mega) were all tight fits and you couldn't glue them if you wanted to. No heating/cooling necessary - they all shoot.

[DVDVC]

Thank you gentlemen for your replies. It looks like the extra cost of a billet receiver is well worth not having to fiddle about with loctite or shims. Do you still lap them?

[biodsl]

JP. Starts at 4:49 minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cOlNGxUhsk&t=693s

[FLshooter]

[Klem]

Thank you gentlemen for your replies. It looks like the extra cost of a billet receiver is well worth not having to fiddle about with loctite or shims. Do you still lap them?

Depends on your trust in the manufacturer. Just because it's a billet doesn't mean it's spec'd and true. Mega, before they were bought out by Zev had an extremely good reputation for quality. Mega Arms' parent company Mega Machine services the aerospace industry so their precision and quality control was always going to be up there. Plus the billets were/are 7075 aluminium which is stiffer and it all helps.

I agree with FL however, a billet is no guarantee of tightest groups, but it is a hedge. I have always suspected what he realised with the Bartleins. A lot of concern unrelated to the barrel, scope and trigger is just hand wringing.

[Old Bob]

Thank you gentlemen for your replies. It looks like the extra cost of a billet receiver is well worth not having to fiddle about with loctite or shims. Do you still lap them?

I could not lap my PF billet upper 'cause neither one of my lapping tools would fit. One is made by G&G Rifle Works & the other by PTG.

[DVDVC]

Please elaborate on the pros and cons of a billet receiver.

[DVDVC]

Depends on your trust in the manufacturer. Just because it's a billet doesn't mean it's spec'd and true.

Any opinion on Wilson's billet receiver?

[TruLbrt]

Aero m4e1 threaded uppers typically have a tight barrel extension fit.
There's some variance from upper to upper, but the price is right to buy a couple and test it out.

[DVDVC]

I just built a .223 carbine with an Aero Precision M4E1 threaded upper and lower, fairly tight fit with Aero barrel.

[olde sarge]

I agree with Old Bob. I only own one billet upper and it is a PF. The barrel I used was a PF cut Bartlein and had to use grease and tap in with a rubber hammer. Was tight enough that I didn't glue it. Very happy with the PF parts and Mark is good to deal with. They are a bit slow on machining orders but in my opinion worth waiting for. Also have a forged lower and 5 forged uppers from PF, one of which Mark opened up ejection port for me. Happy with everything I have purchased from PF. A PF snob, no, but when something works for me I am not quick to take a chance on
something else.

[drewthebrave]

I tend to prefer hybrid-profile or lightweight barrels no more than 18" long, and for my purposes the standard BCM forged receivers work well enough. A well-designed billet receiver tends to have more mass in critical areas, and can be more rigid than a typical forged receiver, at the cost of a few extra ounces. The added mass & rigidity can be extremely helpful in reducing flex or variance if you plan on using a heavy, long barrel, especially if you plan on adding a heavy suppressor to your barrel. Not all billet uppers are made equally, so be sure to do your research. I've read good reviews of the Mega, JP, and Precision Firearms uppers mentioned in this thread, FYI.