I haven't read any mention of it, but it would be awesome if they did!
LRB - why no "made in USA" op rod ???
I own 4 LRB receiver rifles. I purchased these receivers because of their outstanding reputation and the fact that they are made in USA. Since my receiver purchases, LRB has began manufacture of bolts made in USA and Cylinders Made in USA. My question is:
Does LRB have any intentions to manufacture an OP ROD, in the same manner as their receivers, bolts, cylinders (forged, machined, USA)????
Does LRB have any intentions to manufacture an OP ROD, in the same manner as their receivers, bolts, cylinders (forged, machined, USA)????
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I just picked up my second LRB Rifle and had a look at the other than GI op rod they offer. The quality is less then the GI so I opted for a nice Winchester instead.
SO glad i went GI on my LRB op rod.
I have 6 LRB rifles with all USGI small parts.
Barrels are either Criterion or Kreiger.
Has anyone asked LRB about the prospects of their own opr rod?
Semper Fi
Art
Barrels are either Criterion or Kreiger.
Has anyone asked LRB about the prospects of their own opr rod?
Semper Fi
Art
Here is the answer...
If an op rod were to be made to the miltary specification, it would require a special steel, 8645H, which is not a common grade. LRB did investigate the possibility of making op rods. The steel suppliers would only sell this grade of steel in quantities of 20,000 pounds (10 tons). That's a lot of op rods... Start up costs would be astronamical.
I don't know what grade of steel is being used in commercial copies right now. The attitude of most gun makers is that as long as the part is well made and has adequate strength, it's good to go. Why spend more than necessary for a good quality part.
LRB makes it's own bolts because no one else makes one good enough to meet their requirements. LRB bolts are excellent. The op rods they sell are very good or they wouldn't use them. LRB goal is to sell the best quality parts while keeping costs within reason. That means some parts will be manufactured in house and some will be imported.
It would be great if all the parts were US made, but at what price level?
If an op rod were to be made to the miltary specification, it would require a special steel, 8645H, which is not a common grade. LRB did investigate the possibility of making op rods. The steel suppliers would only sell this grade of steel in quantities of 20,000 pounds (10 tons). That's a lot of op rods... Start up costs would be astronamical.
I don't know what grade of steel is being used in commercial copies right now. The attitude of most gun makers is that as long as the part is well made and has adequate strength, it's good to go. Why spend more than necessary for a good quality part.
LRB makes it's own bolts because no one else makes one good enough to meet their requirements. LRB bolts are excellent. The op rods they sell are very good or they wouldn't use them. LRB goal is to sell the best quality parts while keeping costs within reason. That means some parts will be manufactured in house and some will be imported.
It would be great if all the parts were US made, but at what price level?
Thanks Ted,
You are the answer man for the day.
Semper Fi
Art
You are the answer man for the day.
Semper Fi
Art
I am no op rod expert, but both of my LRB built beauties have the Korean op rod, and picky me is very happy with them.
I would not hesitate to use one. There is a small handful of people I trust in this industry implicitly, one has already spoken in this thread(Ted) and of course Lou. Lou has never steered me wrong. If he says it will work, I believe him. He has a lot of input on what he sells, this I know for a fact. I know several companies that produce parts have gone to him for his input and opinion. If the Koreans did not do it right, he wouldn't sell it.
I haven't heard of anyone with problems from a Korean Op rod thus far.
Why wouldn't they use SEI or Thrustline op rods? Both made in the USA.
The parkerizing was very thin looked almost dyed in a sence. Maybe it was the materials used in the manufacturing process but compared to the Winchester I hand picked was like night & day. I'm in no way dissing the quality and reputation of LRB. By far they have an impeccable reputation in my book but I'm the American made guy so sorry if my patronage to US made products out weighs foreign made! I'm completely satisfied. I ordered an M25 receiver for my next build
I don't know what grade of steel is being used in commercial copies right now.
whatever it is, it is soft as butter when a file runs across it. i know that much.
a friend and me put one on a medium weight build, and it rubbed under the bottom. we worked it down in nothing flat. very soft metal.
Why wouldn't they use SEI or Thrustline op rods? Both made in the USA.
i think sei is imported too, whether they admit it or not. i compared it to the same one and there is no difference, including the finish. measurements are exactly alike. go american made or go home i say. juss my humble opinion.
My next builds will have TRW (if I can find them) or possibly Thrustline since Different gave a good review on them.
An "H" designation means its some sort of tool steel, probably some Cr & Ni and other expensive alloys. I'm sure the 10 tons is a full heat, when I buy steel, out of the normal specs, we have to buy in lots the same. I use a lot of tool steel, very tough stuff, used for rolls when rolling steel. Heck I throw away 6' long 40mm diameter rolls almost weekly, probably much better quality than a standard H grade. Are op rods machined from bar stock?
AFAIK, those are imported. SEI is very mum aboout the source of their products. If theu were truly US made, SEI would be showing off their sources like LRB does.Why wouldn't they use SEI or Thrustline op rods? Both made in the USA.
JWB
wow, send them to Lou to get some op rods made !An "H" designation means its some sort of tool steel, probably some Cr & Ni and other expensive alloys. I'm sure the 10 tons is a full heat, when I buy steel, out of the normal specs, we have to buy in lots the same. I use a lot of tool steel, very tough stuff, used for rolls when rolling steel. Heck I throw away 6' long 40mm diameter rolls almost weekly, probably much better quality than a standard H grade. Are op rods machined from bar stock?
What Ted said. I've spoke with Lou about his efforts to get an operating rod made from 8645H steel. It's not a material that is kept in stock, even in Korea. A U. S. steel mill can make it but it will have to be a full heat. He told me the price of what that would have cost back in 2007. No doubt, it would be even more now.Here is the answer...
If an op rod were to be made to the miltary specification, it would require a special steel, 8645H, which is not a common grade. LRB did investigate the possibility of making op rods. The steel suppliers would only sell this grade of steel in quantities of 20,000 pounds (10 tons). That's a lot of op rods... Start up costs would be astronamical.
It would be great if all the parts were US made, but at what price level?
I am just speculating, but at this time I dont think LRB would be able to sell op rods made in the US. He would invest alot of money and have little or no return because there are still USGI op rods available, and he would probably have to sell them at a higher cost than you can buy a GI one, which means that people will buy the GI instead.
Maybe after the availability of the USGI goes away or becomes more expensive, he will be able to make them here and compete cost wise.
I recommend just using the GI op rod in your LRB build.
Maybe after the availability of the USGI goes away or becomes more expensive, he will be able to make them here and compete cost wise.
I recommend just using the GI op rod in your LRB build.
I am just speculating, but at this time I dont think LRB would be able to sell op rods made in the US. He would invest alot of money and have little or no return because there are still USGI op rods available, and he would probably have to sell them at a higher cost than you can buy a GI one, which means that people will buy the GI instead.
Maybe after the availability of the USGI goes away or becomes more expensive, he will be able to make them here and compete cost wise.
I recommend just using the GI op rod in your LRB build.
none of it makes sense to me. 762 makes one pieced hammer forged op rods right here in this country. why doesn't lou contact them and have them stamp lrb on the op rods and sell with his builds ? that would be so cool to have an op rod with lrb stamped on it. and one piece like trw. not to mention made in america.
anything is better than chicom or sending our money out of the country. un-american. i went to sears to buy some boots the other day for hunting. in the entire store, there were no boots made in america. i could not believe it. i raised hell with the employees there about it. but security escorted me from the premises. wth. sears roebuck and company had been an american institution forever. no more.
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