JRA got wind that I wasn't satisfied with the warranty information they gave me, here is the response they provided:

I have been informed that I did not adequately answer your question. Receivers have a one year warranty, I am not much on CYA or lawyer speak. I have no control over who builds or how these receivers are built, Had quite a bit of experience with this several years ago when we tried to take over Armscorp. We even helped the guy who thought a bench vise and big pipe wrench were correct barreling tools. I take incredible pride in what we produce here. James River has been mainly a restoration shop with limited full scale manufacture for years. We have consistently warranted 70 plus year old rifles taking care of any issues we have faced. A small percentage of rifles will have issues. Some from us, some from the customers use. We just take care of it. As for reloads, Gas guns, both the 14 and Garand are hard on brass, my competition shooting career started in the Marine Corps over 30 years ago when the M14 was king. I have seen three 14's blow up, one a USGI the other two were M1A's. Every single incident was a result of reloading brass that should have been sent to a scrap yard. As a match shooter I have reloaded countless rounds without an issue, Brass is never used more than twice and never will I use range pickups. The problem is that while we may know the correct procedures and loads while taking the time to insure safety, there is no control over who or how the ammunition is loaded. This is why reloads will void any companies warranty. I can understand your skepticism with a new product. Knowing this industry and some of the players in it I would be too. From receiver sn 1, this project has yielded fully functional safe reliable rifles, I have been the first person to test fire these rifles during development! These receivers build the way they were intended. Todays production from one gunsmith was 9 rifles. Every lot of receivers that has come off of the machine has had minor tweaking trying to get things perfect so that you will have an easier time with them. My main interest is selling a high quality Mil-spec reliable rifle to the mainstream firearms community. I believe there is a real need out there for this. I take all feedback seriously and if something needs to be corrected it will be immediately. Please feel free to call me if I can in any way be of assistance. Thank You, Mark Hartman

 

That is a guy that appears to be looking at the industry and customer base with wide open eyes... There is some serious low hanging fruit available to any manufacturer that can produce something affordable (relative) and quality in the M14 world.

Will they start making bolts/op-rods/etc?

Wish them every success...

 

As far as I'm concerned, they get an A+ for customer service so far. Once these receivers are all over the market and range reports start popping up, I think these guys will be very successful.

 

Thank you Jon for the thorough review. Looking forward to the shop build reviews.

 

Really great cursory review, Jon. Thanks for taking the time to do it. I may have a review of my own to report here in a couple weeks! SGRIN
Thanks again,
---Brian

 

Oh course you will.

 

not to bash anyone concerning warranties, but when comparing a relative newcomers 1 year warranty to ruger's unstated warranty, there is no comparison. ruger has a proven track record of backing up its product- for the life of the product, not just the first owner, nor just the first 365 days. i agree with JRA saying they have no control over how the recievers are built, or how they are treated in use, but thats why most decent warranties are specific about the warranty covering manufacturing defects.

 

Are JRA making a rear lug Receiver? if not will they?

 

Bamban asked this question at teamm14. JRA may be making rear lug receivers in later generations.

 

Ill be following this reciever offering very close. I like the idea of a Rock-Ola Reciever.

 

After several good build reports, I just took the plunge. Just got off the phone with Mark and he has a Rock-Ola with the year my daughter was born going to heat treat this week. This rifle is gonna be named after my 1st granddaughter, Phoebe. I tried to get Mark to punch her name on the rear of the heel before heat treat but he says that equipment won't be ready for another couple of months.

Fellas, thanks for the heads up on this new receiver. I'm pumped and ready for a great build.

 

the relief cut for the firing pin tail is tight and the firing pin will not fully seat when the bolt is in full battery. Of course after the hammer hits it a few times, it will seat, but this may alter the dimensions of the firing pin tail

I see this same problem with mine, and I see the same answer, it is just barely touching, with a couple hammer falls, it won't be touching anymore.

 

You thinking it's more the park/finish or an actual "out of spec" machining issue?

The angle of the cut (where the firing pin cams out) looks a little "wonky" in comparison to other receivers (at least as indicated in Jons photos). Jon also indicated a concern that allowing "hammer falls" to correct the condition, may also alter the firing pin tail.

Thread timing in the ring, is also another one of those - well it's SUPPOSED TO BE like THIS, not THIS. Not that it won't time a barrel incorrectly - but it isn't what the prints call for either.

I was under the impression, from my contacts with JRA - that this was done to make it easier to get a USGI CL barrel to headspace in with minimal lapping to get to 633.

I'm not "totally put off" by the initial (negative) assessments of shortcomings - as there have been no "crippling defects" noted as of yet.

We tend to be HYPER-CRITICIAL around here, for better or worse.

I'm still putting together my parts kit (trying to decide on stock and barrel - as the barrel I WANT, likely won't work correctly in the STOCK I WANT. So I'm not in a hella-rush. But I do want to get a barreled action rolling, so I can function test.

Rick

 

I am not an expert, but I am going to have a couple folks look at that bridge area, I think the angle is sharper than it should be, but it seems to do the job. As far as the it not allowing the pin to go fully home, it could be the thickness of the park. But like I said, I should know more tomorrow, from a better mind than mine.
Barrel timing, both a used HR barrel I tried and a Criterion, if used will need the shoulder cut back, but my last build was with a Fulton and a new HR barrel and it needed to be cut back also. How common is that problem, I don't know..

 

I just went on the JRA website and checked the "specials" and the M14 is listed at $1995. That is a good price for a completed rifle. It says all USGI except for the receiver and barrel.

I have a CMP kit with an SA bolt and barrel and a 7.62mm receiver and the parts cost $1,800.

Am I missing something?

 

that sounds like a hell of deal. it would cost me more to build my receiver up using GI parts and thats doing the labor myself. Labor being a loose term as I enjoy building these things and do it for fun, but yeah thats a really good deal

 

Howdy! Has anyone here taken one of these JRAs out to the range yet? Good/bad?

 

Yes, do a search, there are quite a few build threads and range trip threads.

 

Still waiting for Mr. Wolfe at M14 Armory to come back with build results and accuracy of that build they did before jumping in.

You may gather from my avatar that I know a little about steel. The reason the threads continue in this barrel ring and do not stop short like the G.I., they are tapped, and not thread milled. You can not stop the tap from cutting if you need to go deeper with the threads for timing.

We worked a lot of steel in my time so it is difficult to understand why these manufacturers can not get the heel cut right. My friend had several different kinds of receivers and they all had the same problem. From all I saw of my friends, I want one of these from JRA. Please return and post your findings Mr. Wolfe.

 

Tank, my understanding and your terminology ain't mixing.
What has the M14 receiver's heel have to do with the barrel threads?

I'm anxious for you to show us some pics and explain. We might learn something. BIGTHUMPUP

 

We've built a few & none had any major issues...

The newer receivers are very nice

 

SOME of the very early ones had some issues. My number 12 turned out to have binding issues with the bolt due to, I think, either some mis-machining on the bolt track of the heel or a bridge saddle that was too high. It only had binding issues when actually firing it, due to the bolt face being held at the center of the bore line by the cartridge. Then the bolt would start to bind upon extraction as the rear of the bolt was cammed down by the heel and the arched bottom of the bolt dragged along the bridge saddle instead of passing clean over it.

This caused short-stroking on 1-2 rounds in each magazine. I've corrected this now, and I'm still very happy with my rifle. The newer receivers are fantastic and very consistent from what I've seen. If I could afford to right now, I'd buy yet another.

 

I've posted about my two consecutive very low numbered receivers I recently bought.
Finished the first one using all TRW parts. It functions with no problems using different types of 7.62 ammo. I put it in a GI fiberglass stock and it turns out to be very accurate.
I plan on building the next one as a H&R and putting it into a Sage EBR stock.
Will be purchasing a couple more from Mark at JRA. I'm a happy customer.
BTW I think the heel name of ROCK OLA is very cool. Some folks really need to get a life.

 

Just an update on the ones that grew in my workshop. Here are 4 of them.
First photo is of Team M14 ser# 001- Hawk's ser#s 002 and 003 are mine. Then my latest is M21 ser# 006. I don't have a photo of the first one we put together for Hawk in October.

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[URL=http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/IMG_0885_zpsdc32a9b2.jpg.html][/URL]

[URL=http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/IMG_0874_zps1a830062.jpg.html][/URL]

Semper Fi
Art

 

I have an M1A with an 18, SN...I was told that all the M1As with an SN at 20,000 and below are all made from surplus GI parts...is that correct???

 

Welcome to the forum.
M1As are only made by Springfield Armory Inc.
This thread has been about receivers made for James River Armory by Bula Forge in Ohio.
I liked the original 4 so well, I had to add another couple to the heard in 2014.

[URL=http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/nf1e/media/IMG_0039_zpsdebae475.jpg.html][/URL]

Semper Fi
Art

 

Maybe not every part part, it most should be.

 

Springfield Armory M1A rifles below serial number 20,000 were not necessarily assembled with all GI parts. Commercial bolts, op rods, and trigger housings can be found on earlier rifles.

 

Springfield used what ever was on the shelf and many parts were in short supply until about mid 80's after parts were imported from Israel. Even those dried up fairly fast, but M14 barrels and bolts with Israeli markings still turn up.