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rxer311
4 August 2016, 14:22
I was looking for a mil spec receiver extension and came across the website "Unbranded AR." Never heard of them but after reading some of their info on the site I decided to give the parts a try. While there I also decided to give their QD end plate a try. Made of billet titanium, it costs about the same as others made of steel or aluminum.

For reference, they claim that all of their parts are USA manufactured, something I can not verify.

I was specifically looking for a mil spec receiver extension that was made of 7075 aluminum and not the cheaper 6061 aluminum. I also wanted a kit with an H buffer. You have the option to pick a standard buffer through H-3 buffer. For reference here is the part/parts I am going to review.

1. MIL-SPEC 7075 BUFFER TUBE ASSEMBLY KIT $49.99 for the H-1 buffer option http://www.unbrandedar.com/product-p/btak.htm

2. BILLET TITANIUM QD ENDPLATE $24.95 http://www.unbrandedar.com/product-p/bteqd.htm

So I received my parts today and inspected all parts and am going to give you my impressions.

The Mil-Spec 7075 buffert tube assembly kit with the H-1 buffer is a pretty good deal at $50 compared with other kits at $70-$85 from big brand companies. Like all things, you get what you pay for...except in this case, that is not necessarily a bad thing. More on that in a moment. The kit came packaged in a plastic bag with the castle nut and end plate attached with the buffer and spring in the tube with a rubber cap keeping it together. Nicely packaged. I took everything apart and looked over it. The first thing I noticed was the tool marks. Tons of them, but all superficial and from more than a foot away, you wouldn't really notice. You get what you pay for right? For me, however, as long as it functions how it should, I really don't care how it looks. The anodizing, however, seems even and is not missing or light on the outside or the inside. There was also a dry film lube on the inner tube and spring. The castle nut and endplate are exactly what you would expect of mil spec parts. After installation, the tube lines up straight. I then fit a Magpul MOE SL stock on it. It fits nice and snug just like all my other mil spec tubes whether 7075 or 6061. The buffer seems nice and is a dark grey color. It is the correct weight by comparison to my other H1 buffers, however, it is not marked anywhere "h-1" or "h" or anything. If I could offer one suggestion to the manufacturer, it would be to engrave the H logo somewhere on the buffer. I have so many buffers it could easily be mistaken for a standard weight carbine buffer. The engraving could save a headache. My simple solution was to use a paint pen and write h1 on it. So like I said you get what you pay for. If you want a functional set that works, go for it. You won't find another kit made of 7075 for this price. If you want pretty, go with the ALG kit and spend the extra $30. If you want a fully functional kit for a bargain price, I believe these parts will work nicely for you.

The titanium endplate on the other hand is really nice if you like the look of raw titanium. You can see the machining marks on it, however, IMO it adds to the asthetics of the piece. It is super light, functional, attractive, and useful. If you like to sake your endplate though...just go with aluminum or steel as it can be a challenge with titanium. I attached a QD socket to it and you get a nice strong lock up. The design, however, is not anti rotational. To some this is good, and to some this is bad. I am indifferent. I just think it looks rad with my chrome takedown pins and extended mag release. For $25, its a piece if you are into that sort of thing.

Overall, I was happy with my experience and feel that my money was wisely spent. The parts I received were in line with the price I paid for them. I appreciate the value that these parts represent.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n164/rxer311/IMG_1331_zpsl2zbbgai.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/rxer311/media/IMG_1331_zpsl2zbbgai.jpg.html)
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http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n164/rxer311/IMG_1329_zpspwwnn0ne.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/rxer311/media/IMG_1329_zpspwwnn0ne.jpg.html)
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n164/rxer311/IMG_1327_zpsaijg2byd.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/rxer311/media/IMG_1327_zpsaijg2byd.jpg.html)
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n164/rxer311/IMG_1326_zpsf9lxoy9v.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/rxer311/media/IMG_1326_zpsf9lxoy9v.jpg.html)
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n164/rxer311/IMG_1332_zpsi8fxuywo.jpg (http://s112.photobucket.com/user/rxer311/media/IMG_1332_zpsi8fxuywo.jpg.html)

Joelski
4 August 2016, 15:22
You know what they say about no pics... Dump it in!

rxer311
4 August 2016, 15:54
Did somebody say pics?

Dstrbdmedic167
4 August 2016, 15:59
I've known and spoken with Rocky on several occasions as she is semi local to me. I've never had an issue with anything I've ever purchased from them/her. Glad to hear you found them they have pretty good parts for the price.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

rxer311
4 August 2016, 16:32
Yep. IMO this kit is GTG. While it may not be the prettiest buffer tube kit on the market it will definitely get the job done. A few months back I spent $80 on an ALG kit with the same specs for a build. That kit was also worth the $80 as the finish was much better, however, in the future I would not buy another one. After installed and you put your stock on, you really aren't going to see your extension. As long as it is built to mil spec and is properly anodized, it will get the job done with no fuss. This Unbranded AR kit in 7075 aluminum is the same price you could expect to pay for a kit with a 6061 tube.

I honestly can't remember the last time I finished build and the dudes at the range gathered around to check out the awesomeness of my creation, and somebody asked, "Holy shit dude, that's a sweet rifle...what kind of receiver extension did you use...because that buffer tube is sick!"

UWone77
4 August 2016, 21:42
The Receiver extension is an important component of the rifle, especially if you ever have to mortar your gun.

I stick with RA or BCM Kits, because they're a known quality. If I'm feeling generous, I'll occasionally pop for an LMT extension, which IMHO the best in the industry.

The Titanium End plate is interesting. $25, no mention of what grade the Ti is.

Slippers
5 August 2016, 06:08
You keep mentioning 6061 extensions. Let's be clear, 6061 means it's not milspec. It's the wrong alloy for the part, and will not hold up to serious use. Even if you only shoot 200 rounds a year, you shouldn't use a 6061 extension.

rxer311
5 August 2016, 07:22
You keep mentioning 6061 extensions. Let's be clear, 6061 means it's not milspec. It's the wrong alloy for the part, and will not hold up to serious use. Even if you only shoot 200 rounds a year, you shouldn't use a 6061 extension.

Which is why I have mentioned it as inferior. The parts I reviews at 7075.

rxer311
5 August 2016, 18:21
So I think the take home point here is that there is no excuse to use a 6061 tube to save a few bucks when this kit that is 7075 is of comparable price.

cjd3
5 August 2016, 19:38
I do believe that that is why commercial extension tubes have a larger diameter. Same inner diameter, thicker walls for 6061 aluminum construction. Makes it kinda as good, but not really as 7075 mil-spec.

rxer311
5 August 2016, 20:29
I do believe that that is why commercial extension tubes have a larger diameter. Same inner diameter, thicker walls for 6061 aluminum construction. Makes it kinda as good, but not really as 7075 mil-spec.

The problem is that there are "mil spec" diameter tubes out there that are made of 6061 which aren't really mil spec. They are considerably less expensive than the 7075 true mil spec tubes. This particular kit essentially puts a 7075 tube in your hands for only a few dollars more than an inferior 6061 kit at a significant savings over name brand tubes.

I won't argue that the higher cost tubes aren't of better quality as far as how they look. That being said, this extension kit will function the same as the nicer looking kits. Its kinda like buying a Noveske Chainsaw...except on parts that you don't see when mounted.