Unbranded AR/Critical Capabilities receiver extension parts

[rxer311]

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.