Shadow Ops Lower Deal??

[MaxCarnage]

I too "joined" in on the FREE BILLET UPGRADE!

[MaxCarnage]

Follow them on Facebook, they just "clarified" that the upgrade to the billet is not FREE.

[xd ED]

Follow them on Facebook, they just "clarified" that the upgrade to the billet is not FREE.

I don't do Facebook; How much are they now asking?

[MaxCarnage]

Follow them on Facebook, they just "clarified" that the upgrade to the billet is not FREE.

I don't do Facebook; How much are they now asking?

Here is what they had to say.

"In the email I noted the everyone who got a SHDW-15 can choose to get a free billet upgrade, and that you can get a matching upper. The matching upper is NOT going to be free. We will however five you access to purchase a matching upper at a very fair price with the deal coin. We still don’t know our prices for those uppers, but you will be happy with the price in comparison to the rest of the US market. "


And the only reason I started doing facebook is because a lot of the manufactures are now proving update through facebook.

[BemidjiDweller]

Follow them on Facebook, they just "clarified" that the upgrade to the billet is not FREE.

I don't do Facebook; How much are they now asking?

Here is what they had to say.

"In the email I noted the everyone who got a SHDW-15 can choose to get a free billet upgrade, and that you can get a matching upper. The matching upper is NOT going to be free. We will however five you access to purchase a matching upper at a very fair price with the deal coin. We still don’t know our prices for those uppers, but you will be happy with the price in comparison to the rest of the US market. "


And the only reason I started doing facebook is because a lot of the manufactures are now proving update through facebook.

Looks like the upgrade to the billet is indeed free, it's the matching upper that costs extra.

[AFTERMATH]

Oh crud, now I've gotta make another decision....

I was kinda lookin' forward to a matched set possibility, but I don't know if I'll have the cash when that comes through. I'm also, not certain I'd care much for a bolt-on FA.

Currently, they're asking orders <1500 to send in their FFL info and vector image files for the engraving.... I'm guessing I'll be in the next batch so I'd better start trying to figure out what kinda graphic(s) I want. Darnit more dang decisions...

[BemidjiDweller]

I'm also, not certain I'd care much for a bolt-on FA.

It is the brass deflector that bolts on, not the forward assist. Seems like there wouldn't be a FA from what has been said in this thread. I didn't buy in nor do I facebook.

[AFTERMATH]

I'm also, not certain I'd care much for a bolt-on FA.

It is the brass deflector that bolts on, not the forward assist. Seems like there wouldn't be a FA from what has been said in this thread. I didn't buy in nor do I facebook.

Yep, must have misread it. I thought there was something funny 'bout a bolt on FA... No FA, is a no go for me.
That solves one decision... Now, for billet or forging... And what to put on it...

[ktech]

Because I was curious and figured other people might be too: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_3_118/4106 ... tml&page=2

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b ... 8&t=413585

Forged, any day, will be stronger on a lower. Why? The weakest part is the buffer tube ring at the rear of the lower. Here, the forged lower has a flowed grain structure optimized for the area.

Hogged out of bar stock, the grain of the metal is like that of straight-grained wood. Entirely wrong for the part. With good quality 7075 aluminum, you can get away with it. But how many are actual Kaiser/ALCOA/Renyolds with Certified Mill Test Reports? And how do you know the grain direction? You are at the mercy of the machinist who may or may not know about aluminum microstructure.

Now let us look at the typical Mill Test Report for aluminum. Firstly, there is the chemical analysis. This tells us the alloy. Then there is the temper designation. We want T6. No need in having to send it out for heat treat as then more testing. Then we have tensile testing.

Now for the fun part. Tensile testing. This part of the MTR will have at least two, if not three tensile specimen axes. Not the Paul Bunyon tree felling implement but the direction in which the samples are loaded. There will be specified minimums, yield point, enlongation and ultimate tensile strengths reported. For sheet products, there is typically only two tensile coupons and a shear but for plate/bar, there can be three tensile tests. Since the lower is subjected to triaxial stress with associated moments, it would be a good idea to insist on knowing these properties.

But in a forging? Part of the quality process is complete tensile testing of the rough forging and sample coupons have been taken from a representative part.

Since non-destructive testing on aluminum is limited to RT/UT/PT and all but PT are specialized practices, buying a receiver hogged out of bar/plate is a gamble. I would suggest a copy of the mill test report.

And despite the over misuse of the term "billet". I continue to call these plate machinings. Why not billet? Because a billet is a raw mill product without any wrought processing. Billets are technically CASTINGS and not what the machine shop or even forging plant uses as raw material. Forgings are made from BAR STOCK which is a wrought product form.

Anodizing does NOTHING to strength. It is brittle, being a form of aluminum oxide not unlike that common abrasive on sandpaper. It is flat, solid ceramic made from the aluminum itself so it has great adhesion.

In the M16 series, the upper only holds the pieces of the rifle together and forms a guide for the bolt carrier. Because the only real sliding force contact is the carrier key's reaction to bolt locking/unlocking torque, this is the only real wear area. The sliding forces of the carrier are very low, representing only the misalignment of the carrier. Since the carrier key slot is protected from dirt, this causes the carrier's rails to exhibit the greatest wear even though steel is much harder than aluminum. The anodization polishes the rails slowly. In proper treated uppers, a layer of moly disulfide dry film lube keeps this wear minimal.

In fact, hard anodization can form surface crack propagation, lowering fatigue life. But this is not significant in the M16 series as there is sufficient ductility and the receivers are subjected to very low cyclic stress.

Hard anodization is a durable finish, resistant to most abrasion from normal "sling type" wear. But being brittle, impact with hard surfaces will cause failure. The military refinishes with moly disulfide dry film lubricant, all over.

[MaxCarnage]

Anyone gotten any updates on this?

[AFTERMATH]

Anyone gotten any updates on this?

Not yet.

[AFTERMATH]

From Shadow Ops facebook page:

Hi Everyone! At this time we would like to have graphics and FFL information for those who have not already done so. Below are instructions for you and your FFL to follow. We will attach the information to your order as we get them. This will bring usone step closer to getting your order processed. Thanks so much for everyones continued patience and support. ~Lori

CUSTOM LASER ENGRAVING FOR YOUR SHDW-15 lowers
We need graphics in vector format for a smooth laser engraving. The illustrations must be presented in EPS or Adobe Illustrator. They must be black with transparent background. You may use 2 different logos for FREE (on Shdw AR 15 and 1 logo for he .308's) however we cannot use copyrighted logos or material without permission from the trademark owner. If you need a free way for editing graphics, Adobe Creative Suite offers a 30-day free trial so you can have the professional versions of Photoshop and Illustrator for free. If you are having difficulty with the programs, please let us know. Send your graphics to lori@shdwops.com.
As for your FFL’s, please have the FFL holder send a copy of their paperwork to FFL@shdwops.com , please have them include your order number and full name in the email.
CRUCIAL: Please make sure your order numbers and names are in the email subject line for both the FFL and the graphics, If not we will not have a way of knowing these are for your order and your order cannot ship. Thank you!

[MaryB]

I get $25 to laser engrave a lower on one side so subtract that and the price is decent, I have seen better but rarely in stock anymore.