I have a Troy Alpha that was driving me nuts. It wouldn't snug up properly on the barrel nut no matter how hard I tried.

Turns out the issue was not with the Troy rail, but the DPMS barrel nut. Turns out, DPMS barrel nuts have a history of being out of spec.

I switched to a cheap Delton barrel nut and the Alpha rail snugged right up the first time.

Just an FYI for all you builders.

CumminsCowboy will be along soon to tell you that all parts are the same.

It drives me crazy when I hear people say "they're just like legos!". They are, if your lego set has a bunch of pieces that are prone to breakage and some others that never fit.

I've found plenty of dpms parts out of spec but folks won't believe me and keep saying "parts is parts". (But they ain't!)

where are DPMS parts made? Do they do their own machining, or are some of them outsourced either here in the US or overseas?

They ain't all the same, but going to a delton nut proves its not the cost thats the issue its the quality...

And that being said, I'm no proponent of DPMS personally, from years ago when they produced a lot of sub par stuff, that worked, but was not of great quality, but since I"ve seen a lot of DPMS stuff that is much better....

I should add, that anyone that feels that they need to spend all of their money on name brand stuff, generally will not be disappointed, though its never a guarantee, only of more cost.

When I have to know that what I'm putting togetehr is going to be right, I go to my source, White Oak, and they know what source is good or bad at any given time, and buy accordingly and I"m not paying for a huge name in the process, paying more of course, but getting things proven.

And when they can't find a particular part that is right, they outsource and have it made.

Thanks Jeff.

It's good to know who you can trust for a reasonable price.

I'll never apologize for wanting better.

I also don't buy "names" I buy what works, it's not my fault that most of the better name brand stuff out there works.

Works for you, nothing in the world wrong with that.