SASS Question

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16 years 1 week ago #706 by leoniru
SASS Question was created by leoniru
Still waiting on an SASS I ordered in early November --- one that I was told was in stock at the time of order, then told a week later (when I called to see where it was) that it was "...on backorder..". BUT I found one in Ohio and bought it!.....too....believe me, the wifey is less than pleased with my recent disposition of income I've yet to earn! I figure if the one on order ever shows up, I'll turn it over for a reasonable profit. I'm not holding my breath though, that it'll ever show up.
As I'm a newbie wrt AR-style weapons I have a question as to the originality of the rifle I do have in hand. The seller SAID it was an original SASS that he had for about 7 months. Unfired to boot. I pray that it is an original SASS and not something pieced-together by the seller and misrepresented. I grabbed it quick not even considering that it might not be factory original until it arrived.
It has the AAC-configured 20" ceramic-coated barrel, mock suppressor, adjustable gas block, Magpul PRS stock, and TangoDown forend with three sections of rail covers. It came with one 20 round mag, and what appears to be an original Armalite manual. No sling, no swivels, and the Magpul is missing the sliding cover/cap off the bottom rail section. Some small blems in the anodizing here and there (primarily on the forend and trigger gaurd ) --- which look like handling marks from someone who wears a ring.
What's confusing to me is that the left side of the lower has (underneath Armalite's logo)

Rifle 7.62MM

AR-10(T)

US 305XXX(6 digit serial #)

and the rail is not laser engraved like is stated for the rifle's description in all current literature.
An email to my friendly neighborhood Armalite Factory resulted in a reply stating that they would want $30.00 to do a serial number search -- it's not that I'm cheap (well, maybe I am...), but that seems like a riduculous price to verify how this particular rifle was configured when it left the factory.

So finally, here's my question -- does anyone know for certain if the SASS's are built using 'T' lowers, and if earlier versions did not have the laser engraved rails?

Thanx

leoniru

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16 years 1 week ago #716 by crux
Replied by crux on topic Re:SASS Question
Both of the Armalite SASS rifles I've seen had the AR-10T stamp. I don't recall if they had engraved rails or not.

Every picture in the SASS Operator Manual shows the (T) stamp.

www.armalite.com/images/Manuals/FIREARMS...08%20%20REV%2014.pdf

Really the big spending items on the SASS are the match barrel, the aluminum quad rail, and the adjustible gas system, and AAC mount, all parts of the upper. I can't imagine if there were an alternate lower it would be so different from the (T) that there would be any profit in changing it out (but if it didn't say (T) that might be another story). Make sure the eagle stamp is on the front of the magwell.

They've never sold the 20" as a stand-alone upper, so my guess is you have real SASS rifles.

That said it does sound like someone ran off with your sling, mounts and PRS bottom rail cover, and the 10 round mag it should come with.

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16 years 1 week ago #719 by leoniru
Replied by leoniru on topic Re:SASS Question
Crux, thanks, thanks, and thanks! You're correct wrt the manual showing AR-10(T) on every picture of the lower's left side --- I just finished examining (under magnification) the 48 page one that came with the rifle. Some of the color pics very clearly show this and others (too grainy) do not. The manual I have has 2006 on the front cover, so maybe they didn't laser engrave the rails back then. I'm just glad (VERY glad) that it would seem that it is a genuine factory SASS.
It has the eagle stamp (in white) on the front of the magwell and the Magpul's cheekrest has a silver quarter-sized circular sticker with a black triangle in the center and the word DELTA at the bottom of the triangle. One sticker on each side of the cheekrest.
I have a replacement PRS rail cover on the way from Magpul -- very pleasant experience on the phone. I now have to determine what type of sling and swivels were originally on. I guess a call to Armalite is in order.
I'm debating about whether or not to put a set of BUIS on so when my 168 gr.moly bullets get here I can start loading up and shooting my break-in rounds or whether I should buy a 1" scope mount and use the Leupy VX III I have sitting around. It's not illuminated and it has a heavy duplex. I don't see it staying on the rifle down the road, and when I can afford it, I'll likely get a Nightforce which would require a different diameter mount setup. I guess it's six of one and a half dozen of the other. I'd just like to start workingup a load recipe to see if I can get this rifle running reliably and (hopefully) accurately.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the seller told me (said he has inside info) that Armalite will no longer be offering the AAC package on future versions of the SASS. Said they "...had a falling-out..". Makes me wonder if and when the other rifle I have ordered comes in, how it will be configured wrt suppressor capability.
I'm planning on a visit in the near future to a dealer that does a lot of suppressor sales. I've already got the approval of my local chief LE officer to acquire one. Just need to fill out the forms, get fingerprinted, and pay the man. He's recommending a Surefire can over the AAC though he said they're both good products.
Any first-hand experience with either suppressor?

leoniru

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16 years 1 week ago #729 by crux
Replied by crux on topic Re:SASS Question
I met a fellow at the range with a Suppressed Armalite SASS, Not sure what can he was using but he said it attached directly to factory mount. It wasn't AAC.

When I talked to ACC, they said they weren't offering a suppressor that fit the mount. AAC actually suggested having the barrel reprofiled for their SCAR-H SD with MITRE system. Sounded nice but expensive.

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