PSA Opinions

[longbeard]

I purchased a complete upper and lower from PSA Glock platform PCC.  I've really enjoyed it, and am considering focusing on PCC this season.  It runs well after 600 rounds now.  However, I'm a little concerned about the quality of the gun.  I see a lot of posts about broken extractors.  My ejector and bolt beat the crap out of each other.  End result was a chipped ejector, and dinged bolt.  Not really a functional problem, but not the greatest fit for sure.   Also, while PSA has a liftetime warranty, you can't buy parts to maintain the gun from PSA.  You have to send the whole thing back to them.  

 

What's everyone's experience and thoughts with PSA?   Think it will hold up for tens of thousands of rounds?  Is this something we're confident taking to matches? What are others stocking in their range bags for match failures?  Is this gun worth sinking some upgrade cash into?  Or is this just a gun for some casual fun?  I mean, I realize it's not a JP, but is it the highpoint of the AR 9s?

 

 

[L9X25]

I don't own/shoot one but have a few friends that do.  One of them told me that he upgraded to the NFA BCG that uses a .223 style extractor which is much beefier than what comes in the PSA.  I am told that should resolve most of the problems on the extraction side.  Confirm this before you buy anything.

 

 

[Flatland Shooter]

I purchased my PSA Glock magazine PCC just before the election. Changes made are Hiperfire 24c trigger, KNS anti-walk/anti-rotate pins, CMMG ambi-safety and cheap Miculek style comp from eBay.

 

I shoot a soft 132 PF load with 147 gr RN plated bullets.

 

The first malfunction was a single double feed during a stage.  The gun had just under 2000 rds through it and it was the only malfunction at that point.  Possibly sticking with factory Glock magazines contributed to the good reliability..

 

Shortly after that (approx 2100 rds) I had some problems with the gun doubling and occasional failure of the trigger to reset.  Changing out the .308 spring that came with the gun to a .223 spring solved the problem.  A good cleaning of the lower and the trigger assembly with a can of carburetor cleaner solved the reset problem.  

 

With today's range visit, I've shot 3100 rds through the gun.

 

Early on I found that PSA would not sell any of the lower receiver proprietary parts.  A little digging turned up that the PSA billet lowers are manufactured by New Frontier.  (The nice folks at New Frontier verified this.)  New Frontier was also happy to sell me spare parts.  I purchased two complete sets of all the lower parts for under $45.  So far I've not needed any of them. (They also make the same lower with cosmetic changes for Joe Bob Outfitters and possibly others.)

 

The only other spare parts I've purchased was a Spinta bolt when they  had them on sale.  Other that firing a few rounds with it to assure it was good, its set in my range bag.

 

So other than problems possibly associated with an after market trigger, my gun has run quite well.

 

Frequently PSA runs specials on both the lowers and the uppers.  I have purchased a second identical PSA gun that will be set up for 3 gun.

 

Bill

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2017 by Flatland Shooter

[XD Niner]

My $700 Glock based PSA now has 4300 rounds through it.  I've had no problems once I figured out that it likes OAL's in the 1.10 range and replaced the OEM trigger pack which was not reliable..  Mine has a Hiperfire 24C trigger, a Raptor charging handle and a generic ambi-safety from eBay.  Those are the only changes I've made other than add a Holosun 10C reflex sight.

 

Like Flatland Shooter, I purchased some replacement parts from NFA.  I haven't used any of them to date.

Edited May 11, 2017 by XD Niner

[Flatland Shooter]

XD Niner brought up a good point.  The PSA barrel does require short ammo.  I tried some factory 147 gr subsonic ammo and it was loaded too long.  I was successful with some factory 115 gr RN ammo but the PF was way too high for competition.

 

Now I load 147 gr Xtreme RN plated ammo to 1.085" OAL for matches (132 PF) and 125 gr Blue Bullets RN coated bullets to 1.100" OAL for practice.  The reason for different loads between matches and practice is a range thing.

 

Bill

[longbeard]

Great info. Keep it coming. 

 

By coincidence my cz loads were already 1.1. I just lucked into a good OAL.  

 

Are you guys stocking a bolt catch in your parts bags?

 

Also, anyone know what the psa barrel weighs?  One of the reasons I'm wanting to get into pcc is due to some arm injuries that pistols irritate from arm extension. Any substantial weight savings would be awesome. 

 

I'm willing to spend the $ on the taccom Barrel and shroud for my comfort, but I'm curious what the weight savings is. 

[Flatland Shooter]

I have a spare bolt catch but do not carry it with me to matches.

 

To save wear and tear on the catch, I put enough quarters behind the recoil spring that I only have about 1/4" bolt travel past the bolt catch.  So far, so good.

 

A nice touch is instead of a pin, on the PSA 9 mm lower the bolt catch is held in place with a threaded pin.  Instead of a punch, you only need the correct size allen wrench to change out the bolt catch.

 

A special note on the bolt.  Some have had problems with the fake gas key coming loose. Its been seen on several brands of bolts in addition to PSA's.  So far mine has not come loose but I did notice the staking was not the best.

 

Bill

 

 

Edited May 12, 2017 by Flatland Shooter

[rishii]

I've got over a thousand thru my colt pattern psa

a couple of tweeks to get mine to run reliably was I bent my ejector slight towards the center and I put a spacer in my buffer tube

the only part that has broken was the tip of the firing pin

 

and I have to use a mag loader, I tried to hand load the mags but my thumb wore out, plus the rounds wouldn't stack properly in the mag, using the mag loader solved those problems

[longbeard]

Anyone know if the NFA extractor and firing pin work in the PSA bolt?  I'm assuming so, and a little less than the CMMG. 

 

https://newfrontierarmory.com/shop/spare-extractor-pistol-caliber/

[Southpaw]

I don't know about their extractors, but NFA's firing pins are notorious for breaking so I wouldn't get one of those as your spare. I had one break on me before ever firing a shot with it and just from less than a dozen dry fires.

[Les Snyder]

longbeard... photo of a NFA modular top showing exposed AR15 style extractor... PSA lower has a 1911 style .... sorry, the cotter pin didn't want to come out of the PSA bolt to show the firing pin... my original NFA firing pin broke (blue steel) but the replacement (stainless) has worked well... my spare is a Colt part from Brownells

 

[longbeard]

2 hours ago, Les Snyder said:

longbeard... photo of a NFA modular top showing exposed AR15 style extractor... PSA lower has a 1911 style .... sorry, the cotter pin didn't want to come out of the PSA bolt to show the firing pin... my original NFA firing pin broke (blue steel) but the replacement (stainless) has worked well... my spare is a Colt part from Brownells

 

Thanks for the reply. 

 

I wasn't real clear. NFA sells a pistol style extractor in their 9mm upper section. I was referring to that item. 

 

https://newfrontierarmory.com/shop/spare-extractor-pistol-caliber/

 

Given the reviews on their FP, it's probably wise to pony up for the cmmg kit. 

Edited May 13, 2017 by longbeard

[rishii]

I've bought colt and cmmg spare parts for my psa 

firing pin and spring, extractor and bolt catch

[L9X25]

Longbeard,

 

I think that NFA makes two different BCG, the one they call the "modular" BCG uses a rifle style extractor.

[A78729]

PSA broken extractor here with about 300 rounds. I was also wondering if anyone has used the New frontier extractor on a PSA


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[longbeard]

16 minutes ago, A78729 said:

PSA broken extractor here with about 300 rounds. I was also wondering if anyone has used the New frontier extractor on a PSA


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I just ponied up for the CMMG bolt rehab kit. 

 

Just FYI. primaryarms will ship things first class for $3, and you can buy the proprietary NFA parts and CMMG kit through them as well.

 

 

[longbeard]

Just a report... 

1400 rounds in and the firing pin spring broke. 

[fedupflyer]

I have had nothing but trouble with my PSA upper.

The first one would not chamber Federal 115g factory loads. I sent it back and it took 5 week to get it back.

Ok, now the throat is still short. I can load 124g JHP but I cannot get 125g coated bullets to load longer than 1.08. Turns out coated bullets don't like being loaded that short.

A 25 yd target look more like a shotgun pattern than a PCC pattern..

 

Had reoccurring problems with failure to ejects. Tried different mag, different brass, different powders. and would still occasionally get FTE. Usually the brass eject pattern was anywhere from a dribble to a 3-4 foot eject.

 

I just dropped a QC 10 bolt in today and ran about 50 rnds. Zero FTE and the eject pattern was stable with 10 foot ejects. Think I solved that problem.

[A78729]

broke my extractor after 500 rounds, get a different BCG

 

Edited June 7, 2017 by A78729

[longbeard]

Spinta blems are on sale. I bought one as a backup. $115 shipped. Seems heavier than the psa. 

 

Also pretty sure that broken extractors are

going to be part of maintaining an AR9, but 500 rounds is silly. 

 

Im pushing 2500 now and headed to a major this weekend. Makes me nervous. 

[bmiller]

JP extractors are the same design as the cmmg and psa.  Holding the cmmg and JP side by side, the JP has a much better finish.  I am running the cmmg right now. I am on my 3rd 30 cal ammo can of ammo on that extractor.  No problems yet.  The stock psa extractor was extremely soft and would hold the tune for about 120 rounds.  I didn't do anything to the cmmg except install it.  

[XD Niner]

I now have 6K rounds through my PSA Glock pattern upper and lower.  I've had zero problems with broken components. 

[XD Niner]

Well, I finally had a failure.  After 7800 rounds, the firing pin spring broke during today's practice session.  Fortunately, I had a spare that was included with my spare firing pin and was back practicing in about 5 minutes.

 

I just ordered three more springs from Primary Arms for the whopping total of $7.33 delivered.

 

Other than that, the PSA continues to purr.

[rowdyb]

i'd choose a lot of different makes before psa.

[longbeard]

On 7/7/2017 at 6:05 PM, rowdyb said:

i'd choose a lot of different makes before psa.

Why?  And such as?