The PBA Quality Promise
We build guns the right way with quality-assured components. We do not take shortcuts. We do not accept “good enough”. We check our own work and then check it again. We promise that we will never (ever) ship non-conformant or non-functional product.
How can we live up to this promise?
We are process engineers, LEAN experts, certified Six Sigma Black Belts, metrologists, and quality control/assurance experts.
Every person who touches a gun or component at PBA has successfully completed the School of the American Rifle (SOTAR) Master Armorer and Gunsmithing course under the incredible instruction of Chad Albrecht.
We understand the way the AR platform works. Because of this, we know how it fails. And we have designed our processes and quality system with laser focus on these points of failure.
Our stringent quality standards allow us to confidently build high performing and robust guns. We know that any one of our products will work, before it ever sees a live round. But we don’t stop there.
Every BCG, assembled upper, and assembled lower is live fire tested. This is a non-negotiable part of our Quality Assurance. If you don’t want us to test fire your build, go somewhere else. We will not compromise our standards or our reputation for vanity.
When it comes to PBA assemblies, we will never ship a product that doesn’t work, because we make sure every product works before it ships.
We Start With Good Bricks
The direct impingement AR is a beautiful system and it is very robust: it really wants to run and you have to do a lot to screw it up. Any one thing out of whack probably won’t disrupt the function. But when you have a several things that aren’t quite right, things go downhill. We understand that tolerance stacking is critical to efficiency, reliability, and safety. And we focus on the attributes of every component that can upset the ideal performance of the weapon system.
We begin our Quality Assurance before we even make a purchase. We only source parts that meet or exceed Mil-Spec materials, finishes, treatments, and testing standards. The vast majority of aftermarket components on the consumer market don’t even come close to meeting Mil-Spec standards. By adhering to a Mil-Spec minimum, we ensure durability and reliability of every component from a material science perspective.
Once we have identified acceptable components, our incoming Quality Control processes take over. We gauge and inspect every critical component, before it makes its way into our inventory. This ensures that every component at hand will be dimensionally conformant, in and of itself. It ensures that any interfacing components are safe and efficient as a system.
Then We Build It Right
A house isn’t sound because you used good bricks to build it. You have to build it right too.
We have meticulously-designed our build processes. Our processes ensure consistent execution and quality by design.
We document everything:
- We can tell you when and from which supplier we purchased every single component in any build or kit, from roll pins to receivers.
- We know who inspected and gauged everything as part of our incoming QC.
- We have batch records for every build that ensure correct assembly, gauging, inspection, and testing. We can tell you who built it, when, from what, and quantify how well everything fit together.
- We take photographs and video of critical points of inspection and testing.
Our 82 Point Technical Inspection
If you purchase an assembled upper and an assembled lower from Para Bellum Arms, each combination will undergo an 82 point technical inspection.
Barrel
| Component | ID | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Chamber | BAR-1.1 | Throat Erosion Gauging |
| BAR-1.2 | Headspace Verification (extension gauge) | |
| Muzzle | BAR-2.1 | Inspection (crown, threads) |
| BAR-2.2 | Muzzle Erosion Gauging | |
| Gas Port | BAR-3.1 | Gas Port Diameter |
| BAR-3.2 | Gas Port Location | |
| BAR-3.3 | Gas Block Journal Diameter | |
| Bore | BAR-4.1 | Bore Straightness Gauging |
| Profile | BAR-5.1 | Barrel Profile |
Bolt Carrier Group
| Component | ID | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt | BCG-1.1 | Visual Inspection (damage and finish) |
| BCG-1.2 | Cam Pin Bore Diameter | |
| BCG-1.3 | Extractor Spring Pocket Diameter | |
| BCG-1.4 | Bolt Face Diameter | |
| BCG-1.5 | Bolt Firing Pin Bore Diameter | |
| BCG-1.6 | Bolt Tail Diameter | |
| BCG-1.7 | Bolt Shoulder Diameter | |
| BCG-1.8 | Marked "MP" per TDP | |
| BCG-1.9 | Bolt Magnetization | |
| Ejector | BCG-2.1 | Visual Inspection (bevel) |
| BCG-2.2 | Ejector Spring Strength | |
| Extractor | BCG-3.1 | Visual Inspection (ramp) |
| BCG-3.2 | Extractor Claw Sharpness Test | |
| BCG-3.3 | Extractor Groove Width | |
| Gas Rings | BCG-4.1 | Visual Inspection (damage and orientation) |
| BCG-4.2 | Gas Ring Efficiency Test | |
| Carrier | BCG-5.1 | Visual Inspection (exterior finish) |
| BCG-5.2 | Carrier 3-Bore Inspection (chrome lining, tooling marks, roughness) | |
| BCG-5.3 | Carrier Length | |
| BCG-5.4 | Carrier Profile | |
| BCG-5.5 | Bolt Shoulder Diameter | |
| BCG-5.6 | Gas Ring Run Diameter | |
| BCG-5.7 | Bolt Tail Run Diameter | |
| BCG-5.8 | Carrier/Key Magnetization | |
| Gas Key | BCG-6.1 | Visual Inspection (damage, chrome lining, exterior finish) |
| BCG-6.2 | Gas Key Bore Diameter | |
| BCG-6.3 | Gas Key Alignment Verification | |
| BCG-6.4 | Gas Key Leak Test | |
| BCG-6.5 | Gas Key Screw Inspection | |
| BCG-6.6 | Gas Key Screw Reverse Torque Test | |
| BCG-6.7 | Gas Key Fluid Path Verification | |
| Cam Pin | BCG-7.1 | Cam Pin Diameter |
| BCG-7.2 | Cam Pin Firing Pin Bore Diameter | |
| BCG-7.3 | Cam Pin Magnetization | |
| Firing Pin and Retainer | BCG-8.1 | Visual Inspection (tip damage, chrome finish) |
| BCG-8.2 | Firing Pin Movement Test | |
| BCG-8.3 | Firing Pin Straightness | |
| BCG-8.4 | Firing Pin Protrusion Depth | |
| BCG-8.5 | Firing Pin/Retainer Magnetization |
Receiver Sets
| Component | ID | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | LR-1.1 | Safety Selector Hole Diameter |
| LR-1.2 | Hammer Pin Hole Diameter | |
| LR-1.3 | Trigger Pin Hole Diameter | |
| LR-1.4 | Takedown Pin Hole Diameter | |
| LR-1.5 | Pivot Lug Hole Diameter | |
| LR-1.6 | Takedown Pocket Width | |
| Upper | UR-1.1 | Pivot Lug Hole Diameter |
| UR-1.2 | Takedown Lug Hole Diameter |
Small Components
| Component | ID | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer System | BS-1.1 | Buffer Weight (as applicable) |
| BS-1.2 | Uncompressed Spring Length (as applicable) | |
| BS-1.3 | Compressed Length (BATCH; as applicable) | |
| Gas Block | GB-1.1 | Gas Block Journal Bore Diameter |
| GB-1.2 | Gas Block Outflow Bore Diameter | |
| Gas Tube | GT-1.1 | Gas Tube Ferrule/Flange Diameter |
| GT-1.2 | Gas Tube Cap Diameter | |
| GT-1.3 | Gas Tube Bore Diameter | |
| Trigger Pin | HTP-1.1 | Pin Diameter (BATCH) |
| HTP-1.2 | Pin Length (BATCH) | |
| Safety Selector | SS-1.1 | Selector Barrel Diameter |
Final Assembly
| Component | ID | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Barrel | BLD-1 | Headspace Verification (bolt) |
| BCG | BLD-2 | Gas Key/Receiver Gap |
| BLD-3 | Gas Key/Gas Tube Alignment (correct as necessary) | |
| Bolt Catch | BLD-4 | Bolt Catch Lift (troubleshoot and correct as necessary) |
| BLD-5 | Bolt Catch Finger Position | |
| Charging Handle | BLD-6 | Charging Handle Hold Test (replace CH/lower as necessary) |
| Fire Control Group | BLD-7 | Safety Selector Function Test |
| BLD-8 | Trigger Function Test (hone sear/hook surfaces as necessary) | |
| Gas Block | BLD-9 | Gas Block/Gas Port Alignment (visual with borescope and gas system illuminator) |
| Magazine Catch | BLD-10 | Magazine Catch Hangup (correct as necessary) |
| BLD-11 | Function Check (using 10 brands of magazine) | |
| Receivers | BLD-12 | Upper/Lower Receiver Gap |
| BLD-13 | Takedown Pocket/Lug Gap | |
| Assembly | BLD-14 | Dry Fire Function Check (troubleshoot/correct as necessary) |
| BLD-15 | Live Fire Function Check (troubleshoot/correct as necessary) |