Academy now has Red Jacket

[gjohnsoniv]

Not sure if this is good or bad but Academy Sports is now the "Exclusive Retailer" for Red Jacket Firearms.

[Steelharp]

I just don't get the deal. They "were" a well respected firearm manufacturer. Suddenly, they become crap because they get a TV show.

By that logic, my 40 years of being a professional musician mean nothing. Now I'm crap because of TV.

I'm sure the guns are fine.

[Guest RCLARK]

Most folks are concerned that the shows popularity has brought them so much business that they have turned from a low volume custom shop into a high volume gun mill with less emphasis on quality. Time will tell.

[Jonnin]

They lost their FFLs and several key designer/smiths in the drama caused by the show, as I understand it, and a lot of the company was sold off, a small part of it keeping the RJ name to keep the TV stuff and overpriced "custom" shop going while the main branch was sold (???). This is probably a little garbled since I do not follow them nor watch tv, so its just what I picked up from people that DO watch the show and keep up, but their company has had some chaos and confusion in the past couple of years --- I would do some homework before buying anything pricy of theirs.

[Steelharp]

Doesn't EVERY biz want to go from low volume to high volume?

True, if quality suffers, that's never a good thing. But, anyone that builds a bunch of things is going to have a higher percentage of issues, because of the volume.

[Garufa]

"As seen on TV"

So what makes this a $1,200 rifle? http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_462103_-1?color=Black&N=329211139+4294953560

[gjohnsoniv]

"As seen on TV"

So what makes this a $1,200 rifle? http://www.academy.c...1139+4294953560

Lol. Come one everyone knows Red Jacket is obviously the way to go since the have a tv show... Seems to me that the name has more to do with it than the actual product, oh wait, that's what it is.

[Steelharp]

"As seen on TV"

So what makes this a $1,200 rifle? http://www.academy.c...1139+4294953560

Any of this? I don't know, that's why I ask...

Manufacturer Warranty (general): Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty (parts): Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty (labor): Lifetime The Red Jacket Firearms KMP 5.56mm Semiautomatic Rifle features semiautomatic action with a 30-round magazine capacity. The rifle is designed with an M4 profile chrome-lined barrel, a polymer stock with an MOE pistol grip and fore-end and a hard chrome firing pin. The rifle is fully stress relieved and surface hardened, and the gas tube is ferritic nitrocarburized for heat and corrosion resistance.

[Steelharp]

Lol. Come one everyone knows Red Jacket is obviously the way to go since the have a tv show... Seems to me that the name has more to do with it than the actual product, oh wait, that's what it is.

Welcome to capitalism. Are you out on the plaza in a tent or something?

[gjohnsoniv]

Yeah, yeah I know. I was being a tad sarcastic there. I have a feeling they are going to sell like hot-cakes though from people who have done very little research. Given I'm sure that it's a decent rifle, but the price is too high for what it is.

[Steelharp]

Given I'm sure that it's a decent rifle, but the price is too high for what it is.

I understand that! I look at a Fender Telecaster today... still the same routed out blocks of wood with wires run through 'em that I bought new for $250... and can't figure out why they're $2,000 these days.

[Guest bkelm18]

Are we not allowed to dislike a company now? RJF used to be a top name in the biz, now I wouldn't touch anything of theirs simply because of their TV show. They bought into the reality show BS and they've suffered from it. You can buy as good or better rifles for much less.

Edited March 12, 2012 by bkelm18

[Jonnin]

Any of this? I don't know, that's why I ask...

Manufacturer Warranty (general): Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty (parts): Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty (labor): Lifetime The Red Jacket Firearms KMP 5.56mm Semiautomatic Rifle features semiautomatic action with a 30-round magazine capacity. The rifle is designed with an M4 profile chrome-lined barrel, a polymer stock with an MOE pistol grip and fore-end and a hard chrome firing pin. The rifle is fully stress relieved and surface hardened, and the gas tube is ferritic nitrocarburized for heat and corrosion resistance.

Looks like an AR to me. Lets see... standard barrel, plastic stock, check. Standard mag, check. Standard caliber and action, check. The chrome firing pin is $5 extra, I guess. The polymer is surfaced hardened? That may do it, if somone would care to explain how that works? Same for the stress relief, what is that and how much is it worth? It has a gas tube.

So all I am getting here is the ultra hardened plastic and the stress relief, are those worth $300-400?

[gjohnsoniv]

I'm no musician, much less have a musical bone in my body, so I don't look at guitar prices. I suppose it's the name and the perceived value, along with people thinking for that they'll get a better guitar because it's a Telecaster.

[Steelharp]

Are we not allowed to dislike a company now?

Of COURSE we are! Don't be crazy. But, dislike it for a valid reason, like they build crappy merchandise. To me, having a TV show hardly constitutes a "valid reason."

[Steelharp]

I'm no musician, much less have a musical bone in my body

If you were a pretty girl, I could fix that for ya.

Just sayin'.

[Steelharp]

Looks like an AR to me. Lets see... standard barrel, plastic stock, check. Standard mag, check. Standard caliber and action, check. The chrome firing pin is $5 extra, I guess. The polymer is surfaced hardened? That may do it, if somone would care to explain how that works? Same for the stress relief, what is that and how much is it worth? It has a gas tube.

So all I am getting here is the ultra hardened plastic and the stress relief, are those worth $300-400?

That's why I said I don't know, and I was asking. I know ZERO about AR's.

[gjohnsoniv]

Are we not allowed to dislike a company now? RJF used to be a top name in the biz, now I wouldn't touch anything of theirs simply because of their TV show. They bought into the reality show BS and they've suffered from it. You can buy as good or better rifles for much less.

I can't agree more. I have nothing against the company because I'm sure that they went the tv route thinking it would help business, which it has done. On the other hand though they stopped minding their p's and q's and the ATF caught up with them. Greed and self-deception, according to the Greeks will always bring you down. Though I wonder if the show had any bearing on this. Edited March 12, 2012 by gjohnsoniv

[gjohnsoniv]

I could justify the $1,200 price tag if it were a piston-driven system, but not direct impingement

Edited March 12, 2012 by gjohnsoniv

[Smith]

They lost their FFLs and several key designer/smiths in the drama caused by the show, as I understand it, and a lot of the company was sold off, a small part of it keeping the RJ name to keep the TV stuff and overpriced "custom" shop going while the main branch was sold (???). This is probably a little garbled since I do not follow them nor watch tv, so its just what I picked up from people that DO watch the show and keep up, but their company has had some chaos and confusion in the past couple of years --- I would do some homework before buying anything pricy of theirs.

Might want to do you own homework and quit reading the nonsense at arf.com and the subgun forums. Grains of truth don't validate a broad lie.

Any of this? I don't know, that's why I ask...

Manufacturer Warranty (general): Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty (parts): Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty (labor): Lifetime The Red Jacket Firearms KMP 5.56mm Semiautomatic Rifle features semiautomatic action with a 30-round magazine capacity. The rifle is designed with an M4 profile chrome-lined barrel, a polymer stock with an MOE pistol grip and fore-end and a hard chrome firing pin. The rifle is fully stress relieved and surface hardened, and the gas tube is ferritic nitrocarburized for heat and corrosion resistance.

Yes, in this market. Compare it to similar in the field and the price will be similar. Overpriced? maybe compared to years past, but not with how things are right now.

[mikegideon]

Might want to do you own homework and quit reading the nonsense at arf.com and the subgun forums. Grains of truth don't validate a broad lie.

You beat me to it.

[LI0NSFAN]

I have seen people asking $1500 for the AR they built in their basement and actually sell it and there is no warranty. I think that ALL ARs are overpriced. They are probably 10-20% higher than what you can get the same quality for but they do have to pay for advertising and other media stuff. Its like buying a pair of Jordans, are Jordans THAT much better than the $100 pair of shoes, No but people pay 200+ for the brand name. Or buying the Lexus for 20,000 more than the same car with the Toyota name plate.

As or the more volume = less quality is crap. based on that argument I am not sure how a Colt or DPMS don't fall apart in your hands. And that means that Hi-points are the best guns on the market.

[Capbyrd]

Yes, in this market. Compare it to similar in the field and the price will be similar. Overpriced? maybe compared to years past, but not with how things are right now.

Ehhh. Not really. If you can buy a Colt cheaper, then your AR is overpriced. I'm not saying that Colt is the be all end all, they are just that expensive. There are way too many more good ARs out there for the money. You can buy 2 Smith Sports for that money and have two great rifles instead of one.

I could see the Red Jacket being worth that money if it were built on billet receivers or a piston gun but its neither. Its a basic milspec style AR and as such, shouldn't be more than 700-800 bucks (IN MY OPINION).

[LI0NSFAN]

Last time I was at any of the Big box retailers most of their ARs were right around $1000 so I guess that is just the new normal.

[Steelharp]

Last time I was at any of the Big box retailers most of their ARs were right around $1000 so I guess that is just the new normal.

Until we get closer to the election. Then, this will be the bargain.