Double Star AR 15 (Don't Buy!)

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Zombiphobia said:
Well, my plans for buying Double Star parts to build an AR have just flown out the window never to be seen or heard form again.

Thanks for sharing, OP, that's some wretched customer service and sounds like an excuse to screw customers. Makes me think their products must be crap for them to so quickly void a warranty.
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Did you even read the original post?
 
BoilerUP said:
Did you even read the original post?
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If he read it like I did, the customer service guy said adding a scope to the rifle voids the whole warranty. That is poor customer service and gives them an excuse to any issue you might have. Now I don't blame them for not honoring their warranty since the previous owner assembled the rifle wrong. However, if they sent the OP <$5 in parts he needs to fix the issue they might have had a customer for life.
 
The op didn't have a warranty, and what mach said sounds logical. Sorry that it didn't go well, but fix it and let us know how she shoots.

I don't think doublestar did anything wrong, and I hear their rifles can shoot. Let us know!
 
I would never expect a used gun to have a warranty of any sort unless I possessed a written document from the manufacturer stating such.

There's a reason used guns cost less than new...
 
armysniper said:
I purchased a used Double Star Ar-15 from a local shop. It looked brand new.
What did the shop owner tell you? Was it new from factory, or was it "LNIB" that someone else has messed with?
The price was right with the features I wanted on a basic AR. The biggest thing I wanted was an AR 15 that was factory built and not a thrown together kit because I wanted something that would be covered under warranty.

Double Star boasts a lifetime warranty.

I took the rifle to the range, and after about 60 rounds down range the rifle jammed. I field stripped the rifle and discovered the buffer spring retention pin had popped out and broken the edge of the buffer tube that is supposed to hold it down. It is noteworthy to state that the rifle had a single point sling plate attached to it when I bought it.

It turns out that the plate is not a factory part but was either installed by the rifle's previous owner or the gun shop I bought it from. There you go. It wasn't factory new. The previous owner messed with it.
This information was revealed when I contacted, "Doug," at Doublestar about the issue. He stated that my rifle shipped with the standard back plate. I showed him a picture of the damage and he stated that whoever installed the single point sling plate on the rifle did not screw the buffer tube far enough into the rifle.And didn't put it back properly!

He further stated that because this part was put onto the rifle the, "ENTIRE." warranty for the whole rifle was voided. Furthermore, any accessory that is added or part replaced on the original set up of the rifle voids the warranty. This includes changing out the hand guards adding a riser, scope, or anything else other than what was shipped from the factory. I was shocked because I believe some rifles come with only the rail to add scopes. I agree with you about the scope business. That's just poor excuse from DS. However, in your particular case, I don't see how DS owes you anything. So if anything else go wrong with this rifle that happens to not be an easy fix because of poor materials, I am screwed.

Here is my problem, the buffer tube was of such poor quality that the spring tension broke a piece of the tube off. I now know it was an easy fix, once you have the proper tools. But until I researched AR building, I had no clue how to fix it. But the point is, how cheap is the metal they use for it to chip and fail like that?

Finally, their lifetime warranty is highly conditional. Any accessory or configuration must be added at their factory prior to receiving your rifle. What stinks, is I sold my M&P 15 sport to put money towards this rifle just so I could have a dust cover and forward assist, because the quality of this rifle is very poor compared to the sport.

I thought about trading this rifle off to someone else, but I would not dare put this rifle into anyone else's hands just for them to have an issue and it fail them. It will be retired to my safe, and taken to the range on occasion. It most certainly will not be used as my MBR home defense rifle or otherwise.

I am just sharing my experience because I feel strongly that their product is inferior to other rifles I have used or owned. Dont let their low price fool you into buying it.
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Another question I have is, when you unlocked the rear take down pin and lifted up the upper from the lower, did things start flying out? Was the buffer retention pin, along with its spring, there originally? or they were never there in the first place. My guess is they were never there in the first place, because from your pic, it looks like the buffer tube edge has just barely gotten to the edge of the hole, so it couldn't have held anything down in place. The previous owner messed it up, bottom line. Can't fault DS for this.
 
Its not DSC fault someone doesn't know how to put an AR buffer tube on...


Warranty doesn't cover stupidity.

I have had good luck with a DS carbine upper.
 
I have a question. Just how far forward does the buffer tube have to be? One of my ARs is not butting up against the pin. Should it be all the way forward?
 
I am sure there is a spec. on how far to screw on the buffer tube.

I screw it on until the tube just clears the small pin extension on the retention pin. The buffer tube covers about 1/3 of the diameter of the large part of the tube.

The retention pin should move up and town freely.
 
WinThePennant said:
I have a question. Just how far forward does the buffer tube have to be? One of my ARs is not butting up against the pin. Should it be all the way forward?
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All it has to be is just passed over the edge of the hole a little, so that it holds the pin down. It does not need to hit the center of the pin itself.
 
WinThePennant said:
I have a question. Just how far forward does the buffer tube have to be? One of my ARs is not butting up against the pin. Should it be all the way forward?
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It needs to cover the edge of the buffer retainer, sufficient to hold it in position, but not so far that it covers the pin/nipple that protrudes up.

It doesn't have to physically touch the pin, as far as I know. I don't think mine does, either.
 
The thread title says double star ar15 don't buy. It should be :used and improperly modified double star, know what to look for before you buy.
 
Sounds like you should have field stripped the rifle before purchasing it. Heck at my part time job I field strip them even if they are new before selling then. Caveat emptor et al etc

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 
Don't forget to stake the castle nut when you're done. It's easy, and it keeps the nut from backing off. (Which could potentially cause this problem again.)
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Only if you plan on replacing the tube if you ever need to remove it for any reason.

There's no need to stake it, so long as it's sufficiently tight. The tube itself can't possibly back out without you noticing anyway, since the stock would be rotating. If shot enough with a loose nut, it could batter the threads on the lower or the tube. But it's pretty tough to not notice the extension nut coming loose, since everything gets real wobbly.

I just crank the nut down hard with the wrench by hand, then give a couple whacks on the end of the wrench with a 12 ounce dead blow. Never had one I tightened come loose yet.
 
This isn't DoubleStar's fault, and not their responsibility to fix it. If I buy a car and someone swapped engines before I purchased it used, I shouldn't expect the original manufacturer to fix it under warranty when it breaks. Your beef shouldn't be with DSC, but rather the shop where you bought the USED gun that was MODIFIED by its previous owner into a non-stock configuration.

FWIW, I, along with many others, own DSC rifles, and have had absolutely no issue with them whatsoever. Granted, I don't have a round count anywhere near some people's but I've yet to have a single failure of any kind in right around 1200 rounds, using a variety of ammunition, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy again or to recommend them to a friend.
 
Honestly what I've read of this goes to say that you should have asked more about the rifle. When I bought my first on I took it to an ex sheriff that ownes a gun shop and asked him to break it all down for me and show me maint issues. The buffer tube not being screwed in all the way would be hard to find understand but...me not knowing crap about the platform I wanted to find out before I shot it. And mine was new in box but I bought it from a pawn shop. Anyhow lesson to me is that just cause some yahoo sells a rifle as new doesn't mean you should think of it that way. I ALWAYS go through every weapon I buy before I take it out.
 
OP-
just fix it and enjoy. I find the only real difference in quality (that matters) is the barrel.
If it shoots tight groups I would be thrilled with it. The repair is cheap & easy, just forget the warranty, I would rather repair my rifle than ship it away
 
Davek1977 said:
Your beef shouldn't be with DSC, but rather the shop where you bought the USED gun that was MODIFIED by its previous owner into a non-stock configuration.
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He never claimed the shop represented it as new.
 
Furthermore, any accessory that is added or part replaced on the original set up of the rifle voids the warranty. This includes changing out the hand guards adding a riser, scope, or anything else other than what was shipped from the factory.
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If that is true, then that is BS.

To all you saying Doublestar is not to blame, etc. In this instance I agree, because the exact modification is what led to the failure.

But what if it was something totally unrelated? Based on what the OP said, they would have told him the same thing. What if he told them a lug broke off the bolt? Or extractor was super weak. Something totally unrelated to the modification? I feel like saying the warranty is voided by adding/modifying an AR makes sense because people like to tinker and some do stupid things, but switching handguards or adding an optic will not lead to any issues that deserve to void the warranty entirely. That's like changing hub caps on a car.
 
This thread is a disaster, between people not reading the post, people over reacting to what went on here, and people chomping at the bit to unleash their agenda :mad:

OP bought a used rifle, original company wouldn't pay for him to fix someone else's mistake. Makes sense to me, sounds like the shop it was bought from is responsible.

Like another said, this fix requires like $30 worth of parts and basic ability to work a spanner wrench. Hopefully your bolt carrier wasn't damaged by the wobbly buffer tube.

This is why when people say "you don't need loctite, and you don't need to stake your castle nut" those who know better just shrug and give up on them.

Well, my plans for buying Double Star parts to build an AR have just flown out the window never to be seen or heard form again.
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Wow, really? Whatever you're looking at building, I guarentee you someone on the interwebz has had a bad experience with the company.

I'm not a Doublestar fan, in fact I would NEVER even buy parts from a bottom of the barrel manufacturer, but it has nothing to do with this thread, or others like it.

I had a poor experience with BCM once, but it wasn't bad enough to hurt their overall reputation even with me.
 
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