PSA vs Sons of Liberty: AR-15 brands compared
PSA leads in 4 of 7 categories.
PSA for the price, upper receivers and lower receivers.
From tens of thousands of real builds and live prices at 30+ retailers.
Our take
PSA sells affordable AR lowers, uppers, BCGs and complete rifles, and it makes them in house from forging to finished part.
Lifetime warranty · Transferable warranty · Value pricing · Vertically integrated
- Spending less: about 41% below average
- The more popular pick: in 17% of builds
- Upper receivers, picked 7x as often
- Lower receivers, picked 9x as often
SOLGW makes duty style AR-15s in San Antonio and sells barrels, uppers, gas tubes and gas blocks on their own. SOCOM chose its MK1 for the Combat Assault Rifle program.
Lifetime warranty · SOCOM contract · Duty rifles
- Close to average prices
Many builders mix them: 23% of Sons of Liberty builds add PSA, most often the upper receiver.
Biggest differences
"Picked" is the share of builds with that part that chose each brand.
| PSA | Sons of Liberty | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price vs average | 41% cheaper | 19% cheaper | PSA cheaper |
| Share of builds | 17% | 5% | PSA 3x |
| Lowers picked | 26% | 2.9% | PSA 9x |
| Uppers picked | 14% | 1.9% | PSA 7x |
| BCGs picked | 7.7% | 2.1% | PSA 4x |
| Parts listed | 2,037 | 562 | PSA 4x |
| Retailers carrying | 9 | 16 | Sons of Liberty 1.8x |
Price: PSA wins
For the same part, PSA parts run 41% cheaper than average and Sons of Liberty parts run 19% cheaper than average.
Builder favorite: PSA wins
PSA is in 17% of builds and Sons of Liberty is in 5% of builds.
Why PSA: PSA's Full Lifetime Warranty covers the guns and parts it makes, and it transfers to later owners.
Receivers: PSA wins
Builders pick PSA lower receivers (9x) and upper receivers (7x) more often than Sons of Liberty.
Why PSA: PSA owns its supply chain, including Spartan Forging and DC Machine, from forging the receivers to finishing the muzzle brake.
Internals: Tie
Builders pick PSA bolt carrier groups (4x), charging handles (4x) and triggers (2.7x) more often than Sons of Liberty. Barrels are about even. Sons of Liberty muzzle devices, gas blocks and buffer tubes are picked often, PSA's rarely.
Why PSA: PSA's upgraded BCGs use a Carpenter 158 steel bolt that's shot peened, high pressure tested and magnetic particle inspected.
Why Sons of Liberty: The M4-76 runs an A5 buffer system with a VLTOR A5-H2 buffer and a pinned and welded NOX muzzle device.
Furniture: Tie
Sons of Liberty picked more often.
Complete rifles: PSA wins
PSA complete rifles picked often, Sons of Liberty rarely.
Most picked PSA complete rifles
PSA PA-15 16" Nitride M4 Carbine 5.56 NATO Classic 13.5"$549.99, in stock at 1 store
PSA PA-15 16"Nitride M4 Carbine 5.56 NATO Classic Rifle$499.99, in stock at 1 store
PSA Guardsman-15 16" Midlength 5.56 NATO 1/7 CL$617.49, out of stockMost picked Sons of Liberty complete rifles
Rarely picked
Shopper clicks: Tie
Of recent clicks through to a store for these brands, 50% went to PSA and 50% went to Sons of Liberty.
The full record
Everything we track for PSA vs Sons of Liberty, from builds, store listings and daily prices.
| PSA | Sons of Liberty | |
|---|---|---|
| Share of builds | 17% | 5% |
| Price tier | Budget friendly | Mid priced |
| Parts listed | 2,037 | 562 |
| Part types | 29 | 29 |
| Retailers carrying | 9 | 16 |
| In stock now | 93% | 25% |
| Price change, 90 dayson the most picked parts | n/a | 6% higher |
| On sale now | None | None |
