PWA AR-15 Commando Pre-ban rifle

[tmark]

What can you tell me about this rifle. I purchased one. I can't find the company online to access an information booklet to know how to take it down and clean it.

Please advise me.

Thank you.

[epa223]

I believe Pac West Arms went out of business sometime around the '94 "Assault Weapons Ban". I have a Pre-Ban A1 style and a Post-Ban A2 style lower, but I'm not sure of the mfg dates. I haven't seen or heard anything of them for quite a while. As far as general info, any AR-15/M16 manual should cover everything that rifle has.

[tmark]

Thanks, epa223.

[Chris W.]

PWA ( Pac West Arms ) mostly made stripped lowers. Very affordable at the time, used to put your own together. Some nice AR's were made from these, also some junk depending on what parts were used on them. Still have one in my safe.
Chris

[epa223]

tmark, here's some more info I got from Walt Kuleck and Scott Duff's book The AR-15 Complete Owner's Guide, copyright 2000... PWA (360) 438-3983. Serial numbers below 35222 are Pre-ban. Post-ban have a year prefix in the serial number. Sold lowers and complete rifles. Most lowers were forged with a few being cast. Uppers were forged by Martin Marietta and have a "P M" code. They used plastic trigger guards, mag release buttons and handguard retainers ( slip ring / delta ring). Rumored to be out of business.
As it turns out, both my lowers are pre-ban (although that probably doesn't mean too much anymore).