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-   -   TR Enabling 80% billet lowers review! ...Very nice! (https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=707811)

SDmtnbkr 02-19-2013 9:24 PM

TR Enabling 80% billet lowers review! ...Very nice!
 
Ok so I went ahead and ordered some TR Enabling 80% billet lowers (www.tr-enabling.com) and they're in!

I reached out to these guys before hand to get as much info about their product and background before ordering it. We ALL know the horror stories behind Rohg engineering's 80% lowers and the last thing I wanted was another, cheap, poorly machined, improper fitted paper weight that should really be labeled as a POS 60-ish% lower receiver.

TR Enabling is two active duty Marines that saw the need in the market and started working to get a good product out there. They don't hide the fact that they are brand new to the business but with SO MANY current venders back ordered for months/year, new companies are obviously going to come out of the woodwork and fill the demand. Duh. These guys are Marines, shooters, legit guys.... NOT 2 rando commandos who rented a space and a cnc and figured what the hell.

These things are pretty nice!! I really like the more aggressive lines and cuts on the design. One is media blasted so it's easier to see the lines on the reciever, but they come all shiny and with burrs and such.

http://imageshack.us/a/img69/9990/img3707mz.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img688/7204/img3713h.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img145/2731/img3717j.jpg

First off, they're 6061, get over it. If you can't, move on. There's a huge debate over 6065 vs. 7075 and ....blah blah blah. Yes 7075 is harder, big deal, its a lower. I just saw Umbrella is coming out with 7065 which apparently is even harder and stronger than 7075. So now in like 5-10 years people are gonna be saying "7075? No way, I ONLY use titanium, 7075 is no good" this will never end.

Bottom line is... 95% of the people building AR's will never even get close to pushing the limit of a polymer lower receiver, let alone a 6065 one. And if you're one of the 5% then you wouldn't be building you rifle with a billet lower in the first place, you'd be going with the toughest forged lower you could find. If you want undeniably tough, buy a forged lower. If you want a sexy looking project, that you're not going into battle with, knock yourself out with a sexy looking billet receiver. It's that simple.

Over all this thing is pretty nice! Is it a Mega billet lower? No. But, no 80% is going to be as good as a top name manufacture. This thing is a pretty nice lower that looks tough and is ready to be built and shot!

I was waiting to get a LPK in to test fit it and finally got one today. Everything fits great! The mag catch hole is a little tiny bit big, but nothing too crazy, and it can easily accommodate more aftermarket levers (illustrated in the pic below). At least it's not too small. I also had an issue with my Pmags being too tight. 2 minutes with a carefully placed rat tail fixed that, and now everything (that I can test fit in it's 80% state) fits perfect and lines up great!

http://imageshack.us/a/img21/7875/img3706as.jpg

Good:
1.) lines up very nicely to my uppers!
2.) buffer receiver notches line up to Vltor upper nicely
3.) all tolerances are tight and within spec
4.) well built and design is very nice, made in USA in small batches
5.) 5-10 day lead time. These guys are in and ready to order!

Issues: (most are subjective to me and you may not care at all)

1.) Pmag was too tight to fall freely when I first got it. A quick inspection and 2 min with a carefully placed rat tail file and it's good to go.

2.)Magwell bevel is kind of small. I know billet lowers have a less aggressive bevel because of the machining process, but Quinten Defense has a really big, aggressive bevel and I wish this one was more like that.

http://imageshack.us/a/img13/7071/img3712nm.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img823/1743/img3716ep.jpg

3.) The side cosmetic cut that runs vertically through the mag catch and continues to mate with the upper receiver is skinner than most other on the market. Which means that when it mates up to the upper receiver it lines up, but it leaves an overhang on both sides and just looks odd. Especially with a billet upper or a nicer upper like my VLTORs. The bottom part of that cut flairs to mate with the lower piece, I think they should have flared the top as well.

http://imageshack.us/a/img849/7051/img3653f.jpg



Over all, $160 for a billet 80% lower of this quality, I think is a no brainer.... especially when those forged Rohg POS's are going for $140. I talked to one of the guys, Josh, and he said that they should be able to ship 10 days from receiving your order, and they're working on getting that down to 3 days very soon!

I know there are a lot of people looking for 80% lowers right now, so I hope this helps!! Now to find me a build party!!! = )

I have more pics of them mated up to my Vltor uppers if anyone wants me to post them, but here's two more of the lowers by themselves.
http://imageshack.us/a/img543/7688/img3709ti.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img855/4679/img3710r.jpg

ferrarifly 02-19-2013 9:30 PM

I ordered a bolt carrier group from them. Top Notch that's all I can say and priced right! I will be giving these guys my business going forward.

bigguns85 02-20-2013 3:13 AM

post more pics of the r2d2! lol maybe weilding guns!

Justin87 02-20-2013 7:39 AM

whoa these are almost identical to BRS. (billet80.com)

aklino 02-20-2013 7:44 AM

VERY NICE! I'm glad I took the risk and popped on these last week. I should have mine in hand next week... I'm very excited. :)

SDmtnbkr 02-20-2013 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin87 (Post 10589130)
whoa these are almost identical to BRS. (billet80.com)

Yeah, I think a lot of the billet 80% companies are gonna be very close... I can't imagine these companies start "from scratch" on their designs, ya know? I'm just happy it's good quality and it wasn't an insane wait.

I'm stoked... just wanted to spread the word cause I almost got burned by Rohg (which STILL hasn't issues my refund from a month ago)!

SDmtnbkr 02-20-2013 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDmtnbkr (Post 10591109)
Yeah, I think a lot of the billet 80% companies are gonna be very close... I can't imagine these companies start "from scratch" on their designs, ya know? I'm just happy it's good quality and it wasn't an insane wait.

I'm stoked... just wanted to spread the word cause I almost got burned by Rohg (which STILL hasn't issues my refund from a month ago)!


Quote:

Originally Posted by bigguns85 (Post 10588045)
post more pics of the r2d2! lol maybe weilding guns!

haha!! It's actually an R2d2 Mickey Mouse hat that I got from Disneyland when I took the little lady for her birthday!

Justin87 02-20-2013 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDmtnbkr (Post 10591109)
Yeah, I think a lot of the billet 80% companies are gonna be very close... I can't imagine these companies start "from scratch" on their designs, ya know? I'm just happy it's good quality and it wasn't an insane wait.

I'm stoked... just wanted to spread the word cause I almost got burned by Rohg (which STILL hasn't issues my refund from a month ago)!

Thats not what I was told at BRS.... I was told it was their design. Only think different is the trigger guard. BRS is making an upper that matches the flat parts of where the buffer tube goes. They said that was there design.

I dont care much, just kinda confused.

SDmtnbkr 02-20-2013 2:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin87 (Post 10591386)
Thats not what I was told at BRS.... I was told it was their design. Only think different is the trigger guard. BRS is making an upper that matches the flat parts of where the buffer tube goes. They said that was there design.

I dont care much, just kinda confused.

I just looked at BRS ones, they're not as similar is you think. The design on the right side is completely different, the design on the front is also different... the TR-E is more ramped outward (if that makes sense) and has a milled in design that almost acts as a minimal grip. The BRS is blockier up front. And the design on the left side is also different....

come to think about it, the only thing that looks the same is the fact that they're both billet and shiny and the fire control area... the safey selector stops and markings, and the buffer tube area. If you look piece by piece they are very different.

And as far as the buffer tube goes, it matches very closely to my Vltor Mur upper, and looks to be modeled more after the Mega billet lower buffer receiver than anything else... so I doubt that's a BRS specific design.

Justin87 02-20-2013 2:29 PM

Youre right there are more differences if you look close. Its hard to tell when they are so shiny.

bigguns85 02-20-2013 4:44 PM

I still wanna see an r2d2 weilding guns! r2 went postal!

MrPlink 02-20-2013 10:10 PM

R2 is an Ak guy :p

Nice looking lowers Op! Keep us updated with the finished products

norcal_patriot 02-23-2013 5:43 PM

Tagged

projekt1 08-15-2013 7:38 AM

Great review!
I have a question regarding the milling process. Did you use their own jig? Will other jigs work? Yea I'm new to these 80% lowers and the milling.

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