Re 80% lowers

[MotoriousRacing]

before it's too late? do you know something we don't?

This is what I thought, except aren't AR pistols, even from 80%'s, going away with SSE? Aren't you supposed to assemble your 80% pistol as single shot?

[Germz]

This is what I thought, except aren't AR pistols, even from 80%'s, going away with SSE? Aren't you supposed to assemble your 80% pistol as single shot?

the truth is no one knows and any that claims one way or the other is misinforming.

I've been waiting for someone to explain to me for a few months now how a LOWER RECEIVER (yes...just the lower) could ever come into existence as a breaktop or bolt-action, let alone semi-auto....therefore, it's whatever I say it is, so therefore the "SSE ban" can't apply even if it wanted to (in regards to homebuilds).

Furthermore, even IF it did somehow apply, ask yourself this:
"If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
Think about that one...exactly.

[jaymz]

I purposely left them out of my little ditty above. The strength of castings is somewhere just a notch better than polymer. both far weaker than the forged or billet lowers.

I suppose I should have made that clear in my last sentence from my post above.

I'd say more than a notch better than poly. Certainly not as strong as forged or billet, but that's irrelevant. Cast is strong enough, anything else is overkill. It's like saying that a tow strap rated at 100 tons is better than one rated at 10 tons. It is, until you realize that you're only towing a 2 ton vehicle. One should choose billet or forged more for cosmetic reasons than for strength.

[Cannon-Arms]

I'd say more than a notch better than poly. Certainly not as strong as forged or billet, but that's irrelevant. Cast is strong enough, anything else is overkill. It's like saying that a tow strap rated at 100 tons is better than one rated at 10 tons. It is, until you realize that you're only towing a 2 ton vehicle. One should choose billet or forged more for cosmetic reasons than for strength.

As far as casting AR lowers go, Sure there can be some high quality castings out there. Those would fit your description to a "T".

The few castings I've seen, when cut up for inspection had voids and inclusions in them.

Frankly, a high quality casting would fit the bill quite nicely. It just comes down to cost. Machines are set for hot forging and it's just too easy to stamp out a couple hundred high quality forgings.

Whether cast, forged or billet, they all need machining to some degree or another. Billet more, cast/forged less.

[Cannon-Arms]

Very informative post. Thanks!

I bought several forged lowers a couple of years ago for $60 apiece and always assumed that billeted was a higher end product based solely on the price difference.

Anytime.

Billet is more expensive mainly because of the increase in labor. The whole thing has to be machined from a 0% block vs smaller amount of machining from a, oh say 40% complete forging.

[mshill]

don't forget the CAST ones
I have a few unfinished

I just finished two from Visionary Arms. While machining (with a drill press no less) I encountered zero voids in the casting and the design was solid. I have also done a Polymer80 lower and it was pretty easy but I felt the aluminum ones weren't that much harder.

[Helmut Shmacher Space Chimp]

Heres a question.. A bit off topic but if someone had and 80% and had a gunsmith finish it but gave it a serial number would it be legal if register ?

[jaymz]

If said gunsmith has an 07 FFL, yes.

[tackdriver]

Wow, so much knowledge out there with so little on my end....
So as I understand it, al is better than poly. But in my case not wanting to buy a jig it seems poly would be easier for me to mill out with a drill press (I have an AR so measurements wont be a problem)
I assume everyone uses a straight sided milling bit.
The reason I said "before it's too late". I thot de peon was doing his usual ds thing to ban them?? No?

[navin r]

I've finished a couple of alum. 80%ers with a little help from a friend, w/o that friends help I think finishing an alum. 80% is fairly difficult and very time consuming, but others disagree, maybe they're more skilled than me. The polymer ones; at least someone ham-handed like me can finish themselves. My understanding is the later polymer ones are a better type of plastic that's stronger. Personally I'd try a polymer 80% and see how that goes, you can always tackle an alum. 80%er after that.

[Gunsmith Dan]

Like every other product made the same applies to receivers:

Polymer/Plastic = Cheaper cost for something not used very often and not abused to much

Metal = Higher cost for something that will last a very long time and can take high levels of abuse.


To date not one single manufacturer of Polymer receivers has been able to show them out lasting a Metal receiver.

[MotoriousRacing]

This is what I thought, except aren't AR pistols, even from 80%'s, going away with SSE? Aren't you supposed to assemble your 80% pistol as single shot?

the truth is no one knows and any that claims one way or the other is misinforming.

I've been waiting for someone to explain to me for a few months now how a LOWER RECEIVER (yes...just the lower) could ever come into existence as a breaktop or bolt-action, let alone semi-auto....therefore, it's whatever I say it is, so therefore the "SSE ban" can't apply even if it wanted to (in regards to homebuilds).

Furthermore, even IF it did somehow apply, ask yourself this:
"If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
Think about that one...exactly.

I still think it is prudent to buy all of your pistol length barrels (or full uppers) for your 80% lowers before the end of this year, or plan on paying cash later.

[Germz]

I still think it is prudent to buy all of your pistol length barrels (or full uppers) for your 80% lowers before the end of this year, or plan on paying cash later.

the state can barely wrap its head around processing background checks in less than 10 days or issuing CCW. they don't have time to track this, unless you think they will ban sales of these types of parts.