AR Lowers
- Thread starter Dobe
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Some consider receivers cut from a solid billet aluminum bar to be superior. I have zero experience with those, but I do know that they command a premium price over a regular, forged receivers.
I built two rifles using Ameetec receivers and they were great. I also have a factory built RRA that's also fine. Any forged lower that's machined to mil-spec is fine. The rest depends on cosmetics - how the finish matches up to your choice of upper, the logo markings. Personally, I don't care. One of my Ameetec builds is a 5.56 rifle, but a receiver is marked 6.8SPC. As long as the parts fit and it functions, the markings could include Mickey Mouse for all I care.
I built two rifles using Ameetec receivers and they were great. I also have a factory built RRA that's also fine. Any forged lower that's machined to mil-spec is fine. The rest depends on cosmetics - how the finish matches up to your choice of upper, the logo markings. Personally, I don't care. One of my Ameetec builds is a 5.56 rifle, but a receiver is marked 6.8SPC. As long as the parts fit and it functions, the markings could include Mickey Mouse for all I care.
Stripped or assembled?
DPMS for stripped lowers should be fine. Heck, for assembled lowers, they should be fine, too. Their small-parts quality is about average for the industry. If you end up using the gun hard, you may end up breaking/wearing-out some of the parts and springs in the lower, but that's not a huge issue (unless you use the gun for actual "work"). Heck, many people end up buying aftermarket triggers, and thus end up replacing many of the parts in question, anyway.
Mike
DPMS for stripped lowers should be fine. Heck, for assembled lowers, they should be fine, too. Their small-parts quality is about average for the industry. If you end up using the gun hard, you may end up breaking/wearing-out some of the parts and springs in the lower, but that's not a huge issue (unless you use the gun for actual "work"). Heck, many people end up buying aftermarket triggers, and thus end up replacing many of the parts in question, anyway.
Mike
I can't comment on price (as that has been going nuts lately), but quality to build upon would be fine.
As to Tactical Innovations, never heard of 'em. A lot of companies sell lowers that are just rebranded lowers of a major supplier. That is, Company A makes a bunch of lowers, and Companies B, C & D buy the lowers from Company A. Company A puts the logos of the other companies on them, and out the door they go. A very large number of the milspec stripped lowers in circulation come from a handful of makers, identical but for the logos.
It's pretty hard to screw up a lower, but it can be done (Hesse).
Mike
As to Tactical Innovations, never heard of 'em. A lot of companies sell lowers that are just rebranded lowers of a major supplier. That is, Company A makes a bunch of lowers, and Companies B, C & D buy the lowers from Company A. Company A puts the logos of the other companies on them, and out the door they go. A very large number of the milspec stripped lowers in circulation come from a handful of makers, identical but for the logos.
It's pretty hard to screw up a lower, but it can be done (Hesse).
Mike
i wouldn't say identical, but yes there is only a handful of makers ( Lewis Machine tool, Continental Machine Tool, LAR, Olympic, and... Mega i believe) along with a handful of independents. Essential Arms , Superior Arms, Doublestar.
the difference in brands comes in the QC and minor individual specs. but as stated. its pretty hard to screw up the lower. anyone bult Vulcan/Hesse will serve you well
Some of them are identical, with the exception of logo. However, not all are (obviously). I wasn't saying they're all identical, but rather that a company will produce lowers for several different makers that are identical, just with different rollmarks.
Mike
Mike
alemonkey
Member
So here's the bigger question...who the heck has lowers for sale, in stock? I'm thinking about picking up a stripped lower because it's easier to slip a hundred here and there past the wife than a grand for a complete rifle 
Try these guys, or look for other sources for the same lower via Google - the Aero's have gotten good reviews on Arf15. The fact that they're 'only' up to $109.99 from $99 a couple of weeks ago makes me think they may be out, but you can try.
http://www.dansammo.com/firearms.asp
/Bryan
http://www.dansammo.com/firearms.asp
/Bryan
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