New Frontier Armory LW-15 GENII

I was offered a light weight AR it has a flat topped AR with light 16" barrel. Seem very light and sweet will be a pickup gun, coyote calling and pdog gun. I'm not wanting a heavy gun (I have them in bolt actions) but one light and walking friendly but I know nothing about this lower. New Frontier Armory LW-15 GENII Polymer Lower Receiver price is about as low as I have found $550. Would you get a poly lower if so why and if not why? I've never owned an AR before Thanks.

 

Cant say I am a fan of the polymer lowers. I have never used any such, it is just my personal preference. There are many top flight lowers available at reasonable prices these days and I prefer the peace of mind the all metal lowers gives me. Seems like a solution in search of a problem. Sorry if I come off like a grumpy old man..I have 3 Ar's and none in polymer...my 2 16" barreled carbines are light enough for a day afield.

 

Everything I have seen about polymer ARs has been mostly positive. The main problems are arising from striking the butt stock on things and it breaking the lower receiver (when a good amount of force is applied). I was also on the lookout for a lightweight AR as well and in my research NFA makes a pretty good poly lower. You are gonna hear(see) a lot of "plastic gun" bashing online from people who have never owned them (similar to when glock and xds first became popular). IMHO as long as you don't plan to mistreat your rifle you'll be fine. What kind of upper is it? The fairness of price depends on the kind of upper and the things that come with the gun. I'd probably buy it and not think twice.

 

I just built a 6.4lb gun for my dad on a lw-15 . I was happy with the lower and I woulnt be concerned unless u planed to use it as a club. Gun could a been lighter but I used an m4 conture barrel and a relatively heavy float tube.

 

I have that lower. $129.00 complete. It works fine, looks good , light, durable, and tough.

It is not with out its problems. The WHOLE FTG is plastic. The hammer seems to work fine. The mag release seems iffy.

The trigger is my only real complaint. Since it is plastic also and may get pulled hard in times of distress... well it has a good bit of deflection which I don't care for. But, the tigger pull is light and breaks cleaner than most factory triggers.

 

The whole lower is plastic, including the trigger. If I'm not mistaken the P90s trigger group is plastic as well.

 

I own that type/brand lower.Paid $109 for it,and would again.If u think about it.Most of the abuse is in the upper.

 

I just finished a build on a stripped NFA lower, but I used a DPMS lower parts kit so the only part that is polymer is the lower itself. I don't foresee any problems with it as I don't "mortar" an AR by slamming it against the ground, a light tap while pulling on the charging handle several times is all that's needed, and if you keep it lubed you won't need to do that. I only have a few hundred rounds through it now but it hasn't loosened up at all, it's on a 5.56 upper that I built as well. Carbine length gas system and buffer. Bought three of the lowers, two to go!

 

I'm assuming this gen2 lower will be a bit nicer than the first.

I've owned 2 poly lowers: ATI/Omni complete lower, and a M&P15-22 rifle.
IMO they're ok for light duty and plinking only, including hunting if you must. Don't throw it around or abuse it though.

 

Polymer lowers

I have been around two different kinds of these newer polymer lowers. I purchased two of the EP Lowers and found they liked a lot to be desired in fitment to three different uppers I tried them on. The take down pins were off center from the hole not allowing the pin to go in and also the distance to the matting surfaces between the two receivers were way off and would cock the lower at an angle. This was also due to the take down pin locations being off. The gap between the two receivers should be a maximum of about .020, (.030 was allowed in my military days), on a good fit these and the replacements I eventually was sent out measured .020 - .025 in the rear and .028- .035 in the front putting them at an angle and such will stress the rear buffer tube area as it puts it at an angle for the bolt carrier group to hit against the buffer. After four have been sent my way to replace the defective one's only one has come out in specs, so my opinion of the EP Lowers is stay away from it as your just going to be playing mail tag with finally getting one that fits like its suppose to! Most of the polymer lowers seem to be thicker in the front take down pin area and the buffer tube area which would be your areas of concern but remember most of the stress in firing an AR on the lower is in the moving mass of the BCG and it is absorbed by the spring and buffer then sent forward again into battery. The polymer lowers in my two cents are good candidates for an adjustable gas block, light BCG's, buffers etc.... to set the firearm up for minimum recoil and thus reduced stress all around! Like was stated earlier if your not abusive to them I don't think you'll run into any problems I would rate their strength on par or above the cheap cast aluminum lowers, plus the polymer will have some give in it where cast aluminum is a bit brittle especially when cold and I've seen several of those broken in the buffer tube area!

 

I've got the ATI Omni, and its pretty decent. I'll eventually get a dedicated .22 upper to slap on it, but for now, I'm satisfied with my 5.56 upper. Quality built lower. The New Frontiers, that I've seen, have all plastic FCG. For $550, you can probably do a bit better. I'm in my poly lower for less than $500.

 

I've never messed with the ATI.

I did buy 2 stripped NFA lowers.

The two stipped lowers ended up with CMMG parts kits, I had to use a needle file to get a couple of the pieces to fit right, they were just a little too tight on the lower. It's been a while since I messed with them, but I believe it was the mag catch and the safey holes that needed just a little bit of material removed. It wasn't enough to be of much concern.

One lower that I completed with the CMMG lpk ended up with an 18" DPMS M12 barrel and DSArms uppper.

The other ended up in the junk box for a later build.

I took the completed rifle out, fired it a few dozen times, and brought it home. It sat in the cabinet for about 2 weeks and I took it out again.

The second trip out I had brought 10 full 20rd mags to run through it and get the scope zero'd and all that jazz.

The third mag in, I fired a round and the buffer tube and stock broke away from the gun.

The rounds were factory LC rounds.

There is a mold mark on top of the ring where the buffer tube screws in on the NFA lower, my lower cracked across almost perfectly in the mold mark.

I called the dealer that I bought them from and explained to him what had happened and I wound up returning those to him for a refund and bought Stag lowers to put my parts kits in.

I called NFA and told them what happened and they seemed more than willing to oblige. The dealer was local though and willing to make things right without me having to ship the lower back to NFA.


I'm not saying the poly lowers are bad, I think I just got one that was flawed. I just got turned off at the thought of sticking a polymer lower on any of my rifles after that one broke.

For a casual shooter that just wants an ar15 to have one, they'd probably be fine, but if you're wanting a knockaround rifle, I'd invest in a metal lower.

 

I would never buy one of those type polymer lowers. They are weakest at the receiver extension. An accidental drop can break it...and that is the actual SN firearm.

With Aluminum lowers frequently on sale for $50, it seems like a false economy. An aluminum lower is expected to last a lifetime or more. This thing will last until it gets dropped and cracked. That could also be a lifetime...or next week. For most users, lightly plinking a few rds per month at the range, they won't notice.

There are models coming out with metal reinforcing the critical areas, I'd consider one of those or the Cavarms with built in stock.

And before the inevitable comparisons to other polymer firearms start coming in...those were all engineered with polymer in mind as the material from the beginning. And most are also metal-reinforced in critical areas. Taking a to-spec AR lower designed for aluminum and substituting polymer is the problem. Too weak in certain areas, particularly where the receiver extension threads in.

 

I am not a fan of polymer lower. They need to reinforce the area where the receiver extension meets the lower body. This is a very high stress riser. This is the area that breaks the most often.