Polymer AR lower for 9mm build?

[TTv2]

I know the rap is polymer AR lowers are disasters waiting to happen, but I'm not normal guy when it comes to having guns. I'm not looking at using the polymer lower for .223/5.56, I'm thinking of a 9mm AR pistol/carbine build and I'm trying to keep the weight as low as possible. Would a polymer lower for this build be an okay idea? I just figure that if polymer pistols like Glock and S&W Shields are big now, why couldn't a polymer AR lower work for a 9mm pistol or carbine?

 

[Hokie_PhD]

I’m far from an expert, but I’ve read a bunch on the subject. So take my comments with a ton of salt and as an opinion.

Most of what I read seems to be two things. One resistance and fear of something new. And piling on from I telnet experts. What’s funny is I saw similar stuff with cars when fuel injection replaced carbs on hot rods. I saw it again on Harley motorcycles a decade later.

Now the difference here is that there seemed to have been some really crummy poly AR lowers and the big issue has been cracking in the area where the buffer tube and recoil spring are.

It seems some poly lowers now are a hybrid and have that area reinforced with metal. I’ve not seen any complaints on these but I also haven’t been looking too hard. I’ve toyed with picking one up as I saw Rural King had them cheap but I never got over there. For $35 or so I’d b3 willing to give one a try for a fun gun, I don’t think I’d use one on a gun that I’d have ready for self defence or SHTF though.

My suggestion is if you can get one cheap enough go for it. But I’d also get a good aluminum lower too and hold on to it and use if/when the poly breaks. If the poly doesn’t break then it’s just another excuse for another build. If it does break it’s just an excuse to tear the gun down and swap the parts out.

Since Andersons are cheap right now, why not get one or two if you can afford it. And we all know if you’re building this you’ll build another.

All that said, if the poly isn’t cheap enough I’d pass. To me $35 to 50 or so seems like the limit of what I’d be comfortable spending on something I’m not sure of. But you should set your own limit. I know everyone is different and some of us don’t like to waste so ....

 

[Elkins45]

It’s not just tradition: even the reinforced ones are fragile as compared to aluminum, and you really don’t save enough weight or money to make them worth the trouble.

Now if you’re talking about the GWACS lower and stock combo then that’s a different thing. My lightweight AR is built on one of those and I love it. The GWACS/Cav Arms lower is the only polymer AR I would consider...and I would seriously consider one. I wouldn’t mind having a couple of spares just in case I get the itch to build another lightweight gun.

There are some good videos out there showing just how tough the GWACS lower is, including one where they shoot through it and drive over it.

 

[someguy2800]

The only polymer AR lower I have experience with is my father in laws Bushmaster Carbon 15 which has had no problems though it has not been used hard either. I think the GWACS lower looks really nice and I may buy one to build a second lower.

 

[TTv2]

It’s not just tradition: even the reinforced ones are fragile as compared to aluminum, and you really don’t save enough weight or money to make them worth the trouble.

Now if you’re talking about the GWACS lower and stock combo then that’s a different thing. My lightweight AR is built on one of those and I love it. The GWACS/Cav Arms lower is the only polymer AR I would consider...and I would seriously consider one. I wouldn’t mind having a couple of spares just in case I get the itch to build another lightweight gun.

There are some good videos out there showing just how tough the GWACS lower is, including one where they shoot through it and drive over it.

Are you talking about the Cav15? I saw a video on them last night. Do you know where I can order them from?

 

[Elkins45]

Are you talking about the Cav15? I saw a video on them last night. Do you know where I can order them from?

http://www.gwacsarmory.com/lower-receivers-ar-15/