Why no AR lowers at the gun show?

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stevekl

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I went to the gun show yesterday looking for AR lowers. Building ARs is a popular hobby, so I assumed I would be able to find some. I know that lowers are legally considered firearms and that you need a FFL to transfer them, but it's a gun show, so no problem, right?

But I didn't see a single one. I saw uppers aplenty and other AR accessories like stocks and foregrips, but no lowers.

So, what's the deal?

Edit: To flesh out my question. This was at the Richmond, VA show. My question is basically, is there a specific reason no one was selling lower assemblies, or did I just catch a lame gun show, or what?
 
i was there yesterday as well, and i only saw a handful of stripped lowers. the HK booth had some that were full auto i think, and the booth that had CT laser grips (think it was Dark Sun) had 3 stripped RRA lowers. possibly one or two more booths that had any lowers at all, i don't remember seeing any complete lowers for sale.
 
Our Show that comes down here also always has very few lowers. I'm talking like I can probably only find 5 throughout the entire show. Uppers are plentiful though.
 
Trueblue

Re: the Arabic translation..My son left a pack of Marlboro Lights on his last trip home, and I think it means "Tar 6 mg Nicotine 0.5 mg"..or, I could be totally wrong. It LOOKS the same! :O)

Seriously :"Insult left in, retreat, left"
 
The vendors may have figured they weren't high item sellers at that particular show and didn't bring them out.
Ask if you can't find what you are looking for.

As a caveat, the store I do gunsmith work for does not carry lowers as a stock item, the customer has to special order them.
 
OKay, thanks for the insight. I was wondering if there's something illegal about selling lowers; I guess they're just not a hot ticket item.
 
Dark Sun Surplus, a regular at the Richmond shows, usually has both stripped and complete AR lower receivers. Perhaps they didn't have them on the table. Practically no one else I'm familiar with at that show brings lowers. I skipped this one (relatives visiting).
 
At the last two Indy 1500's they had them by the table full and doing a booming business. I picked up a Superior arms one for 99.00. The other high volume seller had I think Stag and Rock river for a bit more money. I actually had it listed as a pistol on the transfer but still need to get the 'virgin' letter from Superior.
 
need an FFL to sell lowers

I too rarely see lowers at gun shows and agree the profit margin is too thin for most gun show dealers to bother. Also, most of the guys selling AR uppers, sights, and all manner of tactical add-ons are not FFLs. In order to sell lowers they would need an FFL. Very few people want the hassle of dealing with FFL regs just to sell a few lowers.
 
They may have sold out. The last gun show I was at here in MI was in Grand Rapids, everybody was out of lowers halfway through the first day...

...unless you wanted to pay 2x the going rate at the one table.
 
Steve, remember this universal truth of the gun culture and it will all make sense: people do not go into the gun business to make money, they go into the gun business to tell other people "NO!"
Click to expand...


Ha! Truer words are seldom spoken.

I build AR's from parts also and find it problematic to acquire the reciever without ordering them specifically. Not sure why that is but the reasons are probably multiple and would include lack of profit for the item, demand...even online vendors are frequently out of stock, and hassle. I have occasionally had to look hard to find one but they are available but frequently in limited numbers.
 
I have 3 pre-Ban uppers. I have 2 pre-Ban lowers. I understand the federal law will not allow me to use a pre-Ban upper on a post ban lower? I was told this would be the same as making a banned firearm? Is this true?:fire:
 
If you really are in WY, there's no ban anymore. Mix and match as you desire.

As to the OP, maybe you just got there too late. Last show I went to, only 1 guy was selling lowers, and only had 5 of them. I got 3, my buddy got 2. Anyone who showed up after 10:00 would say there were no lowers for sale at the show.
 
Don't you still have to be careful of the whole pistol or rifle thing?
Click to expand...

yes. an AR pistol and an AR rifle are differant beasts all together. if you put an AR pistol upper/barrel on an AR rifle you have created a SBR. = bad
 
Dark Sun Surplus had several at the Richmond show on Saturday. What I did notice a lack of was 5.56/.223.

Call Dark Sun, they may still have some...
 
All dealers and distributors are back-ordered. Wait times are 4-6 months from almost all manufacturers.

I believe everyone is getting ready to beat the rush which will surely come when the Socialists/communists come to power again. One of the FIRST things they always do is try to get he guns. Expect it. Believe it!

I knew when the reports from the SHOT show started coming in that it was going to be a wild year or two. Every manufacturer reported reported record orders for the coming year.

So, get your orders in now if you want to see them before the end of the year.
 
There were lots of lowers at the Houston show this past weekend, both complete and stripped. The lowest price I noticed for stripped lowers were some Ameetecs and Stags for $110. I picked up a Noveske for $120.
 
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