who builds the best lowers?

10829 Views 50 Replies 2 Participants Last post by counterfitter, 3 mo ago

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Discussion Starter · Oct 17, 2013

For you guys in the know can ya'all rate the

best lowers

good lowers

and

not so good lower receivers for the AR15 platform

Thanks
Craig

21 - 40 of 51 Posts

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Discussion Starter · #21 · Oct 17, 2013

Other than logos and finish not much difference. I have an Essential Arms from almost 30 years ago that gets the most use of all my AR's. That Essential Arms is a cast lower and it has held up as well as any I have seen. I have a few Sendras that still work fine.
Point is todays receivers are of much higher quality than those from yesteryear.
Yes some are of better quality than others. I would shop reputation for quality, price and customer service. Its all good. AR 15 receivers do a much different job than M14 receivers.

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Discussion Starter · #22 · Oct 17, 2013

boggy said:
I have built many. PSA has my attention currently, due to price. I have only noticed a difference in the RRA. The upper and lower were both RRA, and I had to use a big zip tip fastened to the upper like a handle to get them apart. Extremely tight.... I was frustrated with it at the time, but sooo glad I hung onto this one. Wish I had bought more back in those days. It is a US Property marked lower from "legal transfers", 2002 era maybe.

Have you seen some of their blem prices right now?

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/featured/psa-blemished-bullet-pictogram-lower.html

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Discussion Starter · #23 · Oct 17, 2013

USMC Gunny said:
Have you seen some of their blem prices right now?

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/featured/psa-blemished-bullet-pictogram-lower.html

I picked up one of their blemished upper for next to nothing, and I have yet to find the blemish on it. I was planning on painting it, so I was willing to roll the dice for price.

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Discussion Starter · #24 · Oct 17, 2013

bigblock said:
You are mostly paying for the logo and coatings. They are just about all the same. Just stay away from the no name stuff with no warranty.

I'm with BigBlock on this one. As long as it is in spec (and nearly all are), it's all about coating and hype. "Fanboi-ism" is rampant, and is partly based on reputation, but some is based on marketing. In my humble opinion, the big factors that make a great AR-type rifle are the barrel, trigger and stock (buttstock and handguard). For the most part, the receivers and other parts are just there to connect these three components together.

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Discussion Starter · #25 · Oct 17, 2013

I like the LRB AR15 lowers myself. I like anything with a cross cannon on it and I've built up a few with friends with ZERO issues. Typical LRB quality engraving as well.

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Discussion Starter · #26 · Oct 17, 2013

My PSA has a square forge mark FWIW. Don't know who does the finish work

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Discussion Starter · #27 · Oct 17, 2013

Mega!

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Discussion Starter · #28 · Oct 17, 2013

Anything by Continental Machine Tool (CMT) which is the parent company of Stag Arms and includes Stag, Colt, Rock River Arms, Smith & Wesson and others.

CMT = Stag, RRA, High Standard, Noveske (old), Century (current), Global Tactical, CLE, S&W, MGI (1st batch), Wilson Tactical, (some?) Colt, Ratworx
7th

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Discussion Starter · #29 · Oct 18, 2013

As most have pointed out, there isn't much difference between forged lowers. Pick a rollmark you like, and as long as it's from a quality manufacturer, you're good to go. My Rock River functions fine, but both the hammer and trigger pin holes are over tolerance, which irks me a bit...
If you want something with more functionality, and are willing to spend for it, look at the Knights and AXTS ambi lowers. My opinion is the AXTS AX lower is the best on the market.

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Discussion Starter · #30 · Oct 18, 2013

I have built alot of ar's and i have yet to find a bad one. I generally wont spent more than 130$ for a stripped lower and recently scored 3 BCI Defense lowers for 115$ each. the bci's are my new favorite. I plan on getting my class 2 license soon and the bci's are the only forged 7075 t6 lowers that have the fire control area milled to m16 spec which i really like alot. This is the first company to mill their receivers to m16 spec and when i get my class 2 it'll be a breeze. I see a ton of companies selling srtipped lowers for around 300$ which i find absolutly ridiculous when R-guns lowers can be had for 95$ and are very good lowers. I remember reading in patric sweenys book on the ar that there is only a handfull of companied that make lowers and then just rollmark the end companies name on them such as buchmaster or remington so im not turned of by small name companies lowers. the one companies lowers that i find to be the most ridiculously overpriced is Colt but im sure anyone couldve guessed that 799-1000$$ for a complete lower! nonsense!

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Discussion Starter · #31 · Oct 18, 2013

RealtorEHS said:
This is a loaded question... It's like asking a truck guy what's the best brand... Ford, Chevy or Dodge? I know I left out Toyota and GMC... Admit it! Someone out there thought what about.....? And that's my point, opinions on this are like A$$#oles, Everyone has one and each one is a little different than the next persons. Personally I have had great results with Seekins billet and forged lowers... Spikes tactical forged, 1st generation Bushmasters, Palmetto State Armory and Noveske.

You are absolutely right!! My other thread about the AR I am selling has a few guys saying there is a difference and this thread everyone is saying no difference.

What I have read elsewhere is that there is not much difference so that seems to be the consensus and since it is just a machined piece with no mechanical or moving parts I agree 100% there is really no difference except a few mm here and there.

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Discussion Starter · #32 · Oct 18, 2013

Capt Mullet said:
You are absolutely right!! My other thread about the AR I am selling has a few guys saying there is a difference and this thread everyone is saying no difference.

What I have read elsewhere is that there is not much difference so that seems to be the consensus and since it is just a machined piece with no mechanical or moving parts I agree 100% there is really no difference except a few mm here and there.

where I tend to put my in is on barrels and bolts as those are the parts (especially barrels) where all makers aren't equal and is the most important part of a quality build. No cheapo barrels for me

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Discussion Starter · #33 · Oct 18, 2013

In addition, I'd like to add McKay Enterprises and Nodak spud.. I like Nodak's "retro" lowers for building period authentic clones, and McKay for making a dirt cheap ($99/ea) A2 lower that has the same roll mark locations as the Nodaks.

http://store.mckay-ent.com/featured/ar-15-a2-lower-receiver.html

http://nodakspud.com/AR Lowers.htm

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Discussion Starter · #34 · Oct 18, 2013

Greetings,

No, not a thing wrong with them. Between myself and a friend, we've built up 5 or 6 different ARs using LRB lowers (and some of their "raw" uppers). No issues in any aspect so far.

I think that with AR uppers and lowers (raw, not any assembly) any of the "name" manufacturers products are as good as any other. Pretty close to an "undifferentiated product".

Regards, Jim

TheTinMan said:
Is there something wrong with LRB lowers? Wideners has them for sale at $99.

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Discussion Starter · #35 · Oct 18, 2013

boomer1983 said:
where I tend to put my in is on barrels and bolts as those are the parts (especially barrels) where all makers aren't equal and is the most important part of a quality build. No cheapo barrels for me

Do you have any experience withe the Lothar Walther barrel? I have read on other forums they are high quality .

just looking for an honest opinion on what you think so I know what I am selling. You are one of the guys I trust on this site by your extensive experience with the M4/AR platform

Thanks
Craig

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Discussion Starter · #36 · Oct 18, 2013

Seventh Fleet said:
Anything by Continental Machine Tool (CMT) which is the parent company of Stag Arms and includes Stag, Colt, Rock River Arms, Smith & Wesson and others.

CMT = Stag, RRA, High Standard, Noveske (old), Century (current), Global Tactical, CLE, S&W, MGI (1st batch), Wilson Tactical, (some?) Colt, Ratworx
7th

CMT doesn't Make CLE anymore.

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Discussion Starter · #37 · Feb 13, 2014

Capt Mullet said:
You are absolutely right!! My other thread about the AR I am selling has a few guys saying there is a difference and this thread everyone is saying no difference.

What I have read elsewhere is that there is not much difference so that seems to be the consensus and since it is just a machined piece with no mechanical or moving parts I agree 100% there is really no difference except a few mm here and there.

While it is true that many of the FORGED lower receivers are made by the same parent companies, the same is not true for BILLET lowers. Billet lowers are machined from a single solid piece of aluminum billet and are much stronger than the forged lowers. They also are usually made in house and have great variety and differences between makers.
Seekins lowers really stand out because not only do they have a ton of features like a beveled mag well, a relocation of the rear takedown pin detent and spring from behind the stock to under the grip, an oversized trigger guard, a grip texture on the front of the mag well, and the replacing of all roll pins with dowel set screws so to avoid having to hammer on your rifle, a trigger reset adjustment screw, and a receiver tension screw that locks the upper and lower together with no wiggle between them, but best of all they have engineered an ambidextrous bolt catch/release lever!!! It blows everybody else out of the water, but the cost $250

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Discussion Starter · #38 · Feb 13, 2014

Many good points expressed here and it's hard to say what the best of anything is without your personal opinion skewing the results. All of us here are emotional about our guns or we wouldn't be here. I have built many ARs on different lowers, S&W, Noveske, Rock River, and Sun Devil. They all were fine and I bought them all pre Sandy Hook when prices for these were decent. I also had a Cav Arms polymer I picked up for next to nothing. After getting it home, I decided it wasn't what I wanted and never built it. Luckily I was able to unload it during the recent panic. I can confirm what someone said on this thread that anything will sell during a panic. Kick in your inner prepper and get your parts before then next panic. I suggest you follow what Boomer said here and Bamban said in other threads, put your money in the barrel. Your barrel should cost 40-50% of the cost of the build. Everything else buy what features you like. I have built a could of nice ARs for my SHTF rifle until I came across the M14. I'll keep my ARs for my daughters, but my SHTF rifle is now a 308.

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Discussion Starter · #39 · Feb 13, 2014

I build my best lowers

...as far as who forges the best...eh...lowers is not where you spend your money, Uppers is what you have to worry about...takes about 10 minutes to slap a lower together just buy cheap from known companies you can usual build your own lower for WELL UNDER $200.00 (lower, parts kit and buffer spring and tube)....

You could end up spending a lot on a lower just for cosmetic looks (i.e. Seekins, etc) in the end it does one thing, holds your magazine and trigger assembly - will have really nothing to do with accuracy......go cheap and build your own... Put savings towards upper and glass

to put it together you really need these things:

1. Vice
2. Vice mag-well block
3. Masking tape (can go without, but protects finish)
4. Small Brass Hammer
5. Roll pin punches
6 Razor blade!!!! (trust me helps out big time)

get on You-tube and follow along with someone that guides you through the process

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Discussion Starter · #40 · Mar 12, 2014

Lintonswcc said:
.... Mega......really nice products as well.

ZOG'S said:
Mega!

My local gun shop guy who sells AR parts told me that Mega was one of the companies who makes uppers and lowers and brands them for the selling company. You can contract with Mega and they'll stamp whatever name you want on the receiver.

I've got a Mega forged upper and lower on my Blackout, and it's very nice. The front of the mag well is checkered, for those who use it for a foreend grip.

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