AR Newbie... Downside to cheap lowers?

[nahfuten]

What am I sacrificing by buying a cheap AR lower? Quality of metal? Tolerance? Finish?

Thanks!

 

[XMil]

Here are just a couple of recent threads on the topic:

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo..._stripped_lower_troubles.html?highlight=lower

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...-15_lower_build_problems.html?highlight=lower

 

[shooter521]

What am I sacrificing by buying a cheap AR lower? Quality of metal? Tolerance? Finish?

In short, the answer could be "nothing" or "everything". Every manufacturer puts out good stuff, as well as pieces of - what sets them apart is 1) the ratio, and 2) how they deal with the latter.

IMO, there's no real reason to roll the dice with a lower from "Bill's Machine Shop" at ~$80 when you can get DPMS/RRA/Stag/Spikes/etc. for $90 and up.

 

[Steven]

What am I sacrificing by buying a cheap AR lower? Quality of metal? Tolerance? Finish?

Thanks!

Cheap Quality or Cheap price ??

As already stated, Cheap quality is only a few dollars less than high quality.
Look for a lower that has been tested, ie; a fair number has been released to the public, built up into a rifle and kicked around by a few people that know what to look for.
Any dummy can buy or lease a CNC machine center, cut some chips, make a lower and call it the best thing since sliced bread........look for a second opinion.

 

[Bronsonbull]

The price spread between the cheapest lowers ($65) and reputable lowers ($85+) isn't that much. Spend the extra money.

Aero Precision are decent. I have one and its fit and finish is good. You can get one with an LPK for $125 at surplusammo.

Or Spikes has lowers for $89 (use arfcom code for an extra 5 percent discount). Or go with RRA or Stag for a little more. Or support Delaware Machine out of Muncie.

No reason to take a chance to save $20 on a lower. Search online and you will find a ton of info out there.

 

[dar7860]

As a employee of Delaware Machine, I can assure you that the lowers made here are mil-spec and top quality. The logo sucks but other than that a great piece.

 

[shooter521]

As a employee of Delaware Machine, I can assure you that the lowers made here are mil-spec and top quality.

Welcome to , glad to have you! Now go start a thread here, so the rest of the membership can welcome you properly:
Introductions and Greetings - INGunOwners

 

[eears]

Where can a guy find a Delaware Machine lower? I don't think I've ever seen one? I like to Hoosier Businesses

 

[Big John]

PM member Michiana... That is Dick from Richard's Guns he is the owner.

Do a search too he had a group buy not too long ago

 

[dar7860]

If you go to gunsamerica.com you will find delaware machine lowers

 

[Gillclaypot]

Bills guns from frankton is a friend of mine. I just got him set up with Delaware machine as a dealer for their receivers.He will be at the muncie gun show this weekend. He will have some 20 ar-15 receivers in stock. I am getting 4 of them as I am a local muncie guy with 3 or 4 friends who are toolmakers and work there. I have worked with these guys and would say that they dont pass any junk on through the process. I had a couple of these in my hands at the office of delaware and they are mil spec with the right coatings and everything. Retail is $90.00 each. Early made ones have the full delaware logo and the later ones have no logo if that is an issue. Keep in mind that these are stripped lowers. Delaware in our conversation says they may get onto other mating parts for these receivers such as barrels and the uppers as well. They have been in business for some 30 years or so and dont quote me on that. But they say they want to get away from just doing automotive work. I can say that they made the Chrysler automatic transmission housing molds for a long time. They are an established company. Who knows how long they will be doing this kind of work.Time will tell.

Also I do not work at delaware machine but plan to support my friends who do work there.Also they make the molds an also inject mold that box those receivers come in.

 

[rushca01]

I think most lowers that have a nicer reputation are going to be in "spec". I put spec in quotes b/c it's my understanding that every part of the AR that has been made by a non .mil contract maker is reverse engineering off other parts.

As an exmple, Colt makes a mil spec lower (excluding some fcg pins and take down pins on older models) and they have the original blue prints for the lower (and everything else like bolts, bolt carriers etc...). Let's assume Colt has a run of a 1000 parts that inlcude lowers, bolts, carriers etc..well each part is going to have a range of tollerance. So part 1 off the line could measure slightly tighter in the mag well than part 999 off the line but both of those parts are within Colts spec. For example purposes lets just say they have to be within .110 and .105 for reliable mag dropping. So company B, a machine shop, uses part 1 with the .105 tolerance to make a lower off of (remember Colt is the only company that has the blue prints) and they make a 1000 parts and use a tolerance of .100 to .105 as they didn't know the part they miced was at the high end of tolerance for Colt and now you have a mag well that won't drop mags freely.

Again this is just an example (and a pretty common problem with different lowers) as all parts for the AR have been reversed engineered by other companies.

But also remember that there are only about 5-6 companies that FORGE lowers for AR makers and they all just put their own roll mark on the lower. There are multiple billet lower makers out there.

With all the being said I have a lower from Colt, 2 from LMT, 1 from Noveske, and 1 from Spikes. As an interesting test you can get a set of calipers out and measure the differences between all the lowers, some of this attributed to loose tolerance and some to not have the original blue prints.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that do a little research but as long as it is a somewhat recognized name you should be gtg.