Is the Mag Tactical Magnesium Lower good to go? The LGS a few at $190 after reading up on it a bit I am a little concerned, mainly this thread in particular...  This Thread

Or am I better off buying a lower off the web or waiting for the LGS to stock forged lowers?

Thanks for the input

ETA: spelling

They are GTG. Brownells has them a bit cheaper than that on sale. In that thread the guy had an overpressure round which can happen with ANY lower with similar results depending on the load. I have seen colts go kaboom and many others. His problem was the ammo NOT the lower.

I will say this I got mine in a trade for things that I havent used in years. However I wouldnt pay that much for one if I were going to buy one. You can get a number of great billet or forged for the price and have no worries if you are worried about the things in that thread. I put 500 rounds through mine this week and it had no issues at all.

From the thread you linked,  I was of the impression there was nothing concerning to me.

The explosion resulting in the complete separation of the bottom of the carrier indicates a stunning Pressure.  My dad blew up his Colt SP1 by putting a second round behind a squib reload. The lower was fine. The upper bulged/cracked just as the AI pictured in the linked thread.  Where it differed was that only about 1/3 of the carrier split,  whereas the bottom of the linked completely separated. Does it surprise me that a portion of the MT lower was knocked out?  Not overly.

Then I saw the pics on page 4. That I can't imagine happening unless a butt stroke or KB or something traumatic occurred.  IMO, I'll pass. YMMV, yada-yada & etc.

Sly

Yes this was my main concern. I suppose I'll go with a billet lower unless someone comments with first hand knowledge on the Magnesium Lower about it being able to take a beating.

I have more rounds through mine than 95% or more guys here will ever put through their rifles.  0 issues.  They're GTG.

Is there a big weighty difference with magnesium? Enough to go away from aluminum

Magnesium is roughly 34% lighter by volume than aluminum. And depending on the alloy, can be just as strong.

Nothing wrong with magnesium....bow risers have been made out of it for years...if I was looking for a super lightweight rig...I'd be all over one of these lowers.

Hmmmmmmm....now that I say that....I new hiking rifle just came to mind...

Except for the part where it's combustible

Though I doubt anyone's AR would get hot enough to light it, 883°F IIRC

That's good to hear, hopefully they still have them later this week

These look promising

I handled one at a local shop, you can definately tell the difference in weight side-by-side. They look really nice, well finished, etc.

Yes the finish was very nice, I believe it has a cerakote finish.

I've never understood the point, it's not like anyone has ever picked up a lower and went "this goddam thing is too heavy, I'd better do something about it"

If an AL lower tests your arm strength, you need to life more.

It's NOT about the three or so ounces you save on the lower!

It's about the three ounces here and four ounce there, pretty soon you have reduced the weight three pounds +

Remember, ounces = pounds, pounds = PAIN!



It never ceases to amaze me how because you want lighter gear people respond with "maybe you need to spend more time in the gym"

Well, try searching for a suspect on a 90 degree summer night with a 95% humidity in the woods where there is no air movement while you are wearing a Level III+ vest, carrying your duty carbine, wearing a handgun, a radio, spare ammo for both the pistol & rifle, two pairs of handcuffs, a flashlight, mace, a Tazer & an ASP. Yep, and considering I am in my fifties, I guess I should carry a twelve pound AR in addition to everything else because if you aren't carrying a carbine that weighs as much as a crew served weapon, you aren't a man

LOL you're preaching to the choir. I ran a Carbine 2 class a couple weeks ago in a PC with LVL IV plates at 6.7 lbs apiece+battlebelt, I know about how that shit adds up. Run and train in armor long enough, and you'll start figuring out real quick what you really need and what you don't.

MY point is there's plenty of areas to shave off first before you get to the receiver, and none of those are questionable WRT service life or durability of the weapon. I saw the thread on the KB'd rifle, and FWIW I don't believe the magnesium construction had anything to do with it. However I have seen pics of them broken in half in separate instances. IMO the lower is one of the last places to start shaving weight.

I have no problem running a LW barrel because they're proven, I would be hesitant to run a magnesium lower in a duty gun however. I'm going to be building a LW gun here soon and stripping off every ounce I can find, however it will still have an AL lower. I just don't believe the juice is worth the squeeze for a magnesium lower. YMMV.

This. I'm an early tech adopter for gadgets, but not gun parts. Its not like they haven't had MG alloys for decades now, yet you rarely see them in firearm construction. I'll use the proven tech while they get time to sort it out.

I was tempted to pick one up. I wanted to build a lightweight AR-15. because if I'm going to carry it, why carry a heavy gun when a light gun will perform just as well. Plus I'm an ultralight backapacking fanatic which makes me measure everything in grams, not ounces... lol

Supposedly these are cast not forged?

Yes, cast.