Good mornin! I just wanted to post this, mainly for anyone else who happens to have one lying around like i did. This NF poly lower was the only stripped lower ive ever bought (up to this point), therefore ever built myself, and i did a RIDICULOUS amount of research about them, LPKs, and builds in general. I bought the lower with no intention of ever building it, but just putting it away for a rainy day. Well that only lasted 8 months or so and then i couldnt stand it lol. so i bought a PSA lower build kit, and away i went.

All the things i read about NF lowers was that they were always so out of spec that you had to spend hours and hours and hours with a file and dremel to get the parts to fit. so even after i bought the parts, i put off building it up just for this reason. This was NOT the experience i had. I did have to file on the magazine catch, and both takedown pins (but only just a very little bit). everything else went in very smoothly, didnt have to ream any of the holes for detents or triggers, and it fits very well and tight on the DPMS .223/5.56 upper that its on. I did have to file a little but under the charging handle on the lower, because it did rub a bit. again, nothing major though. the whole build, (keep in mind that this was my first lower build ever) including the fitting of the parts, took me just over an hour. i couldnt believe it. maybe i got lucky.

I wish i could tell you that i have 10,000 rounds through it so i could give a long term report, but aside from a quick trip to the range for a function test, I dont have any long term shooting with it so far. It likes metal GI 20s and 30s, as well as gen 2 pmags just the same, although they dont fall out of the weapon when you hit the button like on my other metal lowers. It doesnt take any force to get it out though. I figure this will loosen up with use.

So will i buy another polymer lower? maybe. if the price is right. Is it going to be the best rifle ive ever had? doubt it. but its pretty damn good so far. It wont ever see combat, or a million rounds, so im not worried about it breaking. and the price was definately right when i bought it. the parts went in easier than i expected, and for now at least, im pretty dang excited about it.

Honestly...that doesn't sound too appealing. You had to file a good bit off the lower to get it to work. It also won't drop pmags....plus PSA or Anderson stripped lowers are 50 bucks now regularly. Hard sell.

If you have to put work into a part to fit after you bought it....yeah no. Especially with typical forged lowers going for less than $75.

So, just a quick trip to the range for a function test?

Where are the pictures ?

This x1000.

When stripped forged aluminum lower receivers (even though they're usually "blemished") are going for $40-$50, there are absolutely zero reasons to purchase a polymer lower.  Zero.

Hell, even if most stripped forged aluminum lowers were going for twice that, it'd still be worth it to spend the extra money and do it right the first time.

Filing down metal parts from the LPK and parts of the lower?  

i got one during the panic (not my first ar) and built a .22 pistol with it. no buffer tube, and a taccom 4.5" cf wrapped barrel. i did make a 5.56 pistol first but that didnt stay that way for long. i also had to file and fit the lower but overall in happy with my lightweight .22 pistol

Unless I'm going for some dickbutt engraving, my price point on a poly lower needs to be well below $50, as that's what you can get forged ones for from various outlets.



And I haven't run thru the 10 pack I bought from PSA yet...

I still run a cavarms lower. It works perfectly.

I have one from their first batch. Serial number is under 200. I wore out the polymer lpk but I never had any issues with mag fits or using a 22 conversion kit with. From my experience its gtg. I use it for a 5.45 huldra upper AR.

I tend to agree with this. Forged lowers are mil spec and can be had for $50. There is zero reason to buy a stripped poly lower. The only use I can see for poly lowers would be 80 percenters for ease of milling with hand drills. Besides that, buying a stripped or complete poly lower is pretty much foolish to the third degree

Technical clarification: M16 lowers are mil spec, civilian AR15 lowers are not, because civilian AR15 lowers do not have the auto sear hole, and many are not low shelf. They may be made "to mil spec standards" as far as finish and tolerances are concerned, but they are not technically mil spec.

Topic Moved

Why buy a polymer lower when u can get an Anderson lower for about the same cost or cheaper!

Ok just to clarify a few things:

1. Im in NO WAY trying to sell anyone on buying these. I just thought id post this for anybody who might be interested.

2. I never ever filed any of the metal parts from the LPK. only a bit on the lower itself to allow the parts to fit.

3. I got this lower for basically free, and I realize there are a ton of cheap metal ones out there, and yes given the choice i would not pick a polymer lower for any reason. but since i had it, and it was literally almost free, i figured, why not?

4. The pmags are not at all hard to get out, they just dont fall out. I think this will loosen up over time. Metal mags fall out. maybe gen 3 pmags will, im not sure i dont have any.

5. Again, im IN NO WAY trying to sell anybody or convince anybody to try one of these.

I got a NFA complete lower a couple weeks ago and G2 Pmags drop free as do Tapco's.  50% of USGI mags do too.  I will probably grab another alloy lower come Black Friday, as I anticipate ridiculously low prices this year.  But, I am gonna run this NFA 'til it barfs then make a warranty claim on it.  Vids I've seen make it appear that it will be some time before there is an issue.  If I am gonna run a gun hard, I'll reach for my VZ anyways...

Apples and oranges. Cavarms was done right, the poly lowers made the same as aluminum lowers not so much.

With quality forged aluminum lowers to be had for the cost of 7 PMAGs or less, why take the chance? If you want light weight, go with a pencil barrel and light stock.

Or use a Mag Tactical magnesium lowers. 35% lighter than aluminum while still only $75.00.

This is a given. Or should've been. I still forget that companies make high shelf lowers from time to time, mine are all low shelf. And I still consider that mil- spec even with a small hole missing. But in technical speak, yes, you're correct. And heres a cookie. ( :: )

You Need to read the Print as it States (a few may be out of spec) . So $75.00 sounds good if it is just a cosmetic blemish but if it is out of Spec it could end up being an expensive Paper Weight since there are No Returns.

I have an NFA lower with a RRA CAR15 upper. I bought it off of a friend that needed a bit of financial help at the time.

Honestly, the NFA poly lower isn't that bad at all.....in fact, its a lot better than I thought a poly lower could be in this scenario (rifle vs. pistol). When both pins are in place the joint between the upper and lower are rock solid. No wobble at all.

However, I am concerned about two things. First, pop the rear pin and let the upper go all of the way forward. On mine, the pin is tight in the upper....but the lower gives up a lot of twist and motion. Second, the extension tube adapter on the lower is 100% poly. Due to the pressure exerted by the carrier flying back after a round, I am waiting on a stripped thread or two to show up. Also, consider stock/shoulder weld and how it moves and twists.....this will pass onto the lower.  Metal on poly....well time will tell.

Oh....and I do not like the way the NFA LPK safety works at all. I will not teach someone to use an AR with it due to how it will go into "Safe" without the BCG being in battery. OF course, this will be different if you use a GI or other LPK to build out the lower.

For the positive....it is in spec and I have a feeling that it will be around long after I am gone......especially once I put a dedicated .22lr upper on it. The RRA upper is going onto a new lower.  

As a thought.....NFAs video are very cool and do indeed show the strength of their product. But....if this product is a good as they say it is and will withstand the treatment few of us will ever put it through, wouldn't it be worth at least as much as a blem $50 lower?

Again....I like my NFA lower. But will I trust it for anything more than the range? Nope. Will I trust it with a .22lr dedicated upper for a very long time.....yup......

Most if not everyone also missed the fact , you had purchased this 8 months ago. It's not like you just received it. Enjoy the build.

I've had about 500 rounds through my ati omni lower that I got as a gift stripped. Had some problems with the location of the buffer retainer pin and my trigger fires on reset unless I pull the trigger fast n let go. Not sure if this is a trigger problem or lower out of spec problem but probably put of spec. Had this rifle built in the summer and have gotten a lpk w/o trigger group and a RRA 2 stage that I think I'm gonna put in an anderson lower and switch out the polymer. It worked for me and my budget build as I recieved it as a gift and I would still have used it again if I could go back. But I think I'd rather have the alloy lower now. Lgs sells anderson a for $79. Not sure how much this costed but prolly ~$50. Not worth saving $30-40 for somethjng that could very we'll be out of spec, things for tight or break on you.

What about the weight difference on the polymer lower as opposed to a PSA blem lower (or other brands)? Isn't that the whole selling point of poly in the first place?

I had to send a NFA lower back due to failure of the receiver extension threads.  They sent me a brand new one in less than two weeks.  The polymer lowers fill a specific niche and everyone has to decide if that niche applies to them or not.  However, NFA does stand by their warranty.

I use mine on a super light bare bones 16" a2 style upper build, works fine. I bought during the scare and gave most of the to family. I had to use a file on the mag release for smooth operation when I built mine, but it was literally like two swipes with the file, no big deal at all. No other problems to date, ~500-1000 rounds through it.

It's not my primary rifle by any means, but as a super light no optic gun, it's still fun to shoot.

traded a vltor grip that I got for free for one of those new frontier pieces of shit. I decided to build it and nothing would fit. I have it sitting on my shelf and im going to see how well it fares to some 147gr .7.62 nato out of my m1a next time I go to the range. I will pony up the extra cash for an aluminum one for all builds from now on.

Thank you, and i plan on it. This sorta turned into another "Polymer lowers are shit!" thread, and that was not my intention. I didnt want or need everyone to tell me that. I was just putting my experience out there, for whomever may be looking to read it.

To each their own but why not put their warranty to the test instead of just ruining it?

And by "nothing would fit", what does that mean specifically? I'm debating on getting one and want to know what I would be dealing with...

What do you mean by ruining it?

the reviews i read said that a lot of filing was required to get the parts to fit correctly. this wasnt necessarily the case for me, although i did have to do a little filing.

I bought 10 of their complete lowers when they first came on the market ( pre Sandy hook).  Dealer cost was $80 each and I sold them for $119 each.  At that time and price they were a decent deal for a entry level AR.  since then they raised the wholesale price and I have not bought or sold anymore.

I have the same concerns/ issues as stated above, but none of the ones I sold have come back to me with any problems

Nothing wrong with polymer lower

But, we are at "Salad Days".  Lowers are cheaper than LKS.  You can build complete lower for $120.00.
It makes no financial sense to go with polymer lower.

I agree completely, and i wouldnt have bought it in the firstplace, but like i said earlier, i basically got it for nothing.