Lower parts kit preference

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Lower parts kit preference

Posted: 3/27/2006 4:46:24 AM EDT

Which kit would you all recommend? I'm putting together my first AR and wanted some advice. Who makes good lower reciever parts kits? Is there much of a difference or is it pretty good performance across the board?

What kind of grip would you recommend? I know that's very much a personal preference question but opinions are welcome.

I'm not looking at making a target/match rifle, just a M4gerery, just for info so far as triggers go.

Thanks for helping a noob out-
Ben

Posted: 3/27/2006 5:05:20 AM EDT

[#1]

RRA, Stag would be my choices for an LPK.

As for the grip, I like the hogue grip but I'm looking at trying out the Magpul MIAD next. But like you said, this part is 100% personal preference.

Good luck with the build!!

Posted: 3/27/2006 6:08:42 AM EDT

[#2]

DPMS!
I have three of their LPKs and I love 'em
and a non-notched hammer.
good product

Posted: 3/27/2006 6:19:36 AM EDT

[#3]

I've always liked Model 1 Sales.

Posted: 3/27/2006 6:36:55 AM EDT

[#4]

I've been using Stag lately and have been happy.

Posted: 3/27/2006 6:42:32 AM EDT

[#5]

Just curious-why colt parts seem so unpopular with most of this forum?

Posted: 3/27/2006 6:43:18 AM EDT

[#6]

DPMS has a great LPK at a decent price

Posted: 3/27/2006 7:00:37 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Just curious-why colt parts seem so unpopular with most of this forum?

I think price is the main issue

Posted: 3/27/2006 7:07:34 AM EDT

[#8]

bushmaster is the best i have handled compared to most of the others.

Posted: 3/27/2006 7:37:46 AM EDT

[#9]

Stag. Best roll pins.

Posted: 3/27/2006 8:07:11 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
I've always liked Model 1 Sales.

my friend in PA just bought a M1 sales kits, the hole in the disconnector was way off.

that was his second M1 sales kit that had a problem. he told me that he will not buy anymore kits from them. This is HIS experience, your experience may vary.

Posted: 3/27/2006 8:18:01 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
bushmaster is the best i have handled compared to most of the others.

Bushmaster is pretty good but their trigger guards are crappy plastic and the triggers are not the greatest. I used Stag for my last LPK and I'm very happy with the quality.

Posted: 3/27/2006 8:27:02 AM EDT

[#12]

Bushmaster is pretty good but their trigger guards are crappy plastic and the triggers are not the greatest.

+1

If you look on the EE they have some LPK that come in little bags so as to identify them with more ease...very nice if this is your first build.

Posted: 3/27/2006 9:05:19 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Quoted:
bushmaster is the best i have handled compared to most of the others.

Bushmaster is pretty good but their trigger guards are crappy plastic and the triggers are not the greatest. I used Stag for my last LPK and I'm very happy with the quality.

please explain how they are functionally crappy?

Posted: 3/27/2006 9:08:17 AM EDT

[#14]

Bushmaster and Armalite work fine for me. Most name brand kits are compiled from milspec producers because it is cost effective.

Posted: 3/27/2006 10:24:16 AM EDT

[#15]

Go RRA - the use true roll pins - easier to work with.

I have bought some LPK's from a vender - got them cheap - the pivot pins were not in speck

Buy Quality, cry once - buy cheap - Cry Twice.

YMMV,

Badredfish

Posted: 3/27/2006 10:44:04 AM EDT

[#16]

RRA kit, I picked one up from Legal Transfers, excellent price annd quality. I just put it together last Friday. Everything fit perfect on my DoubleStar lower.

Does anybody have comments/experiences with Armalite lower parts kits?

MR

Posted: 3/27/2006 10:48:32 AM EDT

[#17]

also got an RRA from legal transfers. Hadn't assembled an AR before but would go RRA again in a second, no reason not to like their parts kit.

Posted: 3/27/2006 11:23:55 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
DPMS has a great LPK at a decent price

+1

Posted: 3/27/2006 12:11:43 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
bushmaster is the best i have handled compared to most of the others.

Bushmaster is pretty good but their trigger guards are crappy plastic and the triggers are not the greatest. I used Stag for my last LPK and I'm very happy with the quality.

please explain how they are functionally crappy?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know aluminum is much stronger and more durable than plastic. That is why the milspec is aluminum. Bushmaster only uses plastic to cut down on costs and the savings are not passed on to the consumer, as you often have to pay more for their LPKs than everyone elses' LPKs. Personally, I won't put out of spec plastic parts in my guns and I've replaced the trigger guards on all of my Bushmasters.

Posted: 3/27/2006 12:46:30 PM EDT

[#20]

Stag for me. Excellent quality for the price.
They even throw in an extra pivot/takedown detent, which is nice. My buddy actually had to use it on one of his builds.

Posted: 3/27/2006 12:54:12 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
RRA kit, I picked one up from Legal Transfers, excellent price annd quality. I just put it together last Friday. Everything fit perfect on my DoubleStar lower.

Does anybody have comments/experiences with Armalite lower parts kits?

MR

So true. I hit nicked my finger putting a roll pin in... I cried. Blood blister the size of a truck!

+1 for RRA kits. 1 for the current build and 2 more to have around for a rainy day.

Posted: 3/27/2006 1:44:00 PM EDT

[#22]

I'm very satisfied with Stag Arms.

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:05:00 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
bushmaster is the best i have handled compared to most of the others.

Bushmaster is pretty good but their trigger guards are crappy plastic and the triggers are not the greatest. I used Stag for my last LPK and I'm very happy with the quality.

please explain how they are functionally crappy?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know aluminum is much stronger and more durable than plastic. That is why the milspec is aluminum. Bushmaster only uses plastic to cut down on costs and the savings are not passed on to the consumer, as you often have to pay more for their LPKs than everyone elses' LPKs. Personally, I won't put out of spec plastic parts in my guns and I've replaced the trigger guards on all of my Bushmasters.

never had to strike someone with my trigger guard so i wouldnt know if it was more durable or not and as for price bushmaster lpk's are usually cheaper than rra or within the price range with other known good kits.

to get technical, none are truly "mil-spec"

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:05:24 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
bushmaster is the best i have handled compared to most of the others.

I second this. I have a CMT, and while it is among the top 3 with RRA and Bushy, the Bushy edges it out in quality. The Bushmaster parts are just "cleaner"..less tooling marks, less variations. My CMT kit had a safety selector that had too deep of a hole for the detent, making the switch nearly impossible to budge. I fixed it though, but that pretty much killed the "drop-in" aspect of the LPK.

Posted: 3/27/2006 2:11:09 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Stag. Best roll pins.

Yes Stag LPK the roll pins are great used one on my newest build.Last build used DPMS junk crappy roll pins. Spend the couple of extra bucks. Buy Stag

Posted: 3/28/2006 6:06:15 PM EDT

[#26]

Um, feel free to correct me on this but I thought plastic trigger guards were milspec. The idea being that if the trigger guard got bent it could be broken out rather than bent in position and blocking the trigger.

Posted: 3/28/2006 6:10:44 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I've always liked Model 1 Sales.

my friend in PA just bought a M1 sales kits, the hole in the disconnector was way off.

that was his second M1 sales kit that had a problem. he told me that he will not buy anymore kits from them. This is HIS experience, your experience may vary.

I had a problem with my M1 sales kit also. I purchased two RRA lowers at the same time, The M1 Sales kit gave me problems but the RRA LPK went together very smooth. Your results may vary

Posted: 3/28/2006 6:10:48 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
DPMS!
I have three of their LPKs and I love 'em
and a non-notched hammer.
good product

What's wrong with a notched hammer?

Posted: 3/28/2006 6:14:24 PM EDT

[#29]

ARMALITE

BEST dang LPK for the money imo--best (dark black) finish, clean, and the trigger is SWEET (for a stock single stage, it broke clean at ~4-5 lbs, very light, NO creap or snagging)

dont ask me, but i just got one from DSGarms, and it KICKS the hell (for trigger pull, fit and finish)outta my DPMS, bushmaster, RRA LPK.
no contest

from now on, its armalite LPKs for me

Posted: 3/29/2006 12:06:39 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
ARMALITE

BEST dang LPK for the money imo--best (dark black) finish, clean, and the trigger is SWEET (for a stock single stage, it broke clean at ~4-5 lbs, very light, NO creap or snagging)

dont ask me, but i just got one from DSGarms, and it KICKS the hell (for trigger pull, fit and finish)outta my DPMS, bushmaster, RRA LPK.
no contesthr

I guess we are on the same page. I just got my Armalite LPK from DSG and put it in my High Standard Lower. Qualtiy fit and finish...

Posted: 3/29/2006 3:40:42 AM EDT

[#31]

I've had good luck with RRA & J&T kits. I've read enough good things about CMT\Stag kits that I would also consider using one of them. I lot of people love BM kits but I think they are over priced and I don't like the plastic trigger guard they come with. Just my $.02

Posted: 3/29/2006 3:41:45 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Um, feel free to correct me on this but I thought plastic trigger guards were milspec. The idea being that if the trigger guard got bent it could be broken out rather than bent in position and blocking the trigger.

Metal is milspec, but if you don't mind plastic I don't think it would hurt.

Posted: 3/29/2006 4:16:38 AM EDT

[#33]

I'd recommend that you go with stock parts initially, you can always try different grips, stocks, triggers on your 2nd or 3rd rifle.

Posted: 3/29/2006 11:45:06 AM EDT

[#34]

i dont see this "bushmaster" is usually more expensive crap.

here its the same price as rra and $10 more than dpms

Posted: 3/29/2006 1:00:34 PM EDT

[#35]

Tag

Posted: 3/29/2006 1:20:10 PM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
Quoted:
DPMS!
I have three of their LPKs and I love 'em
and a non-notched hammer.
good product

What's wrong with a notched hammer?

I have two uppers with older (firing pin isn't shrouded) bolt carriers (one DPMS, one ArmaLite) and they will get hung up on a notched hammer (like a RRA 2 stage NM hammer) if, when locking the bolt to the rear, I press down on the bolt catch too soon. I find this instance annoying.

The notched hammer on semiauto rifles it to prevent people dicking with fire control group to get it to fire like an auto.

I like DPMS only because they don't use a notched hammer. I noticed that the ArmaLite AR10 I have doesn't have a notched hammer, but you can't order a parts kit from them that way.

I've used and liked RRA and CMT/Stag Arms' parts kits too, but both have notched hammers.

The only problem I've had with lower parts kits is that sometimes you get a bad part. Sometimes (DPMS) the trigger guard roll pin is too large. Sometimes (DPMS again) the bolt catch is too thick to work in the notch. Once (DPMS), the sear surface on the trigger wasn't ground square, and results in uneven wear on the hammer. I usually keep a few spares of safeties, disconnectors, bolt catches, triggers and hammers and fit them to each gun.