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Posted: 2/7/2025 11:37:37 AM EST
| Has anyone bought one from them? Are they legit or are they a drop shipper from Cryo & you get it whenever Cryo gets around to making one? There's no reviews on their store & I can't find any reviews on line. |
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I'm interested in getting one of the dual-feed lowers that have a magwell with the bottom cut for feed boxes. https://blackwidowfirearms.com/dual-feed-ar-15-belt-fed-100-lower-receiver/ But one thing I noticed is that the specifications say "PDQ Ambi Bolt Catch compatible for operations on both side of the receiver." They have the lower pictured with a Fightlite MCR upper, so I'm assuming that's what they intend people to use it with. But the lefthand bolt release paddle on a PDQ ambi bolt catch is basically the same as a the paddle on a factory bolt catch. Factory bolt catch paddles are incompatible with MCRs, which is why Fightlite supplies a cut-down bolt catch with them. Doesn't this mean that the PDQ ambi bolt catch wouldn't work with an MCR, meaning that the lower being cut for the PDQ is basically pointless? Or am I missing something? |
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Originally Posted By hawkin: I emailed Hydra Weaponry about the possibility of making a beltfed specific magwell like the cryo for their modular lower and they said it’s in the plans. I hope they got better. I bought a hydra lower when they first came out in 2011 and liked the idea of having multi cal capacity and ooooooffff were there a ton of issues. |
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Originally Posted By redman797: I hope they got better. I bought a hydra lower when they first came out in 2011 and liked the idea of having multi cal capacity and ooooooffff were there a ton of issues. Originally Posted By redman797: Originally Posted By hawkin: I emailed Hydra Weaponry about the possibility of making a beltfed specific magwell like the cryo for their modular lower and they said it's in the plans. I hope they got better. I bought a hydra lower when they first came out in 2011 and liked the idea of having multi cal capacity and ooooooffff were there a ton of issues. |
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Originally Posted By hawkin: I emailed Hydra Weaponry about the possibility of making a beltfed specific magwell like the cryo for their modular lower and they said it's in the plans.  |
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Originally Posted By amphibian: I think they first came out in 2004 and I have several MGI lowers. I have had no major issues. Several companies made lowers for them. What issues have you had? The major issue was feeding angles and tightness of lockup of the magwell for mine. Almost seamed if you pulled the AR in towards your shoulder pocket to hard it induce malfunctions, but it wasn’t emveey hard to get it to malfunction. Kept getting all sorts of weird issues with one magwell for 556, they weren’t very receptive to hearing about the issue, I had tried every single mag I could think of and multiple uppers, all had the same variety of issues. I sold the stripped lower half and magwell for like $20.00 |
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Originally Posted By redman797: The major issue was feeding angles and tightness of lockup of the magwell for mine. Almost seamed if you pulled the AR in towards your shoulder pocket to hard it induce malfunctions, but it wasn't emveey hard to get it to malfunction. Kept getting all sorts of weird issues with one magwell for 556, they weren't very receptive to hearing about the issue, I had tried every single mag I could think of and multiple uppers, all had the same variety of issues. I sold the stripped lower half and magwell for like $20.00 I also have several friends with them, all with RDIAS's and they all say theirs work great. |
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Do you mind showing how/what you modified on the tribe tactical pouches? I’m looking hard at this lower, but really like the zipper configuration on the tribe type 2 pouches and want to run them exclusively. I’m wondering if I would be better of ordering an unfinished lower and milling it for the pouches, or modifying the pouches. Thanks! Originally Posted By CleverNickname: The Tribe Tactical 100-round nutsacks that I have all required dremeling before they would fit into my lower. Originally Posted By CleverNickname: Originally Posted By redman797: Has anyone gotten one of the dual feed lowers and how easy is it to remove the nutsacks is the question The Tribe Tactical 100-round nutsacks that I have all required dremeling before they would fit into my lower. |
 Just grind the hump (the section on nutsac lever that actually latches to receiver) on the left and right about 1mm each side....up to to 2mm each side......like a bowtie. The lever itself means nothing, just the hump section. Pic shows a curve angle, but i find making cut a 90° "L" with dremmel cutting wheel then smoothing the edges works best. Trick is being even on both sides and test fitting as you go... Its correct when giving nutsac a solid click-in, and hearing a nice metal "sproing" sound as it snaps in. Side opinions......raptor nutsacs are trash (plastic rail itself didn't fit mine and couldnt get deep enough to even think about locking). Would require reshaping the entire guide. Literally trashed it....I only use them for velcro skin pouches, which is a solid quick reload. At the end of the day, Tribe nutsacs are the best in my opinion (especially type 2) needing only the lever slightly adjusted as above. Tribe is my go to. Surplus plastic 200rnd boxes fit just fine. Locking nub is perfect fit, and what the lower was based on for locking tab width. |
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Originally Posted By FletcherS: Do you mind showing how/what you modified on the tribe tactical pouches? I’m looking hard at this lower, but really like the zipper configuration on the tribe type 2 pouches and want to run them exclusively. I’m wondering if I would be better of ordering an unfinished lower and milling it for the pouches, or modifying the pouches. Always modify the cheaper part. All I did was take a drum tool for a Dremel and lightly sand down the plastic V-notch adapter on top of the pouch bit by bit, test-fitting between sandings until they finally fit in the lower. |
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Purchased mine through Cryo last year and believe it was drop shipped from Black widow if I remember correctly. Received it within two weeks of ordering. Attached File |
Freedom is a mindset
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Originally Posted By what_manual: https://files.catbox.moe/n0ztcq.jpeg Just grind the hump (the section on nutsac lever that actually latches to receiver) on the left and right about 1mm each side....up to to 2mm each side......like a bowtie. The lever itself means nothing, just the hump section. Pic shows a curve angle, but i find making cut a 90° "L" with dremmel cutting wheel then smoothing the edges works best. Trick is being even on both sides and test fitting as you go... Its correct when giving nutsac a solid click-in, and hearing a nice metal "sproing" sound as it snaps in. Side opinions......raptor nutsacs are trash (plastic rail itself didn't fit mine and couldnt get deep enough to even think about locking). Would require reshaping the entire guide. Literally trashed it....I only use them for velcro skin pouches, which is a solid quick reload. At the end of the day, Tribe nutsacs are the best in my opinion (especially type 2) needing only the lever slightly adjusted as above. Tribe is my go to. Surplus plastic 200rnd boxes fit just fine. Locking nub is perfect fit, and what the lower was based on for locking tab width. That’s my picture 
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Freedom is a mindset
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Joined:
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Originally Posted By BWA: Black Widow Arms is located in the same building as Cryostructure however, they are two separate companies with NO common ownership. Black Widow Arms is the licensed manufacturer of the BFAR and Dual-Feed lowers If they are completely separate, why is cryo advertising the bfar and lowers? Care to address the years late deliveries of the bfar and barrels after deliveries were promised last year or two years ago? There are a couple threads specifically about these products and cryostructure, or i guess it's about you actually. Since your the licensed mfgr of the bfar |
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Originally Posted By redman797: The major issue was feeding angles and tightness of lockup of the magwell for mine. Almost seamed if you pulled the AR in towards your shoulder pocket to hard it induce malfunctions, but it wasn’t emveey hard to get it to malfunction. Kept getting all sorts of weird issues with one magwell for 556, they weren’t very receptive to hearing about the issue, I had tried every single mag I could think of and multiple uppers, all had the same variety of issues. I sold the stripped lower half and magwell for like $20.00 I bought a couple during that time period. One AR magwell in particular the sides of the magwell were parallel to the bore but the front and rear of the magwell weren’t 90 degrees to the bore. So looking down on the magwell, it looked like a parallelogram. It was a slight angle, but it caused feeding problems. The second one wasn’t as skqued as the first. The standard AR mags would go in and lock, but I would have occasional feeding issues. The reason I found it is I had one of the two magwells I bought sent to have the magwell modified for use with the Valkyrie Armaments belt fed system. The feed mechanism slides into the magwell. Since the sides parallel to the bore were parallel to the bore the cuts to slide the feed mech in were made but the feed mech wouldn’t slide in. As I recall the left front and right rear corners needed to be squared up. My brother got a couple of the lowers with the buffer detent holes drilled too far back. The pin peened his Enidine hydraulic head pretty badly. I think that the modular magwell concept is very cool, but Hydra is still following the Auto Ordinance Thompson model of pricing. The original Colt made Thompsons were less than $40 each from Colt to Auto Ordinance. But Auto Ordinance charged $175 for the Model of 1921 without the Cutts compansator and $200 with it. I see that Hydra Weaponry is selling the registered part for $40. But they are still selling their magwells from just under $250 to almost $290 plus shipping. For most all of the magwells that they offer, other manufacturers sell complete lowers with fire control, receiver extension, buffer, spring and stock ready to fire for less than the cost of the Hydra magwell. It is sad. They are going down the same path that lead them to all but fold up. They lost their patents on their legacy designs. For years they didn’t have much of anything in stock. Where the infusion of cash came from, I don’t know. I think that the modular magwell system is a great concept. But $250 plus shipping per magwell when other manufacturers offer a complete lower that will take the same mag for less than that means that the average semi auto consumer will buy the complete lower for the lower price. For someone with a registered conversion device like a DIAS or Lighting Link, the modular magwell system has appeal. Like “amphibian” I am fortunate enough to own a DIAS. Like him I bought my first MGI lowers around 2004. I use one lower with a full auto single stage trigger, extended receiver extension, Tubbs flat wire spring and 9mm length hydraulic buffer. I don’t have to switch anything other than the magwell to go from modified Thompson stick mags with active LRBHO device, to Valkyrie Armaments belt fed, to 7.62X39 AK mags and drums, to 10mm Glock mags, to 6.5 Grendel or .22lr. It was worth the original price of $500 for a stripped lower to me for that convenience. Hurray, you can buy the regulated part for $40. But the magwells are still around $250. To me that $250 price tag for their magwells is why MGI was not successful. Yes, there has been inflation in the last 20 years. As far as I can see, the only new offering from what they offered 20 years ago is the MP5 magwell. Yes, they now have a California magwell, but I don’t think that would be a big seller. And they are working on a Shrike/MGX belt box magwell. Of course someone else is working on a belt box magwell for the Lima Six. To me, they went about this reboot backwards. I would have kept the registered part $250 and priced the magwells at $100 or less. But “Not my circus, not my monkeys”. I wish them luck. But you follow the same road map, you end up in the same place. Scott |
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