What is a "low shelf" lower?

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What is a "low shelf" lower?

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:05:24 AM EDT

Getting ready to buy an AR lower for a anohter build. Someone mentioned a "low shelf" lower for use with an RLL.

What's a low shelf...and what an RLL?

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:07:28 AM EDT

[#1]

If you get something "top shelf" it means you buy the higher quality more expensive one.

I assume low shelf would be the opposite.

ETA, it comes from a bar when you ask for a top shelf drink for example Margarita. The best liquior is on "the top shelf".

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:08:41 AM EDT

[#2]

Stag?

For me, that translates into non-Colt

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:09:27 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
Getting ready to buy an AR lower for a anohter build. Someone mentioned a "low shelf" lower for use with an RLL.

What's a low shelf...and what an RLL?

"Low Shelf" means that the lower is milled out inside in such a way that it can fit a RLL (Registered Lightning Link) or RDIAS (Registered Drop-In Auto Sear).

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:13:10 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Getting ready to buy an AR lower for a anohter build. Someone mentioned a "low shelf" lower for use with an RLL.

What's a low shelf...and what an RLL?

"Low Shelf" means that the lower is milled out inside in such a way that it can fit a RLL (Registered Lightning Link) or RDIAS (Registered Drop-In Auto Sear).

No shit?

Never heard of that.

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:14:43 AM EDT

[#5]

It's a deeper cut behind the safety allowing room for a drop in auto sear to be emplaced. The auto sear has an "U" that the upper reciever lug nests into. If the rear lower shelf is too high, the top lug will not be able to seat all the way due to the interference of the DIAS and you won't be able to close the upper and lower recievers.

This is all academic unless you plan on getting a RDIAS. So really it dosen't matter one bit.

But it might have the utility of allowing a conversion to full auto easier in the future if and when the 86' NFA provisions get over turned. Or if the TEOTWAWKI happens.

You will also need all the m-16 FCG parts and an m-16 bolt carrier.

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:26:58 AM EDT

[#6]

"Low shelf" is the military spec, thank Colt for the "high shelf". Although i love my 6920

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:32:11 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
"Low shelf" is the military spec, thank Colt for the "high shelf". Although i love my 6920

Pretty much. If you want a good low shelf lower, buy Bushmaster.

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:37:45 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

Quoted:
"Low shelf" is the military spec, thank Colt for the "high shelf". Although i love my 6920

Pretty much. If you want a good low shelf lower, buy Bushmaster.

... or CMMG, or any lower forged by LAR.

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:43:50 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Getting ready to buy an AR lower for a anohter build. Someone mentioned a "low shelf" lower for use with an RLL.

What's a low shelf...and what an RLL?

"Low Shelf" means that the lower is milled out inside in such a way that it can fit a RLL (Registered Lightning Link) or RDIAS (Registered Drop-In Auto Sear).

No shit?

Never heard of that.

'It means it's cheap because the best liquor's on the top shelf!'

Posted: 6/19/2007 6:56:54 AM EDT

[#10]

Is Doublestar high or low?

Posted: 6/19/2007 7:08:03 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Is Doublestar high or low?

Pretty sure they are low.

Posted: 6/19/2007 7:10:47 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Is Doublestar high or low?

Pretty sure they are low.

Like Hesse?

Posted: 6/19/2007 7:13:05 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Is Doublestar high or low?

Pretty sure they are low.

Like Hesse?

I think Hesse is "fallen off the shelf"...

Posted: 6/19/2007 7:14:02 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Is Doublestar high or low?

Pretty sure they are low.

Like Hesse?

I don't even know if Hesse is low shelf or not. I've never seen one, and I'd probably have to gouge my eyes out, if I did.

(I'd assume that someone who contemplates getting a RDIAS someday could probably afford a better lower than Hesse).

But Doublestar lowers seem to be great quality, as far as I can tell! I've built several rifles on their lowers, and they appear are as good as my Bushmaster, Armalite, RRA, etc. products.

Posted: 6/19/2007 7:21:15 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Is Doublestar high or low?

Pretty sure they are low.

Like Hesse?

I don't even know if Hesse is low shelf or not. I've never seen one, and I'd probably have to gouge my eyes out, if I did.

(I'd assume that someone who contemplates getting a RDIAS someday could probably afford a better lower than Hesse).

But Doublestar lowers seem to be great quality, as far as I can tell! I've built several rifles on their lowers, and they appear are as good as my Bushmaster, Armalite, RRA, etc. products.

Their okay. I prefer my Sabre Defence ones. They sell for the same price, but much nicer.

It's all up to individual taste I guess. Hell I have a Mega Gator and an Oly Arms. They all go bang. It isn't in the lower is where the quality is, but in the upper.

Posted: 6/19/2007 7:27:03 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:

Their okay. I prefer my Sabre Defence ones. They sell for the same price, but much nicer.

It's all up to individual taste I guess. Hell I have a Mega Gator and an Oly Arms. They all go bang. It isn't in the lower is where the quality is, but in the upper.

I agree completely (and part of the reason I got several doublestar lowers was the price - with my FFL discount at Brownells and a coupon, the price was unbeatable).

Unless the lower is actually out of spec (like Hesse lowers may well be), it seems to me that all forged lowers are pretty much equal - so it's just a matter of finding the finish you like. I THINK all of my lowers are low shelf (mostly Bushmaster, CMMG, Armalite, doublestar, DPMS, RRA), but it doesn't really matter to me, since I have no plans to buy multiple RDIASs anytime soon

.

Posted: 6/19/2007 8:24:14 AM EDT

[#17]

@ DK-Prof,

After I started using Norrels Moly resin (Stickmans tutorial) AR finish mismatch became a thing of the past. The black goes on like a dream with Kate Beckinsale in it and looks good :)

-g

EDIT - On a completely unrelated tangent - the Danish metal band Within Temptation is the best band ever. I meant to ask if you had heard of them before :D

Posted: 6/19/2007 8:30:08 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
@ DK-Prof,

After I started using Norrels Moly resin (Stickmans tutorial) AR finish mismatch became a thing of the past. The black goes on like a dream with Kate Beckinsale in it and looks good :)

-g

Thanks for the info - I might want to try that to match one of my odler Colt uppers to a newer lower!

EDIT - On a completely unrelated tangent - the Danish metal band Within Temptation is the best band ever. I meant to ask if you had heard of them before :D

Sorry - I've never heard of them!

It's pretty rare for a good band to come out of Denmark (although I liked "Disneyland After Dark" back in the late 1980s - but they weren't really metal, but more rock/pop.

But now I'm tempted to go on iTunes and listen to a sample - if for nothing else, just out of jingoistic pride that we may finally have produced a decent band!

Posted: 6/19/2007 8:57:01 AM EDT

[#19]

You can check out some of Within Temptations tracks on there myspace page:

Within Temptation

On there album silent force - the tracks "Jillian" "Angels" "Stand my ground" are very worth while. I got to see them in concert in the Nova area this year. Very good!

On refinishing: Stickmans tutorials is excellent. I bought a chicom air compressor from harbor freight for $55 and have refinished 5-6 AR's and a couple of handguns. The regular black goes on well so does the OD. Tan and brown are a lot harder to work with... many many very thin layers...

Foliage Green

Tan

Sorry to the OP for the complete thread hijack!

EDIT they have a color that is supposed to match old colt finish...

Moly Resin

Posted: 6/19/2007 12:31:01 PM EDT

[#20]

Here's a content page with high shelf vs. low shelf pictures.

Posted: 6/19/2007 12:45:13 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Here's a content page with high shelf vs. low shelf pictures.

Hrm, sweet. A new FCG and several thousand bucks for a RDIAS/RLL and I could have full auto (already using an M16 bolt carrier). Didn't know that my DPMS lower was low shelf.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What is a "low shelf" lower?

General » General Discussion

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us