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Posted: 9/26/2006 5:50:22 AM EDT
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I have searched and found some discussions and pictures, I found one was made by Vulcan and another by Special Weapons in Masa AZ BUT I cannot find anyone selling them or their price? Does anyone know where I can order one to be shipped to my FFL and does a normal parts kit work on this lower? The reviews I found said the AR47 lower with standard AK mags fed well while the AR mags built for 7.62x39 did not feed well. Since I have a lots of AK mags and they are still cheap, I am willing to pay a little more for this lower and not have to buy new mags for my upper. I have the upper but no mags or lower that's why I think the AR47 lower is the way to go. |
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I'll try to help you, because I know a little bit about what's involved in making an AK mag work with an AR15. I work for MGI, and we manufacture a Modular Lower Receiver with interchangeable magazine wells, and have one that takes an AK mag. Shown here:  The use of an AK magwell has other requirements than just the lower change. The AK mag seats high, and is too wide to fit into the upper receiver of an AR15. This means that the inside of the upper receiver needs to be relief-cut, so that the top of the AK mag can fit up in there, without being impeded by the walls of the upper receiver. So, you'll need to cut your upper internally to allow this. Secondly, for similar reasons of the differences in AK mags(compared to AR mags) the bolt carrier needs to be modified for use with the AK mags. The longitudinal raceways on the bottom of the bolt carrier need to be enlarged to suit the passing of the bolt carrier over the AK magazine feed lips, or the gun won't cycle. Our MGI modular system has all these mods already in place, because we designed that into our upper and lower receivers and bolt carrier. Our Quick-Change-Barrel upper receiver will work with the AR47 lower, as well as our MGI Modular Lower. Our bolt carrier should also work with that other system. If you don't want to use our stuff, you can get the machinist's drawings for the modifications from the AR47.com website, so you can have your upper and bolt carrier modified by a machinist. These modification drawings and their results have been used also by customers that purchased our MGI Modular Lower, and they worked out fine. You can purchase the bolt carrier and the QCB upper from us(MGI) to work with that AR47 lower, if you want to. Or you could just buy our MGI Modular lower instead of the AR47 lower, and an AK magwell(which will cost more, but give more options). Basically, you need to do more than just change the lower to use an AK mag in an AR15. Mods to the upper and the bolt carrier are required, unless you buy the MGI package that has it all done for you already. If you'd like to discuss this further, please call me or email me at the info shown in my signature line at the bottom of this post. Disclaimer: MGI has no affiliation with AR47.com, but we have customers which have used their stuff with our stuff and it worked together. |
There haven't been any issues come up with that. I know it looks thin under the ejection port, but it hasn't caused any problems. We've even been testing the 308 with one of these receivers, and even that isn't doing anything to it. I realize that some people have used some other receivers for the AR47 mods, that have thicker walls, and that's fine. Every little bit can help. But, in real life use, there hasn't been one single failure in that area, and our uppers have been cut like that for a year now. Quite a few of them out there. No problems reported, no warrantee issues, and no breakages. So, while it looks rather thin to the eye, in actual use it hasn't caused any problem whatsoever. |
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Tom, Thanks for the in depth response. Regarding the use of upper receivers with thicker walls, I've seen that mentioned before. I know that Michael over at AR47.com recommends using the DPMS low-pro upper receiver, which has thicker upper receiver walls. But what I don't understand is how this would be beneficial. I mean, if a standard (unmodified) AR-15 upper receiver is too thick for an AK magazine, then how would an even thicker one help? Wouldn't that mean that even more material has to be removed? Unless of course, the thicker upper receivers have thicker exterior dimensions, and are identical to a standard AR-15 upper internally; is that the case? By the way, is the MGI modular lower forged from 7075 T6 grade aluminum? The only reason I ask is because the AR-47 lowers are milled from billeted from 6066 T6 grade aluminum, which I understand to be slightly weaker than 7075 of the same grade. Best Regards, Justin EDIT: spelling. |
Justin, The lo-pro receiver is thicker on the outside than a normal AR upper. That's why some people are using them. Regarding the MGI Modular Lower, we are currently machining them out of 7075-T6 billets. In the near future(probably late October), we'll have our special forgings coming in, and they'll be 7075-T6 forgings from one of the major forging suppliers for military receivers. After that time, the billet lowers will be an extra-cost special order, and the forged lowers will be standard at the current price. So, as of right now, everyone ordering a lower will be getting billet lowers at the forged lower price. Great deal! After we get forged lowers in, that won't be happening anymore. It is more costly to make the billet type receivers. BTW, our anodizing is Type 3 Hard Anodizing, and were building to military-grade ruggedness. |
Tom, Aha, thanks for clearing that up. I can't wait until SHOT '07 to see what you guys have been cooking up!  Justin |
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