Both of mine feel slightly grainy like an Anderson lower.

I have three Unbranded LPKs.  Two came from AIM Surplus sales, the third straight from Unbranded.  Tier 1 parts - NO; basic - YES.

From the first two, I swapped out the bolt catches.  They had extra vertical groves on the thumb pads.  Probably would have worked, but not right for a clone.  One had a bad hammer spring (stuck too far into the pin hole, and wasn't staked in). Swapped out that hammer.  The grooves on the mag button of the other were very shallow(looked scribed in).  Swapped out a mag button.  Both of the first two sets had take down and pivot pins with "dimples", but only on the tail side of the pin(also not good for some clones).  Left them in...for now.

The third set (directly from Unbranded) had no visible issues, a good mag button, and no dimples in the pins.

All assembled into receivers easily (except for the hammer with bad spring - it damaged it's pin), and operated fine manually.  I had three receivers to try the kits in.  But, I noticed that if I cocked the hammer, moved the selector to SAFE, then lightly pulled and released the trigger, the trigger would drag on the hammer, or stop, on it's way back to a "rest" position.  All three did this.  Most, if not all, standard triggers just go quickly back to "rest" under spring pressure.  This may not happen once these parts wear in a little.

Also, the selectors were a little "weak" at the stops; you could wiggle the lever at either position.  I don't think the divots were deep enough where the detents engaged the selector.  I tried an extra selector I had, and it was tight without the slop.  I may sort through my detent springs looking for long ones, and see it that helps.

I have not used any of these lowers with kits on a range yet (don't have uppers built for any of them yet).  These are just my build observations of the Unbranded AR parts.

Thanks for the review!
It is by far the best one I have seen on these LPK.

You can pay the same amount and get the better quality Aero LPK.

Man, that's beautiful!

If you're looking for a deal on a quality LPK look at Damage Industries for $46.  Includes the hammer, trigger, disconnector and their springs (my kits have always had a Schmid fcg) and pistol grip.  These kits are quality and way ahead of those such as the Midway or Unbranded LPKs.  Throw in a few more goodies to get free shipping at $50.

Damage Industries complete LPK

Thanks!

I just purchased one of these to build something close to my FN I carried in ‘03-‘04.  Where’s the best place to get a complete upper or is everyone building them off hard-to-get stripped uppers?

Concerning parts kits ... Do any of the parts kits have pivot pin and takedown pins that do not have the dimple on the end (left side)? Or does anyone know where to get a quality set of pins without the dimples?

Also, It seems that things like the mag catch, bolt catch and selctor should be gray park. They seem to all be black park or painted these days.

Small details...but they bug me...

I got a complete A2 upper a few years back from AR15sport.com . All milspec with 1:7 or 1:8 chrome lined barrel. $579 shipped. Mine is an absolute tack driver with iron sights and my old eyes.

https://ar15sport.com/product/20-a2-upper-assembly-with-17-twist-barrel-upper-556-a217/

Try contacting Chris at Shark Arms. He was selling actual surplus FN M16A2 upper receivers, complete with BCG and charging handle for $650, up until recently. He sold out of those, but then was selling a few FN uppers without the BCG and CH for $500. He periodically gets more surplus parts in and can put you on the list for what you're looking for. I pieced this one together from an FN A2 barrel I got from Chris and an FN “FK” marked upper from someone on the Equipment Exchange, then got an FN BCG and charging handle from Chris to complete it after this photo was taken:

Attached File


The A2 handguard is Colt, but I think it looks good until I can find a set of shiny FN handguards (or surplus ones that aren’t too beat up). Chris also carries new FN A2 stocks, which really look great.

I use Colt parts for clones like these. No dimples on their pins. I'm not sure where to find FN parts, and since they probably use some of the same suppliers as Colt, I figure Colt parts in an FN clone are the next best thing. Colt parts also tend to be more grey than black, in my experience.

Here's my FN A2 clone, built from a complete FN M16A2 kit (less lower, of course). I need to move the lower parts over to my BCP M16A2 lower one of these days. Butt stock mag pouch and high speed 3-point sling were both carried on my last deployment with an A2.

Nice. Where did you find the FN upper assembly??

ETA: I got one of the PSA M16A2 lowers and a complete A2 upper from JSE waiting to be picked up.

I bought it just over 5 years ago from Midwest Distributors. They had complete Colt M16A2 kits listed before that, but were out of stock by the time I found out about them.

I've got a PSA M16A2 lower inbound. Shaping up to be a unique build. Can't wait to revert back to the good old loop sling support and relive some memories from the Isle of Parris...

- Recent production (2007) Colt 6520 receiver with M4 feedramps ["C" / Cerro Forged (keyhole) marked].

- Colt M16A4 barrel - Same as an A2, but with M4 ramps ("C MP 5.56 NATO 1/7" marked).

- Colt BCG ("C" marked carrier / "MPC" marked bolt) and Colt Charging Handle.

- Armalite clamp on FSB and PWS FSC556.

- "Magpul OD Green" A2 furniture (made by Armalite, but a perfect match).

She's done. Can't wait to hit the range. One observation, the finish on these M16A2 lowers is way better than any other Palmetto lower I've had in the past. I wonder if PSA is trying to mimick the modern FN milspec coating. Finish on this one is super smooth. Oil wipes off with next to no effort. Almost like it's a black cerakote-type finish. Very good color match to the 2007 production 6520 receiver.

A few pics below of her with baby bro; a 14.5" midlength A2 with Colt receiver, Larue barrel, custom handguard endcap, and A1 furniture. More info on that one in the link below. It's on a standard PA-15 lower, but was also lots of fun to put together.









https://www.ar15.com/forums/AR-15/Mid-Length-Fixed-Stock-Pic-Thread/118-560760/?page=9

^
love the green...did they come that way or did you paint them?

They're original. Armalite M15-A2 furniture in OD green. Same shade as Magpul OD.

I wish we could persuade PSA into doing a run of gray lowers. I'm sitting on 2 gray FK uppers that just don't have a home.  I bought one of the gray McKay lowers from NDS years back, wish I grabbed a few.  I just found 3 McKay lowers in one of the parts boxes the other day.

I was showing my build to some buddies and one asked ; what happens when some Fudd LEO sees this and is  ignorant about guns and assumes this is a stolen military issue A2  with 3 shot burst capabilities ? I laughed, but I've met some real hum dingers in the law enforcement community too. Anyone think this would ever be an issue in today climate ? Of course it's all legal and legit, but a LEO could ruin your day and waste your time "sorting things out ".

im LEO and i know the difference, but a lot of my brethren dont know fed/state gun laws.  all they really know is to run the serial # in LEADS to find out if its been reported stolen...if not reported stolen then it is assumed yours.

As far as Govt markings...ya, that could end up as a huge inconvenience for both parties if a cop dosent know the difference between stolen military and copycat civilian.

There are thousands of real M16A2s in civilian hands that are marked like that, along with hundreds of thousands of other guns marked that way..

It’s a nonissue IMO.

Right, but there are a lot of bored , over zealous small town cops that are not "gun people" , so you never really know how your day will end. Again it would be a rare occurrence.

Maybe they would hassle you, but a quick internet search should tell them that it’s completely kosher. It’s not something that I worry about at all.

And that, my friends, is how a thread dies.

RIP

Picked up my genuine US Property M16A2 receiver today. Says so right on the side. I even looked at the receipt and yep. transferred as an M16A2. Ain't that swell. Put a DelTon chrome lined upper on the lower.  Pretty much identical to the first M16A2 I got issued in the Army other than the Colt Rollmark and that little auto sear pin hole. I need to pick up some of those cruddy OK Industries aluminum 30 round mags like we used to throw in the garbage.

you need to get a m9 bayonet. Hows the 1/9 twist of that barrel?

I use an M7 because thats what I was was issued back in 1986 and I never saw an M9 until after I got out of the Army. I do have an M9 but that gets placed on my shotgun because you never know when I'll have to do a bayonet charge through my house. Most of the rifles I had while I was in were A1 Hydramatics that were as is or were Hydramatics that had been converted at depot to A2 specs. My last issue rifle was a Colt A2 right out of the box .

The 1:9 seems to be working out pretty good. Took it out the other day with some XM193 and some XM855 and it was shooting acceptable iron sight level accuracy at 100 yards with both.

Finally got my PSA A2 lower mated to the A2 upper I ended up building.

Parts list:
PSA A2 Lower
No name LPK
Colt A2 grip
Geisselle QMS trigger
Take off FN A2 stock assembly (from Shark Arms)

3-dot/Keyhole A2 upper (from the EE)
BCM 20" gov't profile barrel assembly (from the EE)
Aero Precision A2 handguards
No-name BCG (supposedly they're unmarked Colt manufacture according to Shark Arms)

I threw on my old OD green adjustable carry strap/sling from when I was in.

I can't wait to shoot this thing!

Finally got one of these today. Going on my FN M16A2 Clone in dedicated .22 though. It will be a perfect match for my FN 5.56 A2 clone.. Upper is all FN except of course the Barrel and dedicated CMMG 22 Bolt. Have a Anderson Lower now, so this will be a nice upgrade.

If you are thinking about a 723 style carbine, you may have issues with the Brownells two position buffer tube. Folks have complained about them being tight and not threading all the way in. I have tried them on Aero, LMT, and Anderson, and have never had a bit of an issue. However, they will not reliably go in these PSA M16A2 lowers. The ones I have tried are too tight. It looks like the anodizing/coating is very thick on these lowers. Just FYI

I was planning a A2 build off a spare Anderson lower I had but I think I might just go ahead and buy one of these lowers because they look so cool

Edit I bought one!

So the plans are to use the PSA lower with a NoDak A2 stripped upper I have then get a Windham Armory A2 barrel kit, RRA NM 2 stage trigger, A2 stock and other spare parts I have to put the rifle together. I have a Armalite small peep sight so I can as a kinda stock but modified rifle so shoot local service rifle matches but not be a Service rifle, just something fun.

I had a similar experience. It wouldn't thread into any retro lowers (Brownells Slabside, NoDak XM16) even with heaps of grease, but threaded fine into a Ergo Mossberg Stock Adapter so that's where it stayed.

Ding Ding Ding!

My Brownells 2Pos tube was indeed tight.

This begs the question, where is another source of 2 Pos tubes?

That's a good question. I'm thankful Harlan at NDS took pity on me and sold me one of the last they had. Solid dude!