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Posted: 7/10/2013 4:34:03 PM EDT
| Does anyone make a steel or stainless steel lower? |
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In the 80s Group Industries did a batch in stainless steel. There have been small custom batches of Ti and other exotic materials since then. If you cant find one used, you'd need to have someone do you a custom one somehow.
Any shop that makes their own lowers CNC could do you one in the material of your choice, but it'd probably cost you. |
| We have a local company that makes 80% lowers (and you can schedule a time to go in and have it milled in front of you to 80% and then you hit the "go" button to finish the milling) that says they will accommodate any options the customer wants, and I would imagine stainless would fall under that. Granted, you would typically use different tooling for aluminum vs steel, but I would think it would be a fairly simple thing to do. Anyway, I say that since it appears there aren't any current companies doing steel lowers you might find somebody local who will do it for you... |
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Quoted:
but I would think it would be a fairly simple thing to do. ... Going from a alum to steel (or stainless) is not a cut and dry simple thing... Put aside someone having to change their whole programming feeds and speeds strategy and also completely different tooling choices... Aluminum vs. Steel is so much different...don't be surprised if it comes out like a potato chip... In the world of machining... The material dictates a manufacturing strategy....some times even changing from 6061 to 7075 aluminum makes a difference for the strategy. why do you think those Ti receivers are at $3k+?? |
| I agree with most of the above, but changing feed rates and tooling is not that difficult. I would think the post-milling component would be some of the most difficult (ie heat treating). I contacted the company local to me, for my own curiosity, and will report back their response. |
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Just heard back from the local manufacturer:
Hey Brother, how's it going? I wanted to get your thoughts on the possibility of steel lowers, whether 80% or 100% completion. I know stainless would require different tooling than aluminum (and I don't know if stainless would have to be heat treated afterward to stress relieve) but I figured you would be the guy to ask. I know there is a huge weight difference between the two but there have been multiple manufacturers who have done special runs in stainless or high carbon in the past, just nothing that we've seen recently. If this sounds like something worth discussing, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Thanks, Aaron Hey Aaron, Yes it is possible for us to make them out of stainless or other alloys. If there is enough interest it would certainly help bring tooling costs down, but the main program should stay rather similar, just having to change speeds and depths of cut. I would have to check into the heat treat, but with coolant you might be just fine. I just posted on the main thread showing some progress and we should have lowers completed and ready for broaching in mass quantities later this week. Let me know how I can be of further help / if others are interested in a stainless run. Thanks! Looks promising at least! |
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turnbull made a purdy ar10 turnbull ar10
maybe he will make you an ar15 |
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