Does anybody have any idea what kind of life a person can expect from their uppers and lowers. I am talking round count. I don't abuse any of my weapons. I only get to shoot a couple hundred rounds a year. With the ban being gone, I have thought about getting a new no ban stripped lower, just in case. I could use the money elsewhere, but I want to be sure in 10 years I don't have a pile of parts and no receiver to go with them.

Thanks eagle308us

In a properly functioning AR, the barrel and bolt, locked up together, take nearly all of the force of firing the rifle.  The lower receiver, near the back, where the buffer tube is attached, takes some abuse, whatever the buffer tube and spring leave, but alot of that energy is transferred to the shooter via felt recoil.  Lower receivers do wear some at the FCG pins, due to them rotating with the action of the FCG.  The upper receiver is essentially a guide tube for the bolt/carrier and doesn't see much in the way of abuse at all.

Properly lubed and maintained, I don't see why the life of an upper and lower receiver couldn't be called "indefinite".

I've got an old SP1 lower that had at least 5k rds through it, when I bought it back in '93. I've probably put 8-10k rds through it since, with very little wear. I'd think that unless you shoot it ALOT, that the life would be longer than you care to shoot it.

I've heard of having to replace barrels after 5,000-15,000 rounds, and I've never heard of an upper or lower wearing down. I've heard a report w/ pictures of an exploding M16A2 caused by sand in the bore (which broke the upper, bolt carrier, and I don't remember the status of the lower).

If you're only shooting a hundred rounds a week, the life expenctancy on your receivers should be longer than your life expectancy.

I have seen M16s that were overstamped M16A1. This was just one year ago. SO those rifles must be a good fifty years old. They still function 100% also.

Quoted: I have seen M16s that were overstamped M16A1. This was just one year ago. SO those rifles must be a good fifty years old. They still function 100% also.

Not to nit pick, (well, maybe just a little ) but it would be more like 40 years. 50 years ago, Garands were still in production.



Lonny