Stripped Lower Buyer's Guide?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Stripped Lower Buyer's Guide?

Posted: 3/6/2010 9:21:12 PM EDT

I tried to find a comparison chart/buyer's guide to stripped lowers, but have come up short so far. There are so many out there, and a wide range of prices, so was wondering if there was a breakdown. Thanks for the help.

Posted: 3/6/2010 9:53:21 PM EDT

[#1]

Find a rollmark you like at a good price and buy it. I hope I guided you in the right direction....It is that simple!

Are you looking for something specific?

Posted: 3/6/2010 10:37:29 PM EDT

[#2]

Got any idea what you're looking for? Or is this brand new to you?

I got stripped lowers from Bushmaster and RRA. Looking to start a build from an AERO Precision and maybe a LAUER (which is really an LMT) in the future. I find that the Bushies work well with all my old USGI mags, but the RRA is a bit tight and won't take some Sanchez USGI mags that work fine on the Bushies.

If you're looking at price, I think all low-priced lowers are pretty decent (those from $60 to $130). Higher-end ones have cleaner lines, sleeker finish, etc. - dunno exactly, but they engrave more fancy markings or soemthing else, and they completely smooth off most if not all rough spots from the forging. To me, a lower is a lower. Just like blackfly53 said... its that simple.

Posted: 3/6/2010 10:44:42 PM EDT

[#3]

Pretty much any lower except for Vulcan/Hesse/Plumcrazy "polymer" lowers is GTG.

Just get whatever roll marks you like and/or is the cheapest

Posted: 3/6/2010 10:52:09 PM EDT

[#4]

I usually just go to gun shows and pick out the lowers i like. They all work fine. I really think my POF billet lower looks the best though, of course it is a little more expensive than your regular forged lowers.

Posted: 3/6/2010 11:49:39 PM EDT

[#5]

Most lowers are fine, there have been a few reported here lately that had issues, but that's pretty rare. Probably your best bet is to search here buy the rollmark name and see if they are any reported problems.

Posted: 3/7/2010 3:27:55 AM EDT

[#6]

I had an RRA lower and PMAGS wouldnt drop free out of it. thats a big deal to me because all i use are pmags

Posted: 3/7/2010 3:48:30 AM EDT

[#7]

Haven't seen this subject for almost two weeks. All pretty much the same

Posted: 3/7/2010 4:51:55 AM EDT

[#8]

Thanks guys, thats what I figured, that they are all pretty much the same. Just wanted to make sure that there were not some that were inferior in manufacture or material.

Posted: 3/7/2010 4:52:20 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Haven't seen this subject for almost two weeks. All pretty much the same

don't worry, we'll have another LPK question thread also

my advice is buy a well known manufacture with the rollmark you like, buy cheap and expect cheap results

Posted: 3/7/2010 5:02:47 AM EDT

[#10]

Essential Arms are all I will buy now. They are the cheapest I've found and have the smoothest maching marks. Higher quality than my Bushmaster and DPMS receivers.

Posted: 3/7/2010 5:12:28 AM EDT

[#11]

I have had great exp. with

LRB
Spikes
Doublestar
Bushmaster
Mega

RRA has been ok but some tend to be tight and have now bought anymore.

Posted: 3/7/2010 5:32:29 AM EDT

[#12]

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=12&t=318113

Posted: 3/7/2010 5:36:59 AM EDT

[#13]

Checkout the DSA blems if you are building on a budget they are $60 a piece. A couple of members on here have posted pics on what they have gotten. I have mine ordered currently and Im waiting to get it.

Posted: 3/7/2010 5:53:43 AM EDT

[#14]

Seekins Precision makes a beautiful lower that doesn't look mil-spec. Beautiful french recurve lines, nice design details and beautiful machine work.

Seekins Lower

Posted: 3/7/2010 6:06:57 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=12&t=318113

Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for.

Posted: 3/7/2010 6:37:56 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Find a rollmark you like at a good price and buy it. I hope I guided you in the right direction....It is that simple!

+1 - it really is that simple (if you let it be)

Having owned a number of lowers myself I can tell you that 1. There is next to no functional differences between any of them. 2. There is typically just as much variation from one lot to the next (from the same company) as there are differences between one manufacture and another.

All that said, from what I've seen, the best deal going when you factor everything in (price, machine work, finish quality and consistency) are the Mega Machine lowers.

Posted: 3/7/2010 7:46:31 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Seekins Precision makes a beautiful lower that doesn't look mil-spec. Beautiful french recurve lines, nice design details and beautiful machine work.

Seekins Lower

Well that's interesting. Those extra curves serve no real tactical purpose. It does look pretty good though.

Posted: 3/7/2010 9:05:31 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Seekins Precision makes a beautiful lower that doesn't look mil-spec. Beautiful french recurve lines, nice design details and beautiful machine work.

Seekins Lower

Well that's interesting. Those extra curves serve no real tactical purpose. It does look pretty good though.

I have a Seekins lower, and the finish is the best I ever seen on a lower. The curves get lots of looks at the range. The mag well is flared very large at the bottom, and I do find it easier to insert mags over other lowers.

However, my lower did have one flaw; the hole for the selector detent was drilled/milled slightly too far away, and I had to enlarge the notches in the selector in order to get a positive click/lock.

Posted: 3/7/2010 9:21:48 AM EDT

[#19]

i guess i will be the first to ask, do you want a forged lower or a billet lower? Price will make a difference, and the added weight w/billet, but everyobe has their preferences.

Posted: 3/7/2010 10:48:38 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:

I had an RRA lower and PMAGS wouldnt drop free out of it. thats a big deal to me because all i use are pmags

Thanks for the tip blasterrider88. I only use USGI's, but have been wanting PMags. I think I'll get one this wknd and try it on my RRA and Bushy. Man, that could be a bummer, but then again, I've got a ton of USGI mags and wasn't planning to swap them out wholesale either. But I'd agree with your experience - I noticed my RRA magwells are just a tad bit tighter than my Bushy lowers.

Posted: 3/7/2010 11:12:04 AM EDT

[#21]

I just received a Mega Machine billet set and a billet lower. I have to say that they are beautiful. Fit and finish are excellent.

Posted: 3/8/2010 8:15:36 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Haven't seen this subject for almost two weeks. All pretty much the same

don't worry, we'll have another LPK question thread also

my advice is buy a well known manufacture with the rollmark you like, buy cheap and expect cheap results

you must be psychic

Posted: 3/8/2010 9:09:21 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I had an RRA lower and PMAGS wouldnt drop free out of it. thats a big deal to me because all i use are pmags

Thanks for the tip blasterrider88. I only use USGI's, but have been wanting PMags. I think I'll get one this wknd and try it on my RRA and Bushy. Man, that could be a bummer, but then again, I've got a ton of USGI mags and wasn't planning to swap them out wholesale either. But I'd agree with your experience - I noticed my RRA magwells are just a tad bit tighter than my Bushy lowers.

Four of my personal builds are on RRA stripped lowers. I've got about 4 dozen PMags and haven't inserted an aluminum mag in years...

I have heard this about RRA lowers here and there, but I can definitively state that my 4 current AR's (all on RRA lowers), the 3 or 4 other RRA's I've owned over the years or the half dozen or so that I've built on RRA lowers for friends - none have had an issue with PMags...

Beyond that, as stated above, as long as the lower is in spec and meets with your personal desires - that's all that matters. The magic happens in the upper - the stripped lower just holds a quality parts kit and gives ya a place to grip the rifle...

Posted: 3/8/2010 9:12:59 AM EDT

[#24]

I think this is what you are looking for!

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=12&t=318113

Posted: 3/8/2010 10:32:43 AM EDT

[#25]

Be careful if you use a Sun Devil Mfg billet lower. Mine won't drop free a P-Mag. I had to dedicate it to a 6.8 build. When I called Sun Devil and bitched I was told that their magwells are sized for standard aluminum GI mags.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Stripped Lower Buyer's Guide?

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