Billet allows non standard shaped lowers without having to go through the expensive of the set up required for a forged lower. In theory I guess they are not as strong but I doubt it's a difference that matters in the real world.

 




 

It's a nice looking lower, I'm sure it'll work just as well as anything else if that's your preferance. I have an old pre ban billet lower that has no finish on it but it's fine otherwise

 

AXTS was considerate and asked for permission, whether it was necessary or not, in this business it doesn't pay to have enemies.

Unlike THESE guys that ripped off our selector design without asking here  

No contact info, no Made in USA label, they'll hear from us soon

The AX556 and AX762 are going through some final minor changes for better ergonomics before their release.  

BTW, the release version will have a 45/90 degree pictogram for Semi (the website shows the Semi pictogram at 12 o'clock), the 45/90 engraving is at 68 degrees to allow either the 45 degree or 90 degree selector to point to it when the selector is set to fire.

The AR15.com billet lower is the first such lower, it came out before the AXTS F (forged) receivers that also have the 68 degree Semi/Fire pictogram

Pic of the AR15.com billet, ambidextrous receiver

Competition is healthy, we're all for that, customers are the ones (usually) that benefit because manufacturers will try to do one better than their competitor.  Outright copying of intellectual property is another thing altogether.  When Airsoft makers made a copy of our M16 selector for Airsoft guns, we chuckled, but were annoyed they didn't bother asking us for permission or license.  This is more serious, I'd venture to guess it's another Chinese made knockoff (if it were made in the US they'd plaster it all over the place), and we are not letting this one go.

Sorry for the thread hijack.

The ar15.com billet receiver price is often debated, time and again, when folks add up the cost of components on the ar15.com lower, the stripped lower is but $250 or so, far from outrageous.

If you bought a billet receiver and put a 45 degree selector ($85), Geissele 3 gun trigger ($230), Magpul UBR stock ($250) and MIAD grip ($35), already these premium parts are at $600.

Ed and the folks at ar15.com are our friends and partners, that fact notwithstanding, the numbers do point to an unbiased conclusion that the ar15.com billet lower is quite reasonable.  

For a long time Ed did not want to sell the stripped lower, and for those that haven't read it elsewhere I will elaborate.  Just on the selector alone, Ed and we spent a lot of time going over every detail.  As attention to detail is one of the areas we're well known for, we found much in common with Ed.  

It's easy to notice what is there, you may also pay attention to what is NOT there by design.

The original ar15.com billet receiver had selector stops, those were milled off in order for the new 45/90 compatible FIRE pictogram to be there.  Even the location of the new 45/90 compatible FIRE pictogram was up to discussion. 68 degree was found to be perfect for it be usable whether a 45 or 90 degree selector is in the receiver.

The ar15.com lower was going to be 45 degree compatible only, after extensive discussion, Ed agreed to make it 45/90 compatible so the customer can use the short throw selector, or go old school with the 90 degree selector.

Folks, we were involved in just the selector part of this project, where our 45 degree selectors already exist.  If we extrapolate this and assume the same amount of time Ed and staff spent on other components (in all likelihood, probably more), this project is enormously expensive in time and cost.

Ed and staff spent a great deal of time finding components that compliment each other.  Each component by itself, when used singly in a receiver, brings couple of improvements.  When these components are combined and used in a receiver expressly made to take advantage of their attributes, this receiver is special and unique.  I understand why Ed did not want to sell it as stripped.