This is a loaded question, who makes the best lowers? Bushmaster, Rock River,DPMS, OLY,ETC???

Colt guys will tell ya colt
Armalite guys will tell ya armalite
Bushmaster will tell ya a bushy

These are considered the top tier

DPMS, Olympic, RRA and then others......

YMMV,
Mike

PS - 4 posts and your already starting trouble, there's so many versions of this topic don't see how ya missed one personally.....

LOL.

I agree with Mike as far as teh pecking order.  

In my limited experience, ASA is not as nice as RRA, and Bushmaster is better than RRA.  The RRA and Bushmaster were really close, but the Bushmaster had a better finish and the logo/lettering looked much nicer.  But IMHO it was not worth the 50% price difference.

I bought some RRA, Bushmaster and DPMS uppers a while back.  This does not really answer your question about lowers, but as far as finish goes, the Bushmasters were excellent, RRA OK and the DPMS was poor.

I know it's all a matter of opinion, and all, but when I was shopping for AR stuff back in, say, 1998-1999, Olympic was hardly considered "top tier."  Did things change since then?

Turby

Sorry for the confusion, but Colt, Bushy & Armalite are the tops, others are down in the pecking order....

Mike

Thanks, I thought I was going crazy here! :)

Turby

Anyone with experience with the Diamond series?

http://www.socommfg.com/diamond.html

Has anyone heard anything, or had experiance with Armalights division "Eagle Arms" ?

Mike

I have Eagle Arms, RRA, Mega, Bushmaster, Olympic, DPMS & Colt lowers an there is no doubt the Mega lowers are the nicest looking.  Deep-black in color and perfect machining.

As far as DPMS being second tier...my forged DPMS is just as nice as my Bushmaster and Colt and probably came from the same manufacture to start with.

The issue is not the bare uppers and/or lowers.  It's what goes inside those pieces.  I've got lowers by Colt, Rock River, Bushie, and DPMS, and uppers by Colt, Rock River and  one "no name", and don't feel handicapped by any of them.  When it comes to the internals, tho, it's Colt (almost) all the way. Four Colt bolt carriers,one DPMS, and all Colt bolts.  Triggers and hammers; all Colt (M16ers w/the tang ground off). Three Colt barrels, one Bushie, and one Rock River; and I wish the two non Colt barrels WERE Colt.

The aftermarket pieces are simply not as well finished or inspected like Colt stuff. Colt bolts and carriers are micropolished, so it'll be a cold day in hell when a Colt bolt cracks at the cam pin hole or scrapes off enough brass shavings from a case head to tie the piece up.

For me, that's one of the advantages of building my own ARs.  I haunt the gun shows for GI surplus Colt parts, 'cause I'd rather have a used Colt piece in the rifle than a brand new anything else.[:D]

So i guess that makes you a DPMS, Olympic, and RRA guy.

FWIW, i had an OLY and it looked liek shit. the finish had drips, like it was spray painted. Parts had to be fitted, as it wasn't machined properly.

I got rid of it, and will no longer waste my time with oly.  

I apologized above for confusing folks in the way I worded my original post, but ain't doing it again just because [b]your too lazy to read the apology[/b].

Mike

I have 4 colts ,2 preban and 2 post ban ,2 post ban bushmasters ,and 1 armalite,and 1 RRA that I got from PETE at LEGAL TRANSFERS .the RRA feels the best it has the NM triger it is the US PROPERTY marked one .the finish is great but the markings are very light [RRA]and that is no big deal to me .

For PREBAN, I've found no better fit than COLT.  

For POSTBAN, I really, really , really like RRA.  Their lowers fit tighter and look cleaner than any of the Bushmasters, Armalites, Eagle Arms or Olympics I've owned.  And when I say there is NO PLAY in their fit, I mean NO PLAY!  

Okay guys, thanks for all the advice! I bought a RRA lower and I couldn't be happier. The fit and finish is superb , at least as good as or better than my Oly pre-ban and Bushy. The trigger needs a bit of help though. You guys are great , Thanks Alot.

Except for Diamond, Oly and Armalite, of the above mentioned lowers, you are getting a lower manufactured by Continental Machine in New Britain, CT, no matter who you pick.

I know Olympic has made at least some of the Bushmaster lowers in the past.  You can check this out by going to their website and looking at their serial numbers break downs.