New Question About Lowers?

[FPL53]

Is there really a difference between brands like Adcor, Engage Armament, Rock River, Spikes, etc and so forth? I'm just talking about stripped lowers. Isn't a billet just a billet. I know the upper, barrel, trigger and other parts make a big difference but does the stripped out lower frame really make a difference?

 

[rbird7282]

Probably the same. I have three from Engage, but haven't built an AR yet so I can't give you specifics. Don't know if there are minor differences between them or not. Engage has them in stock though.

 

[John2510]

Some...

I have limited experience, but there can be some differences.

I tried to put an aftermarket trigger in an "AR 15" brand lower, but it was too wide.

I had good luck with this cheap lower in it's place:
http://www.karrisguns.com/ar-15-lower-receivers/-stripped-ar15-lower-receiver-anderson-manufacturing

The finish was also nicer than on some more highly-rated and more expensive lowers.

So... There can be differences, but they don't necessarily correlate with price. Paying more than $125 is probably foolish... in my limited experience.

Is there really a difference between brands like Adcor, Engage Armament, Rock River, Spikes, etc and so forth? I'm just talking about stripped lowers. Isn't a billet just a billet. I know the upper, barrel, trigger and other parts make a big difference but does the stripped out lower frame really make a difference?

 

[liquidsilverr1]

In the past month I put together a spikes and an engage billet lower. The spikes is nice, but the engage is much nicer in my opinion. The magwell is flared, the quality and finish are remarkable, and with the engage its marked rockville, md. Best of all they are in stock and available today.

 

[FPL53]

Thanks for the info. I presently have an Engage and an Adcor lower. Still waiting on my DC so I can pick them up. If it doesn't come in I'll be waiting until mid October and then mid November before I have them in my hands.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

Billet is a block that is CNC machined into a lower, while forged is hammer pressed into the shape, then CNC'ed out to create the lower.

I prefer a billet lower mated with a billet upper, due to the tighter tolerances within the upper/lower, for doing precision builds. I find that the parts fit more snugly in a billet, than in a forged.

I will use a forged for anything I need to though, but I generally do carbines out of forged lowers. The wifey's first AR will be made off of a forged lower. If she gets really good with it, I'll build her a precision rifle off of a billet lower.