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80% Receivers
cbxjeff
Member Posts: 17,599 ✭✭✭✭
Any recommendations on the brands?
It's too late for me, save yourself.
Comments
Are there brands? If you don't already have a jig or access to one I'd just buy an Anderson. There's still like $25, right? Or less than the paper work.
A few things to consider:
'Forged' is most likely to be 7075. 'Billet' is more likely to be 6061(?) because it's more machinable(also ?). 7075 is 'stronger' (another ?) but maybe 6061 is strong enough.
Anodized or bare? Used to be a significant diff in price but not so much now. I'd pay $7-12 for anodized over bare unless I had a cheap/easy way to CERACOAT. Rattle can isn't all that great and rubs off quickly.
It takes about an hour to gnaw out the FCG recess if you are careful and particular. A new cutter will do 4-5 if you are careful(maybe 6-7 using 6061).
Brands? Most of the 80% aluminum lowers will have the forging marks. I'd shy away from any that had been ground off as those may be dimensional rejects that someone sneaked out of the discard pile. I've seen no real diff between forging marks.
Polymer? I started with polymer 80% lowers and wouldn't go back into that circus. Spent some really frustrating time at the drill press and although I didn't ruin any, some aren't as good as I'd want to use for serious business. On the other hand, I can turn out a finished polymer in about 15 minutes using a router jig and a cutter that's too dull to cut aluminum.
If you don't mind having your name in the 4473 file, it's not worth the trouble and at the end of the trail, the 80% lower may/will cost more than a finished lower.
I considered doing at least one but then again a finished lowered were about 50 bucks give or take
I do not have to pay a transfer fee it just not make sense to do one other than to say I did
the men in the dark suits have my info many times over as a gun owner so it did matter one more form
Don't worry they know when you buy parts ammo or even visit gun forums
Were all tracked and on several list
I've done 5 Andersons in the raw and they are tough on the cutter bits, one from 80% arms was anodized, easier and had built-in trigger guard, got a few from 5D Tactical that are like the one from 80 anodized and trigger guard, but they are still in the box. As mentioned above the 6061 Aluminum is easier to route out. The biggest issue now is prices have been high and getting higher and also the new rule goes in to effect in about 20 days, so if you are going to buy one you better order soon. Most I've seen are between 57 to over 100 dollars plus shipping, the Andersons are usually the lowest priced I've seen. Also the router jigs are the way to go , but they ain't cheap...
'Most I've seen are between 57 to over 100 dollars plus shipping,'
I've seen some breaking the $50 mark but they were bare and blem. The places selling these may get antsy and start cutting prices as the gavel gets closer to falling.
Don't seem like it's worth the time. Also if one lives in a state where they don't keep tabs why bother with 80% at them prices?
I can't speak for anyone else, but I find the milling and completing one myself to be very relaxing and rewarding that I accomplished it myself. But if you are doing it to get a lower cost AR platform, that won't happen, I have been seeing decent AR basic rifles for under $400 new on sale recently with free shipping, Hard to beat that price...
Ruger4me - The guy I went on an order on Genesis Arms uppers (to save on shipping) where they sent us two free 80% AR10s is planning to mill them out. I'll let you know how much crying and cursing there will be on this "relaxing" activity. I'll be there with a towel to soak up the blood and a Glad bag to contain the bloody towel over the hand from messing up my ride's interior while I drive him to the ER.
Being in California where those 80% has to get serialed anyhow. Dude's shopping for a jig now before they get banned.
"Also if one lives in a state where they don't keep tabs why bother with 80% at them prices?"
Sorry to say 'THERE AIN'T NO SUCH PLACES'. Every 'finished' AR lower goes through a dealer's book same as a complete firearm. Therefore, every finished AR lower has a paper trail.
I sincerely HOPE that the 80% suppliers have the balls to burn their sales records on August 22.
'll let you know how much crying and cursing there will be on this "relaxing" activity. I'll be there with a towel to soak up the blood and a Glad bag to contain the bloody towel over the hand from messing up my ride's interior while I drive him to the ER.
HUH??
I knocked out a couple of 80% lowers yesterday afternoon w/o any such issues. Where does one get such weird ideas?
Relaxing? Maybe if you enjoy whittling a 2x4 into a toothpick. The task requires thought, care, and patience along with a fair amount of physical effort.
Mobuck - Yes first time when a "finished" stripped lower is sold. Then "later" (when ever that will be) through a private party sale like when one could do in states like Washington there was no paper work.
@Mobuck I'll agree with the "thought, care, and patience" but at 63 years old it is not a "fair amount of physical effort" for me, to run and adjust a router while enjoying a few cold beers, and as I said I can't speak for others, but it is relaxing for me! And even with the beers @yoshmyster there has been no bloody towels or emergency room visits...
yoshmyster, your comment: " Don't seem like it's worth the time. Also if one lives in a state where they don't keep tabs why bother with 80% at them prices?"
Gave the impression that finished lowers were NOT 4473 items. This is why some folks will pay the same for an 80% as for a finished lower--simply evading the 4473 paper trail with no intent to finish and resell later.
When the 'GESTAPO' is knocking on doors and reclaiming all the 4473'd lowers, then the 80% thing becomes worthwhile.