AR lower manufacturers

RECEIVER MANUFACTURERS
The following is a listing of who machines the raw receiver forgings for whom.



Aero Precision

*Aero Precision

Continental Machine Tool

*Stag
*Rock River Arms
*High Standard
*Noveske
*Century (New)
*Global Tactical
*CLE
*S&W
*MGI
*Wilson Tactical
*Grenadier Precision
*Colt

JVP

*Double Star
*LRB
*Charles Daly

LAR Manufacturing

*LAR
*Bushmaster
*Ameetec
*DPMS
*CMMG
*Double Star
*Fulton Armory
*Spike's Tactical

American Spirit

*American Spirit

Lewis Machine & Tool

*LMT
*Larue
*DS Arms
*PWA
*Eagle
*Armalite
*Knights Armament
*Barrett

Mega Machine Shop

*Mega
*GSE
*Dalphon
*POF
*Alexander Arms

Olympic

*Olympic
*SGW
*Tromix
*Palmetto
*Dalphon
*Frankford
*Century (Old)

Sun Devil

*Sun Devil forged billet receivers

Superior

*Superior Arms
*Lauer (New)

Anderson Manufacturing

*Anderson

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Does this mean all lowers made by Olympic are identical for Olympic-Century? Or does each seller have different specs for the same manufacturer?

For the most part they are the same, of course with the exception of the company logo, SN, cal.....etc.

I asked a question here a few months ago about different quality forged lower receivers, why some cost $100 and others were $149. The answer I took away from the discussion is that as long they are in spec dimensionally, there are only cosmetic differences. Since that thread, I have inspected every lower I could with a fine toothed comb and decided the main difference between a "high quality" and a "low quality" AR15 lower receiver is depth of anodizing color and how much time someone spent sanding down the sharp edges.

Spot on UBETRUN.

So does that mean PSA lowers are somehow 'crap' since they're made by Olympic (doesn't have the best of reputations)? Or are lowers such a easy part to make that there isn't much difference between lowers made by Oly vs. LMT?

a lower is a lower!

Thanks UBETRUN for the rundown. I guess as long as they dont crack, chip, or strip - they retain their functionality and are fine.

Yes, PSA is absolute garbage. Please send them to me, so I can dispose of them properly for you.

This
As long as it's in Spec and forged.
Stay away from cast and plastic.

I had an old cast Vulcan from the late 80's. I would just keep filling in the parts that broke off with solder and anything else I could get to harden in place. It worked, sometimes. It went to rifle Heaven after I had a mag twist in the magwell cracking open the slabside of the receiver.

As a side note, Stag kinda sorta makes their own lowers. Being that the owner of CMT is the father of the owner of Stag and the two companies sit right next to one another. This is one heck of a street to work on because next to CMT and Stag sits Metalform who makes mags for just about everyone. Too bad we can't pick through their garbage.

Revival....

Bump...but not updated. Add/Edit as you see fit.

you want the best?

titanium ar lower

I've got two DPMS steel ar's that use steel upper/lower, traded a grendal .308 for one and a weatherby for the other. Had em metaloyed, been using em since the late 80s and the show little to no wear.

Who's lowers were used for the VA Gun Trader lowers that were sold here a couple of years ago?

Contact zombie defense kty

Who makes Anderson lowers? I always see them for like $50-$60 on discounts. Had one for a while without any issues.

I'd recommend showing which ones are billet rather than forged.

There are a lot more companies nowadays creating their own Billet Lowers, and a couple Like TN Arms who are doing Poly lowers such as TN Arms.

List Edit:

Anderson Manufacturing

*Anderson

Those were through Zombie Defense, and made by JD Machine.

Bump

How many new manufactures are in the market now?

Good question... And last I heard, Olympic Arms closed up shop.

http://www.guns.com/2017/01/26/longtime-ar-maker-olympic-arms-going-out-of-business/

I have purchased 3 Anderson lowers at $40/ea not including FFL and NICS fees. After FFL/NICS they came out to about $55/ea. No issues with any of them. I am a budget minded builder and always look for the best deal. The only other lowers I found that can compare in price are polymer and carbon fiber. I went to the Hampton gun show and a vendor was selling the Anderson Lowers for $49/ea.

Anderson: http://www.primaryarms.com/anderson-manufacturing-ar-15-stripped-lower-receiver-ar-15-a3 (At my time of order they were $39/ea and no limit per customer)

Polymer: http://www.tnarmsco.com/new-category-2/

Carbon Fiber: https://www.tegraarms.com/

Anyone know a good affordable source for BCG's (Bolt Carrier Groups)? I was able to find an Anderson complete BCG for $65 but they are now few and far between and hard to find. I have 1 build left that I am sourcing parts for.

I've hadn't pretty good luck with these

https://www.righttobear.com/Toolcraft-Black-Nitride-Bolt-Carrier-Group-MPI-B-p/tooauto-016.htm