Same here. I can see poly being a superior material depending on the application. If it is the elasticity of the lower to be able to flex where others crack, now you have a new problem with buffer and bolt wear.
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E P Lowers?
- Thread starter TxBoyX2
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Same here. I can see poly being a superior material depending on the application. If it is the elasticity of the lower to be able to flex where others crack, now you have a new problem with buffer and bolt wear.
I can not speak to Bushmaster and the material the use or why they fail. I think a lot of polymer lowers are made to specifications and dimensions specifically designed for aluminum alloys rather than the material they are constructed from. There has to be consideration in design for a change in the material. I personally think there has been some short sightedness and had there been proper design and preparation and testing before bringing a new product to market i think they might have come off without a hitch. Anyway that's just my opinion.
We have beefed up the area of the front pivot pin holes and the buffer tube area with additional material in our design to address these issues. These are the areas of failure that have given other polymer lowers a bad name and even though our material is much stronger and would probably work fine if we didn't reinforce those areas; we wanted to respond to the consumer.
Our product is very strong and durable; much more so than any other polymer lower. You see polymer lowers are injection molded; in the case of our product they are injection molded and then have to survive being milled by our customers. So our 80% lowers are really required to be much stronger for this reason. Also we wanted to have the best product out there and I think we have got that. Polymer is actually just a generic term and the specific composition is proprietary but I will say we use a fiber reinforced polymer material and it is very very strong.
I don't think we have ever used the term 'elasticity' when describing our lowers. Actually they need to be quite rigid just like the aluminum ones; they just need to be able to hold up to the shock of repeated firing long term without cracking. Our product is reinforced in the areas which other 100% polymer lowers have failed and our material is stronger.
That's something the owner of the company ultimately decides on so I can't say but I can pass on your suggestion. Like any other company we will have to respond to market forces but we are selling everything we are producing as fast as it is produced at this current price point. If at some point that changes prices will change. We always want to be competitive. In so far as the 80% lower market I think we are very competitive because unlike other 80% lowers our product is designed to be completed without a jig. There is no additional expense for a jig.
Our fire control pocket is dissimilar in color so in the case of the black lowers you just remove the white area. FCG and selector switch holes are clearly marked for drilling.
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Very cool. I'm interested.
I like the idea of 80% lowers just for the fact that they can be customized and it sounds like a fun project. I like the idea of poly since it'll be easy to work with and light. Looks like your design was thought out.
I understand that people might not be interested, but I don't get the hate, lol. People put all kinds of crap on their guns... krylon, bump fire whatchamacallits, heavy pointless accessories... but no, no, no, can't have a lower that isn't made the same way it was 50 years ago!
:P Just poking fun ODT
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I am interested and will be picking up a couple myself. I called the company on firday and they are instock and ready to ship within 24hrs of purchase.
This is pretty cool and I'm glad the guy from EP stepped in as well; really cool move. Could you explain the color on the lower in the OP's first post please.
Yes. when we make a switch in manufacturing to a new color there are several drops where the new color is mixed with the previous. It creates a unique one of a kind lower; no two are alike. Functionally they are exactly the same but we are calling them our hybrid lowers. As with our solid color lowers that color is not just on the surface it is through out. There is no issue with scratching the surface off as with anodized lowers or painted lowers because the same color is underneath and you just buff it out. While these pink/black hybrids may not be so appealing to men, they really seem to spark interest in the female shooters we have exposed them to, and we feel a lot of guys are going to want to do unique builds for their lady so we think they will sell well. Also we will be expanding our color selection so expect more unique hybrids in many different color combinations. Also keep in mind although it wont be our next project we would like to do uppers as well; so there will be a time when upper and lower hybrids are available. Our immediate next project is an AR-10 80% lower.
Ok, cool. I was just curious as to how it happened. So you make a completely pink lower as well? Would be cool to see one in the likable FDE and OD the same way.
