polymer AR lower

[RdKill]

They look cheap. They feel cheap. You can't replace the trigger guard. Polymer has a shelf life. Take a 20 year old Glock in for service. How many times have you seen folks take in Gen 1 and 2 Glocks only to have Glock tell them their frame is being replaced because it's no longer safe to fire? It makes no sense to shave off 30-40 bucks on a 600-1000 dollar rifle build by using a receiver that devalues the entire rifle to the actual value of the upper. That's all I'd pay for a poly lower AR. Whatever the upper is worth. I'd figure any internal parts salvaged as bonus and payment for my time to disassemble and scrap the plastic lower.

 

[Hayata]

New Frontier Armory poly lower with SOTA upper.

 

[sublimebeer]

I've got a carbon 15 bushmaster i can part with. I've shot it a few times. Works fine.

 

[Huffdaddy]

They look cheap. They feel cheap. You can't replace the trigger guard. Polymer has a shelf life. Take a 20 year old Glock in for service. How many times have you seen folks take in Gen 1 and 2 Glocks only to have Glock tell them their frame is being replaced because it's no longer safe to fire? It makes no sense to shave off 30-40 bucks on a 600-1000 dollar rifle build by using a receiver that devalues the entire rifle to the actual value of the upper. That's all I'd pay for a poly lower AR. Whatever the upper is worth. I'd figure any internal parts salvaged as bonus and payment for my time to disassemble and scrap the plastic lower.

I really do not think you can even compare glock to the cheap ass poly lowers out there atleast the still fire everytime you pull the trigger ....

 

[RdKill]

New Frontier Armory poly lower with SOTA upper.

400 dollar upper, 70 dollar stock, 10 dollar Pmag, 20 dollar pistol grip. The lower, the magwell grip and the NC Star scope, I wouldn't give a nickel for. So what could be a 600-700 dollar rifle is only worth about 500 due to the hassle of having to switch out the lower. 30 bucks of savings isn't worth 100-200 loss in value IMO.

 

[icatchbadguyz]

Bushmaster carbon 15 with several thousand rounds through and no issues. It's a plinker and occasional coyote/hog slayer not a protection gun.

 

[RdKill]

I really do not think you can even compare glock to the cheap ass poly lowers out there atleast the still fire everytime you pull the trigger ....

I own Glocks too. But they won't outlast a Beretta or even a P series Ruger. Glocks are indeed amongst the top of the polly pistols in reliability. But even they are subject to deterioration over time and use more so than their metal cousins. Old Glock frames are failing now...hence all the Gen 1 or 2 uppers currently sitting on Gen 3 warranty replacement frames. On the upside...at least the failed frames can be replaced for free. If Glock offered metal frames, they would likely be fairly popular and poly glocks would be a dime a dozen. ARs do have metal lowers easily available for just a few bucks or in some cases even around the same price as plastic lowers...so why bother? The lower doesn't make that much difference in overall weight.

 

[Hayata]

400 dollar upper, 70 dollar stock, 10 dollar Pmag, 20 dollar pistol grip. The lower, the magwell grip and the NC Star scope, I wouldn't give a nickel for. So what could be a 600-700 dollar rifle is only worth about 500 due to the hassle of having to switch out the lower. 30 bucks of savings isn't worth 100-200 loss in value IMO.

It is what it is...a cheap way into AR-dom.

Wanna volunteer to stand in front of it?

No, I wouldn't either.

Hey, I'm just a weekend plinker/shooter. Never thought I would need this to survive the apocalypse.

It's all about what you want to do with what you have. Mine suits me just fine. I'm not saying it's better than anything. Just saying it works for me.

If you don't like it that's just fine. I'm waiting for definitive data that shows one is better than the other. In the meantime, I'll enjoy mine at the range.

Cheers, and keep 'em in the X-ring!

 

[Heroes Tactical]

It really just gets down to personal preference. You either love them or hate them. I have fired several of them without a single issue. The only reason that I do not like a poly lower is that the metal parts kits seem to fit a bit snug. You really need to have a dremel handy during assembly so that you can fit each piece as you go. Especially to take down pins and the mag release (in my experience). This turns a 30 minute project into more like an hour an a half to two hours, but the functionality was acceptable in the end.

 

[RamRoddoc]

I tried one and for the effort to fit the dang LPK into the polymer frame, I will never buy another. I'll spend 20-40 dolla and not fit a dang thing.

It did fit tight to the upper, no slop and seems decent enough though.

Just not worth the hassle for no real benefit other than light weight (not much more) to me.

It really just gets down to personal preference. You either love them or hate them. I have fired several of them without a single issue. The only reason that I do not like a poly lower is that the metal parts kits seem to fit a bit snug. You really need to have a dremel handy during assembly so that you can fit each piece as you go. Especially to take down pins and the mag release (in my experience). This turns a 30 minute project into more like an hour an a half to two hours, but the functionality was acceptable in the end.

No crap! I thought I had way more time than I really did. I had more than a few choice words "fitting" a damn AR lower parts kit. My seat in hell was firmed up a bit after the expletives I uttered while dremeling my polymer AR lower.