Build or buy a lower for an AR15

[Arcamm]

I have and extra upper that came off of a Colt 6720 with a BCM bcg and I want to put together a lower for it.

I've figured a basic lower can be built for around $320 using cheap parts. I can buy a new complete Colt lower on GB for about $650, so my question is whether the extra for the Colt would be worth it.

I'm sure some of you will suggest I can build something as good or better than the Colt for the money and I'd like to hear about it, but not if it involves any parts that are not currently available.

I've never built an AR lower so I don't to buy any high buck parts and build a very pretty paperweight. Any opinions would be appreciated.

 

[Bisondice]

just watch some youtube vids on putting a lower together. If that looks fun and easy to you, do it and get that sense of self accomplishment every time you shoot YOUR gun

 

[Boss94]

Assembling a lower from scratch is very easy and does not take long at all. Are you thinking of doing a 80% or a 100% unit to start ? Do you like the precision and finish of a billet? Solid trigger guard? or open? Any Styles or a certain Manufacture? Don't let the assemble part keep you from building what you want or like !!

 

[Arcamm]

I don't mind building a lower, as a mater of fact, I have an 80% lower that I have not drilled yet and I'm looking forward to building it.

Just how big of a difference is a low cost stripped lower than a higher priced stripped lower?

 

[MDGolom]

I've figured a basic lower can be built for around $320 using cheap parts. I can buy a new complete Colt lower on GB for about $650, so my question is whether the extra for the Colt would be worth it.

You can actually do it on the cheap for about $200. I bought an Aero Precision blemished lower for $85 and a LPK/Stock kit from PSA for $90. Toss in shipping and $25 transfer, comes in less than $250.

 

[Sticky]

They can vary in price from the lower priced forged lowers up to some of the fancier, enhanced CNC'd lowers.. the CNC'd are a little more precise, but they all function. You will pay a little more for a CNC'd lower (generally) but you do get a nice lower to build upon.

Assembling them is easy, LPKs are around now and stock kits, so there is no real difficulty getting parts, except for perhaps a precision trigger, they can be a little more scarce. You can enhance a std mil-spec trigger group to perform nicely though.

 

[Arcamm]

So I'm getting that there is not much difference in function between a low cost lower and a high price lower? Besides price.

 

[Sticky]

Basically, no... the more critical parts to a build would be the barrel, bcg and perhaps trigger group, the other parts (lower, upper, etc..) are pretty much similar with cosmetic differences.

 

[Bart_man]

I have and extra upper that came off of a Colt 6720 with a BCM bcg and I want to put together a lower for it.

.

What a coincidence...I have two completley built out lowers that I don't have uppers for...

why dont I just take that.......

seriously its easy. its like legos...watch youtube

 

[Brad]

I dont think the 650$ for the colt lower is worth it. You can practically build 2 complete lower for that price and both will function exactly the same. If i am not mistaken arent colt lowers made by another forging company and later branded with colt? I think i read this on another thread recently, if your stuck on the idea of a colt, find out which forger it is and buy the same lower from another branding.

 

[Arcamm]

I'm not stuck on Colt unless it's superior to the cheap stuff. So it seems I'm safe to look at less costly lowers.

 

[Brad]

I would say you are fine to look at cheaper priced lower as they are of great quality. I would recommend the aero precision, PSA lowers at the moment. They are consistantly in stock for 119$ on their manufactuers website. They usually have blemished lower for around 90$ fairly consistantly as well. If your looking for a billet lower ARPartsfinder.com usually has atleast one company selling Noveske lowers for around 250$ which are of great quality as well.

 

[bkuether]

I am building my last one. Safe is full.

So far the hardest part has been the bolt catch.

Like others have said, just follow bouncing youtube video, and you too can be an expert.

After tomorrow when UPS arrives I will have all my parts. Then this weekend wifey goes away and build will finalize!!!!!

 

[tgeb]

Unless you buy an 80% be prepared to wait forever to get the lower released from the FFL....but you knew that already, I suppose.

 

[Arcamm]

Sounds like I can save a fortune and still have a good rifle. I could save enough money to buy something else. Like another lower...

 

[tgeb]

So true.

Have you read through this thread? You might find it interesting.

http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=121178

 

[Brad]

Unless you buy an 80% be prepared to wait forever to get the lower released from the FFL....but you knew that already, I suppose.

When you buy your lower just get it shipped to a FFL listed under the MD2A issues thread that shows all the FFL's doing 8 day releases. Stupid thread forced my to buy even more lowers becasue I got tired of waiting for the ones I had already bought.