Polymer80 AR-15 Questions

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  • hodgepodge

    Senior Member (Gold)
    Sep 3, 2009
    10,081
    Arnold, MD
    OK, I've built several Polymer80 Glock pistol kits. Easy-peasy.

    Looking at the AR-15 lower kits and videos. How hard are they? How good are they?

    My drill press skills are fair. My milling skills on a drill press hope to be fair. Do I need the slide vise?

    Anything else I need to know? Thanks.
     

    davsco

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 21, 2010
    8,605
    Loudoun, VA
    haven't done a poly80 AR build, but have done some 80percentarms AR's. the jig is high quality. if you have a router and a drill press it is pretty easy.
     

    Pensfaninmd

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 28, 2010
    1,026
    Harford County
    Hodgepodge, I am in the same boat as you. I want to do my ar15 while I’m quarantined nut lack the drill press. I’m considering using my Drexel and a vice. Has anyone tried that? I have a few so if I ruin one I will still have one left...
     

    hodgepodge

    Senior Member (Gold)
    Sep 3, 2009
    10,081
    Arnold, MD
    Hodgepodge, I am in the same boat as you. I want to do my ar15 while I’m quarantined nut lack the drill press. I’m considering using my Drexel and a vice. Has anyone tried that? I have a few so if I ruin one I will still have one left...

    The first one is always considered a trial. If it works out, BONUS.
     

    GuitarmanNick

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 9, 2017
    2,221
    Laurel
    They can be done with a drill press and a Dremel using any vise that you can bolt to the press plate. Make sure that the vise hold the jig securely and that it is tall enough to keep the top of the jig from moving when you drill the holes.

    I was gifted one of these and completed it only to find that it would not accept an upper because the pivot and take down holes were too far apart. Upon contacting Polymer80, I was told to send them a picture of the frame cut in half and they would send a replacement. Upon completing it, I attached it to an 9mm upper and had a working firearm.

    As for difficulty level: Easy for most with basic mechanical skills.

    As for how good they are: This is a difficult question. They will work the same as any aluminum AR but they will not hold up as well in adverse conditions. Some have complained of the pins wearing material over time so anti-rotate pins are recommended to avoid that issue. I guarantee that it will not tolerate a 9mm out of battery detonation like an aluminum lower. My polymer80 lower is now a paper weight because the magazine well split apart when a round went off while slightly out of battery. I do not recommend them for any build for pistol caliber weapons using bolts that do not have locking lugs.
     

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