Anyone here into firearms?

MacCool

I have seen so many polymer lowers break that I am confident in predicting that you are destined for heartaches and headaches. I cannot recommend against them strongly enough.

SouthArk370Z

Any idea as to why that is? Glock and others seem to have had good luck with polymers. Higher stress from a rifle cartridge? Poor manufacturing?

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MacCool

Both, IMHO. I've seen lowers from Plum Crazy, S&W, New Frontier, and RRA. I think there are only those that have cracked, and those that are soon going to crack. They break at the takedown pin holes, the FCG mounting holes, and where the receiver extension screws in. I think it's a combination of the higher-pressure cartridge with the torque stresses of a rifle as well as poor manufacturing and lousy quality control. Only exception (so far) seems to be the M&P 15-22. I haven't seen one of those go down yet.

SouthArk370Z

Thanks for the response. I have an AR15 that I picked up back in the '80s and have been thinking about upgrading it (I'd love to get rid of the handle). Looks like plastic isn't much of an upgrade.

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SmoothZ

That's very discouraging. I'm wondering why they even make them if it's such a problem. Like I stated, I read good and bad things about this one. Seeing that this will be my first, I'll see how it goes. I can always order a different lower in the future if I'm not happy with this one.

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wackjum

It's the design. Glock and other polymer handguns have completely integrated designs where nothing is being screwed into the polymer. The only high stress part are the frame rails and on Glocks, metal rails are cast into the polymer.

The only polymer AR lower I found to be capable of "real" usage is the now defunct Cavalry Arms that had the integrated pistol grip and buttstock. With no metal being screwed into plastic, it is very durable and one of my favorite ARs due to its lightness. But one drawback of the Cav Arms lower is the non-adjustable length of pull and fat grip.

tvfreakazoid

That sucks. I just bought one from Ares armor.
I haven't milled it out yet.
What they should is have metal surround the weak point of the lower. That would strengthen it.

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