Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Polymer lower

I’m just fun’n.

It just gets pretty crazy sometimes when folks start talking about knowing nothing about AR’s then building them as light and cheap as possible.

Get a good AR, enough ammo to make you cry and learn how to shoot it

Yep, spend money in ammo, I think that's true with hunting rifles as well, shoot it... a lot...!

With current prices of primers, it doesn't take much ammo to make me cry. 😥

Saw some bricks of large rifle in a gun store today - 125 bucks.

Nope! Don’t own even one of those uncomfortable ugly bastards lol.
Even less capable than a plastic 5.56. Who are you all kidding with your toys? A 9mm Glock and a plastic frame 5.56
Might as well say fisher- price on the side!

You say shtf use?
There are far more durable, reliable, accurate, powerful options. Those things are toys

Glock was designed around a polymer frame.
The AR was not.

Must have been owned by sctick, just proves some people can break anything.
Good polymer is just at tough as alloy.
One picture of a broken lower means nothing. Lol

That's where they break.
Unless it's a KABOOM then they disintegrate.

Alloy receivers are cheap.
No reason to monkey with polymer AR's

Alloy is cheap, read again

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...s/18656323/re-polymer-lower#Post18656323

No reason to monkey with cheap.

One picture of a unknown lower means nothing, TA, FMK, bushmaster?
Dont even know do ya?
Just snagged a google pic cuz you like being a dick.

How did it break numbnuts?
Dont know do ya?

Ya think you could drive over a cheap alloy lower and not break it?

You are certifiable idiot...lol

Doesn't take much to spin out your tiny brain, does it ?

As suspected, you really dont know a fookin thing.
Dumber than a post...

its GFY time.... have fun...lol

I own several polymer lowers I bought from Tennessee Arms just around the time of the 2016 election and it looked like the hilldog (hillary clintoon) was going to be elected. They actually work very well especially if you want to build a lightweight rifle.

I got a wild hair recently and dug out one of the polymer lowers from a work bench drawer and put a new Delton 16" lightweight barrel on an upper I had laying around. I don't know the weight since I don't have a scale. With the scope and the aluminum blast can on the muzzle I'm thinking a little over 7 lbs. I can only assume it is just a couple of ounces lighter than if I would of had another aluminum lower to build on. In other words, I didn't save a lot of weight using a polymer lower. It's just seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm not disappointed in the results.

The next step is to paint it some kind of fall/winter colors. I tested a load yesterday of 24 grains AA2230 and a 52 grain Speer flat based hollow point. That load looks like it has potential. This is the end result:
kwg

I think it looks pretty cool as-is, with all the mixed up colors. 👍

It's definitely a Frankengun. It has one of the Midway USA $73 drop in triggers and an Unbranded front hand guard. I bought the gas block a couple of years ago for like $14 from Midway USA and kept it in the AR junk box until I found a project for it. The gun is a bit over gassed so I had to put in an H2 buffer and an M16 BCG. Those 2 items put a damper on just how far the brass flies but they did add weight. I found the 24 grains of AA2230 and the 52 grain bullet to be dependable at the range as well as being accurate.

I'll get it back to the range here real soon and get it hot just to make sure it's dependable. I have had good luck with DelTon barrels and I picked it because of the 1 in 9 twist and the lightweight profile. Probably the heaviest bullet I will shoot is a 55 grain reload. Of course, the goal is for the gun to be accurate and dependable. The fun factor comes later.

kwg

https://www.del-ton.com/AR-15-16-Mid-Length-LW-Barrel-p/bl1088f-bo.htm

Nice rifle, I have built a couple using TA polys, Intially I thought they pretty decent, however I had some issues with the holes in the lower for the takedown pins, they were tapered and I had the pin come completely out of the lower when separating the lowers. Bit of PITA as the detent then moves into the pin hole and you have to remove the buffer assembly to fix. I ended up making bushings to fit the lower, it worked but also a PITA.

I assume you haven't had any issues with this..?

Hello John
I have not had any issues with the pins coming out or the holes elongating. I did tap the hole where the detent goes in for the rear pin with a 4x40 Allen screw. You have to cut a link or 2 off of the spring or the pin is hard to move but everything for the most part seems to stay put and is working well.

The biggest issue I have found is one of my lowers holds the buffer back from the end of the bolt carrier. This tends to put little dents all the way around the buffer from it hitting the buffer retainer pin and not coming to rest against the bolt carrier. It appears the location where the hole is, is simply drilled out of spec. I stopped using that one and have always thought I might make it into a .22 rifle.

kwg

Maybe TA fixed the problem, I had brought it to their attention. Those holes appear to be molded and not drilled, maybe they were tapered so they came out of the mold easier..? Just guessing.

I don't think it's good to have a space between the BCG and the buffer spring. However no first hand experience with that specifically, just something I recall reading when I was building these. More so with a captive spring buffer.

I have removed the retainer for the buffer as I its a PITA removing captive spring buffers with the retainer.

You got one of these? Custom full polymer gun modified by Bush Hog. Bought several to test. This one got a bit more testing than intended thanks to a pine stump hole. That threw the gun off the tractor fender gun hulder.



I cut the barrel off with a saws all, discovered the upper was cracked at the barrel nut, as normal in an airborne drop, not the buffer connection at the lower which rarely breaks compared to the BCGS- barrel extension joint area. Scope tube bent at the front ring. Popped a new upper and scope on it with new pins and it shoots 1/2 inch groups...

Sorry aluminum is the same as sorry polymer, just sorry crapola.

An original New Frontier full up polymer upper / lower set only has steel springs. So if planted correctly it might grow up one day to be a real AR. :-)

I am pretty sure TA never tested one of their lowers this way. I think I would be more upset about losing the barrel than a polymer lower. The TA lowers are relatively cheap now that the poverty pony (Anderson) lowers are so affordable.

I built mine to be lightweight and not Bush Hog proof. After thinking it over I really doubt you can grow another one simply by planting it. Bush Hog modified or not.

kwg

That's a good idea. I never thought about the captive spring buffer. Just eliminate the retainer, problem solved.

kwg

I have used these,
https://armaspec.com/ar-15-parts/buffer-springs/sound-mitigation-buffertm-smbtm-gen2-1.html

A little cheaper than the JP Enterprises, you will want to make sure when you lower the upper into place that the BCG and buffer are in contact, I have had to put a washer in the back of the buffer tube to close the gap, you probably already know this...