A billet 6061 receiver is probably 95% as strong as a forged DPMS receiver. It is probably 5X as strong as it NEEDS to be. That is my point. Have you ever heard of a billet lower blowing up? Never happened. They make them out of plastic and they are safe. Billet 6061 is many times better. You get better fit, finish and aesthetics with a billet lower than with a forged one.
Preferring a DPMS lower over a high end billet lower is like preferring a Savage over a BAT. Wby mark V actions are supposed to be the strongest, do you ever see competitive accurate rifles built on them? NO!
If someone starts building a lower of titanium, are you going to build on it because it's better? It will cost $1000 just for the lower and it will be stronger but it won't be any better. That's why nobody will build it except to satisfy a handful of nut-jobs with more money than sense.
DPMS uses 7000 series aluminum because they can build a lower CHEAPER! Remington uses CM tubing because they can build an action cheaper. Remington uses tubing to build their bolts and solders the three pieces together because it's CHEAPER and good enough. BAT, Stiller, Pierce et al make the actions out of a BILLET of CM steel or stainless because it is BETTER. It is quite a bit more expensive, however.
The most accurate and coveted barrels are hand made one at a time, mostly cut rifled. There isn't a gun factory left that makes cut rifled barrels. They use methods that are production efficient. Most of the bigger makers use hammer forged barrels. They can make a hammer barrel in 60 seconds, a button barrel in about 20 minutes and a cut rifled barrel in 3 hours. The hammer forged is 'good enough' so that is what they use.
I am going to use my POF action because is is precisely made, looks good, is 5X stronger than it needs to be and will make a better rifle than a cheap forging from a huge company.
I can buy a barrel from DPMS for $299 retail. A barrel from Krieger or Satern will cost me $450-$500. Which is better? I submit that the two cut-rifled, hand made barrels are better. Since I am not trying to build a Bench Rest rifle, I will use the DPMS barrel because it is cheaper and certainly 'good enough' for my purposes.
