Budget AR build polymer lower fits?

[markf87]

I am looking to build an AR budget plinker (ak is the go to gun)
I've decided on a New Frontier Armory receiver ($50 stripped/shipped)
here's the question. I want cheap but I want something that will actually work together since the lower is polymer like the plum crazy I hear there is problems with the polymer trigger groups.

What would actually work together?: Here are my options I don't want opinions on what receiver is better
this is what I want to pay and this is what I'm working with

Basically is it worth the extra $20/30 to go with metal internals. What is the significant difference
I see the youtube videos with the lower on a .450 bushmaster upper working fine

Buying a complete barreled upper with lower parts kit including stock and grip $470 ish

Buying a complete barreled upper from del ton or similar about $400 +
Buying a lower parts kit DPMS or similar $60 ish to add to the stripped lower

or just buying the complete lower from New Frontier with all the parts in it and take a chance?

[FLICK]

You saw this thread?? Had a few problems....

http://forum.pafoa.org/rifles-42/173...r-updated.html

My advise on lowers? Wait for the PSA lower sale and get a metal one for cheap and have a quality piece you don't have to guess about. I think that run around $60 for a stripped aluminum mil-spec lower when they have a sale.....

Why do I always say go metal with a lower?? Well, maybe down the road you want a 5.56 or 6.8 or whatever upper and don't want a plastic lower for a gun that will be doing actual "work."

[Franky4Fingers]

Well, maybe down the road you want a 5.56 or 6.8 or whatever upper and don't want a plastic lower for a gun that will be doing actual "work."

With all due respect....to me, I see nothing but prejudice here. What makes you think the plastic lower can't handle it? As stated by the OP he saw the big bore AR handling just fine. I saw that video too...its from new frontier, I believe.

People said the same thing to Glock too...and they are some of the best guns in the business. Now everyone copies a poly lower for handguns. I can't see how AR's are any different. Now, if you had something to back your claims up, that would be different. I had problems with my sticking and what not, but It was from metal debris from cheap ammo. It has since been cleared up with no issues.

I had people who are sold on plastic lowers criticize my choice for a plastic upper. They said, oh I dont know, the lower is one thing, but the upper? Its like we have to go through this every time. Some people say about having 50,000 PSI in a plastic upper, blah blah blah. Its like, yeah....if combustion actually took place in the upper I'd agree. Aluminum wouldn't even be good for that, it would have to be steel. But the combustion takes place in the chamber and the chamber, barrel, and BCG are all steel. The upper is just the sleever that it slides in.

I love my 5 lb. gun and I'm happy I built it. I say to the OP...go for it. Whats the worst that could happen? If if it did fail, you take all of the parts off it and get a aluminum one and your only out the stripped lower, thats it. Its worth the risk.

also note, I'm not saying these things are flawless and they don't have issues. They might. But all of my research and personal experience show them to be good viable parts ( so far) and theres no reason to condem them just because we might 'think" they are no good. I have to admit, when I saw the plastic hammer in my gun im like, WTF?!?! But I said, if they put it in there, it must work. And it works just fine. Its not marked up or anything.

[markf87]

So what do you think DPMS sportical flat top upper $389 shipped + $100 complete polymer lower the only thing it lacks which is something I'm pretty sure I want is the forward assist and dust cover shell deflector
I just want a sub $500 rifle I know it can be done that's the only reason why I want to buy this

[Franky4Fingers]

Yeah I had the DMPS sportical uppper.....I immediately dissembled it. They con you on that slickside upper. THe thing is actually twice as thick as a standard upper. They make it appear all lightweight with the slim profile barrel and aluminum low profile gas block and flat top....but when shes got twice the beef on her.......not so much.

Now, if you take the stripped upper off and put on a poly uppper. Thats a different story. Its paperweight.

this is what I have.

http://akpartskits.com/cart/index.ph...roducts_id=175

[FLICK]

With all due respect....to me, I see nothing but prejudice here. What makes you think the plastic lower can't handle it? As stated by the OP he saw the big bore AR handling just fine. I saw that video too...its from new frontier, I believe.

<snip>

I had people who are sold on plastic lowers criticize my choice for a plastic upper. They said, oh I dont know, the lower is one thing, but the upper? Its like we have to go through this every time. Some people say about having 50,000 PSI in a plastic upper, blah blah blah. Its like, yeah....if combustion actually took place in the upper I'd agree. Aluminum wouldn't even be good for that, it would have to be steel. But the combustion takes place in the chamber and the chamber, barrel, and BCG are all steel. The upper is just the sleever that it slides in.

<snip>

also note, I'm not saying these things are flawless and they don't have issues. They might. But all of my research and personal experience show them to be good viable parts ( so far) and theres no reason to condem them just because we might 'think" they are no good. I have to admit, when I saw the plastic hammer in my gun im like, WTF?!?! But I said, if they put it in there, it must work. And it works just fine. Its not marked up or anything.

I'm not criticizing your choice in a plastic lower; you outlined your wants, needs, likes, and dislikes very well in your thread about your gun. I'm not shitting all over plastic lowers in general, nor am I condemning them. But, in my opinion, I would choose an aluminum lower for an AR style rifle and I offered that opinion to the OP and urge him to make the best decision that is right for him. I'm not into pissing matches on the internet any more and wish you both luck with your polymer lowers (if the OP goes that way).

The last time I saw PSA had aluminum lowers on sale for $49 or $59 dollars. For the same money (the OP mentioned cost in his post), I would choose an aluminum lower over a plastic one every time (again, my opinion).

[Franky4Fingers]

I'm not criticizing your choice in a plastic lower; you outlined your wants, needs, likes, and dislikes very well in your thread about your gun. I'm not shitting all over plastic lowers in general, nor am I condemning them. But, in my opinion, I would choose an aluminum lower for an AR style rifle and I offered that opinion to the OP and urge him to make the best decision that is right for him. I'm not into pissing matches on the internet any more and wish you both luck with your polymer lowers (if the OP goes that way).

The last time I saw PSA had aluminum lowers on sale for $49 or $59 dollars. For the same money (the OP mentioned cost in his post), I would choose an aluminum lower over a plastic one every time (again, my opinion).

Alright, well. I'm not criticizing anyone whom of which wants to go with proven reliable methods either. It would be silly to do otherwise but if you go and read your exact quote, about how if you want to use a rifle to do actual work....that to me sounds like your implying these guns are toys or something and they arne't capable of handling a decent load. That sounds like not only a crticizm, but an implication that these are junk. And if you have good reason to believe that they are, thats fine. I'll accept it. I'd be a fool not to.

You need to learn how to properly verbalize your thoughts. If you say one thing and mean another, people can't read your mind. All we have to go on are your words. If you say you don't like pizza, I'm going to have to take your word for it. But then later you say, well I like pizza, just not with pepperoni and since almost all pizza has pepperoni, I just say I don't like pizza.

Think what you want to say, and say it. I think your prejudice agasint poly lowers and thus far, you haven't convinced me in anything you said to think otherwise. And honestly, all I'm looking for is some honesty. I will respect that more if you just came out and said, you know what, I hate poly lowers. No I don't have a reason, I just don't like them. Other than trying to dance around the bush about it.

[17nut]

Here is my take on Polymer Lowers. I own a Plum crazy and never had 1 issue with it. Its what started me in AR's. Polymer lowers seem like hipoints to me everyone says they hear horror stories but never back them up with proof. There is one set of pics of a broken Plum Crazy but it looks more like the castle nut being overtighted than a failure while shooting. Mine works great. Its not my only lower I have 2 others as well. I will also say if PSA lowers are as good as everyone says than its hard to beat them. I bought a LPK from them and some other stuff and love it. When the PSA lowers go on sale again I plan on getting 2. My Plum Crazy was used with a 5.56 upper never a issue. I have shot probally 500 rounds out of it without incident. Again my opinion is people who have own them dont have much problems with them. People who have opinions on them have issues with them.

[FLICK]

Alright, well. I'm not criticizing anyone whom of which wants to go with proven reliable methods either. It would be silly to do otherwise but if you go and read your exact quote, about how if you want to use a rifle to do actual work....that to me sounds like your implying these guns are toys or something and they arne't capable of handling a decent load. That sounds like not only a crticizm, but an implication that these are junk. And if you have good reason to believe that they are, thats fine. I'll accept it. I'd be a fool not to.

You need to learn how to properly verbalize your thoughts. If you say one thing and mean another, people can't read your mind. All we have to go on are your words. If you say you don't like pizza, I'm going to have to take your word for it. But then later you say, well I like pizza, just not with pepperoni and since almost all pizza has pepperoni, I just say I don't like pizza.

Think what you want to say, and say it. I think your prejudice agasint poly lowers and thus far, you haven't convinced me in anything you said to think otherwise. And honestly, all I'm looking for is some honesty. I will respect that more if you just came out and said, you know what, I hate poly lowers. No I don't have a reason, I just don't like them. Other than trying to dance around the bush about it.

I read your replies in your thread, as well as the other two (recent) ongoing threads about polymer lowers. I can tell your emotionally invested in each of these discussions. I will be leaving the conversation now.....

Sorry, OP, for cluttering up your thread.....

Good luck with your polymer lower (you don't have to read between the lines in my posts)....

[Franky4Fingers]

I'm emotionally invested any time I render my opinion in. Otherwise, I wouldn't give it.

I'm just looking for a little bit of intelligent conversation. If someone says something, I expect them to back it up.


If your going off of my problems, you didn't read very well, or didn't read all of the post. Go back from the beginning and read it straight through. Perhaps your view will change. You can clearly see my thread isn't a complaint bashing them...its more of a "WTF?" inquisitive statement mixed with a progressive review-style report investigation. I read nothing but good stuff from these poly's and yet I had a problem with them. I knew something had to be up. And if you read along, you'll see I resolved it. Best I can figure, pieces of the damaged ammo flaked off and jammed up the works. On top of that steel dust scraped from the ammos casings didnt help either. The bolts seem to dry up faster on steel ammo because the powder is dirty. (on gas impingement systems)

You can't blame a gun for not working right because bits of broken metal were jammed in its finely machined parts.

And I don't think anything needs to be apologized to the OP. He wanted opinions.....he's getting them.