Building a 80% AR

[DavidH]

I thought that on 80% lowers you drilled out the hammer & trigger pins. Even if the 80% is anodized, the drilled holes will not be. Will this result in these holes being too soft and opening up/egging over time?

No* not in your lifetime. At least not with 7075*.which is why I use them. I*ve used 80% Lowers for several years now, and none of mine have loose pin holes. And I actually do remove & reinstall the triggers frequently & the pins are still tight in all my Lowers. Perhaps with 6061, but you*d need to remove & install those pins a hell of a lot! Don*t really know.. I don*t use 6061 lowers.

[DavidH]

LOL! I do enjoy the rhetoric from those who don’t actually do something, but somehow know all about holes egging out without the “Hardcoat”… you mean the Anodizing? LOL! Oh yeah… sure.. type III haaaardceote! Gives the “Aluminium” (as the Limy’s would say!), all kinds of super hard, untouchable surface strength! LOL! Fine.. Anodize the Lower after if it’s so important. Hard Anodizing is not difficult. Watch a video & learn how to do it in 20 minutes.. or don’t. I don’t worry about it. In the past, I simply used Aluminum black, which is just Acid etch. Now I Cerakote the portions I machine.

In the end, yes, it’s more expensive (to start), more time consuming and the product is not perfectly uniform LOOKING, (esthetics only, function is the same if done correctly). I only recommend people use 80% Lowers who are of my own mindset. DIY’ers. Those who like DOING themselves. And really only those who are planning several. If you simply want ONE, it’s highly cost IN-effective! Also, I already had most of the tooling. Mill, drills, bits. Only the jig was extra for me, but again, more than one and it’s cost becomes cost effective. Especially since I use Billet 80% Lowers. Look at the prices on 100% Billet Lowers! I build ALL my own firearms because I enjoy it. It’s something I’m still able to do even being disabled and in pain every day. Like anything, ya do it enough & one becomes very good at it.

When I was younger I enjoyed building my own cars as well. Building the engine. Mapping out & choosing the correct Turbocharger & supporting mods. Installing it all & tuning it correctly. Some people like buying a fast car. Or dropping it off at a speed shop & paying others to build their car. Not me.

[cdi]

Didn’t mean the call or the check itself. Just the Forms, what the FFL is responsible for.
Pistol: TWO forms to fill out.
Rifle/Shotgun: ONE form to fill out.

AR Lower: TWO forms to fill out like buying a pistol.

A stripped lower requires a 4473, and what other form?

[DavidH]

A stripped lower requires a 4473, and what other form?

Application to purchase. Form SP 4-113 This is PA we are talking about. That*s why I corrected my statement.

[cdi]

That is incorrect. Here in Pa. a bare lower is transferred using a 4473 only.

[cdi]

Congratulations on your recent “build” though. My understanding is you built it… single-handedly.

[arjohnson]

Application to purchase. Form SP 4-113 This is PA we are talking about. That*s why I corrected my statement.

Wrong again, 4473 is all you fill out for a stripped or complete lower. Neither is considered a pistol or rifle until a complete barreled upper is attached.

[arjohnson]

That is incorrect. Here in Pa. a bare lower is transferred using a 4473 only.

Must spread the rep.

[Emptymag]

Form SP 4-113
https://www.psp.pa.gov/firearms-info...ns-10-2008.pdf

"THIS FORM IS REQUIRED FOR HANDGUNS ONLY!"

[DavidH]

Congratulations on your recent *build* though. My understanding is you built it* single-handedly.

LOL! You are correct partner!

Maybe it was changed in recent years, or could be just certain FFL*s do it as a CYA. I*ve used only 80% Lowers since like 2015 or so. Before that though, I purchased more than a few & was also in the business from 2008 for some years. And every one I purchased myself, or sold as an FFL had to have the SP 4-113. But I realize it*s not Federal, just a PA form. My apologies.