Building a 80% AR

[MMH]

When the gun is fired, force is applied to the hammer and trigger pins through bolt carrier movement.
It pays to have a lower with hard coat anodizing to keep hammer and trigger pin holes round for a long period of time.
I*ve never seen takedown pin holes get egged out on a well made lower.
And as far as I*m aware all pics checks called into the Pa. State Police by an ffl are processed the same way wether pistol, rifle or receiver.

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?

[cdi]

Hard coated or not, ALL the trigger and hammer holes will become egg shaped over time. Receivers have a life span but most of us couldn*t afford to shoot one long enough to wear it out.

When completing an 80%, if you leave the holes as drilled without a hard coat finish, they will go out of round much faster. You would be better served by buying a decent stripped lower. They*re cheap for now and there*s millions of them in circulation.

There*s times when an 80% might be desirable for a totally custom project. Most of the 80% I have seen were done on a drill press or with a Dremel, have mislocated holes and look like ass. Not to mention the function issues.

[MMH]

Hard coated or not, ALL the trigger and hammer holes will become egg shaped over time. Receivers have a life span but most of us couldn*t afford to shoot one long enough to wear it out.

When completing an 80%, if you leave the holes as drilled without a hard coat finish, they will go out of round much faster. You would be better served by buying a decent stripped lower. They*re cheap for now and there*s millions of them in circulation.

There*s times when an 80% might be desirable for a totally custom project. Most of the 80% I have seen were done on a drill press or with a Dremel, have mislocated holes and look like ass. Not to mention the function issues.

I would finish my 80% in a milling machine. Maybe machine holes oversize & press in a bushing then drill. Beginning to sound like too much work.

Just would be nice to stay off of ATF records. Not doing anything illegal, nefarious, etc. Just believe that ATF & fed. govt. not on side of Christians, conservatives, straight people, gun owners, etc. Yes, I am paranoid...

[Emptymag]

Buy a stripped lower FTF.
Done.
No paperwork.
No paper trail.
No drilling.

It may take longer to find one because some people won't sell without an FFL transfer, but if you keep an eye out, it can be done. Legally.

Build a pistol or rifle - your choice, but as already mentioned, if you build it into a rifle first, a rifle it must remain forever. (unless you choose to submit paperwork to SBR it)

Edit: if you plan to build a pistol, the lower you buy FTF has to be a virgin lower. You can't legally purchase a stripped lower from someone who had previously (first) configured it or purchased it as a rifle.
Dumb? Yes, but you gots to play by the rules.

[ExFlyinguy]

I would finish my 80% in a milling machine. Maybe machine holes oversize & press in a bushing then drill. Beginning to sound like too much work.

Just would be nice to stay off of ATF records. Not doing anything illegal, nefarious, etc. Just believe that ATF & fed. govt. not on side of Christians, conservatives, straight people, gun owners, etc. Yes, I am paranoid...

Not to underplay the cost of an 80% lower + jig and tools, I wouldn't get too worked up about anodizing and pin holes. Do some cerekote or duracote, and invest in some anti-rotation/anti-walk pins and I think you'll be good to go.

Some folks think they need to be ready to deploy to asscrackistan and that's fine, but I don't think it is absolutely necessary for someone that just wants what you want. I include myself & my build in your description.

[Emptymag]

Not to underplay the cost of an 80% lower + jig and tools, I wouldn't get too worked up about anodizing and pin holes. Do some cerekote or duracote, and invest in some anti-rotation/anti-walk pins and I think you'll be good to go.

Some folks think they need to be ready to deploy to asscrackistan and that's fine, but I don't think it is absolutely necessary for someone that just wants what you want. I include myself & my build in your description.

I've reported you to the authorities at arfcom.

[MMH]

Not to underplay the cost of an 80% lower + jig and tools, I wouldn't get too worked up about anodizing and pin holes. Do some cerekote or duracote, and invest in some anti-rotation/anti-walk pins and I think you'll be good to go.

Thank you. Awesome reply. We understand each other.

[cdi]

As you wish. I*m just throwing my two cents in. A bushing might extend hole life but a bushing is subject to the same forces. It would have to be a pretty big bushing to be effective.

And cerecote will not do anything to help hole life. Duracote is pretty much floor paint. There*s tons of stripped lowers around making it cost effective.

[ExFlyinguy]

As you wish. I*m just throwing my two cents in. A bushing might extend hole life but a bushing is subject to the same forces. It would have to be a pretty big bushing to be effective.

And cerecote will not do anything to help hole life. Duracote is pretty much floor paint. There*s tons of stripped lowers around making it cost effective.

Sometimes it's simply about saying F.U. to the man. I had no logical reason to spend what I did on a lower + jig + router + bits.

EmptyMag is 100% spot on. Find someone selling a complete 100% lower FTF and skip the work.

I'm not patient or diligent enough to scour the classifieds waiting for such an opportunity to appear 200 miles from me. There was satisfaction to be had by me at having the UPS or USPS deliver shit right to my door. A firearm that I completely assembled and if weren't for me blabbing about it here, or showing it to my friends anyone would ever know about...

Regarding the duracoat/cerekote comment I didn't mean to imply that such a finish would add longevity to the pin holes. I just assumed we were talking about a raw aluminum lower that might need something even if for cosmetic reasons.

[DavidH]

When the gun is fired, force is applied to the hammer and trigger pins through bolt carrier movement.
It pays to have a lower with hard coat anodizing to keep hammer and trigger pin holes round for a long period of time.
I*ve never seen takedown pin holes get egged out on a well made lower.
And as far as I*m aware all pics checks called into the Pa. State Police by an ffl are processed the same way wether pistol, rifle or receiver.

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.