AR Lowers: Good and bad?

[Walter45Auto]

I'd like to save up for an AR Lower or 2 (I'd save up for 3 or 4 if I could.). I'd like to know what brands you prefer. And more importantly, what brands do I need to stay away from.

[ellis4538]

Michael had something about them on one of his last DR Podcasts.  He mentioned DPMS @ $125 which is about the going price in my area.  Don't have anyplace to shoot an AR but am looking at a lower anyway for a future build (hopefully).  Don't know much about other brands.

Hope this helps,

Richard

[.45]

for a stripped lower...they are all about the same.  I would go with Stag for $115 http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=328

For a complete lower i would go with the standard LMT for $330

[DDMac]

FWIW guys, I just saw an ad from SRT Supply Direct, in Clearwater, near Hazcat in Florida, for a DPMS, Panther Lite 16, AR-15 complete for $690.00.
 Will you be able to build one for less at some point in the future? I'm a Bushmaster fan, but certainly not an AR expert. Have had a Colt, Olympic Arms and Bushmaster. All the same to me.      

Mac.

[Big Frank]

I love my Colt. I've probably had it over 15 years and it's been very good. My other one is a DPMS that I've barely shot. It looks good.

[Sponsor]

[Walter45Auto]

People were buying them up at the Gun Show today. If I had the money I'd have too. And there were plenty of vendors out there ready to sell them, let me tell you. The DPMS's were going for $209 to $239 most tables. A few had them for $119, and I think I saw one or 2 for $109. Saw a no-name one for $90. Most of the Rock River Arms lowers weren't priced bad either. When I get one I may get an assembled one instead of stripped, but I don't know yet.

[m25operator]

There are many good lower receivers, I like DPMS, but Colt, Bushy, Stag, etc... are very good also and probably made in the same facility, stay away from essential arms, or nessards, unless you are a competent gunsmith, with no money but a huge desire to build an AR.

[Big Frank]

I heard that Stag makes some of the other brands. Supposed to be very good. Only game in town for lefties too. Saw a DMPS rifle with a good forged lower and extruded upper. Extrusions are what you get from a pasta maker or a Play-Doh fun factory. Not for me.

[.45]

CMT makes Stag and quite a few other brands.  Here is a thread that shows who makes what.  http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=12&t=318113

As with everything else you get what you pay for.  I would rather spend a little more upfront and have a lower built to a standard.  When companies cut corners by not using mil-spec receiver extensions or not staking the castle nut...it makes me wonder what other corners they cut.  For a plinker this probably doesn't matter, but for something you might have to depend on someday it does...at least for me.
my $.02

Good Luck!

[Pathfinder]

Survivalblog.com http://www.survivalblog.com/ had an interesting discussion on this topic. This is Rawles' response to the idea of keeping lowers to barter after a new Rat gun ban -

"When the US Congress passed the so-called "assault weapon" ban (circa 1994-to-2004), the BATF came out with an edict that stripped receivers that had been made before the ban, but that were assembled into completed rifles after the ban would not be legal build in a pre-ban configuration. So that nixes your low-cost "hedging on potential legislation" investment idea. If you are worried about a Democrat in the White House and the advent of a new ban, then I think that investing in full capacity magazines is a far better investment. You will probably triple or quadruple your money."

TEOTWAWKI, however, is a whole different matter.