[threevo716]

Guess this is as good as any first post I can come up with.

Long story short, in the process of putting together my first AR build. I have purchased most parts for the gun, minus the lower reciever. I see a pretty wide variation in pricing from as low as $50, to as much as $200, minus the custom logoed ones and specialty engraving.

What makes the difference in price? Is the quality that much higher on the more expensive parts or on a reciever is it negligable? Im always one to believe you get what you pay for and another $50-100 isnt going to kill me, but if it doesnt matter id rather spend the cash on more ammo or accessories.

Thanks in Advance...

 

[bpipe95]

I always try to stay with the same brand of upper and lower. That said I only use Stag or Mega receivers now, I have seen way to many problems with re-branded receivers aka the name on the side of the receiver is not who actually made it.

Lots of people don't care and sometimes problems can pop up.

What brand is your upper?

 

[threevo716]

https://www.bravocompanyusa.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BCM-URG-MID-14-BFH

With perm attached FSC556

 

[BUCKrub91]

Spikes tactical, bcm, Palmetto state armory

 

[bpipe95]

https://www.bravocompanyusa.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BCM-URG-MID-14-BFH

With perm attached FSC556

If It were me, I would find a BCM lower, regular or blem and keep it all the same brand. This will also keep the value of the gun higher.

 

[cgrutt]

First off, welcome to the forum.

As far as price variations go, there are a number of reasons including:

How its made (forged vs cut from billet);
What its made of (Aluminum, polymer, etc);
Hardness of materials used (I think T6065, T6075 in case of aluminum);
Whether its Mil spec or commercial spec;
How its finished (hard anodized, painted, etc);
And of course brand

I'm sure other distinctions are out there. You should be fine sticking with a standard forged mil spec receiver from a reputable manufacturer. Believe these are currently running in the $100 - $150 range. I do agree with trying to keep the upper and lower same brand but in theory anyway, mil spec is mil spec and you will still encounter slight variations in tolerances even within the same brand.

As a side note I just ordered a STAG stripped upper directly from STAG and it fit my STAG lower reasonably well however, there were no markings on the upper (as far as I could tell) that shows the upper was in fact a STAG (assuming it is since I bought it from them) and I had to file the ears on the lower to get the trigger guard to fit properly. The same trigger guard fit fine on my AST lower.

Good luck.

 

[bpipe95]

Stag makes receivers in house. They are not a re-brander.

CMT, stags parent/sister company makes receivers for a large number of quality brands BCM and Colt being two.

 

[threevo716]

I may have to go that route because it looks like its hard to find a BCM lower without overpaying right now. They are out of stock on their BCGs as well so ill just kill 2 birds with one stone

 

[Tifosi]

Each have thier own spec regardless of them coming out of the same forging factory to include material, dimensional and physical shape before you even get to differences in finish machining and coatings.

One is most definitely not just a differently marked copy of another.

To say that they are the same because they came out of the same factory is like saying an escort is the same as a mustang or grand marquis for the same reason

 

[Weylund]

A complete BCM blemished lower (minus stock, although that can be added) can be found here:

BCM Blemished Lower at G and R Tactical

Dunno if that's overpaying, but it's comparable in price to other complete lowers I've seen around. Last I heard from Grant, they're in stock (usually it'll say Out of Stock if he's out, he's good about that).

Edit: Also, BCM has their BCGs in stock.

http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-...Auto-M16-p/bcm bolt carrier group auto mp.htm

Got mine in 2 days.

Second edit: Sorry! You're looking for a stripped lower. The blemished BCM lowers are still a great deal, as long as that's something you can make use of.

 

[warner41]

BCM won't ship lowers to NYS or several other PITA states. There are anly a handful of factories that actually forge the lower receivers for everybody then the company (Stag, RRA, Spike's, BCM, etc.) either finish it in house or have it finished by a third party finishing company to spec. Here is a list from several years ago, some are no longer in business but you get the point.

I have been very happy with the finish quality of: Spike's and Rifle Gear. I would love to get some BCM lowers but they do not like us here in NY.

Lewis Machine & Tool

• LMT
• Lauer
• DS Arms
• PWA
• Eagle
• Armalite
• Knights Armament
• Barrett

Continental Machine Tool

• Stag
• Rock River Arms
• High Standard
• Noveske
• Century (New)
• Global Tactical
• CLE
• S&W
• MGI
• Wilson Tactical
• Grenadier Precision
• Colt

LAR Manufacturing

• LAR
• Bushmaster
• Ameetec
• DPMS
• CMMG
• Double Star
• Fulton Armory
• Spike's Tactical

JVP

• Double Star
• LRB
• Charles Daly

Mega Machine Shop

• Mega
• GSE
• Dalphon
• POF
• Alexander Arms

Olympic

• Olympic
• SGW
• Tromix
• Palmetto
• Dalphon
• Frankford
• Century (Old)

Sun Devil

• Sun Devil forged billet receivers

Superior

• Superior Arms
• Lauer (New)

Aero Precision

• Aero Precision

 

[Weylund]

AFAIK G&R Tactical (the store that has the blemished BCM lowers) will ship to NY. You can check with the owner - they have a contact email link on their website that he actually answers pretty quickly. The complete lower comes without stock, which may (depending on where you are) reduce legal worries.

 

[warner41]

AFAIK G&R Tactical (the store that has the blemished BCM lowers) will ship to NY. You can check with the owner - they have a contact email link on their website that he actually answers pretty quickly. The complete lower comes without stock, which may (depending on where you are) reduce legal worries.

Nice, I wish G&R had stripped BCM lowers. I wish Paul would lift the NY restriction for lowers because I would order a pile of them.

 

[Tifosi]

PSA has stripped lowers and blem stripped lowers on hand right now.
Dunno about the new stock stuff but the last few generations of pictogram lowers were aero precision forged.

Easy enough to spot: thier as the s# start with AP (tyis was confirmed by PSA some time back somewhere I can't ut my finger on at the moment) while the ones from thier other source have different prefix.
Something W IIRC.

One is high shelf, the other low and there are subtle differences around the receiver extension area among other things.

Surprised to hear about G&R and NY.
Never heard Grant mention it or for that matter anyone else til this moment actually

 

[Weylund]

I'm confirming with Grant now.

 

[warner41]

According to Weylund G&R will ship to NY. I have no experience with G&R. If you order directly from BCM they won't ship lowers to NY, CT, NY, MA, or CA.

 

[Tifosi]

G&R is a great business IMO.
Might not always agree with pricing, but everything else is unparalleled by too many home owned businesses these days.

 

[Weylund]

Yep, Grant confirmed he'll ship to NY. He's still got complete lowers in stock at the link I provided above.

Grant seems to have about as much stock on hand as anybody else, but he does seem to get regular shipments of complete (less stock) BCM blemished lowers, each of which is a pretty fantastic value at $285. I'd give his site a browse if you're in the market for components.

 

[Tifosi]

He seems to be able to get Colts fairly regular too and doesn't get absorbitant with his markup
(he had some for sub~$1k last time they were in stock IIRC)

 

[Weylund]

Yep - doesn't seem to mark up horribly. He doesn't always have all of the options (he doesn't offer the full range of brake options for 14.5" Bravo middies that Bravo does, for instance) but he's quick, he keeps track of his stock and doesn't "sell" things he doesn't have in stock*, and is happy to answer questions if you have them. Even dumb questions, a few of which I've had the privilege of asking him.

* = i.e. charging you money for something he may not have in for, say, 4-6 months, without telling you he actually doesn't have it, or when he'll get one.