[BangBang]

I have never seen the benefit of buying and finishing an AR 80% lower..... because of that I have virtually zero experience doing it.

At the same time, I have a good friend who is very into making things by hand. He is a knife maker, a reloader, a home taught machinist of sorts, and a person who is not afraid to tackle anything that catches his fancy.

Anyway, he decided he wanted to make his own lower. He is not concerned about having a gun without a serial number he just wants to make it himself. We talked about it and since I don't know if I will ever want to finish one and he wants to make one for himself, wife, and son, I agreed to go halves on a good jig. We ordered a jig from J Tactical. He also ordered 3 complete AR kits from Palmetto and 3 80% aluminum lowers from I forget who.

Everything came in last week and Sunday I was off to his house to watch him finish a lower. It was an interesting learning experience. I did learn that I want no part of doing my own!

I put the pictures in an album. The pictures of the jig, some pictures of his shop, and a picture of a camp knife he is making for me. The knife blade is 8 and 1/4 inches long and the blank is from Norway.

Hope you enjoy the pictures....

http://www.taurusarmed.net/forums/members/29901-albums2761.html

Don

 

[mingaa]

Just like a haircut. Proceed carefully — you can’t put it back once it’s gone!
No shot of the finished unit?!
how about one of the guns once they are completed??!!

 

[Peacemakr40]

Hope he has a milling machine or a real low slop 2 axis cross slide vice. Just remember, take off SMALL amounts of material per pass. if you try to hog out too much material, you'll destroy the lower OR inadvertently mill it too low in the back section making it an M-16 Full auto lower (VERY VERY BAD). I had to destroy my first attempt at a lower because I milled down too far in the back and stopped machining and scrapped it.

 

[Mike_in_Ohio]

I've been wanting to do one just to say that I did. But I've also looked at the alternative. Prints are available for complete lowers, and I've really thought about making one from billet. It just depends on me getting hot and doing a couple late nights in the shop

 

[olfarhors]

Since my fellow southern Buddy Greenwolf has been doing this stuff I have considered it myself.
I mean I got a very nice dremel tool, some Super Glue and Duct tape in several colors.
I can't see any reason that I can't complete one.
PS" also currently have a nice supply of cold beer in the fridge!!
sounds like a piece of cake to me.---------:INBath2Urinal:

 

[GreenWolf70]

Actually, I have not done an 80% AR lower simply because finished ones are so cheap to purchase. The ghost Glocks are something else all together and tremendously easier to do. You can actually do them cheaper than a new Glock, if that is what you are after. With the large number of G22 and G23 LEO turn-ins in the market, it is probably the cheapest route to go. I see them in my area for $300-$325. You can change out the frames and even put the serial number of your donor pistol on the 80% one. The biggest thing is the Polymer80 frames are such a huge improvement over the Glock frames that I would not be surprised to see Glock buy out Polymer80 and put those frames on all the new Glocks. Of course, Glock is too arrogant to do that, but it would make huge business sense.

Here is one of my 80% Glocks that I often carry, and yes, I make my own holsters too. LOL, I just realized this is an old photo as I have replaced the trigger and mag release with red anodized aluminium ones.

There is a curious thing going on in California at the moment driven by the Glock Store in San Diego. You can not currently legally purchase a Glock G-43 in California, but you can legally build and own one using an 80% frame. Look around and you will find there is suddenly a shortage of G-43s on the market, that is because dealers and distributors are buying up all the G-43s, stripping out the frame and selling them as a kit. The 80% frame that the Glock Store sells is not even out in the market, yet the demand is driving this phenomenon now. If you want a cheap stripped Glock G-43 frame, the Glock Store will gladly sell you one (as long as you are not from California) because their safe is overflowing with stripped frames that must be stored as firearms by law.

 

[GreenWolf70]

Oh yea, as my buddy over in Atlanta reminds me, I finish these 80% frames Red Neck style using nippers, wire cutters, and, of course, I finish it with a Dremel. Takes me about 15 minutes to have the frame ready. I spend more time polishing the parts.

BTW, these Polymer80 frames come complete with jig, end mill, and drill bits.

 

[stupimlico]

I did an 80. It turned out great, I used a Bridgeport. I still don't have an upper to put on it yet. I'll find one eventually.

 

[olfarhors]

A little off subject --but not by to much!
so let me ponder this question then--speaking of folk lore and such!
so IF I use my reloads in a Hand made Glock and must use the weapon in self defense is the prosecutor going to hang me like 2-3 times because its hand loads and a Hand made Pistol..
you know as that surely will label you as a Natural born killer out to do no good in your life time?
KIller booletts, killer hand made gun!!!

 

[GreenWolf70]

No, I asked our local police chief just that question and he said as long as the shooting is justified, it really does not matter what bullets or gun you use. However, no matter what king of gun you use it will go into the evidence locker for at least 6 months.

 

[olfarhors]

Don't you watch the news??
no shooting is justified, especially if its by the Cops!!
all guns need to be confiscated and destroyed, nothing but savages and war mongers want guns!!

 

[GreenWolf70]

But, but, but....Judge he just needed killing and he was a UT fan to boot.