Really??? Poly AR lowers now????

This is my AR with an ATI poly lower. like C77 said its a tight fit and in mine its with the rear take down pin. its got about 5-6 hundred rounds through it and its still strong. some guys said the buffer tube area cracked right off but im not abusing this rifle. armalite 2 stage NM fit in perfectly. only issue i have is it doesnt like pmags gen 2&3. and USGI mags need to be pulled out as they stick to the mag well.

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When the buffer bottom to the end of the buffer tube, the lower receiver at the buffer extension got the stress.

The cavalry arms lower is molded with the stock integrated. This gives it much more material near the thin spot.

Also, "polymer" is a pretty generic term. There are many different "polymers" out there. There are also different types of "fills" and formula to create different mechanical characteristics.
 
Armedsask said:
Forget polymer AR15 lowers, did you guys hear about these new guns that use smokeless powder?
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I didn't full on LOL but I chortled.


My only experience with polymer lowers was a borrowed one at a 3-gun match where I shot terribly, having spent the entire previous couple of years using a VZ, then not shooting anything at all for about six months. Total mess. Botched something badly on every stage. Think I came in nearly last.

Anyway adding to my frustration was the fact that in the wet, sandy conditions, PMags were sticking in the magwell. I found the softer material really let the sand wedge in and gum stuff up.

I wouldn't use one as a "hard use" gun but a Cavarms lower on a competition gun...maybe, in the summer.
 
mmattockx said:
Well, that would be because the ACR was designed with polymer in mind from the start, using its properties correctly. Making a polymer AR lower is different because it was designed and sized for aluminum and polymers are not the same at all in terms of material strength and properties. I don't know if a polymer AR lower is a good idea or not, but things seldom work correctly when you simply substitute one material in place of another very different material.


Mark
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Freakin engineers .... always gotta be so negative.
 
Cowboy7 said:
Save negligible weight, become phantom of the opera in the event of a kB. Not my idea of a sweet deal, but to each his own.
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Agree that it's probably not enough weight savings considering how close to the body the weight of the receiver is, I'd be more interested in a "nice" polymer forend.
Most of the kaboom videos I've seen seem to destroy the upper and the lower is undamaged.

I'll pass as well though.
 
cmsl333 said:
Are cavalry arms lowers available in the Canadian market that you know of?
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A company called GWACS bought the tooling and they're being sold again in the states.
Apparently they're better reinforced now, I like the concept of one molded piece.
I'm hoping some make it up here I'll try one out in OD.
 
Interesting thread, inspiring a few thoughts:

a) I can't wait for the calls to register woodworking tools; and

b) If they ever try to prohib the AR, owners could simply show up to the police station with a blob of melted plastic and tell them that they destroyed it the rifle themselves.
 
cr5 said:
Agree that it's probably not enough weight savings considering how close to the body the weight of the receiver is, I'd be more interested in a "nice" polymer forend.
Most of the kaboom videos I've seen seem to destroy the upper and the lower is undamaged.

I'll pass as well though.
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I've seen a few photos where the magwell area was swollen a decent amount, but no splits or rupturing. The takedown pins do depend on the lower though, although I think the polymer would be tough enough to handle stress there.
 
justinchow said:
....I've blown up dozens of AR's.....
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I think it's time you seriously reconsider what your doing / how you do things if this is indeed true. I've been around C7's & AR15's a long time with no issue... only ever seen one go KB : that was a "cowboy" who thought basic firearm checks didn't apply to him.


WRT poly lowers.. I don't own one but to each their own. Without a doubt they have had issues but so did aluminum lowers while they were under constant development. I think in time they may possibly garner a bigger corner of the market.
 
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