Who makes the best ambi ar lowers out there?

I ordered them from Milarms in Edmonton. They bring in Hera lowers but previously only had the HCL which is a standard lower. The HLS is the true ambi one. It comes with right side bolt release installed. I'll be using these lowers for my ADCOR uppers.

Here's the other side:

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Here's what I was talking about with the fire/safe coloured in.

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Lower parts for my builds:
Spike tactical enhanced LPK with ergo grip, KNS anti walk pins, ambi safety and coated trigger included in set
PWS enhanced buffer tube (includes quick release sockets, no castle nut, extended ramp for anti carrier tilt)
Spike T2 buffer
Tactical springs buffer spring (unobtanium)
B5 crane stock (Same as LMT SOPMOD)
Norgon ambi mag release

It's a project for my ultimate AR.
That being said the ADCOR looks awesome in my plain Armalite lower with A2 stock.

I'm still waiting for the lowers, LPK kits and Norgon ambi release. I have the other parts ready to go.

The Hera lowers should match the ADCOR upper perfectly due to the round designs from the logo to the reostat style fire/safe markings which looks awesome when coloured.

Special thanks to Blaxsun for putting up with my AR parts questions and for a couple of the parts.
 
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Epoxy7 said:
I'll be using these lowers for my ADCOR uppers.
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That's the reason why I asked - I'm looking for a top tier lower (yes I said it, the taboo "Tier"!) for my Adcor upper :D

I'm not sure which LPK I'll be going with as I'll only need it for the miscellaneous springs and pins, but our list of parts is pretty close.

- Geissele SD-E
- KNS anti rotation pins
- Noveske-MapPul safety lever
- Enidine hydraulic buffer & spring
- PWS buffer tube (seriously for the fact alone that its so easy to install is well worth the price)
- Norgon ambi mag release
- MagPul BAD bolt lever.

The point really is to have a high end lower, with higher end quality parts, that I can swap uppers with as I want too for now. When funds will permit, I'll put another one together.
 
BenL said:
That's the reason why I asked - I'm looking for a top tier lower (yes I said it, the taboo "Tier"!) for my Adcor upper :D

I'm not sure which LPK I'll be going with as I'll only need it for the miscellaneous springs and pins, but our list of parts is pretty close.

- Geissele SD-E
- KNS anti rotation pins
- Noveske-MapPul safety lever
- Enidine hydraulic buffer & spring
- PWS buffer tube (seriously for the fact alone that its so easy to install is well worth the price)
- Norgon ambi mag release
- MagPul BAD bolt lever.

The point really is to have a high end lower, with higher end quality parts, that I can swap uppers with as I want too for now. When funds will permit, I'll put another one together.
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Astheticaly I think the Hera lower will match that upper nicely. It's a billet 7075 T6 lower. It's essentially the Magpul lower design. German made and the quality is supposed to be top notch. Price was around $400. Also they come in tan or black. Ambi bolt release installed. I'm not sure about the silver bolt release but we will see when it gets here.

For these rifles Im not looking for a match grade trigger. I want a very good combat trigger that could be used in competitions if I ever decided to. If it's too heavy Ill check out the JP springs set. The Gissele would be my choice too for a match grade trigger. Nice option!

For $200 I opted for the Spikes Tactical enhanced LPK. They are on order from Questar. The advantage was it includes KNS anti rotation pins, ergo grip, Nickel boron coated trigger for wear and smoothness, ambi safety selector plus the regular parts which I need. Also enhanced trigger guards which Ill use on other rifles since the Hera has the trigger guard as part of the billet. You save a bit providing you want those particular parts, which I do,

The B5 stocks gives me LMT sopmods which I like but for CTR prices. This helped with cost while providing what I wanted. The PWS enhanced buffer tube. Yup the install should be nice and easy. Plus I prefer the way it adds QR points to the lower over built into the lower. Esthetics and function.

I looked at the endine buffer but got the T2 ones on sale. Plus I liked the reports on them from those using them. The Tactical springs buffer springs cost a bit more but they are supposed to be the best and are next to impossible to get here so I decided to put the extra in there.

So my plans are to have one all black with my 553 QR Eotech and a second one with FDE stock, grip and KNS pins (One of the LPK has FDE option for grip and KNS pins). This one will get a CMR 1-5x scope in ADM mount. At least this is the plan so far. Just waiting for the final parts.

I'm not sure which flip up sights yet.

As for the KAC lower. The one thing I really like about it is how the ambi Mag and bolt release are paddles that match the stock bolt release. It looks "milspec". Looks wise Im not so fond of the QR points in the lower. Very functional but I prefere the PWS buffer tube solution. The price and the roll marks are the other contentions. Plus Id have to add a grip so another $40. I essentialy have a KAC lowed with my LMT MWS minus the ambi bolt release. If the KAC 5.56 lower was available with LMT roll marks, without the QR in the lower and with an ergo grip along with about $150 less in price I would have jumped all over it. But that's not an option today. It should be!!

As it stands I think the lower I chose will be a good match for the Adcor upper. As I mentioned before I currently have one on an Armalite lower with A2 stock and NM trigger. It looks great and cost wise was $400 off the EE. That's tough to beat but it's not "tier1" coolness. I figure Ill use this for accuracy shooting before those uppers go full AR elitist snobbery with the new lowers.
 
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KAC really should do a run of its stripped Ambi lowers, people need parts and it gets more of their product out there to the masses, kind of like how Magpul became so big by getting it's stuff out there any way it can. Obviously KAC is huge but I think there lower could be the standard that all modern AR lowers should be judged by in my humble opinion.
The other thing is not everyone can afford their rifles or even there parts, it is very pricey considering our current economic conditions of today, which the current availability and prices of today were around 5 years ago though.

Anyways I ordered another KAC lower which I need, then all eventually get a 14.5 kac upper down the road, hopefully sooner than later..
 
Leibermuster said:
KAC really should do a run of its stripped Ambi lowers, people need parts and it gets more of their product out there to the masses, kind of like how Magpul became so big by getting it's stuff out there any way it can. Obviously KAC is huge but I think there lower could be the standard that all modern AR lowers should be judged by in my humble opinion.
The other thing is not everyone can afford their rifles or even there parts, it is very pricey considering our current economic conditions of today, which the current availability and prices of today were around 5 years ago though.

Anyways I ordered another KAC lower which I need, then all eventually get a 14.5 kac upper down the road, hopefully sooner than later..
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Some good points. I agree about the KAC lower should be the standard. The way the did their ambi controls looks like it should be the template for AR lowers.

I was still tempted to go this route. I wish they would release their lower under the LMT name with LMT price point. Or a 50 percent black Friday sale!!

As for uppers, for an accuracy Rece or DM etc AR15, I prefere the LMT mrp upper system. For a general AR upper the ADCOR I think is the new standard. LMT mrp uppers with KAC lowers aren't uncommon in the US. I know of at least one ADCOR upper with KAC lower around here too.
 
Yeah for sure Epoxy7

The price on KAC uppers is no easy purchase and LMT is Top Notch, I like what there company does, I have only owned some of there parts but from what I have seen and used on occassion there products are awesome out of the box. Like really the plethora of options out there are amazing and the KAC lower with there awesome trigger is just so natural when coming off a MIL/Spec trigger to uses the KAC trig. I have used my current KAC lower on my Noveske upper and HK upper and a few other rifles as well, even a DD upper.

To save money I would definetly get the KAC lower and then get a different upper if the cost is too steep, and really the KAC upper is the new DI enhanced anyways, so if going more traditonal just get a different DI upper like Adcor or whatever else your heart is set on.

In truth most of these guns are all paper weights and it takes most decades to shoot them into chunk anyways!
 
Ohh Yeah I forgot:

"HK: Because you suck, and we hate you
KAC: We'll see your "suck", and raise you 20% more hate."
 
Sorry for :stirthepot2:
But KAC trigger was a little less than what I acpected for the price.
Replaced with a Timney 3 pound and loving it.
Then there is the whole LMT butt stock that comes with the rifle...
It lead me to believe that they have, shall we say extreme ties.
Threw the stock in the parts bin cause I love the slimness of the ctr and all the other kool-aid stuff that comes with it. Like no storage compartments and it's funky locking gimick. I also told you if you wanted it Epoxy7 it was yours ;)
The grip was the other thing I didn't like so right now it's sporting the MIAD grip but I think I might take up greentips shill for the BCM grip.
Now HK is great andeverything but after tring my shooting friends 1 that he has I still was left thinking well I would change this and that but then again witch every one know I can't keep nothing stock.
But if he wan't to try out his luck building it himself I am truely intruged on how much savings it will end up being. I doubt that it will be all that much less then getting the KAC but then also it will be the pride of doing it yourself and having something uniquely your own always has a sense of apeal to the owner.
As for shooting chunks...
Well you havent seen my groups lately :p
Gives a whole new meaning of noise making blind man ;)
 
Crack Feather said:
Sorry for :stirthepot2:
But KAC trigger was a little less than what I acpected for the price.
Replaced with a Timney 3 pound and loving it.
Then there is the whole LMT butt stock that comes with the rifle...
It lead me to believe that they have, shall we say extreme ties.
Threw the stock in the parts bin cause I love the slimness of the ctr and all the other kool-aid stuff that comes with it. Like no storage compartments and it's funky locking gimick. I also told you if you wanted it Epoxy7 it was yours ;)
The grip was the other thing I didn't like so right now it's sporting the MIAD grip but I think I might take up greentips shill for the BCM grip.
Now HK is great andeverything but after tring my shooting friends 1 that he has I still was left thinking well I would change this and that but then again witch every one know I can't keep nothing stock.
But if he wan't to try out his luck building it himself I am truely intruged on how much savings it will end up being. I doubt that it will be all that much less then getting the KAC but then also it will be the pride of doing it yourself and having something uniquely your own always has a sense of apeal to the owner.
As for shooting chunks...
Well you havent seen my groups lately :p
Gives a whole new meaning of noise making blind man ;)
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Yes they do seem to have extreme ties. The lower on my LMT MWS (308) is identical to the KAC except for roll marks and the lack of an ambi bolt release. The left side mag release is definitely KAC. The Sopmod stock is LMT on both. Also the mag that came with my MWS was a KAC mag.

I appreciated the offer for the Sopmod. I managed to get two new B5 Crane/Sopmod stocks for an excellent price. Two of them were less than one LMT. I actually have a CTR sitting in a box as well. I like it but I do prefer the cheek weld on the Sopmod.

For grips I like the Ergo and the Magpul Miad. It's a toss up for me between the two. For some rifles I like the ergo better for larger target rifles the Miad.

Putting it together myself I'll probably only save about $200 to $250 over the KAC per lower. Double that and it's a noticeable amount. But still you don't save a lot. If going for Giselle triggers then it works out to minor savings. The main difference is you get exactly what you want.
 
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Leibermuster said:
To save money I would definetly get the KAC lower and then get a different upper if the cost is too steep, and really the KAC upper is the new DI enhanced anyways, so if going more traditonal just get a different DI upper like Adcor or whatever else your heart is set on.
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FYI - the Adcor is a piston driven system and not a DI system.
 
BenL said:
Nope - I need a stripped lower and unfortunately, Darren only as complete ($1,200) lowers for sale.

No big deal though, there's enough good fish in the sea of lowers out there :)
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Why would you want to order a stripped kac lower??
The best part of the kac lower are the internal parts!
 
badboybeeson said:
Why would you want to order a stripped kac lower??
The best part of the kac lower are the internal parts!
Click to expand...

For the aforementioned reasons in a previous post that I already have everything to put into a stripped lower. That its a KAC or another quality brand is fine with me. It's the quality of the manufacturing, final fit and finish that is important for my build.

Internal parts aside, I also don't need a stock, buffer tube, buffer, spring, pins or grip.

So yeah, it's pretty pointless for this current build. I'm also not interested in offloading most of its value on the EE afterwards :)
 
Epoxy7 "The ones being discussed are true ambi. KAC, Hera and others. The ATR one has the bolt release but from the pictures the left side mag release doesn't have the cut out to protect the mag release like the others discussed."


Just a question... With the Canadian and US militaries retrofitting ambi-catch mag releases on their fleets of M4/C7/C8's without the requirement to change the design of the lower receivers, and on all of my AR’s that have Norgon’s I have never inadvertently dumped a mag, why do you think a “cut out” is needed?

Seems like a lot of reengineering to fix a problem that doesn’t exist.
 
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