Best “budget” AR receiver

[Iadn43]

Hey guys, new too the forum. I’m wanting too go ahead and put together an AR that will likely be a truck gun. I’m looking too build it in 5.56 with a 7 inch barrel but also use it at the local gun range with a .22LR conversion. So far I’ve been considering the Anderson semi complete lower (with out the brace) and also the PSA lower with the magpul brace. Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

 

[IndianaSoloMcfly]

Dont get a wylde barrel. It doesnt like my .22 conversion.
maybe thats just me
and if you are using it as truck gun, bring ear muffs..

 

[Iadn43]

Dont get a wylde barrel. It doesnt like my .22 conversion.
maybe thats just me
and if you are using it as truck gun, bring ear muffs..

more than likely I’ll be going with the PSA complete 7 inch upper with the m lok hand guard.

 

[Floivanus]

Anderson is just as good as PSA, the only thing that makes a difference is quality of LPK and trigger.

As far as Wylde, 223 or 5.56, huge revalation here folks, most budget AR barrels are out of spec in one or more areas, headspace, throat, chamber, etc; if it runs, and groups halfway decent, it’s a working barrel and will likely be fine with any ammunition you throw at it, there’s quite a few 5.56 barrels that have short throats effectively making them 223 remington barrels.

 

[55fairlane]

Anderson is just as good as PSA, the only thing that makes a difference is quality of LPK and trigger.

As far as Wylde, 223 or 5.56, huge revalation here folks, most budget AR barrels are out of spec in one or more areas, headspace, throat, chamber, etc; if it runs, and groups halfway decent, it’s a working barrel and will likely be fine with any ammunition you throw at it, there’s quite a few 5.56 barrels that have short throats effectively making them 223 remington barrels.

I completely agree with this...... spend good money on a LPK .... rock river arms are good values.
As for 22lr ....build a dedicated upper......you will be much happier......

If you can wait it out, buy the best quality parts you can....you will enjoy the rifle much better....and for years to come

 

[rosejm]

and if you are using it as truck gun, bring ear muffs..

With the 7" barrel, he'll want plugs AND muffs. And maybe a fire extinguisher too.
There's a BUNCH of still burning propellant when that bullet leaves the muzzle.

 

[sloppyjoe]

For the cheapest builds, I like the Anderson closed ear lowers. For not much more, you can get an Aero M4E1 blemished lower. For uppers, I wouldnt go shorter than 10" barrel length, but it is up to you. PSA is fine for combat accurracy, but for slightly more money you can get a blemished ballistic advantage barrel.

 

[tcecil88]

I have several Anderson Lowers and have built a few more for other people. Great lowers for the money. I also have used PSA for builds and they seem very good as well and the owners seem very happy with them. For myself, I use Anderson. With the way things are right now, whatever lower you can find will have to suffice until stock catches up with demand. I can now find most parts to build a rifle or pistol EXCEPT receivers locally, so the supply does seem to be catching up, but we'll see if that continues after today.
A few years back I built a 7.5" .223 Wylde. I started with a Rainier Arms hybrid compensator, which actually made my eyeballs compress from the over pressure when shot indoors. I soon switched to a standard A2 flash suppressor and that was better. I then put a Midwest Industries Blast Can and I have been very happy with it since. Now, all my shorter pistols have Flash Cans.

 

[bwframe]

Couple questions for the wise;

Are the days of crappy, out of spec, lowers in the past?

Is the blast can the solution to short barreled AR's?

I shot my PSA 10.5" upper, that included their factory blast can, with only earplugs. It didn't seem bad at all? Seemed similar to any other AR to me, without hearing or concussion issues?

 

[tcecil88]

I would not say that there are not crappy lowers out there, but it seems as a general observation, most will work for the average shooter. I personally have Colt, S&W, Windham, Sig, Spike's and Anderson Lowers. Fit and finish are better on some than others, but not appreciably so. If asked to build one, I always ask what they are planning to do with it. The majority of the time it is a HD/truck gun that will be shot every once in awhile. Anderson lowers and PSA fit that bill perfectly. If it is gonna see hard use in alot of training classes and range time, as well as HD/ truck gun, then I would probably recommend they step it up to an Aero Precision upper and lower set and build from there with best quality parts they can afford.
For me, Flash Cans are the way to go for short barreled guns. It makes them much more pleasant to shoot. If you have to have a flashhider, then the good old A2 type is the way to go IMHO.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

Hey guys, new too the forum. I’m wanting too go ahead and put together an AR that will likely be a truck gun. I’m looking too build it in 5.56 with a 7 inch barrel but also use it at the local gun range with a .22LR conversion. So far I’ve been considering the Anderson semi complete lower (with out the brace) and also the PSA lower with the magpul brace. Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

 

[OneBadV8]

Hey guys, new too the forum. I’m wanting too go ahead and put together an AR that will likely be a truck gun. I’m looking too build it in 5.56 with a 7 inch barrel but also use it at the local gun range with a .22LR conversion. So far I’ve been considering the Anderson semi complete lower (with out the brace) and also the PSA lower with the magpul brace. Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

Keep in mind NFA rules.

If it's a 7" barrel, the lower technically can't ever have had a rifle stock/buttstock on it.

 

[sloppyjoe]

Keep in mind NFA rules.

If it's a 7" barrel, the lower technically can't ever have had a rifle stock/buttstock on it.

It is slightly more complicated than that. It cant have been bought from the manufacturer as a rifle lower. If you buy a stripped lower, you can go back and forth from stock to brace as long as you use the appropriate length upper.

 

[STFU]

... If you buy a stripped lower, you can go back and forth from stock to brace as long as you use the appropriate length upper.

This ^^^

 

[sgthud]

Most lowers will do what you want as long as the holes are all in alignment, but for the most part, it's the parts that you put in those lowers that matter more. And if you are looking just for a truck gun, blems work great for the price you can get them for.

 

[sgthud]

Also, I would recommend going with at least a 10" barrel