80% Lower, Polymer or Aluminum?

[Expression F]

From everyone's experience, do you prefer a polymer or aluminum lower recieved? Why?

 

[TacticalFun]

I would never ever ever.....ever... buy a plastic reciever. If a round goes bad you have a grenade in your hand. Youtube some polymer failures.

 

[VUPDblue]

Aluminum.

 

[Old Dog]

Metal all the way. More durable and saleable later on.

 

[DanVoils]

Metal all the way. More durable and saleable later on.

My thoughts too.
I do have a polymer lower but it is on a dedicated .22LR upper. I've heard of too many failures with other calibers.
Dan

 

[Mgderf]

Just my preference, but I would not buy a poly receiver.

 

[Bennettjh]

Aluminum all the way.

 

[Fizzerpilot]

I've built two poly JMT Lowers... they work well. I tried them because they are easier to machine with my simple drill press.

Ive been happy with both builds.

 

[Saber]

I have two.
Very easy to machine and work well as long as you don't use them as an axe.

 

[1988-4551]

Aluminum.

 

[aaron580]

Aluminum? Theres something else?

 

[bgcatty]

Is that a serious question? Really? Aluminum of course!!! Plastic is for toy guns, remember?

 

[croy]

Aluminum most definitely, but at the same time with the lower price of receivers it is not worth it to me to buy a 80% lower.

 

[Expression F]

Thanks for the responses. I did look for polymer lower failures on YouTube but was unable to find any that seemed to change my mind. I think both would be a good option and besides the majority of handguns are made with polymer lowers.

 

[Expression F]

Aluminum most definitely, but at the same time with the lower price of receivers it is not worth it to me to buy a 80% lower.

I agree but I think that milling your own gives more satisfaction then buying it already done for you. The other nice thing is that they do not have to be serialized so there is no record that you have it just in case Uncle Sam gets the itch to take them away.

 

[garagegunmaker]

Metal all the way. More durable and saleable later on.

Correct me if I am wrong, but once you make an 80 percent complete or even 81 percent, you can no longer sell it unless you have a manufacturing FFL.

 

[TECKS]

You can sell it. You cannot build with the intention of selling it.

 

[garagegunmaker]

Interesting, had not heard that before. Have any links to regulation about this?

 

[TECKS]

Never seen a law forbiding selling a homebuilt firearm therefore one can assume its not a problem to sell a homebuilt firearm. I have read in 27 CFR 478.92 that firearms for sale must be serialized. IANAL YMMV

 

[Mgderf]

Never seen a law forbiding selling a homebuilt firearm therefore one can assume its not a problem to sell a homebuilt firearm. I have read in 27 CFR 478.92 that firearms for sale must be serialized. IANAL YMMV

There are a gazillion firearms for sale out there today that have no serial numbers, and they're all perfectly legal to sell/trade/buy.
Firearms manufactured before a certain date (circa 1940's I believe) were not required to have serial numbers, therefore many manufacturers didn't bother.
I have a Mossberg model 144 .22Lr that has no serial number, and it never has.