AR15 polymer lower failure

[CENTURIATOR]

Well, as the man said, "You pays your money and you takes your chances."

 

[Ark]

I don't get why anyone would mess around with plastic for an AR lower receiver, given how much is happening in the AR's lower receiver with every single pull of the trigger.

The CAV-15 is a significant weight savings over a standard rifle lower.

 

[CENTURIATOR]

The CAV-15 is a significant weight savings over a standard rifle lower.

And the price you pay for that "significant weight savings" (and I don't think it actually amounts to much, frankly) is the considerable risk of what the OP experienced. A person can achieve weight savings by choosing his upper components, but slapping a plastic lower receiver into the mix is a recipe for problems. But it's a free country and if facts can not deter a person from doing something unwise and making a stupid choice, it is not, to my knowledge, illegal.

 

[d.kaufman]

The CAV-15 is a significant weight savings over a standard rifle lower.

I just dont see a significant weight savings. Just searched Cav-15 lower. Weighs 1lb 5oz and then you add buffer, spring and lpk. My guess gonna be around 1lb 10oz, maybe a little more if using a heavy buffer. Looked at completed Anderson lower with magpup furniture and the weighs in at 2lbs even. That 4-8oz is not gonna make much difference, at least to me and you have the option of adjustable stock, where you dont with the Cav-15. Ill stick with my aluminum lowers over the polymer

 

[bwframe]

I picked up a magnesium stripped lower a while back. I should have researched better, as they are subject to breakage like this when "mortared," as a malf clearance.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

I just dont see a significant weight savings. Just searched Cav-15 lower. Weighs 1lb 5oz and then you add buffer, spring and lpk. My guess gonna be around 1lb 10oz, maybe a little more if using a heavy buffer. Looked at completed Anderson lower with magpup furniture and the weighs in at 2lbs even. That 4-8oz is not gonna make much difference, at least to me and you have the option of adjustable stock, where you dont with the Cav-15. Ill stick with my aluminum lowers over the polymer

When I purchased my CAV-15 lower, it cost $90 in 2011. Polymer lowers were new at the time, but the Omni and New Frontier lowers had a bad rep for cracking at the buffer tube/safety junction. I agree that today, in the day of inexpensive lowers, I would only go aluminum.

The CAV-15 was the only one that had a good reputation. I already had a spare lower parts kit and buffer assembly sitting around, so why not? I was curious if the lower was as good as they said on other web forums. Mated a lightweight Del-Ton upper and shot the snot out of it. Ended up being my first 'vacation" rifle to haul around on overnight trips. After Sandy Hook in 2012, lowers were like gold and were priced accordingly. If I left my rifle in the car overnight, I was not out a lot of money if it got stolen. The CAV-15 is also a little weird and I like weird...

 

[Usmccookie]

To each their own, but weight savings has a bigger impact at the muzzle end. The closer the body the weight is the less it effects fatigue and help with stability. 4-8oz at the lower receiver.. ehhhh, it always fun to try new things, just be careful...

 

[seedubs1]

Stop buying weird non standard parts for critical components. Why would you buy one of these?

Even the guys doing the super light weight builds know better (well, the good builders anyway.....I can’t speak for bubba). Mill out the non critical areas of a forged lower, and you’ll be lighter than these junk plastic lowers.

There is exactly ZERO reason to buy a poly lower.

 

[LEaSH]

I've been a weight weenie from way back in my bmx days.

But my TNarms lowers are what they are. Cheap and Light. I know I'm going to break one someday, no big deal. Gut the parts and put them in an INGO lower.

ARs are nothing sacred, it's just fun to build stuff.

 

[Voldemort]

Several hundred rounds through mine, no problems.

 

[IronsKeeper]

I've been a weight weenie from way back in my bmx days.

But my TNarms lowers are what they are. Cheap and Light. I know I'm going to break one someday, no big deal. Gut the parts and put them in an INGO lower.

ARs are nothing sacred, it's just fun to build stuff.

This is the proper attitude.

Honestly while expectations should be appropriate and you probably should not have only one single polymer lower as the only home defense gun, I don't see why there's so visceral a reaction.

I picked my polymer lower up $26.75 locally, out the door price. Less than a transfer fee around here (sadly I haven't found anyone at $15 or even $20 since I left Ohio 4 years ago) and half the price of an Anderson lower (which I also like)

So why not try it? Mine has a lifetime warranty and I'll be building a .300 BO on it, so we will find out right quick if it's worthy or not!

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

 

[AlVine]

Cool, it will be interesting to see how it handles the .300 BO. LEaSH is right, it's just fun to build stuff.

 

[IronsKeeper]

Cool, it will be interesting to see how it handles the .300 BO. LEaSH is right, it's just fun to build stuff.

I chose to put together a really nice build, buy a .22 rifle, and start the BO build with my fun money. Next time I just might try the molds, I'm super excited about the potential.

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

 

[Blakec221]

I had a supervisor I would go out shooting with now and then. He bought a bushmaster AR with poly lower. He had some garbage red dot he was trying to sight in. Anyways he’s kinda a hot head and was using a cheap bore sight and let one rip with the bore sight still in the barrel after getting frustrated. Needles to say the lower looked much like yours plus the barrel peeled back like a banana and blew the bottom out of the mag. Luckily no one was injured and I couldn’t help but laugh a little later everytime I replayed that scene back in my head. Looked like he was holding a bundle of parts like a baby as about 25 rounds fell out the bottom of the mag. Could have been pretty bad but like I said, luckily nobody was hurt.

 

[NoGoJoe]

Why?
Aluminum is light wieght and durable.
I've never seen the draw toward a polymer lower.
Some are even more expensive than their metal counterparts.

Plastics are for toy guns.
My guns are not toys...

They are lighter weight and from an 80% perspective much easier to mill.

 

[tbhausen]

This is the proper attitude.

Honestly while expectations should be appropriate and you probably should not have only one single polymer lower as the only home defense gun, I don't see why there's so visceral a reaction.

I picked my polymer lower up $26.75 locally, out the door price. Less than a transfer fee around here (sadly I haven't found anyone at $15 or even $20 since I left Ohio 4 years ago) and half the price of an Anderson lower (which I also like)

So why not try it? Mine has a lifetime warranty and I'll be building a .300 BO on it, so we will find out right quick if it's worthy or not!

Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk

BZ Gunz, Plainfield, $15 transfer fee.

 

[tbhausen]

I had a supervisor I would go out shooting with now and then. He bought a bushmaster AR with poly lower. He had some garbage red dot he was trying to sight in. Anyways he’s kinda a hot head and was using a cheap bore sight and let one rip with the bore sight still in the barrel after getting frustrated. Needles to say the lower looked much like yours plus the barrel peeled back like a banana and blew the bottom out of the mag. Luckily no one was injured and I couldn’t help but laugh a little later everytime I replayed that scene back in my head. Looked like he was holding a bundle of parts like a baby as about 25 rounds fell out the bottom of the mag. Could have been pretty bad but like I said, luckily nobody was hurt.

This made me laugh out loud. I was picturing something blowing up on Wile E. Coyote when he was trying to get the Road Runner.

 

[DadSmith]

Polymer? Aluminum? Why not go for the strongest lower made. Titanium Yes....

Shepherd Firearms Billet Titanium AR-15/M4 Carbine Lower Receiver at Vertex Ops

If you demand the best and are willing to pay for it then this is without a doubt the AR-15/M4 lower receiver for you! Machined from billet Titanium the Shepherd Firearms Titanium M4 Carbine Lower Receiver is the best of the best, period!

www.vertexops.com

Only $1088 when in stock.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Here is a link to the latest version of the CAV-15 type lower. Priced at $109. Has several improvements over the original.

KE Arms - Black KP-15 Polymer Stripped Receiver #1-61-01-001

#1-61-01-001 - Black KP-15 Polymer Stripped Receiver

www.kearms.com

I ended up selling my CAV-15 lower to another INGO member.

 

[IronsKeeper]

BZ Gunz, Plainfield, $15 transfer fee.

Now that's a drive I would have made! I'm still at $30, in Mississippi now for about a year.

I don't mess with the poly stuff anymore, I'm too rough on my ARs. But I did discover silencers and boy is that fun!

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