rmcelwee

iTrader: (1)

You are correct but the point is to DIY. It is just another project for me. As stated, I already own a tack driver Colt AR. Just looking for something to play with... I do not know what my friend's goal is.

rmcelwee

iTrader: (1)

I had no idea you could sell a homemade firearm. It was never the point of this project, I just wanted to build something.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

If you can get a file for an actual 100% lower, and have a CNC, just buy some 7075 and make your own from scratch. I don't know what aluminum costs in small quantities like that. Historically I saw the appeal from a legal/political view of having some 80%'s for a "rainy day"... but when I put some actual brainwork into the issue, nothing makes sense unless, like you said, it's strictly for a hobby. Although hobbies don't need to make any financial sense... or any sense at all to anybody but yourself. I think if I came across four or five 80%'s and a jig kit for like $100, I might splurge and throw them in a box just for shitz. But with Andersons 3 for $100 shipped, kinda tough to "waste" time with 80%'s.

The other aspect is the price... cannot ******* justify spending $60 on an 80% when Andersons are $30. I'd feel like a sucker.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

If you can get a file for an actual 100% lower, and have a CNC, just buy some 7075 and make your own from scratch. I don't know what aluminum costs in small quantities like that. Historically I saw the appeal from a legal/political view of having some 80%'s for a "rainy day"... but when I put some actual brainwork into the issue, nothing makes sense unless, like you said, it's strictly for a hobby. Although hobbies don't need to make any financial sense... or any sense at all to anybody but yourself. I think if I came across four or five 80%'s and a jig kit for like $100, I might splurge and throw them in a box just for shitz. But with Andersons 3 for $100 shipped, kinda tough to "waste" time with 80%'s.

The other aspect is the price... cannot ******* justify spending $60 on an 80% when Andersons are $30. I'd feel like a sucker.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

I just bought a Ruger American Go-Wild in 6.5CM... my first 6.5CM and first bolt-gun in a long time. Just in time to see this sale...

$259 for 16x Monarch glass is a killer deal. Also, the M 1-4x20 at $139 is the best deal I've ever seen on a 1-4x optic. I paid more for my Vortex Crossfire. Heck, I'm thinking about getting a couple of the P 1-4.5x24's @$99 just to have in the safe.

https://www.eurooptic.com/Nikon-Tact...&p=1&i=48&d=48

EDIT: **** it... just bought that $259 Monarch for the new 6.5CM... I knew I'd cave. Still thinking about a pair of those P-Tactical 1-4x's...

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

I estimate that to create a lower from scratch, you'd need a billet measuring around 8" x 4" x 1.5" A hunk of 7075 that size will cost you $115 from onlinemetals.com.

You'd be far better off stealing a Pontiac Solstice, melting down the front control arms in a home-built kiln, and pouring your own.

Also, proper lowers are forged. You can't replicate a forging with a CNC machine.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

Ah yes... but whaddabout dat billet? "Proper" is definitely forged, which is the milspec... and proper forging I think makes it metalurgically? stronger than billet. And damn, I had no idea aluminum stock was that expensive.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Economies of scale.

There's a large market for hunks of metal which are roughly shaped like an AR-15 lower.

The market for rectangular pieces of extruded 7075 cut to a specific (but seemingly random) size is... smaller.

Also, 7075 is a weirdly expensive alloy. That same piece in 6061 (my go-to for aluminum fab) is $33. I assume that this reflects in part the fact that metal purveyors move a lot of 6061, and can probably fulfill many of the smaller orders from the cutoffs bin.

rleete

iTrader: (21)

7075 is great stuff to machine, but for the price of that bare chunk, you can probably get an 80% lower that is at least mostly the right shape already.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

You can get an 80 that's already mostly the right shape for about half the cost of that chunk of 7075 billet. Just DuckDuck AR15 lower 80 and you'll get a bunch of hits.

For a slight upcharge, you can even get them in pink.




An academic thought: I wonder if a place like eMachineShop would accept an order for a complete, ready-to-use lower assembly. And would that still count as "home made?"

BBro

6.5 CM is an awesome round. Went out distance shooting with a buddy and he was hitting a 12" gong at 1000 yards no problem. With cheap SB ammo too.

rleete

iTrader: (21)

Nope. That would classify them as a manufacturer (because they do the machining commercially), whereas a home shop is not doing it for profit. BATF has some silly rules.
And they are not people you want to screw with, in any way, shape or form. They will come down on you like the proverbial hand of god.

I would be willing to bet that emachineshop would no quote, and refuse to deal with you anymore.

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

Good luck broaching the magwell. Position tolerance for the magwell is 4 thou, so ±.002 for the centerline of it. Good luck filing that by hand. Pioneer Tool (or whatever they got bought out and changed names too, **** its some broach company in western mass) does sell shaping tool kits for smaller shops, I bought a 4 pack of complete lowers for $98 shipped a while ago and I know they were made with this setup because they didnt shape the magwell the full way through and I'm going to need to file the edges off before I use them.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

Dudes in California ruined "build parties" a long time ago. A lot of people blamed discussions in the Calguns forums that were not subtle about flirting with the law... also not the first or last time the larger online forums have been a windfall for the anti's. Anyways... bunch of dudes get together at a buddies machine shop with their AK kit or 80% lowers and finish them into 100%. Thought process was that if you have the CNC already programmed to do the work, as long as the owner of the 80% hit the "start" button, he was doing the "work" himself and nobody got in trouble. So Cali made it illegal, and the home smith'ing community took notice. I'm sure you could find a guy who would rent you an hour on his CNC and leave the room while you worked, but I haven't heard the term "build party" in about a decade.

Granted, I know very little about machine work, but sounds like another reason to buy Andersons.

'Merica.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

I'd far rather see this done ala Uri Tuchman.

ie: entirely with hand tools, and with lots of gorgeous engraving on the sides. And gold-plated. With weathering.




But, yeah, there's a reason why pre-formed 80% kits are both popular and inexpensive.

rmcelwee

iTrader: (1)

So, like I said, I have been away for a while. Away from the forum, away from Miatas, away from firearms. All firearm transactions I have done for the past 5 years or so have been sales. I figured I would be moving soon (going to retire in 2022 and buy a farm in TN) so I didn't want to move 100 rifles with me. I still have stuff over here (RPK, shotgun, VEPR, etc) that were taken out of the box five years ago and never fired. Probably 6 - 8 new unused firearms. Anyway, I get a text from my buddy about 80% lowers and now all I can think about is building a new gun. I'm thinking a shorty 300 AAC pistol with stabilizing brace and "fake" suppressor that I will eventually buy a tax stamp for and populate with sound deadening guts. I don't think I have the dies to make 300 AAC so I will be in the market for those as well. I'll have to build some jigs for my laser to engrave the lower and the can. I'll also have to blow the dust off my lathe for the suppressor build. This sounds like it will be a fun project.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

Please don't move to Tennessee.

Friends don't let friends move to Tennessee.

I mean, yes, I know they have good hot chicken in Nashville. I have actually deliberately scheduled an inconvenient airline connection at BNA specifically for that reason.

But that's not rational. I acknowledge the fact that I sometimes make bad decisions based solely on gastronomic jealousy.

It'd be like retiring in Chicago solely on the basis that we do hot dogs better than anyone else. It's true, but ignores the fact that we have shitty weather, shittier government, and haven't even been able to maintain our status as the murder capital of the US in recent years.



Idea:

Roda

PSA .300BLK pistol kit

Just add the lower of your choice. I built one of these last spring and have been pretty pleased with it.

Be careful with "suppressor" (solvent trap/ storage, etc) kits... if you can shoot through it, you may be walking a fine line with regard to contstructive possession. You can get a "barrel extension" or "flash can", but it won't be something that is easily made into a suppressor.

The good news is Form 1 E files are about the quickest stamp you can get right now.

olderguy

iTrader: (19)

I would love to move to a farm in TN. I don't need any creature comforts afforded by a city, or even other people. I should have been a hermit.

Joe Perez

iTrader: (8)

I would love to retire to a flat in Bremen, Germany.

Or maybe Dusseldorf.

Definitely someplace where you can amble down to a cafe late in the morning for a small sandwich consisting of a sliced hard-boiled egg on top of preserved meat with cucumber and mustard, and a slightly sweet brown ale.

Until the mid 16th century, there were no tomatoes in Italy.

But, yeah, there are maker-spaces where people have 5-axis machines already set up with the program to finish popular 80% lowers, and you can literally just book some time on the machine, load their program, and walk away with a usable part. You typically have to know a guy who knows a guy, but it's a thing that exists.

(The tomato is the state fruit of Ohio, and is both the state fruit and the state vegetable of Arkansas. The question of why states have "official" fruits and vegetables remains un-addressed so far as I can tell.)