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PSA stripped Lower

jfmorris said:
Bassbob thanks for this timely thread. I'm completing two AR-15 builds, and while one will be a full size, using a PSA upper that I already have (all Magpul MOE for upper and lower parts), I want to go with a pistol build on the second, and you've given me some parts to look at. I've got the lowers, lots of parts, one full upper, but have not purchased an upper or buffer tube, etc, for the pistol build.
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I think that Rock River lower parts kit should be pretty solid. I read some reviews and a lot of people really like the trigger. It’s mil spec but it’s supposedly smooth. I like that minimalist brace too. At least in pictures. Parts are going to start trickling in tomorrow. I will update this thread as it progresses.
 
jfmorris said:
Bassbob thanks for this timely thread. I'm completing two AR-15 builds, and while one will be a full size, using a PSA upper that I already have (all Magpul MOE for upper and lower parts), I want to go with a pistol build on the second, and you've given me some parts to look at. I've got the lowers, lots of parts, one full upper, but have not purchased an upper or buffer tube, etc, for the pistol build.
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Here's a killer deal on an upper that includes a BCG and CH. Considering you can't pick-up a BCG right now under $125 this package is a bargain.



 
Bassbob said:
I think that Rock River lower parts kit should be pretty solid. I read some reviews and a lot of people really like the trigger. It’s mil spec but it’s supposedly smooth. I like that minimalist brace too. At least in pictures. Parts are going to start trickling in tomorrow. I will update this thread as it progresses.
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The PSA EPT trigger is a surprisingly good mil-spec trigger also. I have a couple of these in builds.

I also have a few Rise triggers in some builds and they have been great with having a roughly 3.5lbs trigger pull and no take up.
 
jfmorris said:
Good to know. Here's the upper I am using for my rifle build - it was $359 when they had it in stock:

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Definitely a bargain!

I prefer the nitrided barrel on that upper to PSA's cheaper phosphate coated.

I just bought a Diamondback 5.56 diamond series complete upper and another Aero M4E1 complete lower with the FDE finish. I wont put this combination together as these will be for two different projects.
 
I was out and about after work and stopped at my gun shop. I figured since everyone is getting delayed right now and I always get delayed that I’d go ahead and fill out my 4473 and start my 3 days. To my horror, my gun shop which has never sold AR parts, had about 10 Anderson lowers for $79/ea. They had 200 Saturday morning they said. If I’d known I would have saved myself about $70 over what I paid for the PSA with shipping and the transfer fee. They also had a few parts kits, springs, hand guards and odds and ends. Brian told me they’re going to start carrying some AR parts.Including uppers and barrels and all that. They’re now a CMMG dealer. Their prices are pretty in line with internet prices on most things and cheaper on a lot of things. Except P Mags. They get $17 for em. They had a wall full of ARs. A couple Saint pistols. Some Stag, some M&P and some brands I never heard of.

No point crying over spilled milk. My lower shipped today. PSA has been on it. The last 3 guns I bought from them shipped very quickly.
 
Bassbob said:
I was out and about after work and stopped at my gun shop. I figured since everyone is getting delayed right now and I always get delayed that I’d go ahead and fill out my 4473 and start my 3 days. To my horror, my gun shop which has never sold AR parts, had about 10 Anderson lowers for $79/ea. They had 200 Saturday morning they said. If I’d known I would have saved myself about $70 over what I paid for the PSA with shipping and the transfer fee. They also had a few parts kits, springs, hand guards and odds and ends. Brian told me they’re going to start carrying some AR parts.Including uppers and barrels and all that. They’re now a CMMG dealer. Their prices are pretty in line with internet prices on most things and cheaper on a lot of things. Except P Mags. They get $17 for em. They had a wall full of ARs. A couple Saint pistols. Some Stag, some M&P and some brands I never heard of.

No point crying over spilled milk. My lower shipped today. PSA has been on it. The last 3 guns I bought from them shipped very quickly.
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I feel your pain. If the current trend continues, you will always be able to figure out what will be in-stock and on-sale next week by asking me what I bought last week.
 
Bassbob said:
I was out and about after work and stopped at my gun shop. I figured since everyone is getting delayed right now and I always get delayed that I’d go ahead and fill out my 4473 and start my 3 days. To my horror, my gun shop which has never sold AR parts, had about 10 Anderson lowers for $79/ea. They had 200 Saturday morning they said. If I’d known I would have saved myself about $70 over what I paid for the PSA with shipping and the transfer fee. They also had a few parts kits, springs, hand guards and odds and ends. Brian told me they’re going to start carrying some AR parts.Including uppers and barrels and all that. They’re now a CMMG dealer. Their prices are pretty in line with internet prices on most things and cheaper on a lot of things. Except P Mags. They get $17 for em. They had a wall full of ARs. A couple Saint pistols. Some Stag, some M&P and some brands I never heard of.

No point crying over spilled milk. My lower shipped today. PSA has been on it. The last 3 guns I bought from them shipped very quickly.
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I feel your pain. My two builds are based on 80% lowers. That was not a cost or time saving thing in these days of $90-100 80% lowers. Tooling and jigs are not cheap, and it takes an hour or so to mill and drill a lower. Probably 2 hours the first time you do it. A cheap Anderson lower from the LGS would have been a lot quicker and easier!
 
While I was at my LGS picking up the PSA lower they had a pile of Anderson's in there again. Since I already had the 4473 stuff done I went ahead and picked up 2 of the Andersons for $73/ea. I guess at some point I better get a lower block and a vise and an armorer's block. I think I have most of the other stuff I need.
 
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The upper from Bear Creek finally arrived this morning. I'll get the subtleties out of the way. There is a scratch on the barrel that I can see under the handguard, but it is underneath whatever coating they put on the barrel. And the ejection port cover looks like it's been chewed on by a raccoon. Other than that it arrived in good condition. Fit and finish is good enough.

There was a heavy layer of something all over it. Not on the handguard but everywhere else. First things first so I wiped everything off, cleaned the barrel, bore, chamber and inside of the upper receiver with CLP, then I put a thin layer of CLP inside the receiver and the barrel. Took the bolt carrier group apart, wiped it all down with CLP and put a thin layer of CLP on everything.

Now the fun stuff. I didn't/don't have sights or an optic for it yet so after snapping it on the lower I mounted the Viridian HS-1 from my carbine on the bottom of the handguard. I didn't go to the range since this was primarily a function test, however after 5 shots I noticed it was hitting a little to the left of the dot. It's an overcast day so the green laser worked great. I was shooting at a target 8 yards out. Slight adjustment and laser is on. Ran through the rest of the 30 rd. mag with no issues. Brass was falling about 3:30.

I'm not ready just yet to employ it as a HD option, but it's looking good right now.

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And finally with the Viridian HS-1 in place.

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Bassbob said:
Overall length from the tip of the buffer tube to the tip of the flash hider is 26 1/4". So I assume even if they consider that viridian a vertical grip I'm cool right?
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Only if your muzzle device is permanently attached (pinned).

Otherwise, you have to measure with it removed.

But that’s not a VFG, that’s a hand stop—you’re cool.

Also—looks great, and glad it's working for you. Bummer about the shoddy fitment, but...that’s kinda Bear Creek, from what I’ve seen.
 
HansGruber said:
Only if your muzzle device is permanently attached (pinned).

Otherwise, you have to measure with it removed.

But that’s not a VFG, that’s a hand stop—you’re cool.

Also—looks great, and glad it's working for you. Bummer about the shoddy fitment, but...that’s kinda Bear Creek, from what I’ve seen.
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I doubt if it's pinned. I doubt the handstop would be considered a vert grip though. I have no plans to pin the flash hider since I don't know what I'm going to put on there later. Possibly a blast diverter.
 
HansGruber said:
Only if your muzzle device is permanently attached (pinned).

Otherwise, you have to measure with it removed.

But that’s not a VFG, that’s a hand stop—you’re cool.

Also—looks great, and glad it's working for you. Bummer about the shoddy fitment, but...that’s kinda Bear Creek, from what I’ve seen.
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I'm not dismayed at all brother. I will probably put a different dust cover on it. Maybe one with some slick little smart a$$ saying on it. Cheap enough there. The barrel thing doesn't bother me either. It's a superficial scratch and they obviously made sure to coat over it with nitride or whatever they use. It cycles fine, is gassed properly from what I can tell and it shoots consistently straight. I'm happy.
 
I've done over a dozen builds with PSA lowers. No issues, and nothing particularly stood out.

I just did a build on an Anderson lower for the first time, and wow, I had no idea how out of spec a lower could be. The trigger guard and bolt catch pin holes were a touch too small, and took significantly more hammering and force to get them in place. The grip screw threads were too small, and I had to rethread them just a touch. The most egregious was the channel for the rear takedown pin detent. The channel wasn't drilled all the way through, I had to finish drilling that last 1/1000th of an inch.
 
bigx5murf said:
I've done over a dozen builds with PSA lowers. No issues, and nothing particularly stood out.

I just did a build on an Anderson lower for the first time, and wow, I had no idea how out of spec a lower could be. The trigger guard and bolt catch pin holes were a touch too small, and took significantly more hammering and force to get them in place. The grip screw threads were too small, and I had to rethread them just a touch. The most egregious was the channel for the rear takedown pin detent. The channel wasn't drilled all the way through, I had to finish drilling that last 1/1000th of an inch.
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Hopefully I won't have any of those problems with mine. My first AR ( Adams Arms VI Witch Doctor) was built on an Anderson lower and it's great. I didn't build it though so....
 
Bassbob said:
Hopefully I won't have any of those problems with mine. My first AR ( Adams Arms VI Witch Doctor) was built on an Anderson lower and it's great. I didn't build it though so....
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I doubt there'd be any functional issue even with the issues I found. I function checked with an upper, didn't fire it yet. I doubt there'd be a functional issue.

Really they were just annoying, and made assembly much longer than it should've been. It usually takes me 30-40 min to assemble a lower. The Anderson took me over an hour because of the issues. If I had known beforehand, and just immediately drilled the pins holes, and channels, and tapped the pistol grip threads. It probably would've taken me just a couple minutes longer than usual.
 
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