What brand of upper / lower is good

[strider09]

I am wanting to get a good ar-15 and a good ar-10, What maker is good for the upper and lower receiver? I had heard alot about DPMS so when I contacted the gunsmith who I wanted to do my AR-15 (a very well known and highly respected gunsmith) he told me that DPMS was garbage and that I should go with a differant maker such as rock river or stag (he said three but I can't remember the third). When I found the Gunsmith that I want to do my AR-10 (another well known and highly respected gunsmith) on his website he states that he uses DPMS when making his rifles.
I can not give out the names of these people so please don't ask, My purpose for this thread is mearly to find out what is a good upper and lower receiver so that I can get my rifles put together.
Is the DPMS good for ar-10's and the Rock River good for AR-15's? or is this just a case of liking one company over the other? or are the receivers made differantly?

 

[ZLBubba]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

I've got both a DPMS and a RRA ar-15 (different configurations). I prefer my RRA by a good margin, it's more accurate and the trigger is awesome. Talk to my buddy though, and he just replaced his RRA trigger group because of a mechanical malfunction (after about 6k rounds, mind you). I've never been a huge fan of Bushmaster, and with Colt, you're paying as much for a name as you are a product. That's my take on it.

Remember, you're asking guys if they like blondes, brunettes or redheads when you start asking which AR brand they prefer. I think it boils down to what we've had the best experiences with in the past that determines what brands we favor.

~ZL

 

[JR_V]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

Colt, Noveske, LMT, KAC are the top AR15 makers out there. The best deal price/performance wise out of the bunch is the LMT. As far as AR10's I would go with the DPMS style for the cheaper mags available. I own 2 LMT AR's, a Spikes lower for a 9mm build, and a KAC lower inbound that I might make into a SPR. I ordered a Iron Ridge Arms DPMS style lower for my AR308 build. It looks like a nice lower to build off of.

 

[scotharr]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

I've have several DPMS, LMT and Bushmaster lowers. They all work fine. Really, what is the big deal? There is not a whole lot going on with a lower receiver. You just need the holes in the right places. If they're not in the right place, you'll figure it out real fast. Maybe in years past, poor quality control was a problem, but I have not heard of any problems with DPMS in a long time.

Here is a nice review of lowers on AR-15.com: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=12&t=318113

Short story: the lowers are all the same if they are in spec.

The lower parts kit is a different story: there is a difference with the parts and pieces that go into the completed AR. If you are building one yourself, buy whatever lower makes you happy. But put quality parts into it. G&R Tactical has done a great job of assembling high-quality parts kits, BCG, etc.

 

[bsp212]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

There are only 3 or 4 forges that make the uppers and lowers for all the brands.

I would worry less about the manufacturer of the upper and lower and more about the parts you use to complete the gun. I would pay particular attention to the lower parts kit and the barrel.

I wouldn't hesitate to go with a DPMS especially in the .308. Reasoning is availability of magazines.

I have a pretty good idea of the gunsmith that told you DPMS was garbage as I was told the same thing when I was ordering a couple of barrels from one. I didn't take it to heart and suggest you don't either.

 

[strider09]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

Thank you all for your input, it has been very helpful in me making my decision as to what lower to get. I think I'm gonna go with the DPMS with a timney trigger for the 308 and a RRA NM 2 stage for the 223.
What about the accu wedge thing? do I need it for both? or only the 223?

 

[BgBmBoo]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

Have you looked at JP Rifles? Or just buy one of there uppers.

You should not need a Accu Wedge if the upper and lower are in spec with one another.

Have fun on your build.

Take care,Stan

 

[scotharr]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: strider09</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
What about the accu wedge thing? do I need it for both? or only the 223? </div></div>

Ideally, you will purchase your upper and lower at the same time and can check the fit before purchasing. John Feamster, in his book "Black Magic," performed tests and determined that upper lower slop did impact accuracy at the margin....to his surprise. But it was not much. Unless this is a match rifle, wouldn't worry about it. If it is a match rifle, buy Feamster's book, he has many suggestions for improving accuracy, including bedding the receiver to remove the slop....ugh too much work for me!

 

[RyanScott]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

DPMS's .308s are in a seperate class from their .223s. And RRA NM triggers are failure prone, I wouldn't use one if you gave me a bucket full of them.

 

[nock]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

Get the RRA...

 

[duaneb]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

For my money, I would go with an upper from White Oak, can't be beat, the lower would either be a Compass Lake or RRA with a tuned two stage trigger from White Oak. I put together 4 complete rifles at Perry last summer for under 1K each, with the current market it may cost just a little more now. Good luck with what ever you buy, just start with something you won't need to replace as you get better.

 

[Bronco]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

Just put together an AR using Sun Devil lower and upper. Neat little trick with SD lower is they have a screw hidden by the pistol grip that tensions the upper to lower fit. In this case it wasn't needed but nice to have if it is.
As said not a lot of difference in the lowers most any can be made into a great rifle. Put your money into trigger, barrel, ammo and glass if not iron sited.

 

[scotharr]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bronco</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just put together an AR using Sun Devil lower and upper. Neat little trick with SD lower is they have a screw hidden by the pistol grip that tensions the upper to lower fit. In this case it wasn't needed but nice to have if it is.
As said not a lot of difference in the lowers most any can be made into a great rifle. Put your money into trigger, barrel, ammo and glass if not iron sited. </div></div>

Checked out their website. Their stuff looks good to go and the tensioning screw is a nice feature. Their combined upper/lower price is only $320....not bad for CNC-machined parts. Maybe I'll take a drive over there....

 

[500000KV]

Re: What brand of upper / lower is good

There's a few different companies with the adjustment for upper/lower fitment. All my Tactical Innovations lowers have it in them...