AR build issues

[bolus]

Are Anderson Lowers a good value? I am thinking about about buying a few lowers and try doing my own build.

In my opinion the value is in the upper. As long as the lower has the FCG pins drilled in the correct position as well as the takedown pin holes it will work. I know that because I made several 80% lowers and they can really look like a rabid chipmunk got at it and still function fine

 

[titsonritz]

Are Anderson Lowers a good value? I am thinking about about buying a few lowers and try doing my own build.

AR snobs would say no. Funny how Anderson, Aero, Spikes and a few others are all the same lower with different stamping.

I have 3 builds on Anderson lowers. They shoot just fine. And anyone that tells you the quality of the lower will affect accuracy has probably drank straight from the toilet.

I'll preface by admitting I am an AR snob, that said, I have seen multiple Anderson lowers that were unbuildable and had to be returned, I have also had multiple with no issue what so ever. The bottom is line lower tier manufacturers such as Anderson, lack the stringent QC process that Colt, BCM and the like possess, so more stuff the shouldn't have passed inspection makes it out the door. Does that mean everything they do is crap? No, of course not, but it does mean there is a higher degree of chance that you will get a turd from Anderson more often than you'll get a turd from BCM or Colt.

I won't buy Anderson lowers to stack deep, because I don't what to find potential issues three years down the road when I go to build it (I know someone that happened to). I always recommend if one wants to build on an Anderson or similar to have all the lower parts ready to go and build immediately so if there are issues they can be dealt with in a timely manner.

Parts like offset buffer retainer pins would not exist if not for sub-standard lowers. I knew one guy that was having his buffer beat to death by the retaining pin, PSA's solution was to provide him with a chamfered buffer. Seriously WTF? How many times must they hear this complaint to have chamfered buffer in stock to send out?

In addition to the bufffer retainer hole being out of spec, I've seen bolt stop shelf so far out of whack there was no way it would work, trigger/hammer pins out of alignment, probably the whole reason cassette triggers exist.

 

[Howie44]

There is no cycling problem, the weapon fired, the BCG extracted & ejected the spent round and stripped a new round from the magazine into the barrel extension, just like it suppose to. The issue is an out of spec FCG or lower receiver.

I didn't say there was a cycling problem, I said he was under gassed by the description of the issue, and watching the video. In the more than 30 ARs I have personally built, and in assisting friends with their builds, this set of circumstances was caused by a under gas and or a heavy buffer issue. And guess what? After addressing that issue each and every rifle cycled reliably. And in reading the rest of the posts about the trigger or lower, and still not solving the OPs issue, I think you might be incorrect sir....

Also if the trigger and lower were out of spec, the rifle would most likely not go into battery and fire the first round to begin with

 

[titsonritz]

You are undergassed. Use a lighter buffer and lube.
I have built a few, and adjustable gas blocks or lighter weight buffers will solve your cycling issue.
JM .02

I didn't say there was a cycling problem, I said he was under gassed by the description of the issue, and watching the video. In the more than 30 ARs I have personally built, and in assisting friends with their builds, this set of circumstances was caused by a under gas and or a heavy buffer issue. And guess what? After addressing that issue each and every rifle cycled reliably. And in reading the rest of the posts about the trigger or lower, and still not solving the OPs issue, I think you might be incorrect sir....

Really?

I'd put money that barrel is over-gassed just as most are.

 

[Core]

I'm interested to hear from OP how the FCG worked out?

 

[Howie44]

Really?

I'd put money that barrel is over-gassed just as most are.

Maybe your off the shelf ones.....
Homebuilds are a whole different level of variables

 

[titsonritz]

Maybe your off the shelf ones.....
Homebuilds are a whole different level of variables

Yeah ok.

 

[Kruel J]

Maybe your off the shelf ones.....
Homebuilds are a whole different level of variables

Store bought don't make em any better dude. I had a brand new off the shelf AR fail on the first trip out. Gas block misaligned and not even fully tightened down.

 

[Howie44]

Store bought don't make em any better dude. I had a brand new off the shelf AR fail on the first trip out. Gas block misaligned and not even fully tightened down.

One of many reasons I roll my own.

 

[DirectDrive]

If I could please get a word in here edge-wise, maybe ?
I think it's the Poverty Pony lower receiver myself.

 

[AK0perator47]

If I could please get a word in here edge-wise, maybe ?
I think it's the Poverty Pony lower receiver myself.

Spikes tactical lower

 

[Kruel J]

If I could please get a word in here edge-wise, maybe ?
I think it's the Poverty Pony lower receiver myself.

LOL an Anderson? They're made by the same outfit that does Spikes, Ruger, Aero and a few others. Trust me, the "poverty pony" lowers do the job just fine!

 

[AK0perator47]

I'm interested to hear from OP how the FCG worked out?

So it made no difference... I went shooting today and same outcome. Changed the FCG to a Rise Armament drop in FCG out in the woods and same results. Sent an email to Maxim Defense. Waiting to hear back from them. I am willing to bet that it's too heavy of a buffer for an 18" barrel with rifle length gas tube. So when they respond to me I will let everyone know.

Seriously though, I appreciate everyone who wants to help me with this.

 

[Tony617]

I thought I bought everything that I needed to start building one of my lowers but when I received my order I forgot to order a few trigger sets. I ordered two sets today but they will take awhile to arrive.

 

[Core]

So it made no difference... I went shooting today and same outcome. Changed the FCG to a Rise Armament drop in FCG out in the woods and same results. Sent an email to Maxim Defense. Waiting to hear back from them. I am willing to bet that it's too heavy of a buffer for an 18" barrel with rifle length gas tube. So when they respond to me I will let everyone know.

Seriously though, I appreciate everyone who wants to help me with this.

I always use the ejection pattern as a litmus test. Have someone check the ejection pattern. Forward is too light rearward is too heavy. Also with a rifle length system, and a carbine length buffer is going to introduce violence into an otherwise smoother buffer system. Always start with a cheap lightweight buffer and milspec weight spring to start. Vheck your ejection pattern. You want the lightest buffer or one step up from it as long as the ejection pattern is at 3-4 o'clock. Good luck!

 

[Tony617]

I started my first lower build. What do you thing about the color? Black and FDE:

 

[Ops]

make sure your gas block is on correctly.

andersons work great. the forgings are the same look for the mark

 

[osprey]

I have built up many anderson lowers without incidence. The olny complaint I have is the finish seemed easy to mar on earlier examples. The last few I have done seem like they have a harder, better wearing finish. Hard to beat Mega arms for finish quality though, they are my gold standard for builds these days.

 

[Tony617]

I have built up many anderson lowers without incidence. The olny complaint I have is the finish seemed easy to mar on earlier examples. The last few I have done seem like they have a harder, better wearing finish. Hard to beat Mega arms for finish quality though, they are my gold standard for builds these days.

This is an Anderson stripped lower and yes the finish is not that great but it works. This is my first build so I wanted something cheap to try my hand at building a lower. For trigger guard, I used blue duct tape instead of blue painters tape so it pulled finish off a bit. I found my painters tape which is a lot less sticky than duct tape.

 

[Core]

This is an Anderson stripped lower and yes the finish is not that great but it works. This is my first build so I wanted something cheap to try my hand at building a lower. For trigger guard, I used blue duct tape instead of blue painters tape so it pulled finish off a bit. I found my painters tape which is a lot less sticky that duct tape.

GooGone.