Who are the top 10 AR-15 manufacturers?

[Koshinn]

Do you guys pretty much agree that a lower is a lower and it's the upper that defines the brand or that there are significant enough differences in quality, among lowers, that they too define a manufacturer?

I constantly hear people, long time gun people, say that all lowers are pretty much the same triggers excluded, and that when building an AR you should get whichever lower is the best deal and concentrate your money on upper parts. That makes sense until you see many of those same people looking for lowers but only such and such brand. Which is it really?

I'm usually a brand person just because the manufacturer name is often all you can judge something on. Most people don't have the facilities to do magnaflux testing, ultra-sonic testing or the many various means of non-destructive testing on a gun they buy. However, I do believe most lowers are pretty much as good as the other.

Nope.

Even setting aside non-standard features like integrated trigger guards, right side bolt releases, left side mag releases, and the axts right side bolt catch/mag release combo...

Lowers can be made of different materials and even if the same type of aluminum, some are forged (stronger) and some are billet (generally look nicer).

Lowers can be in spec or out of spec. Some older colt lowers, for example, have non standard pin sizes just because.

Some lowers don't play nicely with all types of magazines, either they don't drop free on empty or they can cause malfunctions. Using a gen2 pmag to monopod on an early gen2 noveske lower can cause malfunctions. Surefire 60s and gen3 pmags also don't work with that lower.

Some lowers have a low shelf for a rdias. Others don't.

Some lowers work with a BAD short throw safety. Others don't without some modification.

Etc. Etc. Etc. And that's not even including the lower parts kit.

Get a reputable stripped lower before you start your build, especially if you plan on SBRing it.

 

[Coded-Dude]

If it is illegal according to this chart it has to be good.......

link to appendixes: http://www.calguns.net/caawid/flowchart.pdf

 

[Wormydog1724]

You need to add Yankee Hill and Adams Arms to the good list and Rejas to the bad list. You may even move Rejas to the top of the list.

I think you quoted the wrong post, brah. I know ****all about Rijas and never said anything about them in my post. And I didn't mention YHM or AA for a reason.

Not sure but I think Wormy should be banned again, simply for actually being the first person to answer the OP's question...well, his original question, as stated in the title. I mean, clearly he answered the question but you know he was just doing it out of spite.

[Broken External Image]

Ha!

 

[promiseofwar]

I smiled after rereading everyones post. I drank the BCM Kool-aid.

 

[piston10]

I smiled after rereading everyones post. I drank the BCM Kool-aid.

Pics or you lie

 

[SeanO]

I smiled after rereading everyones post. I drank the BCM Kool-aid.

This.

 

[promiseofwar]

Pics or you lie

No lie!

 

[farmerbyron]

No lie!View attachment 35970View attachment 35971

 

[promiseofwar]

thanks farmerbyron!

 

[grwd]

BCM is a ripoff; pure marketing

























just kidding