# 80% lowers



## WatchUr6 (May 18, 2012)

Not sure if this is the correct place for this topic.

I just ordered my first 80% AR lower with the jig kit to finish it. If it works out I will order several more lowers for future builds. I don't believe it will be too difficult to do this. Fortunately I am mechanically inclined (hopefully enough for this project). I was talking to my father about this project. He mentioned that he has a brand new drill press still in its box, sitting in his garage. The cool part is that he is giving the drill press to me. I know I might be getting a little ahead of myself, but I am looking at 308 lowers and the jig.

Anyone else doing their own builds? Any pointers would be appreciated. 

I'm sure this is one of the loopholes that will be closed if new gun laws are enacted. I figure get what I can right now.

Thanks to Dakine for giving me the information to get me started on this project.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

It is somthing I"m considering though I don't have any of the equiptment lined up to do the finish work. I"d like to get 308 lower though and at least a stripped upper so I can start adding parts as I get the chance. I have long wanted one of the big AR's just because well just because I don't have one and they are cool.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

Hey Grats for taking the dive into your own builds! I've only done the build parties at machine shops so far.

I'd recommend you buy a de-burring tool off of amazon or from a tool supply store, they had these laying around the shop where I did my builds.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_10/184-5680143-1273329?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=deburring%20tool&sprefix=deburring%20,aps,268&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Adeburring%20tool

which reminds me, I meant to get one of these for my tool preps just for S&G anyway, not necessarily for builds... but it fell of my radar... think it just got pinged again! Merry Christmas Dak... you own one now :laugh:

I have a .308 I built but I started with a full stripped lower. An 80% lower is very high on my to-do list right now, but I just chose to buy some silver coins instead. It was a good price and the chances of the gub'ment coming around to collect my SASS are slim at best and in order to finish the build I'll have to commit to another $1600 or so that I'm just not ready to spend yet.

*not all .308's need that much spent to complete the build, but to do it the way I do it... that's the minimum, and then I'm still going to drop another 2 bills on the magpul PRS and other add-ons.


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## WatchUr6 (May 18, 2012)

Dakine said:


> Hey Grats for taking the dive into your own builds! I've only done the build parties at machine shops so far.
> 
> I'd recommend you buy a de-burring tool off of amazon or from a tool supply store, they had these laying around the shop where I did my builds.
> 
> ...


I have a dremel with adjustable rpms. I'm pretty sure they make a bit that can deburr. I might still get one of those deburring tools just to have. You can never have too many tools.

Not to sure on the 308 right now. I might look at getting 1 or 2 stripped lowers instead of the 80% lowers with the jig. I have to see which ones are cheaper and which ones I can get hands on. With how hard it is to get stripped lowers right now, that might make my decision easier. I will wait a couple of months when the buying frenzy dies down.

Thanks again for getting me started.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

yeah I am gonna have to wait a good bit anyway for money reasons and no sense in getting a lower to beat a ban and not be able to get the mags that will also be banned at the same time.


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## WatchUr6 (May 18, 2012)

jsriley5 said:


> It is somthing I"m considering though I don't have any of the equiptment lined up to do the finish work. I"d like to get 308 lower though and at least a stripped upper so I can start adding parts as I get the chance. I have long wanted one of the big AR's just because well just because I don't have one and they are cool.


I knew I didn't have enough guns (you can't ever have to many). The current events have given me the motivation that I needed to complete the security aspect of my preps. I've diverted funds (not too much) from my other preps to do this. That free drill press that i am getting, helps a lot. I have an AR. It is awesome. That's why I want several more.


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## WatchUr6 (May 18, 2012)

jsriley5 said:


> yeah I am gonna have to wait a good bit anyway for money reasons and no sense in getting a lower to beat a ban and not be able to get the mags that will also be banned at the same time.


I understand about the money. Thankfully this year was good to me. Fortunately I also ordered twenty 30 round mags for the AR before everyone sold out. I promised 5 of those mags to a buddy of mine. Right now pretty much every website is on back order status for the mags.


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## WatchUr6 (May 18, 2012)

Just got off the phone with my ffl buddy. He said he can't get the stripped lowers for at least one month (all his suppliers are on back order). 

I was going to pick up a 9mm from him today. I was hoping to get it for Christmas. Not gonna happen. He had just called cbi, and was told there was at least 8,500 checks to do ahead of mine. He said it's a 4 day wait. So I will get it after Christmas.

He recommended that I pick up the 80% lowers to put away for future builds. He will still order a couple stripped lowers for me.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Will have to hope there are lowers available when if not then I"ll spend the money on a good lever action or bolt gun so I'll have somthing to shoot when they take away my right to own the Semi auto guns. Suppose if I just have to have an evil black rifle I can get that ridiculous "tactical" lever that marlin or someone was selling. But I have had a Puma 454 casul lever action on my list for a long time be a good excuse to bump it up.


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

Everyone needs to remember that as long as blueprints, machine tools, and machinists exist, anything can be had. Actually, all three of those are optional.


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## Jazz555 (Jan 11, 2013)

No i am not doing this.


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## mtexplorer (Dec 14, 2012)

Not a machinist so my dumb question is what is an 80% lower

Thanks

M


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## WatchUr6 (May 18, 2012)

mtexplorer said:


> Not a machinist so my dumb question is what is an 80% lower
> 
> Thanks
> 
> M


It is the lower receiver for the firearm. It is only 80% completed. It is not considered a firearm yet, therefore you don't have to get it through an ffl. You have to finish the milling process yourself. Once completed, add the rest of the components. Now you have a fully functioning firearm. No serial numbers on it. It is totally legal.


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

mtexplorer said:


> Not a machinist so my dumb question is what is an 80% lower
> 
> Thanks
> 
> M


If one were to go to an FFL dealer and buy an AR15 lower reciever, it would be 100% complete per ATF and require that you fill out a 4473 for purchase. An 80% lower receiver has the majority of machining operations completed, but not all of them. ATF determines these to be 80% complete, and because of this, they require no 4473 or other paperwork. You must complete the additional 20% of machining operations in order to have a functional lower.

It's been a while since I looked, but I *think* that 80% AR lowers typically need the holes drilled for the fire control group, and maybe a couple of other minor things that are easily accomplished with a jig and a drill press.

I have some 0% lower receiver forgings, which have none of the machining operations completed.


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