What is the story with American Tactical polymer stripped lower receivers?  Somebody gave me one today, new in box.  It went together just fine with standard parts from Fulton Armory.  Anybody know anything about them?

It will break on the buffer tube threads.

make a .22 out of it

I seen't a brand new one in the first gom store I worked at. The takedown pin detent broke thru the inside wall and became cockeyed, locking the takedown pin in place, preventing function...unless you remove the buffer toob to field strip.

Should be fine to use but yes, when it breaks, it tend to break where the boss ring is and the rear take down pin. However, if you have a A2 style with the fixed stock, those tend to last as long as a aluminum receiver. I think a lot of people are making it out that it'll break, but it shouldn't break under normal use. The reason why the boss ring tend to break is due to just torquing the castle nut too tight along with the buffer taking a pounding. Just be sure to follow torque specs. The castle nut tend to be easily over torqued item.

This. Build it out and have fun with it at the range. If it breaks, it isn’t likely to happen in any sort of catastrophic way.

I have one of the reinforced lowers with the metal inserts. It’s still really lightweight so I did a pencil barrel build on it for the wife. She loves it and insists we take it every time when she goes to the range.

Have built three Omni lowers the last also being a lightweight build. There have been a few comments about junk and cracking but there has been zero proof with firsthand experience. My reply to the experts is a simple question. Is that why snowmobile ski's are made using polymer?

ATI will also warranty their lowers to the original buyer for life.  May not be right for everyone and is not mil spec but there is a place for some builds using them.  

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Revamped design in an attempt to alleviate the issues of breakage at RE threads :

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The one I have is different than the broke one pictured.  It has a belly'd triggerguard and the FCG pins are held in place with self tapping screws; they have raised pin bosses on each side.  It looks reinforced like the one shown as well.