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Posted: 6/2/2026 10:48:43 AM EDT
[Last Edit: StevenH][Edited]
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This is not a complaint, it’s likely simply a cosmetic change from a process change or batch variation. But posted as a heads up. I’ve bought four complete PSA lowers in the last two years. The first three have the same deep black smooth anodizing. The most recent, an LW prefix, is different. It’s a more matte dark charcoal grey and not smooth. Kinda reminds me of older Colt anodizing. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By j3_: LW lowers were not at one time made by them. Supposedly some say by this company on a variance. https://lwschneider.com/ The LW ones I thought were from years back at least the one I have is. Interesting, thanks |
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The second pic in this 2013 posts shows one. https://www.ar15.com/forums/Industry/PSA-Lowers-The-Definitive-Thread-on-their-Differences-/301-243849/ Is the serial number anywhere close to the range on the one in that old pic? I think lowers have a pretty long shelf life. I have never seen an expiration date on the package of one.  Number on mine from late 2014 is LW 07169X |
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Originally Posted By j3_: The second pic in this 2013 posts shows one. https://www.ar15.com/forums/Industry/PSA-Lowers-The-Definitive-Thread-on-their-Differences-/301-243849/ Is the serial number anywhere close to the range on the one in that old pic? I think lowers have a pretty long shelf life. I have never seen an expiration date on the package of one. Number on mine from late 2014 is LW 07169X LW48156X |
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Looks a lot more recent than the old ones. I don't think manufacturers ever seem to talk so real reasons for differences are seldom ever known. Years back you could compare machining differences in lowers and get an idea of who made them but not anymore just too many now and they are not even always machined the same from one manufacturer anymore. |
| LW isnt made by PSA and to my knowledge Haven't made a PSA lower for years. Did you buy that directly from PSA? |
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| If so, it could have been a lower that was found when they moved the warehouse. PSA has no issues making their own lowers now (regular PSA, H&R, DPMS, AAC, etc.) |
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Originally Posted By d16man: If so, it could have been a lower that was found when they moved the warehouse. PSA has no issues making their own lowers now (regular PSA, H&R, DPMS, AAC, etc.) Another poster responded in this thread https://www.ar15.com/forums/industry/PSA-Lowers-The-Definitive-Thread-on-their-Differences-/301-243849/&page=7 he received a couple of blem stealth ones a few weeks ago that were LW. Maybe their machines are just busy with other projects recently like those new lowers they came out with. |
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Originally Posted By j3_: Another poster responded in this thread https://www.ar15.com/forums/industry/PSA-Lowers-The-Definitive-Thread-on-their-Differences-/301-243849/&page=7 he received a couple of blem stealth ones a few weeks ago that were LW. Maybe their machines are just busy with other projects recently like those new lowers they came out with. Originally Posted By j3_: Originally Posted By d16man: If so, it could have been a lower that was found when they moved the warehouse. PSA has no issues making their own lowers now (regular PSA, H&R, DPMS, AAC, etc.) Another poster responded in this thread https://www.ar15.com/forums/industry/PSA-Lowers-The-Definitive-Thread-on-their-Differences-/301-243849/&page=7 he received a couple of blem stealth ones a few weeks ago that were LW. Maybe their machines are just busy with other projects recently like those new lowers they came out with. LW made the original stealth ones. I will check with gamecock tomorrow as he and I are having lunch.. he is the keeper of all things PSA lower wise. |
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Originally Posted By StevenH: Yes. The box end label is dated 05-22-26. Originally Posted By StevenH: Originally Posted By d16man: LW isnt made by PSA and to my knowledge Haven't made a PSA lower for years. Did you buy that directly from PSA? Yes. The box end label is dated 05-22-26. That's interesting. Will check tomorrow. |
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Originally Posted By TGWLDR: Ano service subbed out due to demand per Josiah in another thread here. Is that the thread that got deleted as many seem to do? Most manufacturers will not tell all the particulars. So, the anodizing that was obvious but there was no question in the thread about the rest of the lower and if there was I doubt you would get an answer. |
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Originally Posted By j3_: Is that the thread that got deleted as many seem to do? Most manufacturers will not tell all the particulars. So, the anodizing that was obvious but there was no question in the thread about the rest of the lower and if there was I doubt you would get an answer. Originally Posted By j3_: Originally Posted By TGWLDR: Ano service subbed out due to demand per Josiah in another thread here. Is that the thread that got deleted as many seem to do? Most manufacturers will not tell all the particulars. So, the anodizing that was obvious but there was no question in the thread about the rest of the lower and if there was I doubt you would get an answer. Yeah, that'd be the one. Edit: It was posted in their Industry Forum. The OP here was the OP in that thread as well, IIRC. |
| I will ask about that today. It could be that their ano tank was set up for a run of H&R. I've seen the tank, it is huge. From one end of the tank catwalk to the other is not a short length. |
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| Pretty sure if I'm not mistaken if a manufacturer has lowers made by another shop on a variance since they are the ones that receive then sell and distribute them they are the ones that report them on the ATF manufacturing and export report yearly form so they are the "manufacturer". |
| So I ate lunch with @gamecockoperator who is the keeper of all things PSA lower wise.....the speculation, and it is only that, is that either LW made a batch of lowers for PSA or did the anodizing or both. With Anderson and now Aero gone, there may be a big void for OEM lowers. It could be that the void combined with increases in VA and other commie states with a deadline that LW has stepped up to fill the void on basic lowers. PSA has been putting out their sabre lowers and the new IC lowers. What was the "trump slump" that caused Aero and Anderson to be done now may be having the reverse effect creating room for more of the big companies to step in. Just speculation though. |
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Originally Posted By d16man: So I ate lunch with @gamecockoperator who is the keeper of all things PSA lower wise.....the speculation, and it is only that, is that either LW made a batch of lowers for PSA or did the anodizing or both. With Anderson and now Aero gone, there may be a big void for OEM lowers. It could be that the void combined with increases in VA and other commie states with a deadline that LW has stepped up to fill the void on basic lowers. PSA has been putting out their sabre lowers and the new IC lowers. What was the "trump slump" that caused Aero and Anderson to be done now may be having the reverse effect creating room for more of the big companies to step in. Just speculation though. As was pointed out in the thread above the LW lowers are most certainly being shipped out. Unfortunately they are being sent out in place of lowers they advertise as PA marked stealth lowers as indicated on their product pages. I blasted the LW lowers they sent to me that were supposed to be PA and recoated with guncote. When I did blast them the anodizing came off splotchy. Maybe that was the blem. I don't know but the other three non PSA lowers I did at the same time had anodizing that held up better to the blaster and were more uniform in appearance. |
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Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: As was pointed out in the thread above the LW lowers are most certainly being shipped out. Unfortunately they are being sent out in place of lowers they advertise as PA marked stealth lowers as indicated on their product pages. I blasted the LW lowers they sent to me that were supposed to be PA and recoated with guncote. When I did blast them the anodizing came off splotchy. Maybe that was the blem. I don't know but the other three non PSA lowers I did at the same time had anodizing that held up better to the blaster and were more uniform in appearance. Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: Originally Posted By d16man: So I ate lunch with @gamecockoperator who is the keeper of all things PSA lower wise.....the speculation, and it is only that, is that either LW made a batch of lowers for PSA or did the anodizing or both. With Anderson and now Aero gone, there may be a big void for OEM lowers. It could be that the void combined with increases in VA and other commie states with a deadline that LW has stepped up to fill the void on basic lowers. PSA has been putting out their sabre lowers and the new IC lowers. What was the "trump slump" that caused Aero and Anderson to be done now may be having the reverse effect creating room for more of the big companies to step in. Just speculation though. As was pointed out in the thread above the LW lowers are most certainly being shipped out. Unfortunately they are being sent out in place of lowers they advertise as PA marked stealth lowers as indicated on their product pages. I blasted the LW lowers they sent to me that were supposed to be PA and recoated with guncote. When I did blast them the anodizing came off splotchy. Maybe that was the blem. I don't know but the other three non PSA lowers I did at the same time had anodizing that held up better to the blaster and were more uniform in appearance. Guncote as a factory finish? Mines a little chalky and abrasive but I think it’s actual anodizing? Looks okay with my cheap PSA upper |
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Originally Posted By StevenH: Guncote as a factory finish? Mines a little chalky and abrasive but I think it’s actual anodizing? Looks okay with my cheap PSA upper No I recoated them myself. |
Be a hard-ass. Every day should be like his first day in prison, and he's all alone in the yard without a shiv.
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Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: No I recoated them myself. Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: Originally Posted By StevenH: Guncote as a factory finish? Mines a little chalky and abrasive but I think it’s actual anodizing? Looks okay with my cheap PSA upper No I recoated them myself. Ah, okay. |
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Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: As was pointed out in the thread above the LW lowers are most certainly being shipped out. Unfortunately they are being sent out in place of lowers they advertise as PA marked stealth lowers as indicated on their product pages. I blasted the LW lowers they sent to me that were supposed to be PA and recoated with guncote. When I did blast them the anodizing came off splotchy. Maybe that was the blem. I don't know but the other three non PSA lowers I did at the same time had anodizing that held up better to the blaster and were more uniform in appearance. Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: As was pointed out in the thread above the LW lowers are most certainly being shipped out. Unfortunately they are being sent out in place of lowers they advertise as PA marked stealth lowers as indicated on their product pages. I blasted the LW lowers they sent to me that were supposed to be PA and recoated with guncote. When I did blast them the anodizing came off splotchy. Maybe that was the blem. I don't know but the other three non PSA lowers I did at the same time had anodizing that held up better to the blaster and were more uniform in appearance. yes the lw lowers are being shipped... im not sure if the blotchy ness of them is the blem but it could be if you experienced that while blasting them... i'd say a blem would have to be visable without blasting anything to the naked eye. To your second point, the LW lowers are not being sent out in place of the stealth lowers, a stealth lower is a lower by PSA regardless of the SN, that has NO ROLLMARK at all. on either side of the mag well. it will still have a SN, model, and address of the company producing them, in this case PSA. As @D16man said, it is speculation as to whom may be producing them at this time.. but if i was a gambling man... well.. you must use your intelligence sometimes... Originally Posted By StevenH: Guncote as a factory finish? Mines a little chalky and abrasive but I think it’s actual anodizing? Looks okay with my cheap PSA upper sometimes a good oil bath will help the chalky appearance and darken the anodizing up some. and instead of cheap i believe you mean Inexpensive. :) |
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Originally Posted By GamecockOperator: yes the lw lowers are being shipped... im not sure if the blotchy ness of them is the blem but it could be if you experienced that while blasting them... i'd say a blem would have to be visable without blasting anything to the naked eye. To your second point, the LW lowers are not being sent out in place of the stealth lowers, a stealth lower is a lower by PSA regardless of the SN, that has NO ROLLMARK at all. on either side of the mag well. it will still have a SN, model, and address of the company producing them, in this case PSA. As @D16man said, it is speculation as to whom may be producing them at this time.. but if i was a gambling man... well.. you must use your intelligence sometimes... sometimes a good oil bath will help the chalky appearance and darken the anodizing up some. and instead of cheap i believe you mean Inexpensive. :) Originally Posted By GamecockOperator: Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: As was pointed out in the thread above the LW lowers are most certainly being shipped out. Unfortunately they are being sent out in place of lowers they advertise as PA marked stealth lowers as indicated on their product pages. I blasted the LW lowers they sent to me that were supposed to be PA and recoated with guncote. When I did blast them the anodizing came off splotchy. Maybe that was the blem. I don't know but the other three non PSA lowers I did at the same time had anodizing that held up better to the blaster and were more uniform in appearance. yes the lw lowers are being shipped... im not sure if the blotchy ness of them is the blem but it could be if you experienced that while blasting them... i'd say a blem would have to be visable without blasting anything to the naked eye. To your second point, the LW lowers are not being sent out in place of the stealth lowers, a stealth lower is a lower by PSA regardless of the SN, that has NO ROLLMARK at all. on either side of the mag well. it will still have a SN, model, and address of the company producing them, in this case PSA. As @D16man said, it is speculation as to whom may be producing them at this time.. but if i was a gambling man... well.. you must use your intelligence sometimes... Originally Posted By StevenH: Guncote as a factory finish? Mines a little chalky and abrasive but I think it’s actual anodizing? Looks okay with my cheap PSA upper sometimes a good oil bath will help the chalky appearance and darken the anodizing up some. and instead of cheap i believe you mean Inexpensive. :) You know I already covered this with you in the other thread but your product description for blemish stealth lowers say they are PA prefix lowers and what is being shipped are LW prefix lowers. I mean I can post screen shots of the sales invoice and product description page if you want. It wouldn’t be the first time a product page is incorrect but I really don’t like the insinuation I am stupid when the facts say something else. |
Be a hard-ass. Every day should be like his first day in prison, and he's all alone in the yard without a shiv.
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Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: You know I already covered this with you in the other thread but your product description for blemish stealth lowers say they are PA prefix lowers and what is being shipped are LW prefix lowers. I mean I can post screen shots of the sales invoice and product description page if you want. It wouldn’t be the first time a product page is incorrect but I really don’t like the insinuation I am stupid when the facts say something else. I have encountered the doesn't meet description thing myself. Good luck to anyone trying to get one corrected. |
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Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: As was pointed out in the thread above the LW lowers are most certainly being shipped out. Unfortunately they are being sent out in place of lowers they advertise as PA marked stealth lowers as indicated on their product pages. I blasted the LW lowers they sent to me that were supposed to be PA and recoated with guncote. When I did blast them the anodizing came off splotchy. Maybe that was the blem. I don't know but the other three non PSA lowers I did at the same time had anodizing that held up better to the blaster and were more uniform in appearance. Seems like a whole lot of unnecessary effort to put into bargain lowers. Why would you care how the anodizing of a PSA lower looks? |
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Originally Posted By JoshNC: Seems like a whole lot of unnecessary effort to put into bargain lowers. Why would you care how the anodizing of a PSA lower looks? Originally Posted By JoshNC: Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: As was pointed out in the thread above the LW lowers are most certainly being shipped out. Unfortunately they are being sent out in place of lowers they advertise as PA marked stealth lowers as indicated on their product pages. I blasted the LW lowers they sent to me that were supposed to be PA and recoated with guncote. When I did blast them the anodizing came off splotchy. Maybe that was the blem. I don't know but the other three non PSA lowers I did at the same time had anodizing that held up better to the blaster and were more uniform in appearance. Seems like a whole lot of unnecessary effort to put into bargain lowers. Why would you care how the anodizing of a PSA lower looks? Why would you not care how the finish of a new firearm looks? |
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Originally Posted By StevenH: Why would you not care how the finish of a new firearm looks? The finish is just fine. It’s uniform in its anodizing. What’s the problem? It doesn’t match an upper exactly? That’s gay and is the worry of a newbie. It’s a budget level AR lower. Shoot it a ton, give it some honest wear, and don’t treat it as though it’s a collectible doll. |
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Originally Posted By JoshNC: The finish is just fine. It’s a budget level AR lower. Shoot it a ton, give it some honest wear, and don’t treat it as though it’s a collectible doll. Originally Posted By JoshNC: Originally Posted By StevenH: Why would you not care how the finish of a new firearm looks? The finish is just fine. It’s a budget level AR lower. Shoot it a ton, give it some honest wear, and don’t treat it as though it’s a collectible doll. Oh I am so sorry I treated that lower like a collectible doll. Attached File |
Be a hard-ass. Every day should be like his first day in prison, and he's all alone in the yard without a shiv.
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Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: Oh I am so sorry I treated that lower like a collectible doll. /media/mediaFiles/sharedAlbum/dont-even-care-687.gif You’re forgiven. We all make mistakes. |
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