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Posted: 6/17/2015 11:26:07 AM EDT
| Anyone ever tried to cast an AR upper out of aluminum? What alloys did you use and how did it work out? |
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Quoted:
Anyone ever tried to cast an AR upper out of aluminum? What alloys did you use and how did it work out? Safari Arms sold a cast upper YEARS ago Olympic Arms manufactured cast uppers (and later purchased Safari Arms) The alloy would probably be A356 My question is WHY? Cast SUCKS! |
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casting Ali isn't that easy, what easy it porosity, shrinkage and hidden defects. Some things are just not well designed for casting. It can be done, but again, if there are cheaper ways to get the same thing with less effort there is no point.
when hot metal flows, it heats up parts of mold unevenly which would effect shrinkage during solidus. Thin parts or steep undercuts all suck for casting. |
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It makes more sense to make an upper out of billet than machine a gravity casting, I would think.
You can buy forged blanks for like 20 bucks, seems like it'd take considerable work to complete, but much more preferable than using working with material that is gravity cast that comes with built-in downfalls |
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Vision Armory produces 80% and complete lowers cast from A380. It's properties are supposed to be similar to 6061, and I read it's very easy to mill.
I have yet to try one of their $39 80% lowers, because they also sell a complete $59 7075 forged lower. |
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