AR Sponsor
Posted: 11/23/2013 7:10:48 PM EDT
|
Does anyone out there own or have any experiences (Good or Bad) with the ‘New Frontier Armory’ Polymer Lower Receivers? I have been debating back and forth on using one for my next AR15 Pistol project.
http://www.joeboboutfitters.com/New_Frontier_Armory_STRIPPED_AR15_Polymer_Lower_p/nfa-stripped.htm |
|
I have 2 of 'em, I have built one lower, the other is currently MIA (behing a shelf somewhere). I bought them back in like May or so at $59 when most aluminum lowers were $99 and higher.
You will very likely have to file/sand/trim a little, especially the take down pin holes and bolt catch retaining pin holes. 
I had to make a trip down to Harbor Freight to pick up a reamer. But they are good quality. Now that prices have come back down to nearly reasonable, why not just get an aluminum one (Palmetto State Armory, et. al?) |
|
Quoted:
Wow okay… so they don’t even build them to spec then? The only reason I was thinking about trying one out was simply because I don’t own one. Price wasn’t really a factor in it. I was just curious if it was worth it or not. Thanks for the tip! I bought mine when the guy above did too thinking I'd use it for a 22lr build. Pin holes on mine were way off when mated to a Chiappa poly upper and my PSA carbine upper. After filing some they were still really tight. I sold it for what I paid |
| If you want a poly lower, get a GWACS CAV15. They're on sale for $69 here. |
|
Picked my New Frontier complete lower up at my club FFL, took it out of the box, dropped on my upper with zero problems, and fired 100rds.
I'm up to about 1000 rounds through it now...I put another 100 through it last week. It has worked perfectly from the start. I never had any fitting issues as described above. The poly FCG has a nice crisp trigger pull. |
I wouldn't hesitate to get the Cav Arms one at $69...but I would never buy any of the polymer lowers with the same dimensions as the Al ones. For the part that is the firearm...not worth having it be so weak. Al stripped lowers can be found for $50. During the cyclic "panics"  I just don't buy stuff.
|
| I have an ATI polymer lower that I bought during the panic as it was all I could buy at the time. A couple of months after buying it, I was able to replace it with a PSA lower. I was just going to keep it as a spare, but it was burning a hole in my closet, and I had to try it out. I put a cheap Blackhawk stock on it I got from PSA, PSA lower build kit on it, and the cheapest complete upper JSE had at the time. I put a Nikon P223 scope (fixed power) on it, and took it to the range. I have shot about 100 rounds through it with no problems. All the parts went on fine. Would I buy another polymer lower? No, especially as cheap as others are selling for now. I am going to buy another spare lower and make myself keep it stripped. I will shoot this polymer one until it breaks and then replace it with the spare. |
|
My first build and currently only AR used a NFA stripped poly lower. I had to dremel the bolt catch, takedown pin holes, FCG holes, and the magazine release button hole. I did this very slowly.
I used a CMMG LPK, bought a commercial buffer kit and a complete DoubleStar upper. Nearing 1000 rounds through it. No issues save for a bad Thermold mag I bought to function check the lower when assembling it. Currently piecing together parts for a nice mil-spec aluminum lower build that will replace the NFA lower on the DS upper. I will then turn the NFA lower into a .22....Or sell it. I do kind of baby the NFA rifle because you know...polymer, But I also don't really treat it nicely. It gets tossed around my truck and smucked on trees and rocks varmint hunting. I just not something I would throw down my driveway, pour dirt in, drop off my roof, or do any sort of prying action with. Although one night before I got my LPK and just had the stripped NFA lower, a buddy and I were drinking and I pulled it out. He sort of financed the early purchase of the lower ( I paid him back  ) Anyway, he grabbed the lower by the buffer tube hole and the pistol grip section and slammed it against my desk as hard as he could. Made a damn loud noise and made my wife downstairs mad. But it didn't break!
Point being, If you really want it then get it and you will *probably*  be ok. But with prices so good right now why bother? Not to mention black friday coming up
|
AR Sponsor