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Posted: 7/25/2009 12:20:36 PM EDT
| I am starting my first build and I want to know which lower parts kit is a good one to use. There are so many of them how do you decide which one to use? Are any better than the others? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. |
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I used the DPMS lower parts kit, about $65.
The only problem I had was with the pivot pin detent and spring. The detent/spring wouldn't go in far enough to allow the pivot pin to be installed. I filed down one end of the detent pin (the end next to the spring) (both ends have a point) and that solved the problem. Several others in my gunsmith class had this same issue. The one thing I realy didn't like was the trigger feel so I replaced it with a Jard Adjustable. I'm very happy with the Jard. |
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DPMS is a basic good kit, it has the proper hammer if you may ever want to shoot a .22 LR conversion kit. The only problem I've had with the DPMS LPK is that the trigger can be a little creepy and I've broken a number of the hammer pins over time. It's not difficult to perminantly fix this with minor trigger work and solid, captive hammer / trigger pins. I've done this with most of my rifles anyway. Cmmg (DPMS Style Hammer) has an LPK. Rock River , Bushmaster are all reasonable. Most available kits are fine, some have various quirks some have had minor QC problems.
Right now it's still a whatever you can find to buy but were coming out of that. The supply is catching up with demand. Soon Good Luck, SO-13 |
| Grab a RRA LPK from Adco. Get a quality LPK for the same price as a DPMS. |
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They're all basically the same. I've used Armalite, Stag, DoubleStar CMMG, DPMS, RRA, and one by RB Precision. They're all the same except the DPMS and CMMG have better hammers with no notches and the Armalite has a much cooler bolt catch. You can use the DPMS/CMMG hammers for 9mm ARs if you ever decide to buy a 9mm upper and mag block. The ones with notches don't work with 9mm ARs. The Armalite bolt catch is square on the back instead of heavily beveled like the others, so it catches the 9mm bolt more reliably with bolt-hold-open mags, and it looks like this:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/armalite%20bolt%20catch/XHairs/Billie12.jpg (NOT MY PIC - found it via Google images) Only issue I have every had was a selector on one of the DPMS kits wasn't milled deep enough in the divots, and it felt spongy. It still worked, but I didn't like it, so DPMS replaced it for free. I have since used at least 6 or 7 of their kits. Get whatever is cheapest and what is in stock so you don't have to wait. http://www.jsesurplus.com/doublestarjandtlowerpartskit.aspx http://www.jsesurplus.com/rockriverlowerpartskit.aspx - you can change to an OD or even Hogue grip on that one. |
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