AR lower differences?

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  • Jimb

    Marksman
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    Aug 11, 2012
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    I'm still trying to wade through the endless options, and decide which AR with which options are going to a good mid range reliable AR to get my feet wet with.
    To keep it to just one question: is he really much of a difference between a Spikes and Andrrson lower?
     

    LPMan59

    Grandmaster
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    May 8, 2009
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    Yes. Sometimes QC is not 100% and holes can be out of spec.
    Buy once, cry once.
    BTW, have you looked at BCM?

    Bob

    lol does anyone just buy one?

    op, andersons are usually fine but some have had minor problems. Spikes is fine. Bcm is fine. Palmetto state armory is fine.

    dont pay more than you have too though
     

    HubertGummer

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    Jan 7, 2016
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    I've built 2 AR's so far, the first with a Spikes lower and the second with an Anderson lower. Both went together without issue. Andersons are cheaper and probably for a reason though.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
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    May 30, 2009
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    Lafayette
    There are only a handful of manufacturers that produce AR15 lowers.
    They produce them for different distributors/builders under different brand names/roll marks.

    The final polish/finish are usually the difference.
    Think of Mossberg shotguns.
    You can buy them under the name Mossberg, or Maverick, and you used to be able to buy "Westernfield" which was nothing more than a re-branded Mossberg.

    One note of interest.
    Anderson Manufacturing DOES produced their own lowers, start to finish.
     

    M67

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    Jan 15, 2011
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    For the minor price increase over Aero Precision and Anderson, I'd go AP all day every day. Andersons (mainly) work, but the attention to detail on fit isn't the best.

    Spikes are nice, and they're coming out with pretty cool rollmarks and selector markings though
     

    Jimb

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    Aug 11, 2012
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    Was looking at a build from a company called Marcone I believe out of Laurel , IN that looked nice, and price seemed right. They offered a choice between Spikes or Anderson lowers on the build. The right one will come along....being patient. I've always thought though that a build, or parts from different manufacturers, was not what I wanted. Really not sure if much validity to that premise or not?
     

    55fairlane

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    I don't the difference in most AR lowers, but I can and will say Anderson great quality for the money , I do know they machine there own lowers , I have seen the VMC's in action ( vertical machining centers)

    I have a 2 lowers from Anderson one wears a PSA upper in 556 the other wears a Anderson sport upper with a dedicated .22 rimfire barrel

    both have Anderson parts kits, and both are 100% reliable
     

    Doublehelix

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    Jun 20, 2015
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    I have a Spike's lower and and Aero Precision upper, and they fit together like a hand and a glove. I have a S&W MP15 Sport II, and even though the upper and lower are from the same manufacturer, they have a gap between them and do not fit anywhere nearly as tightly as the Spikes/Aero combination, so I don't think that it is always that matched brands fit best, but more like quality parts will fit best. Just my 2 cents.
     

    Lebowski

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    Jun 6, 2013
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    Between corn and soybean fields.
    I don't care a whole lot about lowers, to a degree I'd reckon it's personal preference in how they look / the design / the engraving / brand loyalty. When I build an AR I try to be frugal, which is different than being 'cheap'. Things I'm more concerned about is the barrel, bolt carrier group and trigger. The rest isn't as important.

    Just my $0.02

    First AR was built with an Anderson lower. Second AR (300BLK pistol) was built with a Rock River Armory lower. Both are cheap forged lowers, both do what they're supposed to do and I can't see how choosing a $300 lower for these builds would change the performance or reliability of my builds over the cheap $50-$100 lowers I used instead. That just leaves me with more money to spend on critical action parts.
     

    Jimb

    Marksman
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    6   0   0
    Aug 11, 2012
    169
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    Cicero
    I have a Spike's lower and and Aero Precision upper, and they fit together like a hand and a glove. I have a S&W MP15 Sport II, and even though the upper and lower are from the same manufacturer, they have a gap between them and do not fit anywhere nearly as tightly as the Spikes/Aero combination, so I don't think that it is always that matched brands fit best, but more like quality parts will fit best. Just my 2 cents.
    Thank you very much.
     

    Jimb

    Marksman
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    6   0   0
    Aug 11, 2012
    169
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    Cicero
    I don't care a whole lot about lowers, to a degree I'd reckon it's personal preference in how they look / the design / the engraving / brand loyalty. When I build an AR I try to be frugal, which is different than being 'cheap'. Things I'm more concerned about is the barrel, bolt carrier group and trigger. The rest isn't as important.

    Just my $0.02

    First AR was built with an Anderson lower. Second AR (300BLK pistol) was built with a Rock River Armory lower. Both are cheap forged lowers, both do what they're supposed to do and I can't see how choosing a $300 lower for these builds would change the performance or reliability of my builds over the cheap $50-$100 lowers I used instead. That just leaves me with more money to spend on critical action parts.
    Thanks A lot.....frugal but reliable is my target.
     

    M67

    Grandmaster
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    Jan 15, 2011
    6,181
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    Southernish Indiana
    First AR was built with an Anderson lower. Second AR (300BLK pistol) was built with a Rock River Armory lower. Both are cheap forged lowers, both do what they're supposed to do and I can't see how choosing a $300 lower for these builds would change the performance or reliability of my builds over the cheap $50-$100 lowers I used instead. That just leaves me with more money to spend on critical action parts.

    Until you build an AR with a billet lower, you don't know what you're missing.

    My first billet lower was a Seekins and the machining and fit and finish sold me on them. It was beautiful. Then I went with a Mega upper-lower set, POF P308 lower, and my P415 has a billet lower.

    Yes they're more expensive but it's one of those things that until you try one, you shouldn't dog them because of the cost.

    I have forged lower ARs too, but my preference by far is billet. I love the machining. Some people pay more for fancy wood on bolt actions....some pay more for perfect machining.

    I have an Aero and a PSA, and they both work perfect. Lowers are lowers...don't worry about it.

    Lowers are only "lowers" when the holes are in the right spots. That doesn't always happen
     

    seedubs1

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    Jan 17, 2013
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    Or.....it's because Aero machines the forgings into receivers. Spikes receivers are Aero receivers. So what you've actually done is put an Aero upper receiver on an Aero lower receiver that has a Spikes logo on it. I've found that Aero holds pretty good tolerances on their receivers, and they tend to fit together very well. It's unusual that I get any rattle out of Aero upper/lower combos even if they aren't a "match" set.
    I have a Spike's lower and and Aero Precision upper, and they fit together like a hand and a glove. I have a S&W MP15 Sport II, and even though the upper and lower are from the same manufacturer, they have a gap between them and do not fit anywhere nearly as tightly as the Spikes/Aero combination, so I don't think that it is always that matched brands fit best, but more like quality parts will fit best. Just my 2 cents.
     

    seedubs1

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    Jan 17, 2013
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    Wrong. Aero Precision makes the uppers and lowers for Spikes. Anderson is garbage from what I've personally seen. I'll never buy their junk again. Parts is not parts.
    Anderson makes the lowers and uppers for Spikes. The difference is the logo.
     
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