Hybrid lowers

[Dono12b]

So recently I purchased an ATI Omni hybrid lower and didn’t really think anything about fit and finish of it as it’s polymer with metal reinforcements all over it. When purchased I asked what kind of upper I could pin on it and I was told any mil spec upper will fit fine and function fine. I am just a little on the fence about it being I haven’t shot it yet haven’t had a chance to. Right now I have it pinned on an aluminum 5.56 mil spec pistol upper planning on shooting it this weekend just wanted to get some real world experience with this so has or does anyone have any experience with the polymer lowers on aluminum uppers?

 

[TangoFoxtrot]

So recently I purchased an ATI Omni hybrid lower and didn’t really think anything about fit and finish of it as it’s polymer with metal reinforcements all over it. When purchased I asked what kind of upper I could pin on it and I was told any mil spec upper will fit fine and function fine. I am just a little on the fence about it being I haven’t shot it yet haven’t had a chance to. Right now I have it pinned on an aluminum 5.56 mil spec pistol upper planning on shooting it this weekend just wanted to get some real world experience with this so has or does anyone have any experience with the polymer lowers on aluminum uppers?

Have you seen the new self contained AR? the buffer system all fits within the upper and lower, no buffer tubes needed.. I can't remember the brand off hand but I think several companies are making kits to convert conventional AR to this new style.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[bcannon]

I have a little experience with the polymer lowers. My buddy has had a few. They're not what was expected. They both preformed well from the start. As he put more use on them is when he experienced issues. With about 300 rounds on his first polymer the front pivot pin holes cracked on both sides. He contacted ATI and they replace the lower with what they said was the 2nd gen offering whatever that entailed. He proceeded to mount his upper and off to the range he went. He had better results and made it through a full 500 rounds without issue. He was extremely happy with his rifle after his first trip. We set up some targets the following weekend at his home and started to get his new to him red dot dialed in and within 100 rounds the front left pivot pin broke completely off and cracked the right. I had some reservations from the get go as I had heard some poor reviews on them. He did contact ATI again about the issues and he was offered another lower in exchange for his broken lower and he refused and wanted a refund. They wouldn't give him one and his only option was to accept the new lower so thats what he did. He ended up getting stripped Aero aluminum lower and built what he has today which has had easily 2000 rounds put through it without issue. He put another upper on the polymer lower with a 22lr conversion and it is his now designated 22lr only rifle.

Not trying to scare you or question your decision making just trying to give you my limited experience with them. There is better options out there for a 223/556 lower than the ATI polymer offerings imho.

Good luck with yours. Keep an eye out on the structural integrity of it.

 

[DadSmith]

I have a little experience with the polymer lowers. My buddy has had a few. They're not what was expected. They both preformed well from the start. As he put more use on them is when he experienced issues. With about 300 rounds on his first polymer the front pivot pin holes cracked on both sides. He contacted ATI and they replace the lower with what they said was the 2nd gen offering whatever that entailed. He proceeded to mount his upper and off to the range he went. He had better results and made it through a full 500 rounds without issue. He was extremely happy with his rifle after his first trip. We set up some targets the following weekend at his home and started to get his new to him red dot dialed in and within 100 rounds the front left pivot pin broke completely off and cracked the right. I had some reservations from the get go as I had heard some poor reviews on them. He did contact ATI again about the issues and he was offered another lower in exchange for his broken lower and he refused and wanted a refund. They wouldn't give him one and his only option was to accept the new lower so thats what he did. He ended up getting stripped Aero aluminum lower and built what he has today which has had easily 2000 rounds put through it without issue. He put another upper on the polymer lower with a 22lr conversion and it is his now designated 22lr only rifle.

Not trying to scare you or question your decision making just trying to give you my limited experience with them. There is better options out there for a 223/556 lower than the ATI polymer offerings imho.

Good luck with yours. Keep an eye out on the structural integrity of it.

Same happened with my buddy who wanted to make a light weight AR. He went through 3 then on the 4th he sold it bought an Anderson lower and has been good to go since.

 

[JHB]

Plastic lowers are great for 22RF. Get an aluminum one for anything center fire. YouTube has all kinds of videos on broken hybrid lowers.

 

[Dono12b]

I have a little experience with the polymer lowers. My buddy has had a few. They're not what was expected. They both preformed well from the start. As he put more use on them is when he experienced issues. With about 300 rounds on his first polymer the front pivot pin holes cracked on both sides. He contacted ATI and they replace the lower with what they said was the 2nd gen offering whatever that entailed. He proceeded to mount his upper and off to the range he went. He had better results and made it through a full 500 rounds without issue. He was extremely happy with his rifle after his first trip. We set up some targets the following weekend at his home and started to get his new to him red dot dialed in and within 100 rounds the front left pivot pin broke completely off and cracked the right. I had some reservations from the get go as I had heard some poor reviews on them. He did contact ATI again about the issues and he was offered another lower in exchange for his broken lower and he refused and wanted a refund. They wouldn't give him one and his only option was to accept the new lower so thats what he did. He ended up getting stripped Aero aluminum lower and built what he has today which has had easily 2000 rounds put through it without issue. He put another upper on the polymer lower with a 22lr conversion and it is his now designated 22lr only rifle.

Not trying to scare you or question your decision making just trying to give you my limited experience with them. There is better options out there for a 223/556 lower than the ATI polymer offerings imho.

Good luck with yours. Keep an eye out on the structural integrity of it.

Thanks man for all the useful info I haven’t even shot this one once yet due to my reservations and the shortage of ammo around me. I’ve been told to ditch the polymer lower and get a aluminum one. What’s crazy to me is the polymer lower Was actually more expensive then some of the lowers the aluminum lowers that I’ve been looking at now I understand 80% stripped and completed all fetch different prices but my completed lower was almost the exact same price as an aluminum completed Lower from someone else on the Internet I kind of felt backed into a corner when I bought it because I really didn’t have any other option at the time and I was really needing or kind of wanting to get my AR done

 

[bcannon]

Thanks man for all the useful info I haven’t even shot this one once yet due to my reservations and the shortage of ammo around me. I’ve been told to ditch the polymer lower and get a aluminum one. What’s crazy to me is the polymer lower Was actually more expensive then some of the lowers the aluminum lowers that I’ve been looking at now I understand 80% stripped and completed all fetch different prices but my completed lower was almost the exact same price as an aluminum completed Lower from someone else on the Internet I kind of felt backed into a corner when I bought it because I really didn’t have any other option at the time and I was really needing or kind of wanting to get my AR done

I understand. You can find some complete lowers on Gunbroker.com at semi decent pricing given the market today. Next time ask for help in deciding what you want. There's alot of good members on here that will help.

 

[Dono12b]

I understand. You can find some complete lowers on Gunbroker.com at semi decent pricing given the market today. Next time ask for help in deciding what you want. There's alot of good members on here that will help.

Like I said I kind of just felt rushed when I bought it because I didn’t want to them to get banned before I had one so I just figured I could buy the lower since that’s technically the fire arm and then an upper would be more readily available but unfortunately I feel like it was the other way around the upper I should say upper receivers that I wanted seem to be a plethora in stock and I can’t even find a lower receiver at most places now I have been lucky and found some I do have an aluminum Lower on its way in the mail but it’s on its way in the mail so I’m trying not to hold my breath on that one.

 

[churchmouse]

With all the bad press out there I am just wondering why anyone (not just you my friend) would want to go this route. Every one I know that has done this was terribly disappointed. I have no idea how they stay in business.

 

[Dono12b]

With all the bad press out there I am just wondering why anyone (not just you my friend) would want to go this route. Every one I know that has done this was terribly disappointed. I have no idea how they stay in business.

That seems to be the general consensus I haven’t figured it out. I was at my local brick and mortar today and they have two complete hybrid lower and upper 5.56/.223 pistols they were only like 5ish if I recall, I understand why now.

 

[Gabriel]

I had a Cav Arms lower years ago. It turned me off of the idea of polymer lowers, except maybe for rimfire.

 

[churchmouse]

I had a Cav Arms lower years ago. It turned me off of the idea of polymer lowers, except maybe for rimfire.

2 of these Poly lowers I have been around broke when the pin in the back was pushed and the upper opened up on the front pin. The pin lands broke right off.
And the upper was not slammed over by any measure.

Some things are not supposed to be plastic especially a battle style rifle.