Anyone familiar with AR-15 lower receivers?
 

I've been considering an AR-15 lower receiver, where I can then have several upper receivers in various calibers, including a .50 cal.

I'm wondering what is the best lower receiver that will accept a .50 cal upper? So far it looks like a choice between Armalite and Alexander Arms.

What do you think?

Re: Anyone familiar with AR-15 lower receivers?
 

I own and am a fan of Rock River Arms. Not sure about them being able to accept a .50 cal upper.

Have you checked out www.ar15.com? they have all the information you could ever want.

Re: Anyone familiar with AR-15 lower receivers?
 

yep, I've been there. I can't post there because my email address is hotmail.

Re: Anyone familiar with AR-15 lower receivers?
 

Yup, Bushmaster, Rock River and Armalite - all are good quality. If any doubts about the fit, just ask the supplier of the upper....my guess is it'll be fine.

My only complaint on the Bushmaster is I think that they put some kind of block in the receiver to prevent full auto modification (political correctness gets gov't contracts), again, double check with the supplier of the upper if he's heard of this interfering

Re: Anyone familiar with AR-15 lower receivers?
 

Bushmaster's lowers are not blocked. Colt's are the only major MFG to do this.

i highly recommend Bushmaster or RRA or Armalite too.

just stay away from Olympic Arms, or Hessie or Vulcan lowers and you should be fine. Olympic lowers tend to be out of spec and only seem to work with Olympic uppers. Hessie had to change their name to Vulcan when the "word of mouth advertising" got so bad nobody would buy them. they are the same crappy lowers though.

Re: Anyone familiar with AR-15 lower receivers?
 

I have a few complete name brand rifler (bought complete) that I have no complaints about but for doit yourself the prices on lowers from those companies are way high. Among myself & a number of budies we have been building on Superior Lowers that have all been great, ordered them from RB Precision

Re: Anyone familiar with AR-15 lower receivers?
 

Contact BOTH the manufacturer of the upper AND the lower. Tell them your plans. IF they are worth their salt, they will have answers readily available. And if they don't, move along to the next supplier.

Yeah, avoid Hesse/Vulcan... Olympic, iffy but usable if you use their stuff exclusively...

Let us know what you think of the .50 cartridge in the AR. It seems to me it would be a great short/intermediate range semi-auto. Even if you handload your own ammo, costs are not low. But you could practice with .223 and then swap on the .50 cal upper in bad times.

Re: Anyone familiar with AR-15 lower receivers?
 

I'm just wondering why people would pay $2500 for an Armalite AR50, or even more than that for a Barrett 50, when you can just buy the upper for much less.

Re: Anyone familiar with AR-15 lower receivers?
 

Second round reload takes a few more seconds, and because the upper is a different concept...for what that's worth.

I agree, especially considering that the upper is just an "accessory", it doesn't make a whole lot of sense NOT to have one