Why no stainless AR receivers?

Skans · May 24, 2012, 07:59 AM

I know that at least one company had made some stainless AR lower receivers. I found one on Gunbroker listed at a ridiculous price. So, I was just wondering why no one has set out to make upper and lower receivers out of SS for the AR. This would renew my interest in this platform.

UtopiaTexasG19 · May 24, 2012, 08:15 AM

What might be the advantage at the higher cost? Would you pay an extra
15k for a stainless steel automobile?

Mrgunsngear · May 24, 2012, 08:27 AM

While I wouldn't buy one, people would I'm sure. Look at all the people out there that refuse to buy Glocks/XDs/ect... because they're not stainless. You may have a good business idea on your hands....

mooner · May 24, 2012, 08:38 AM

A Delorean AR-15. Hmmm.

Slamfire · May 24, 2012, 08:42 AM

Weight and cost.

The lower receiver in a AR simply holds the parts together but it does not carry a significant load. The load of combustion is carried between the bolt and the barrel shroud, both of which are a high grade of steel.

Rifles in which the receiver is a load path, like Mausers, FN/FAL's, Garand, etc, their receivers have to be made of steel and it costs more in material and machining.

I don't see any advantage in increasing weight and cost of an item that does not need it, and the corrosion resistance of stainless is not needed.

Backyard mechanics typically pick stainless steel for applications that don't need corrosion resistance. The Jewel trigger is an example, the internal parts are stainless. The stainless Jewel used does not take a deep heat treat or case so the sear surfaces wears quickly. Obviously who ever picked that material should have been thinking tool steel and hardness

RT · May 24, 2012, 09:16 AM

Because that would unnecessarily add weight and expense.

Mrgunsngear · May 24, 2012, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Because that would unnecessarily add weight and expense.

I agree, but people will buy anything AR!

rugerdawg · May 24, 2012, 10:38 AM

I believe that DPMS used to offer an investment cast stainless steel lower receiver, but may have discontinued them a few years back. Cost was close to $500

rickyrick · May 24, 2012, 10:52 AM

Why not polish the aluminum?

Palmetto-Pride · May 24, 2012, 11:02 AM

Why not make it out of platinum so you can really shoot the cost up for no reason........

UtopiaTexasG19 · May 24, 2012, 11:36 AM

One purpose of a "black gun" is that it does not reflect light well and call attention to one's location. Stainless steel on the other hand....

Skans · May 24, 2012, 12:55 PM

Quote:

One purpose of a "black gun" is that it does not reflect light well and call attention to one's location. Stainless steel on the other hand....

There are plenty of examples of stainless steel coated black.....just like what's done with aluminum. Think American made Cetme or RA M-96 (albeit they are stamped receivers).

The extra weight would compare to the extra weight of some of the "bull barrels" out there. Extra strength can't be denied, even if perceived as unnecessary - I sure would want that SS receiver if I were planning on dropping a Lightning Link or RDIAS in it, or even a belt-fed upper. The little bit of extra weight would be a benefit in .308 AR's.

dayman · May 24, 2012, 01:16 PM

You could just glue tin-foil to it. Spray paint could also work.
It does seem odd that in a market saturated with both AR mods and Stainless "upgrades", they don't.
It would bridge that gap between mil-spec and cartel-gun.

rugerdawg · May 24, 2012, 01:50 PM

While the benefits of such an animal do not seem to appeal to the AR purists. The advantages to a person looking to build a bench type or really heavier barrel the extra strength and weight, not to mention the "bling" factor to those who can afford it just offers another endless option.

RT · May 24, 2012, 01:59 PM

They should just build the receivers out of Inconel.

eldorendo · May 25, 2012, 04:26 PM

The ONLY advantage I can think of for manufacturing ARs out of stainless steel would be to have something "interesting" to post on forums like this!!

m&p45acp10+1 · May 25, 2012, 04:35 PM

I thought it was because it was not black. I think their is a law stating that AR rifles must be black. They have the same saying as Henry Ford. "It comes in any color you want, as long as that color is black."

All kidding aside. You could just bead blast the lower to make it the same finish as stainless steel. If you do not have the blaster, a sandblasting shop would not charge you much to do the job. There are sandblasting shops all over. Most of the work they do is for body shops.

Crosshair · May 25, 2012, 07:52 PM

Why not?

50 BMG Uppers. That's why.

That and as mentioned elsewhere, bench guns.

cannonfire · May 25, 2012, 09:09 PM

There is a market for tiger stripped gold Desert Eagles and $300 billet AR receivers. I think there could be a small market for a SS receiver if nothing else for the cool factor

Jimro · May 25, 2012, 09:41 PM

If memory serves, DPMS did a run of stainless receivers a few years back, I remember the price being significantly more than forged aluminum, but I was looking to increase the weight/mass for a competition AR.

In the end I passed on the stainless, and pretty much so did the rest of the market. I'm sure you can still find them on the used market.

Jimro

Willie Lowman · May 25, 2012, 10:17 PM

Group Ind. made some stainless M16 lowers back in the day.

DFrame · May 26, 2012, 12:24 AM

What RT said.

Jimro · May 26, 2012, 08:19 AM

Inconel? Really? You expect to need dimensional stability at temperatures that would cause your firearm to melt the skin right off your hands?

Jimro

Ronbo1 · May 26, 2012, 08:29 AM

I have an old Hesse stainless lower (stainless casting then milled) I use on a bull barrel 24 inch prairie dog DPMS upper and it makes the AR feel not so barrel heavy. Hesse has a poor reputation but this lower is machined perfectly with a Jewell trigger installed. I reload 223 with a 40 grain v-max and the rifle never moves, shoot off of shooting sticks on a aluminum chair, is a beast to carry. Do have some quick release's on the AR and clip it to a GI load bearing vest when walking around shooting dogs.

Picture from PD shooting last week in SD

Close up. do like the extra weight on the bull barrel AR15

insomni · May 26, 2012, 11:20 PM

a milled steel receiver on an AR would be soooo heavy!

May 24, 2012, 07:59 AM	#1
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	Why no stainless AR receivers? I know that at least one company had made some stainless AR lower receivers. I found one on Gunbroker listed at a ridiculous price. So, I was just wondering why no one has set out to make upper and lower receivers out of SS for the AR. This would renew my interest in this platform.

May 24, 2012, 08:27 AM	#3
Mrgunsngear Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2011 Location: Carolina Posts: 3,415	While I wouldn't buy one, people would I'm sure. Look at all the people out there that refuse to buy Glocks/XDs/ect... because they're not stainless. You may have a good business idea on your hands.... __________________ Mrgunsngear Youtube Channel

May 24, 2012, 08:42 AM	#5
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Weight and cost. The lower receiver in a AR simply holds the parts together but it does not carry a significant load. The load of combustion is carried between the bolt and the barrel shroud, both of which are a high grade of steel. Rifles in which the receiver is a load path, like Mausers, FN/FAL's, Garand, etc, their receivers have to be made of steel and it costs more in material and machining. I don't see any advantage in increasing weight and cost of an item that does not need it, and the corrosion resistance of stainless is not needed. Backyard mechanics typically pick stainless steel for applications that don't need corrosion resistance. The Jewel trigger is an example, the internal parts are stainless. The stainless Jewel used does not take a deep heat treat or case so the sear surfaces wears quickly. Obviously who ever picked that material should have been thinking tool steel and hardness __________________ If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.

May 24, 2012, 10:38 AM	#8
rugerdawg Member Join Date: February 18, 2009 Posts: 68	Stainless ar-15 reciever I believe that DPMS used to offer an investment cast stainless steel lower receiver, but may have discontinued them a few years back. Cost was close to $500

May 24, 2012, 10:52 AM	#9
rickyrick Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2010 Posts: 8,237	Why not polish the aluminum? __________________ Woohoo, I’m back In Texas!!!

May 24, 2012, 08:15 AM	#2
UtopiaTexasG19 Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 743	What might be the advantage at the higher cost? Would you pay an extra 15k for a stainless steel automobile?

May 24, 2012, 08:38 AM	#4
mooner Member Join Date: November 10, 2011 Posts: 43	A Delorean AR-15. Hmmm.

May 24, 2012, 09:16 AM	#6
RT Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2000 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 2,194	Because that would unnecessarily add weight and expense.

May 24, 2012, 11:02 AM	#10
Palmetto-Pride Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2009 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 2,071	Why not make it out of platinum so you can really shoot the cost up for no reason........

May 24, 2012, 11:36 AM	#11
UtopiaTexasG19 Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 743	One purpose of a "black gun" is that it does not reflect light well and call attention to one's location. Stainless steel on the other hand....

May 24, 2012, 01:16 PM	#13
dayman Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2011 Location: The Woods Posts: 1,197	You could just glue tin-foil to it. Spray paint could also work. It does seem odd that in a market saturated with both AR mods and Stainless "upgrades", they don't. It would bridge that gap between mil-spec and cartel-gun.

May 24, 2012, 01:50 PM	#14
rugerdawg Member Join Date: February 18, 2009 Posts: 68	While the benefits of such an animal do not seem to appeal to the AR purists. The advantages to a person looking to build a bench type or really heavier barrel the extra strength and weight, not to mention the "bling" factor to those who can afford it just offers another endless option.

May 24, 2012, 01:59 PM	#15
RT Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2000 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 2,194	They should just build the receivers out of Inconel.

May 25, 2012, 04:26 PM	#16
eldorendo Senior Member Join Date: May 8, 2012 Posts: 239	The ONLY advantage I can think of for manufacturing ARs out of stainless steel would be to have something "interesting" to post on forums like this!!

May 25, 2012, 04:35 PM	#17
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	I thought it was because it was not black. I think their is a law stating that AR rifles must be black. They have the same saying as Henry Ford. "It comes in any color you want, as long as that color is black." All kidding aside. You could just bead blast the lower to make it the same finish as stainless steel. If you do not have the blaster, a sandblasting shop would not charge you much to do the job. There are sandblasting shops all over. Most of the work they do is for body shops. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

May 25, 2012, 07:52 PM	#18
Crosshair Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2004 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 5,333	Why not? 50 BMG Uppers. That's why. That and as mentioned elsewhere, bench guns. __________________ I don't carry a gun to go looking for trouble, I carry a gun in case trouble finds me.

May 25, 2012, 09:41 PM	#20
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 7,097	If memory serves, DPMS did a run of stainless receivers a few years back, I remember the price being significantly more than forged aluminum, but I was looking to increase the weight/mass for a competition AR. In the end I passed on the stainless, and pretty much so did the rest of the market. I'm sure you can still find them on the used market. Jimro __________________ Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.

May 25, 2012, 10:17 PM	#21
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	Group Ind. made some stainless M16 lowers back in the day. __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens

May 26, 2012, 12:24 AM	#22
DFrame Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2008 Location: central Illinois Posts: 451	What RT said. __________________ Mark Lane to William Buckley: "Have you ever referred to Jessee Jackson as an ignoramus?" Buckley: "If I didn't, I should have"

May 26, 2012, 08:19 AM	#23
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 7,097	Inconel? Really? You expect to need dimensional stability at temperatures that would cause your firearm to melt the skin right off your hands? Jimro __________________ Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.

May 26, 2012, 08:29 AM	#24
Ronbo1 Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2004 Location: MN Posts: 136	I have an old Hesse stainless lower (stainless casting then milled) I use on a bull barrel 24 inch prairie dog DPMS upper and it makes the AR feel not so barrel heavy. Hesse has a poor reputation but this lower is machined perfectly with a Jewell trigger installed. I reload 223 with a 40 grain v-max and the rifle never moves, shoot off of shooting sticks on a aluminum chair, is a beast to carry. Do have some quick release's on the AR and clip it to a GI load bearing vest when walking around shooting dogs. Picture from PD shooting last week in SD Close up. do like the extra weight on the bull barrel AR15 __________________ When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves Abraham Lincoln Last edited by Ronbo1; May 27, 2012 at 12:10 PM.

May 26, 2012, 11:20 PM	#25
insomni Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2011 Posts: 342	a milled steel receiver on an AR would be soooo heavy!