Are Anderson lowers that bad?

[zukiphile]

Originally Posted by TT

So, lemme ask this: are the Aero lowers worth the $40-50 more than the Anderson lowers? Is the quality difference far and away so much better that it makes the extra money worth it, especially if you buy 5 lowers at a time?

I think in the context of the argument that was raised for a person under 21, who in a few months time will be banned from buying any guns until he's 21 because he's in Florida, that getting one lower that's higher quality like the Aero wouldn't be a terrible idea and waste of money, but I think that quality wise, for those not in that situation, I'm leaning towards the Anderson as the best bulk buying for lowers.

This might be more effective if you leave the nebulous term "quality" out of the question. What specific qualities are you seeking?

The specific qualities I seek in a stripped lower are that it has a reasonably tight fit to an upper and that it accepts my existing magazines. I have never had a problem with any of a half dozen Anderson lowers I have used. I like the ones with the trigger guard already incorporated into the receiver integrally so I don't have to pound that little pin through the two delicate ears. I have used these lowers on uppers made by Bushmaster, Palmetto State, and stripped Anderson uppers. They all fit well.

The one Anderson choice I do not understand is the grip screw hole that requires a shorter grip screw. It is easy enough to fix with a dremel, but it seems shortsighted to require a screw length no one else uses.

Someone may take me to task for this, but I view forged lowers as interchangeable so long as they are in specification. The anodizing on the Anderson's I have received over the last five years has a rough matte quality as opposed to the anodizing on my 20-year-old Bushmaster which I would describe as smooth, but not shiny.

If you're looking for something with a more dramatic appearance, there is a world of billet lowers. They look neat, sometimes have features like little take up screws or ambidextrous bolt release gizmos, and started that a bit more than $100 the last time I looked. My preference was for the $40 Anderson and a better trigger.

[Dragline45]

Have assembled two rifles with Andersonsl lowers and never had a problem, and both have high quality BCM uppers on top of them. While they are somewhat “budget” lowers they by no means skimp on quality.

[marine6680]

The point about lowers being basically interchangeable is valid I believe...

Unless you just want to have a specific brand name on your lower, no need to spend more than what Anderson, PSA, and Aero cost.

Of the three... Aero simply has the best overall quality, fit and finish. PSA is a very close second.

It is the finish on the Anderson that is really the only turn off for me. If it doesn't bother you, then it's lower price point is a big draw.

[Sevens]

I have no idea how the most recent Florida school incident has altered the market... but a fee months back, I bought Anderson lowers from the local large gun store/LE supplier and I paid $43 each before tax.

[FrankenMauser]

I do not recall ever hearing about an issue with an Aero lower, and while I have heard of issues with PSA lowers, its fairly rare. I am not actively looking for these things though, so I may have missed some info that would swing my perception.

Oddly enough, my only aluminum receivers* that are out of spec in some measurable way are an Aero and a DPMS.
They still work. I just can't pair them with certain uppers.


*All of the poly lowers that I've had have been out of spec in multiple ways.

[marine6680]

Well... There is one I have heard about then.

[ed308]

Its a lower. Not much to screw up either. A lower is a lower IMO. But I do like PSA icon design better.

[BWM]

I have 3 and NO trouble!! I put my money in to a Timney or a Velocity triggers and a adj stock !!

[JoeSixpack]

I've only built 1 so far but all my lowers are Anderson.. It's either to spec or it ain't I fail to see what the big deal is.

Maybe you get a nicer finish, or milled vs forged, or something but honestly I think It's people justifying them paying more for a "cool" insignia.

Dude on youtube made a AR15 lower out of recycled coke cans.
he melted it into a block and then milled it out.. and guess what.. worked fine.

I'll ride the pony for 30 bucks a lower.. ya.. keep your spider.

[stagpanther]

I've used gobs of em--along with PSA's--no problems with either. I used to tap the pistol grip holes for bottom-adjusting trigger groups--but have since discovered that JoeBob's carries an adjustable grip screw made by KAW that does the same thing without needing to tap the hole.

[rickyrick]

Anderson lowers are one of the true values in the industry. Not fancy, just a good value.

[Big Shrek]

It's almost a Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge type of thing...

You want a tough truck that'll take a heck of a beating and still keep running, go Dodge.
Want something that looks pretty and poops parts if you stress it, get a Ford.
(Found On Road Dead)
Want a truck that its frame bends if you overload it by 500 pounds, get a Chevy.
(Look at the back of the cab on a Chevy, if the top O' the bed ain't touching the cab, it ain't been loaded hard.)

If you buy an inexpensive gun, ANY inexpensive gun, to get the most out of it,
the OWNER has to "Hot Rod" it...aka the ole "Keltec Fluff & Buff"...
which actually works wonders for everything but a Les Baer 1911

"You get what you pay for" is also held hostage to the caveat of,
"You get out of it what you put in it."
Put a new ignition system into a vehicle, and it'll run better...
Put in a better carb/manifold, and it'll run faster...
Put on better wheels/tires/shocks/struts/etc, and it'll corner better...
Altho all that still doesn't help those rice burners keep up with good old American Muscle

With Low Cost comes a need for More Owner-oriented QC. That's the bottom line

[PatientWolf]

My total experience is 1.

For some reason the holes for the front takedown pin holes don't line up quite right. Bent tabs or holes drilled from two sides not straight.

I'll never buy another.

[FrankenMauser]

My total experience is 1.

For some reason the holes for the front takedown pin holes don't line up quite right. Bent tabs or holes drilled from two sides not straight.

I'll never buy another.

Lifetime warranty.

Free replacement as long as you're willing to fill out some paperwork and make a phone call...

[mulespurs]

Do you really think Brownells would sell them with their guarantee if they thought that they would have trouble with them?

I have had no trouble with mine.

[PatientWolf]

Frankenmauser - I didn’t know that. I will give it a try. Thank you.

[Kreyzhorse]

I have a couple of Anderson lowers. I've never experienced any fit or finish issues with them.

I've never heard good things about their barrels but I think lowers are very good.

[rickyrick]

Made a carbine for the wife. Used the cheapest barrel Anderson has, unlined 4150. Seems to be the most accurate 5.56 we have, not that my others are bad.

[stagpanther]

I've used lots of their lowers and they are generally very good--though I do always lap them before seating the barrel. I did make the mistake of buying one of their cheapo grendel barrels--turns out it was a version of the earlier grendel chamber cut and type 1 bolt--shot like dogmeat being squeezed out of a can.

[Fishbed77]

Mine have the LW prefix, which is not Aero.

I can not remember how to spell the name of the company that does those. Well made though.

LW Schneider manufactures the PSA recievers with the "LW" prefix.

[riffraff]

Hey guys - just wondering since there seems to be a bunch of you in the know discussing, what does the cost look like of building a nothing fancy AR versus just buying one - ie say something like my stag 15 ? What else is the big benefit of going the build route?

[rickyrick]

Bless prices have spiked, the last I looked it was cheaper to buy than it is to build (assemble).
Some just enjoy looking for the parts and all that.

[stagpanther]

What else is the big benefit of going the build route?

Customer service for what is wrong with the build will always be available.

[JoeSixpack]

If you build your lower out as a pistol you can then build it as a rifle and back again..

if you buy a pre-built rifle you can never reconfigure it into a pistol.

another advantage is you can buy just what you want, It will probably cost less then a pre-built as well.

I bought some lowers after sandy hook, I didn't have a AR15 yet and could not afford at the time to buy outright so I bought the lowers as insurance against a ban.

So you can build a rifle bit by bit without plunking out the money all at once.

Unless it was too good to pass up I would not buy a pre-built ar15

One downside though.. no matter how much you paid for lower or who's name is stamped on it you're unlikely to get as much as a colt, s&w, ruger, etc.

It does not retain value like those brands would.

[rickyrick]

Lol stagpanther, I got a box of my “customer service”.

That’s mainly due to the fact that I cheaped out on parts and then decided I wanted to upgrade.

Anderson lowers are still on the guns though.