PWA lower made of aluminum, will it last?

F

Frank the Spank

New member
Hi,

Yesterday my PWA stripped lower came in. I thought all major peices on the AR-15 were made of steel... but when I picked it up it was light as a feather... I asked what it's made of and they said aluminum..

I live in CA so this is the ONLY AR-15 I will EVER own... I'm wondering will this reciever last me a lifetime? Or are there stories of them cracking? Cause it would suck if it cracked and I can never have a AR-15 again......


-Frank (the spank)
 
Nearly ALL AR-15 receivers are made of aluminum. :)

[This message has been edited by Wingspan (edited December 08, 1999).]
 
I know almost zero about this rifle. But I do know a few things about alluminum. There are two major type used. 6061 and 7075, the 6061 is softer, and is cheaper. 7075 is harder (can be brittle if super cold or hot) and more expensive. 7075 is very curable and resistent to wear and tear. If your part is 6061, you might want to consider having a machinist do you one outta a block of 7075. ::check the laws first::

Hueco
 
the aluminum AR lower is quite strong for its task
the AR upper is aluminum too

get thee to http://www.ar15.com

dZ

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"walk softly and carry a big stick, one that goes bang in .308 is fine"
 
Don't worry about the aluminum and there is very little stress on it. Virtually all manufacturers of the AR use aluminum (FN, Colt, Bushmaster, DPMS, Olympic Arms, ASA (caveat emptor on ASA), Hesse). Right now, about only two manufacturers offer an optional steel lower (stainless no less): Hesse Arms and DPMS. Of the two, DPMS has better quality control and better customer service to boot. About the only time you would want a stainless lower is if you're building a match gun and the additional weight contributes to a steadier weapon for the offhand position.

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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
 
I don't know about PWA, but I do know the Bushmaster aluminum lowers are extremely durable. We had one at the plant with over 250,000(yup, two hundred fifty thousand) rounds on it. It was worn slightly out of spec, but it still functioned fine. Don't worry about aluminum lowers, there are plenty of other things to worry about. Hope this helps.

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With my shield or on it...
 
Hey thanks guys... now I can sleep, lol

I hear PWA lowers are on par in quality with Bushmaster...

I looked at it for a few minutes... but it seems to be really good quality, very sharply milled.

went back today to look at it... guy couldn't find it... waiting till the girl that put it away comes back.. if they lost it... I will NOT be happy, LOL

-Frank (the spank)
 
Frank the spank,
PWA makes an excellent lower and you will never wear one out with normal wear and tear. If you're new to ARs, go to AR15.com (esp. discussion boards) for all the info you will ever need. If the store lost it, they better get you a new one in a hurry, as you have to have it in your posession by 1/1/00 here in Kali. This includes magazines, which you can buy at the AR15.com For Sale board.
 
I've heard of some pretty underhanded going's-on out there on the left coast with all the hurry and clamor to get AR's before the deadline. It's screwing up things in the rest of the country for those who are wanting an AR. Besides, those stupid Califorian state congressmen are setting some sort of precedent, one I hope other state legislatures will look at with disgust. Blaming social problems on guns and gun owners instead of getting at the root of the problem is typical for leftist politicians who don't want to admit to the failure of liberal social policies, and the effect of heavy taxation, which forces both parents to work, leaving kids to be raised by our socialist school systems. Oh yeah, don't worry about an aluminum AR lower, they last just about forever - damn sure longer than elected officials term in office.
 
I got mine Friday. If your in Cali, the real deadline is 12/21 to buy it, cuz starting 1/1 FFL's can't transfer it to non-ffls. At least complete rifles. I don't know about stripped lowers though.

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It ain't mah fault. did I do dat?
 
Thanks for the update Chink. Forgot about our silly waiting period.

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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
 
I saw a stripped, yes, buck naked, PWA receiver priced at $999 this weekend at the Pomona show. Can you believe that? Even a pre-94 shouldn't cost that much!

Oh yeah, if it's NOT aluminium, you have a problem.
 
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