AR-15 Lower Parts Kits

2cooltoolz · September 6, 2008, 08:56 PM

Hi all,
Building my first AR. I want top quality/reliability but am doing it in small increments to stretch out the expense. Not a target rifle, but I won't be clearing crack houses either. Just a good solid plinker/SD/SHTF rifle/carbine (not sure yet).
So far I've purchased a Mega stripped lower and a LMT Bolt Carrier Assembly (out of sequence, but found a deal!) for the upper.
The QUESTION:
Is there a best Lower Parts Kit?
I don't want to pay for the NM trigger yet..I plan to use a JP spring kit on a Standard..then think about fancy match triggers later.
Some come with grips..I plan to go with a Ergo Sure Grip right off the bat.
DPMS/Doublestar/Rock River LPK's all seem to be in the same price range. Is there a difference in quality; tolerances; standard trigger included?
Thanks!

tplumeri · September 6, 2008, 09:31 PM

Quote:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...=308293&page=3

check out post #52 on above thread.
a bunch of us went in on the group buy for lowers and I'm planning to get in on the group buy for parts kit. you can see the parts kit contents at the website

tom

2cooltoolz · September 7, 2008, 02:56 AM

Already bought a MEGA stripped lower. Not so much concerned with a discount on a kit, or a complete lower package.
Just looking for advice on the relative quality of the parts kits for the lower assembly. I was pretty much locked in on Rock River, but the DPMS seems to be most popular, if you choose to wait on the match trigger.
Thanks!

2cooltoolz · September 7, 2008, 12:42 PM

Oh well..based on reading other posts and other forums (mostly AR15.com) they seem to be about the same. Found a DPMS for $56 at Midway and bought it.

freakshow10mm · September 7, 2008, 12:45 PM

Most LPKs from the AR companies are not made in house. They are bought piecemeal from spring, pin, and small parts suppliers. There is not much difference if at all between the manufacturers in general.

rugerfreak · September 7, 2008, 05:18 PM

Have bought Rock River--DPMS and Bushmaster kits with no problems with any of them---they all seem similar in quality--probably all come out of the same place.

Usually change out the pistol grip with a Hogue---last ones I got were like $16 bucks from Midway.

durian · September 7, 2008, 06:17 PM

I bought a DPMS as my first AR and then building my second.

This time I used a RRA LPK and also bought a match trigger.

I have to say that the RRA triggers are better for me than my stock DPMS. I liked it so much that I swapped the DPMS trigger in my first AR with the stock one from the RRA LPK. My match trigger is in my second AR build.

Crisp break on the match trigger - wow! The stock RRA trigger has less pull weight to me (and crisper) than the stock DPMS.

RockyMtnTactical · September 7, 2008, 11:23 PM

Stag Arms.

September 6, 2008, 08:56 PM	#1
2cooltoolz Senior Member Join Date: September 17, 2007 Location: Lake Conroe, Texas Posts: 1,059	AR-15 Lower Parts Kits Hi all, Building my first AR. I want top quality/reliability but am doing it in small increments to stretch out the expense. Not a target rifle, but I won't be clearing crack houses either. Just a good solid plinker/SD/SHTF rifle/carbine (not sure yet). So far I've purchased a Mega stripped lower and a LMT Bolt Carrier Assembly (out of sequence, but found a deal!) for the upper. The QUESTION: Is there a best Lower Parts Kit? I don't want to pay for the NM trigger yet..I plan to use a JP spring kit on a Standard..then think about fancy match triggers later. Some come with grips..I plan to go with a Ergo Sure Grip right off the bat. DPMS/Doublestar/Rock River LPK's all seem to be in the same price range. Is there a difference in quality; tolerances; standard trigger included? Thanks! __________________ What me worry

September 7, 2008, 02:56 AM	#3
2cooltoolz Senior Member Join Date: September 17, 2007 Location: Lake Conroe, Texas Posts: 1,059	Already bought a MEGA stripped lower. Not so much concerned with a discount on a kit, or a complete lower package. Just looking for advice on the relative quality of the parts kits for the lower assembly. I was pretty much locked in on Rock River, but the DPMS seems to be most popular, if you choose to wait on the match trigger. Thanks! __________________ What me worry Last edited by 2cooltoolz; September 7, 2008 at 12:43 PM.

September 7, 2008, 12:42 PM	#4
2cooltoolz Senior Member Join Date: September 17, 2007 Location: Lake Conroe, Texas Posts: 1,059	Oh well..based on reading other posts and other forums (mostly AR15.com) they seem to be about the same. Found a DPMS for $56 at Midway and bought it. __________________ What me worry

September 7, 2008, 11:23 PM	#8
RockyMtnTactical Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2006 Location: Western US Posts: 1,961	Stag Arms. __________________ https://battlebornreview.com/

September 7, 2008, 12:45 PM	#5
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	Most LPKs from the AR companies are not made in house. They are bought piecemeal from spring, pin, and small parts suppliers. There is not much difference if at all between the manufacturers in general.

September 7, 2008, 05:18 PM	#6
rugerfreak Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2001 Posts: 819	Have bought Rock River--DPMS and Bushmaster kits with no problems with any of them---they all seem similar in quality--probably all come out of the same place. Usually change out the pistol grip with a Hogue---last ones I got were like $16 bucks from Midway.

September 7, 2008, 06:17 PM	#7
durian Member Join Date: September 5, 2007 Posts: 48	I bought a DPMS as my first AR and then building my second. This time I used a RRA LPK and also bought a match trigger. I have to say that the RRA triggers are better for me than my stock DPMS. I liked it so much that I swapped the DPMS trigger in my first AR with the stock one from the RRA LPK. My match trigger is in my second AR build. Crisp break on the match trigger - wow! The stock RRA trigger has less pull weight to me (and crisper) than the stock DPMS.