Casting aluminum AR lowers

[Col4570]

Aluminium for guns,No.

[dragon813gt]

Aluminium for guns,No.

I'm guessing you don't own any ARs.

[Smoke4320]

I can get Anderson finished lowers for $29.95 on sale... no machining needed!

Would you mind sharing that link?

[dragon813gt]

Would you mind sharing that link?

Yeah, please share. I will buy a bunch if they're that cheap again. I bought some last time they were $40 but I used all of them

[TexasGrunt]

Aluminium for guns,No.

Or any lightweight Commanders. I can think of lots of fine weapons that use aluminum.

[mold maker]

Not all aluminum is created equal, but an AR Lower doesn't place heavy demands on its material. Low recoil and its main function is to hold the trigger group in place. There are functioning units made of plastic and fiber, so any metal should work.

[mjwcaster]

Primary arms has $29.99 Anderson lowers, limit 5, right now.
I used slickguns to find this deal.
Both closed and open trigger guard.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

[MaryB]

Have to hunt for them, I see someone beat me to it!

[Ole Joe Clarke]

The companies that supply cast aluminum uppers or lowers from aluminum probably use the investment casting process. It is a very old method. The Golden Calf in the Bible was probably cast using this method. Carved a beeswax pattern, packed clay around the wax, fired the clay and melted the wax, then poured the gold into the shell.

Aluminum cans are probably made from 3000 series stock, which is very malleable and can be extruded easily. Most investment cast items in aluminum are made from 356-T6. The T6 is the heat treatment spec. 356 alum is easy to machine if heat treated, the 3000 series is terrible since it is made for extrusions. Unless you have a connection to a good mold maker and a investment casting foundry, you are wasting your time and money. The wheel has already been invented, you might improve it but I would just buy one, or a dozen, for 29 bucks each.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[Smoke4320]

Even if I had the time and the money personally I have no reason to approach such a task when a very usable and proven item is already on the market for so cheap

[mold maker]

To some of us, saying I did it myself is reason enough to try.
I've done the 80% lowers, make and shoot my own black powder, found gold where it wasn't supposed to be, cut gemstones, found emeralds, and built winning race cars, all against good advice.....
Telling me I can't or shouldn't just piques my interest.
You'll never accomplish what you don't try.

[DerekP Houston]

Yeah, please share. I will buy a bunch if they're that cheap again. I bought some last time they were $40 but I used all of them

I got mine via email blast from primary arms. I've seen them a few times IIRC.

[dragon813gt]

I got mine via email blast from primary arms. I've seen them a few times IIRC.

I guess I should start reading them again. I've been deleting them because when I open them it just leads to spending money.

[Elkins45]

Google "fruity ghost" and set aside a half hour for some really enjoyable reading.

[jonp]

80 % lowers have a decent amount of machining done to them. Threaded buffer tube mount, drilled and milled ejection lever holes, drilled upper mount holes. Drilled trigger guard holes. It ain't just cast and throw in the bottom to ship. As others have said, now is probably not the time. But 80% Lowe are usually more expensive than finished lowers....... Not $39.99, more like $69 to 89. It can be done, for sure just make sure you take shrinkage into account! Mags and uppers do have to fit!

Just got an email blast for complete striped lowers at $29. Same one posted above. If i hadnt just bought a Shield for $200 shipped i would grab 3 or 4.

[Handloader109]

A couple of other places have them for 49 or less. Btw, article in paper today showed a guy casting aluminum swords. Make from wood, use sand box to make impression and then pour aluminum.. look interesting, but not a gun and display only

[DCM]

If I had the time to do this I would give it a try.
But I do not have the time and Mary B has an inexpensive alternative.


link to inexpensive lowers.
http://www.primaryarms.com/anderson-...eiver-ar-15-a3

[David2011]

Racer's credo: Never make what you can buy.

I've worked with all of the common aluminum alloys used in aircraft. Fuel tanks are usually made from 1100, unalloyed aluminum. It's very soft. Soft drink and beer cans strike me as a pretty good grade of aluminum. They're only .004" thick and pretty tough for being so thin. I use them for shim stock. It doesn't handle like soft aluminum at all. "Aircraft grade aluminum" is a catch phrase that cracks me up. Depends on the application. Light bezels and radio knobs are no doubt aircraft grade but not the same as 7075-T6 or 1100.

A little (very little) research suggests that drink cans are 6061, unaged, and good quality AR-15 lowers are 7075-T6.

[jonp]

Racer's credo: Never make what you can buy.

I've worked with all of the common aluminum alloys used in aircraft. Fuel tanks are usually made from 1100, unalloyed aluminum. It's very soft. Soft drink and beer cans strike me as a pretty good grade of aluminum. They're only .004" thick and pretty tough for being so thin. I use them for shim stock. It doesn't handle like soft aluminum at all. "Aircraft grade aluminum" is a catch phrase that cracks me up. Depends on the application. Light bezels and radio knobs are no doubt aircraft grade but not the same as 7075-T6 or 1100.

A little (very little) research suggests that drink cans are 6061, unaged, and good quality AR-15 lowers are 7075-T6.

"The Anderson Manufacturing Stripped Lower Receiver is a fully Mil-Spec, semi-auto lower ideal for your next custom build! Manufactured from high-strength 7075-T6 forged aluminum and MIL-STD hard coat anodized for extra strength and durability. Precision machining ensures drop-in installation of all mil-spec components!"

[frankenfab]

Forged is a key word in the description. Not just cast.