Casting aluminum AR lowers

[Spoonerism]

My cousin and I were kicking around the idea while we were making knives the other day to try casting 80% lowers using scrap aluminum and his forge. I did a little reading on some other (much less helpful) forums that seamed to think that only a professional in a million dollar shop could cast anything but fishing sinkers. I think it could be done, but the process is the problem. Lost wax casting strikes me as the best option, but there are inherent problems with complex casts that way. The goal is to churn out a few boxes of 10 and 15 lowers to sell at the local gun show for about 30 bucks a pop. Sence lowers are not exposed to high pressure I figured that any grade of aluminum would work well enough to be used for a decent amount of time before they break. What do you guys think? Can it be done, would it be worth while, is it ethical to sell cheap parts that someone could need to rely on in a time of crisis?

[StolzerandSons]

It does not take a million dollar shop to do parts casting, I cast muzzleloader parts from time to time with pretty basic and simple equipment. Keep in mind that you have to account for shrinkage, you can't just use a finished dimension 80% lower as your starting point. As for using garbage materials, that is only an ethical problem if you don't tell people up front what they are buying, as long as you are honest and they have the ability to make an informed choice it's all good. If you have any value for your time/labor then I doubt you will be able to sell them for $30.00, also you might not sell many if they are $30.00 and garbage when a person can get online most days and find 80% lowers made of quality materials for 39.99(or less) and free shipping.

Just my opinion but right now is not the best time to be getting into ARs, since Hillary didn't win and there is no real gun legislation on the horizon I am seeing a massive surplus of AR parts and dirt cheap sales prices for them. I've received emails in the last few months for complete rifles(decent quality by known companies) for sale at less than I can buy the parts to build them for.

On the upside if you don't sell any, you can always melt them back down and recast them into something else.

[DerekP Houston]

a buddy of mine does wax casting with copper and aluminum for fun, I've not seen a single product he's made that would equal a properly made lower. You might get there with enough sanding and finishing but I think the labor would kill the profit. Fun idea just as a once off though, to see if you could do it. I personally would not buy a homemade lower, nor a 3d printed, or 80% jigged, I just don't have the need for the risk. I think you are at the wrong time in the market to start selling these, i've seen AR's going sub 400 and others.

[KenT7021]

Scrap aluminum will not make a long lasting AR lower.I have seen cast receiver AR's not survive shipping to the customer and the aluminum was not scrap metal.I have had considerable experience with cast aluminum parts working for an AR manufacturer and except for cast M4 buttstocks it was not a good experience.

[William Yanda]

How does the quality of pop can aluminum compare to that from heads, blocks and transmission casings?

[funnyjim014]

What about zinc..... we all seem to have a lot of zinc WW kicking around. If a plastic one works.... that would be a hell of a mold lol

[mold maker]

I can list a page of things that can't (according to some) be done, but at least one of us did it.
NOT SAYING it should be done or recommending it, but everything new had a single mind pondering the question "what if".
Where would we be if nobody tried?

[Spoonerism]

What about zinc..... we all seem to have a lot of zinc WW kicking around. If a plastic one works.... that would be a hell of a mold lol

Zinc would be fun to try. I also thought about making a pair in brass to use as bookends. I would think brass would be too heavy to use for a gun build, but zinc could possibly work.

[KenT7021]

356T6 is used for gear boxes.A lot stronger than pop cans.

[CraigOK]

Cool thought, seems like a lot of ideas die at the feet of cost/profit margins or feasibility. But do it just to see what you can make. Take a lot of pics and do a write up. Good luck

[Handloader109]

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!

[Spoonerism]

Cool thought, seems like a lot of ideas die at the feet of cost/profit margins or feasibility. But do it just to see what you can make. Take a lot of pics and do a write up. Good luck

If nothing else it will be fun to play with, money isn't the end goal, but a few bucks in the pocket never hurt. I'll be sure to keep you guys updated on any ideas or research that I do to help make this easier.

[StolzerandSons]

If nothing else it will be fun to play with, money isn't the end goal, but a few bucks in the pocket never hurt. I'll be sure to keep you guys updated on any ideas or research that I do to help make this easier.
If money isn't the goal then dig right in and have fun.

[StolzerandSons]

But 80% Lowe are usually more expensive than finished lowers....... Not $39.99, more like $69 to 89.
Actually they are currently selling for $39.00.
http://www.tacticalmachining.com/80-products/80-ar15-lower-receivers/80-ar-15-lower-receiver-66.html
or you can get anodized blems for $34.00.
http://www.tacticalmachining.com/80-products/80-ar15-lower-receivers/blemished-80-ar-15-lower-anodized.html
Pretty tough to compete with those prices and then there is the finished stripped Anderson lower I found a few weeks ago for $37.50(but that requires going through an FFL so it might cost you a transfer fee).
https://www.classicfirearms.com/anderson-ar-lower-ar15-a3-lwfor-um-closed

A lot of companies were gambling on Hillary winning and they stocked up with a plan to make a fortune between election day and anti-gun legislation...they lost that bet and now the market is flooded with cheap AR's and their parts and accessories.

[Handloader109]

Just depends on what you look!
$55 plain, $64 anodized.
http://www.submoatarget.com/80-Lowers_c14.htm

Prices all over, but yep, kind of hard to compete. Especially against folks already in the business.

[rockrat]

Might think about using used pistons. Check on the alloy first.

[MaryB]

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

[xs11jack]

I think beer can aluminum is to the Aluminum industry about what metal coat hanger is to the metals industry.
I build the Dave Gingery aluminum 7"X12" metal cutting lathe and it worked out pretty good. 80% pop cans and 20% motorcycle parts.
Ole Jack

[Plate plinker]

Find something else to make. Lawyers would love you if you do this.

[sawinredneck]

I got to do sand casting in our metals class in high school. I'd look into lost foam or even glued sand for the cores before I went with wax. Wax is good for jewelry and things with a lot of detail, but it's incredibly hard to do and work with.
Stay away from transmission's! Worked in a shop where we machined avianic parts made from them. Porosity in places we needed to hold tight tolerances on then hunks of steel mixed in through the castings. Great way to ruin a good endmill or boring bar! Junk! He finally, after 20 some years, convinced them it was worthwhile to go to barstock to make these parts.
It can be done, but I don't think there will much, if any, profit in it.

[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 [emoji23]

[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 [emoji23]

I got mine via email blast from primary arms. I've seen them a few times IIRC.
198701

[dragon813gt]

I got mine via email blast from primary arms. I've seen them a few times IIRC.
198701

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-manufacturing-ar-15-stripped-lower-receiver-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.

[DCM]

I got to thinking about this a bit more, does anyone know what would be a good flux for molten aluminum?
Would it vary by the alloy?

[frankenfab]

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-manufacturing-ar-15-stripped-lower-receiver-ar-15-a3

Out of stock, but thanks for the link!

Hopefully they will be back in stock soon.