Page 1 of 2

Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:17 pm
by Vonz90
Any opinion of them? Aim has them for $39 bucks. Looking to pick up one to do an M4-gery build for my son graduating Boat School so he can practice for Marine stuff. Maybe get an extra to build something for me too?

Re: Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:25 pm
by Langenator
I've only done one build with them, but I have two more awaiting parts to become rifles. I paid $30 each for mine from Primary Arms, pre-Parkland.

Overall, I was happy with the lower. I had one issue - the fit between the roll pin that holds the bolt catch and the hole that it fits in was extremely tight, huge PITA to get the pin in. However, given that I also used a budget LPK, I'm not willing to put the blame on the receiver just yet. Next build will use a LPK from a known quantity maker (probably CMMG or Aero, or maybe one from Anderson themselves) to hopefully sort the issue.

But overall I'm satisfied.

Re: Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 4:43 pm
by Weetabix
I've done two builds with them. No problems. I thought that tight pin fit Langenator mentioned was just the way it was. You just have to be careful and try a couple things. I put duct tape on each side to prevent scratches. ISTR I was able to squeeze one in with taped plier jaws, and I drove the other in with a small hammer and a brass punch.

Re: Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 6:41 pm
by Netpackrat
I would probably spend a little extra for an Aero lower. Brownells has them for $72 at the moment, though you can occasionally find them for less.

Re: Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 6:56 pm
by Weetabix
From what I've read, I'd do the Aero, too. Andersons just sort of showed up for me.

Re: Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 8:56 pm
by Steamforger
I have many, though I haven't done any builds on them.

The last 3 lowers I bought were Aero and I have no complaints at all. If you're just looking to put away some "Poverty Ponies" for a rainy day, go for it. If you're building something you want to use, get Aero's.

Re: Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 9:04 pm
by rightisright
I have 2 builds using them.. no issues. I bought several before the last national election. I put an LPK into one of them. Again, no problems.

IIRC, a while back, there was a complaint about the mag screw holes not being tapped deep enough. New ones don't have that issue.

Re: Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2018 9:25 pm
by Langenator
So far, I've done builds with lowers from the following manufacturers:

Stag
Mega
Delton
Aero
Anderson

Of those, I've had issues with the Aero and the Anderson. The Anderson issue was noted above, and at this point I don't know if the issue was the lower or the LPK, or the interaction between the two (lower pin hole on the tight end of allowable tolerance, roll pin at the fat end of allowable tolerance).

With the Aero, I was using a POF drop-in trigger pack. The forward end of the trigger assembly 'well' was too narrow for the trigger pack. I pulled the trigger guts out of the Stag lower and the POF trigger pack fit in that lower just fine. The standard multi-piece trigger assemblage (DoubleStar, IIRC) that came out of the Stag went into the Aero just fine.

Re: Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 4:32 am
by Rich Jordan
The last lower I set up I had one of these bolt catch pin punches. With a little tape on the receiver it did a great job of putting the pin in with no damage.

Re: Anderson stripped AR lowers

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 5:56 am
by Netpackrat
Langenator wrote:With the Aero, I was using a POF drop-in trigger pack. The forward end of the trigger assembly 'well' was too narrow for the trigger pack. I pulled the trigger guts out of the Stag lower and the POF trigger pack fit in that lower just fine. The standard multi-piece trigger assemblage (DoubleStar, IIRC) that came out of the Stag went into the Aero just fine.
So, non-milspec trigger unit may not be compatible with mil-spec lower. Good to know. :D

I am running a G2S trigger in mine and it works fine.