Would you SBR a Palmetto lower?

[maroonandwhite]

As stated in another post I am getting ready to build a 300 blackout pistol that I will be making into an SBR. I know for most intents and purposes a lower is a lower. Just wondering if any of you would SBR a less expensive lower such as a Palmetto (PTAC in particular) or spend bigger bucks. Is there much more to gain from this? I will have plenty of time to put the PSA lower through the paces before I do the SBR stuff so my thinking is that shouldn't matter.

Edited March 23, 2015 by maroonandwhite

[1gewehr]

I wouldn't worry about it unless the PTAC is a polymer. Newer polymer lowers seem to be holding up pretty well. But time will tell.
There are cheap Essential Arms lowers that are legally transferable machine guns. I have yet to hear of one breaking. And some have hundreds of thousands of rounds through them.

[cz75b]

i personally wouldnt,i dont like how they fit,and they have a high shelf which means you cant use a wedge or if somehow you found yourself with a rdias you couldnt use it in that lower.

[maroonandwhite]

These are 7075 T6 aluminium. Looks to be the same thing as the PSA lowers but who knows. I've read there are only a few forgers that make these.

[maroonandwhite]

i personally wouldnt,i dont like how they fit,and they have a high shelf which means you cant use a wedge or if somehow you found yourself with a rdias you couldnt use it in that lower.

What is a high shelf? I also have no intention of full auto.

[173rdABN]

I have a SBR palmetto lower. It wiggles a little. Yes it has a high shelf in the rear where the take down pin goes into the upper. Different makers cut higher or lower shelves in the lower receiver itself. I cut an accuwedge to fit in there. Took two seconds with a knife and works like a charm.

[btq96r]

I SBR'd an AR-15 PSA lower last year.  No issues, no regrets, more money for accessories and ammo.

[Troutburger]

I understand where you are coming from. This is going to be a special rifle, to the tune of $200 in taxes. 

 

Do you really want to go with a $50 lower?

You could drop $250 on a nice billet lower, but do you actually gain anything?

 

Honestly, I don't know the answer. Just typical troutburger dribble lol

[maroonandwhite]

I understand where you are coming from. This is going to be a special rifle, to the tune of $200 in taxes. 

 

Do you really want to go with a $50 lower?

You could drop $250 on a nice billet lower, but do you actually gain anything?

 

Honestly, I don't know the answer. Just typical troutburger dribble lol

The .gov will give me a refund though if my lower breaks right???  :rofl:

[atlas3025]

Well, if you spend more on some other lower, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you paid more than you needed to.  That makes some people feel good.  

[maroonandwhite]

Well, if you spend more on some other lower, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you paid more than you needed to.  That makes some people feel good.  

Haha I hear ya. I'm definitely not in that group.

[atlas3025]

Haha I hear ya. I'm definitely not in that group.

 

I have heard from a fairly good number of respectable people that if they are trying to sell their house and not getting offers, they will raise the asking price.  It seems to work pretty often.  

Edited March 23, 2015 by atlas3025

[Johnny Rotten]

What is a high shelf? I also have no intention of full auto.

High shelf is basically a sear block, you couldn't install a GI sear without machining, Low shelf you could drill the evil 3rd hole and install a GI sear (SOT only) or drop in a RDIAS, your choice. 

[samson7x]

I SBR'd one....no issues.  I also SBR'd a blem one...oh my!  No issues with that one either, aside from a cosmetic finish imperfection.  Doesn't really matter when you cerakote over it.

[Luke E.]

A mil-spec forged lower is a mil-spec forged lower. In order to be mil-spec they must meet the same criteria so with the exception of shelf height and whether or not the manufacturers stamp on the side matter to you, it makes ZERO functional difference. Chances are that you will never sell this gone so resale value isn't really a concern and the figment with the upper has just as much to do with the upper as it does the lower so even if you went out and bought an expensive lower there is no guarantee that it's going to fit perfectly tight with whatever upper receiver you choose. As far as opinions go, I'd save the money and sbr the PSA lower you have. My rifles all had a bit of play in the receivers so I went and bought the little rubber accu wedges for them but if left long enough to take the play out of the receivers it would in turn make the take down pins a pia so push out. I decided that I could live with a little wobble better than I could folding a finger nail backwards trying to get the pins out so I did away with all that jazz.

[Hammer285]

I have put together a number of builds using PSA and PTAC. All work flawlessly and the wife likes the fact that Palmetto State doesn't break the bank.

 

You mentioned getting a PTAC lower, but that line is usually for their upper assemblies. The only difference between the two is their quality control. PSA is mil-spec (every piece off the line is checked) while PTAC is expected to be mil-spec (they batch check every 100 or so - if the tested pieces pass, the batch passes). 

 

Either way, I think you're good to go with PSA or PTAC. :cheers:

[maroonandwhite]

I have put together a number of builds using PSA and PTAC. All work flawlessly and the wife likes the fact that Palmetto State doesn't break the bank.

 

You mentioned getting a PTAC lower, but that line is usually for their upper assemblies. The only difference between the two is their quality control. PSA is mil-spec (every piece off the line is checked) while PTAC is expected to be mil-spec (they batch check every 100 or so - if the tested pieces pass, the batch passes). 

 

Either way, I think you're good to go with PSA or PTAC. :cheers:

Cool. Yeah I actually found a thread today showing the difference between the PSA lowers. The PTAC lower had been added recently and it seems that PSA purchased PTAC . I don't know how accurate that is. The lowers fit and finish looks fine to me and I don't think I will have any issues whatsoever with it.

[173rdABN]

Here is my palmetto sbr lower with LWRC upper.

[maroonandwhite]

Here is my palmetto sbr lower with LWRC upper.

That's purdy. I really wish 300 black got more use out of a longer barrel. That would make my decision to build a rifle or a pistol with intent to SBR alot easier haha.

[Luke E.]

That's purdy. I really wish 300 black got more use out of a longer barrel. That would make my decision to build a rifle or a pistol with intent to SBR alot easier haha.

My decision wasn't made based on the benefit on the added barrel length (16") but rather the added benefit of having a stock to shoulder rather than a stub. Like I mentioned to you the other day, probably what will make your mind up for you is to go shoot an AR pistol. Simulate a few hunting scenarios and if you think you can live with that as a hunting tool until you get your trust and sbr the thing then go the pistol route, if not then I'd through the extra length barrel on there and run it as a rifle. I don't have a pistol or I'd offer it to you to demo.

[maroonandwhite]

My decision wasn't made based on the benefit on the added barrel length (16") but rather the added benefit of having a stock to shoulder rather than a stub. Like I mentioned to you the other day, probably what will make your mind up for you is to go shoot an AR pistol. Simulate a few hunting scenarios and if you think you can live with that as a hunting tool until you get your trust and sbr the thing then go the pistol route, if not then I'd through the extra length barrel on there and run it as a rifle. I don't have a pistol or I'd offer it to you to demo.

yeah that's a factor too. All the YouTube videos in the world are telling me "sure you'll like it" but I just need to shoot it haha.


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[173rdABN]

I have one I can pull the sig brace off of if you want to try it

[Luke E.]

yeah that's a factor too. All the YouTube videos in the world are telling me "sure you'll like it" but I just need to shoot it haha.
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Well it looks like you've got a demo offer. Man, maybe I'm just one of the few that find the pistols to be WAY over rated so you may very well love one. I have a trust so if I were filing my paperwork now and building the rifle while I wait then I would certainly build it as a pistol while I waited on my paperwork to come back (I have other rifles so I'd actually just wait but assuming I didn't) and would suggest you do the same but if it was one of those things where I thought "someday" I'll get a trust and send off my paperwork (to me this would be around a year or more potentially) then I'd go the route that allowed me a stock. Again, these are purely my preferences and and opinions so I'm very interested to see what you decide after shooting one.

[maroonandwhite]

I have one I can pull the sig brace off of if you want to try it

Thanks for the offer. I'll have to get with you one weekend and try it out.