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Musings- Homemade Sheetmetal AR Lower?

8K views 35 replies 13 participants last post by  allesennogwat 
#1 ·
May sound stupid, but I've been sitting here this morning trying to come up with a way in my mind that the average homebuilder could make a bent sheetmetal lower receiver that utilized standard AR components, and would mate up with a standard AR complete upper? Doesn't necessarily need to look like your standard milled lower mind you. Maybe like an AK style grip and trigger guard, weld on buffer tube mount, steel blocks welded or riveted in as structural members to hold the width, and to support the upper pivot pins, sheet metal magwell utilizing standard AR mag release. Seems doable in my mind, if not necessarily practical. One of those "do it because you can, not because you have to" kinda things. I think it would be an interesting experimental build. Kinda cool to make your own lower, and it not be like an 80% lower that you finished, but actually built completely.

Am I totally out in left field? Is there some critical piece of the engineering puzzle that I'm not thinking about, that's a show stopper? Not necessarily saying that I'm gonna build it, just trying to figure out if it's possible.

What say you, O great AR gurus?
 
#32 ·
Has anyone tried using an AK lower (w/ AK .223 mags) adapted for the AR-15 upper ??? The front trunion would be a simple hinge block and the rear trunion would serve as the stock retainer fitting. Laying an AR upper on an AK lower should provide some useful insight as to mods.

VD
 
#34 ·
Has anyone tried using an AK lower (w/ AK .223 mags) adapted for the AR-15 upper ??? The front trunion would be a simple hinge block and the rear trunion would serve as the stock retainer fitting. Laying an AR upper on an AK lower should provide some useful insight as to mods.

VD
While that was kinda my original idea, I've been more looking at the AK receiver bending simplicity married to a more AR lower shape. Hard to explain, but I think you get what I mean.

I had originally thought of a straight AK receiver with a custom front and rear trunnion to handle the pinning of the upper, as well as a threaded block as part of the rear trunnion for the buffer tube assy. Then I was thinking of an AR mag adaptor, and AR fire control.

I've gotten away from that in my drawings now though. It will be a little more complicated, but should still be a simple thing for the home builder to do. I want to get all of my dimensions and plans written down, then see if I can get one of you pros out there to put it into an actual proffesional drawing format for everyone's use.
 
#33 ·
I've been working on a sheet metal AR16 in 308 Winchester (AR16) design. I was planning to use an AR10 bolt (with n AR10 barrel) but the angle of the bolt cam pin with the position of the extractor makes it a difficult fit in a squared off bolt carrier. I think I may go to the round AR10 bolt carrier and the upper may be an AR10 upper or maybe a steel tube design.
 
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