meanzbullet Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I am getting prepared to build another rifle. Anyone have experience to share with some billet uppers and lowers? All of the rifles I have had before are not billet so this would be the first billet rifle. Looking at San Tan and perhaps Spikes or maybe some others. Give me some feedback on what you may have used and why you like or hate it. Is billet worth the money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Worth the money in what aspect? Aesthetics? That's up to you, I've been unable to figure out the functional advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanzbullet Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 The rifles I have had so far have had quite a bit of wiggle between the upper and lower. I keep reading that it doesn't cause any issues but it has always been kind of mental thing for me... So I assume that a matched billet receiver set "should" do away with the poor fit. Correct? They do look really cool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Billet is only beneficial to spend more money on bling, oh and they weigh more too. They are no more likely to have a tight fit than forged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanzbullet Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 Mark, what are your thoughts on using more than one upper on a single lower? I know you can do it because I have swapped the ones I have around in the past but long term what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 There is the interaction between the tail of the carrier and the hammer cocking surface to look at. If all parts are to spec, then sure. You do have to be careful with a lower set up with a heavy buffer running a tuned low mass upper, or a low mass buffer/reduced power spring running a full gas upper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BitchinCamaro Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 (edited) I went full derp on billet everything building my 3gun rig. If I had to do it all over again, I would have just found a forged slickside upper and milspec lower with a good fit and stuffed them will all the same parts on my current rifle. It probably would have saved me $300 or so and been about 1/2 a pound lighter. There are plenty of billet upper and lower sets that have poor fit. If you're starting from scratch, just mate a few together to get a tight set. Also, the tensioning screw on many billet and non-billet uppers will take out the bulk of any vertical play. Any decent machine shop could add one to the lower of you chooing. I.E. The green set screw pushes against the upper, just under the rear takedown pin: Edited July 6, 2015 by BitchinCamaro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanzbullet Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 what lower is that with the screw? I have never seen one with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BitchinCamaro Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 (edited) That's a Seekins Precision. I have one because of some other neat features, but the looks of it are starting to grow fugly to me. The screw is just a soft tip set screw (followed by a locking screw) that you can get at a Fastenal or online at http://www.mcmaster.com/#set-screws/=xxshoe. One pass with drill press and a tap and you can replicate it in pretty much any lower. Edited July 6, 2015 by BitchinCamaro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Or you can just use one of these: http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/receiver-parts/receiver-hardware/accu-wedges/ar-15-m16-accu-wedge-prod16662.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Or you can just use one of these: http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/receiver-parts/receiver-hardware/accu-wedges/ar-15-m16-accu-wedge-prod16662.aspx And send to Steve when it drives you batty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I've used several and had no problems with them. Removed all play between upper and lower, which was all I cared about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanzbullet Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 I had a rifle with one of those it was less than impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanzbullet Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 I like the idea of no forward assist in the upper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltdmstr Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 EGW makes a FA delete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 I like the idea of no forward assist in the upper. http://www.carbonarms.us/AR-15-Uppers-and-Parts/Carbon-Arms-PlugAR.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanzbullet Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 I have that on my rifle now Mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickB Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Aero precision makes a non forward assist upper, and I have also found their lowers and uppers to have a fairly tight fit (within the half dozen or so that I have played with). Nordic uppers and lowers also seem to have a good, tight fit. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordanGriffith Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I've used an accuwedge for quite a while and it makes the upper and lower supper tight. I can barely get the takedown pin in and out its so tight. If the slip bothers you, otherwise I'd save the money on the billet receivers and spend it elsewhere. If it's a competition rifle I'd spend that extra couple hundred on a LMBCG and adjustable gas block. I'd also buy a high end barrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bafsu92 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I built a Seekins billet rifle because the idea of the all ambi setup was appealing since I'm a lefty. What I didn't really think about is I've been so conditioned to running a "regular" AR configuration for so long that I really don't use any ambi controls but the safety which is already on all my AR's anyway. If I had it to do over I'd do a nicely fit forged rifle with a light no FA upper and call it a day with some cash in my pocket. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BitchinCamaro Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I built a Seekins billet rifle because ... If I had it to do over I'd do a nicely fit forged rifle with a light no FA upper and call it a day with some cash in my pocket. I'm glad I'm not the only one! The Seekins is super nice, but the eye-candy aspect of it overwhelmed my "do I really need this shit?" reasoning. Plus, having a blingy rifle makes me feel extra stupid after I brainfart through a stage in front of other shooters . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bafsu92 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I built a Seekins billet rifle because ... If I had it to do over I'd do a nicely fit forged rifle with a light no FA upper and call it a day with some cash in my pocket. I'm glad I'm not the only one! The Seekins is super nice, but the eye-candy aspect of it overwhelmed my "do I really need this shit?" reasoning. Plus, having a blingy rifle makes me feel extra stupid after I brainfart through a stage in front of other shooters . Exactly, nothing worse than having all that cash into the rifle platform only to get smoked by someone running the $49 special upper & lower with plastic handguards. It doesn't happen regularly but just once is enoughSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfishdave Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I went with a CMT ambi billet upper and lower combo primarily for the clean looks (no busy roll marks, lizards and curvy lines) and because it uses the least number of proprietary parts, i.e. the mag catch. If I had put more thought into it, probably would have gone with their no forward assist upper, but I literally put this build together between two matches after realizing I couldn't hit steel at 200 yards very well with an AKS-74U: The lower does have that rubber tipped upper tensioning screw for reducing play between the two halves. There was a TINY amount of for/aft play between the two, but was effectively eliminated by adding a quarter between the receiver extension and JP SCSS assembly which then put tension on the rear of the carrier/upper. Not sure about the ambi controls either......at the first match with the rifle, I did drop the mag a few times when trying to drop the bolt and was actually using the 'lefty' mag release button with my thumb to swap mags like it's done with an AK. Can't say going the billet route will be of any value to you or anyone else. Fortunately, the build went smoothly and rifle has performed with ZERO issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanzbullet Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 Thanks for all the input guys. That CMT build looks really sharp/clean and has the options I'm looking for. Yes-- that has a lot of value to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul-the new guy Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I went with a CMT ambi billet upper and lower combo primarily for the clean looks (no busy roll marks, lizards and curvy lines) and because it uses the least number of proprietary parts, i.e. the mag catch. If I had put more thought into it, probably would have gone with their no forward assist upper, but I literally put this build together between two matches after realizing I couldn't hit steel at 200 yards very well with an AKS-74U: The lower does have that rubber tipped upper tensioning screw for reducing play between the two halves. There was a TINY amount of for/aft play between the two, but was effectively eliminated by adding a quarter between the receiver extension and JP SCSS assembly which then put tension on the rear of the carrier/upper. Not sure about the ambi controls either......at the first match with the rifle, I did drop the mag a few times when trying to drop the bolt and was actually using the 'lefty' mag release button with my thumb to swap mags like it's done with an AK. Can't say going the billet route will be of any value to you or anyone else. Fortunately, the build went smoothly and rifle has performed with ZERO issues. That is a great looking rifle. Between this and the side charge thread I will also "need" to build a new rifle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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