Quality and Price

[longbeard]

 

What's everybody's opinion on the difference between a "budget lower" like an NFA vs. a "high end" JP or QC?  What are we paying more for?  This isn't a troll thread, just a serious question.  I'm new to AR's and want to understand what the difference is.  

 

 

 

[MHitchcock]

How LRBHO works as I see it. With the NFA you need to use their LRBHO upper which is also heavy instead of a mil spec upper. And you can't buy a JP lower right now. They are still at max production to cover their full GMR-15 rifles. I'm assuming we will have access to the GMR-15 lowers closer to the end of the year. 

 

***edit - once GMR lowers are available I would also argue that the magwell is a massive improvement, especially when using a taccom magwell extension. 

Edited June 30, 2017 by MHitchcock

[NOMADSS]

I believe you get what you pay for.  If you play the lets get every cheap part I can find and toss it together game.  Sometimes you get lucky and other times you spend a lot of time and money trying to make it work. Your getting parts at very wide ranges of tolerance and hoping they are close enough to work.

 

If your serious about competing and being successful you pick a company and use all their parts or buy a complete gun.  Thus paying more and having less problems.

 

Right now the main companies putting out quality complete out the box guns are
 

Nordic Components

JP

SIG

CZ

 

 

[longbeard]

2 hours ago, NOMADSS said:

I believe you get what you pay for.  If you play the lets get every cheap part I can find and toss it together game.  Sometimes you get lucky and other times you spend a lot of time and money trying to make it work. Your getting parts at very wide ranges of tolerance and hoping they are close enough to work.

 

If your serious about competing and being successful you pick a company and use all their parts or buy a complete gun.  Thus paying more and having less problems.

 

Right now the main companies putting out quality complete out the box guns are
 

Nordic Components

JP

SIG

CZ

 

 

I get this, and it certainly makes sense.

 

But the question is.  What is the difference between this lower

 

https://newfrontierarmory.com/shop/c-9-stripped-billet-lower-receiver-glock-style-mags/

 

and 

 

this lower

 

https://www.quartercircle10.com/products/receivers/lower-receivers/glock-small-frame-lower-receiver.html

 

When buying just a lower.  Why would someone pick the QC over the NFA?  

 

 

 

[MHitchcock]

LRBHO is contained in the lower on the qc10. Can run a lighter upper receiver instead of another 11 oz pig.

 

*** also a milspec upper like an aero precision is ~$80 cheaper than the LRBHO upper by NFA. Something to factor into your cost analysis. 

Edited June 30, 2017 by MHitchcock

[longbeard]

Right, but again.  One isn't made of magical metal while one is not.

 

I think my conclusion is that when it comes to a piece of billet aluminum there isn't a big difference between manufacturers as far as build quality.  Things like LRBHO or what style pins hold the mag catch seem to be different, but that's not a quality issue.  That's just a feature issue.  

 

Again, just curious.  You can get a complete lower w/ Magpul furniture from PSA for $219 shipped, but then I see QC who wants $285 for a stripped lower.  Makes me wonder what I'm paying for other than the brand name.

[MikeRush]

1 hour ago, longbeard said:

I get this, and it certainly makes sense.

But the question is.  What is the difference between this lower

https://newfrontierarmory.com/shop/c-9-stripped-billet-lower-receiver-glock-style-mags/

and 

this lower

https://www.quartercircle10.com/products/receivers/lower-receivers/glock-small-frame-lower-receiver.html

When buying just a lower.  Why would someone pick the QC over the NFA?  

 

I'll bite, as I purchased a QC10 over the NFA last year. 

 

As mentioned, BHO is in the lower. As I live in CA I had been anticipating PCC 10 (which fortunately is on hold, at the moment) and efficient LRBHO seemed like a nice feature.

If you are buying an upper and lower, the price difference between the NFA lower and upper with proprietary LRBHO and a QC10 lower/Anderson Sport upper is negligible. Plus I can swap uppers with a Colt based setup and use whatever upper I feel like using without losing that feature. QC10 has sales frequently which help offset some of the difference.

 

Anecdotally it seems that the QC10 positions mags in a slightly better position to feed, as well. I have seen lots of issues with the NFA lowers and extensions. I have seen fewer issues with the QC10 lower, although I have also seen fewer QC10 lowers at matches so it is hard to say that means anything.

 

That said, I prefer the plastic mag catch on the NFA, as it doesn't beat up the notch in the mags the way the QC10 catch does.

 

If you don't care about the features then I agree, why bother with the QC10? It is significantly more expensive. I happen to feel that the features make it a better mousetrap. Not everybody will.

 

If I had to build one on a tight budget and didn't care about LRBHO I wouldn't hesitate to use an NFA or a lower they sell through somebody else. It is much more important, in my opinion, to put the money into a quality barrel and bolt.

[longbeard]

17 minutes ago, MikeRush said:

 

I'll bite, as I purchased a QC10 over the NFA last year. 

 

As mentioned, BHO is in the lower. As I live in CA I had been anticipating PCC 10 (which fortunately is on hold, at the moment) and efficient LRBHO seemed like a nice feature.

If you are buying an upper and lower, the price difference between the NFA lower and upper with proprietary LRBHO and a QC10 lower/Anderson Sport upper is negligible. Plus I can swap uppers with a Colt based setup and use whatever upper I feel like using without losing that feature. QC10 has sales frequently which help offset some of the difference.

 

Anecdotally it seems that the QC10 positions mags in a slightly better position to feed, as well. I have seen lots of issues with the NFA lowers and extensions. I have seen fewer issues with the QC10 lower, although I have also seen fewer QC10 lowers at matches so it is hard to say that means anything.

 

That said, I prefer the plastic mag catch on the NFA, as it doesn't beat up the notch in the mags the way the QC10 catch does.

 

If you don't care about the features then I agree, why bother with the QC10? It is significantly more expensive. I happen to feel that the features make it a better mousetrap. Not everybody will.

 

If I had to build one on a tight budget and didn't care about LRBHO I wouldn't hesitate to use an NFA or a lower they sell through somebody else. It is much more important, in my opinion, to put the money into a quality barrel and bolt.

 

Agreed on all counts.  

 

I will say my Odinworks extended mag catch is great.  Its beveled a bit, and smooth.  Definitely an upgrade over the NFA polymer one (which isn't bad really).  Highly recommended.

[longbeard]

Along these lines.

PSA complete lower - $189 shipped.

[MRBACKHAND]

6 hours ago, longbeard said:

 

Agreed on all counts.  

 

I will say my Odinworks extended mag catch is great.  Its beveled a bit, and smooth.  Definitely an upgrade over the NFA polymer one (which isn't bad really).  Highly recommended.

^^^^ What he said.

[Tampa-XD45]

FWIW - My complete PSA blem lower for $135 has worked perfectly on my 9mm AR for 3+ years.