Anderson Manufacturing AR-15 Stripped Lower Receiver: Any reviews? $35 [Archive]

Armadillo

07-03-23, 14:46

This week I added some of these:

https://www.primaryarms.com/anderson-manufacturing-ar-15-stripped-lower-receiver

On sale for $35.

The finish is real nice.

Compared to a Colt from 20 years ago, these current Anderson lowers look better.

With better machinery it's possible that the current Andersons may be of higher quality than older tier 1 lowers.

The reviews on their website are good.

Some old reviews from years ago - are not good.

I'm not building these up any time soon but I'm wondering if I should worry that they may be out of spec.

I'm hoping it's more difficult to screw up a lower in this day and age with better machinery.

What are your thoughts?

26 Inf

07-03-23, 21:30

I'm hoping it's more difficult to screw up a lower in this day and age with better machinery. I tend to agree. As far as I'm concerned, as long as the forgings are properly made, it really doesn't matter who CNC machines the forging.

According to the 2021 Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report put out by ATF, Anderson made 32,405 rifles and 471,787 miscellaneous firearms.

I would ass-u-me that the majority of that 471,787 were AR receivers while a small portion were their 'Kiger' pistol frames. They are still in business, so someone must be buying all those frames. Perhaps they are an OEM supplier?

I've got a rifle built on an Anderson receiver, wouldn't hesitate to use their receivers, or PSA's for that matter, if it wasn't for their butt ugly logos.

Do what I've done, invest in a set of pin gauges and check when you get the receiver before you assemble. For magwells I install the mag release and just use GI mags to make sure they drop free, etc. Kind of a crude check but so far all the mag release holes and slots have been okay.

Here's an affordable pin set:

https://www.amazon.com/Accusize-Tools-0-061-0-250-Steel/dp/B00UCHGTPQ/ref=sr_1_13?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl4rD3p6P4wIVkLjACh0BHwEmEAAYASAAEgKYnfD_BwE&hvadid=176363270846&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9024344&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4360309958126273042&hvtargid=aud-646675774026%3Akwd-2443182945&hydadcr=23919_9786756&keywords=pin%2Bgage%2Bset&qid=1561830703&s=gateway&sr=8-13&th=1

0.061''-0.250'' x 190 Pcs, size electro etched on each piece
Overall length 2'', all members 2'' long, centerless lapped
Finish: Each gauge has a 10 micro finish or better
Hardness: Heat treated 60-62 RC
Tolerance: All gauges with .0002'' limit, plus or minus

Alpha-17

07-04-23, 07:55

I've built several ARs on Anderson Poverty Pony lowers. I've never had a problem with any of them.

556Cliff

07-04-23, 09:52

No big issues with Anderson lowers in my experience with them.

All the holes seem to be in the right spot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXyq4gWdRM4

gaijin

07-04-23, 11:03

I have one on a Geissle upper. The Horror.
Never any issues.

NYH1

07-04-23, 13:08

A few years back my son bought one. He had to do some work on it with a Dremel to get it to work. The mag. release slot on the left side had to be opened up so the parts would fix in it. One of the take down pins of off as well.

NYH1.

JediGuy

07-04-23, 15:57

They are $30 at ar15discounts.com.

Site has been crashing, though

docsherm

07-05-23, 09:41

I have 5 of them and 3 of those are SBRed. No issues at all. I have built at least 10 Anderson lowers and all have been good to go.

I have seen two Stripped KAC lowers and both of them were so messed up the trigger pins would not go all the way through.

Much better odds of getting a bad KAC lower than an Anderson.

JediGuy

07-05-23, 16:57

I have 5 of them and 3 of those are SBRed. No issues at all. I have built at least 10 Anderson lowers and all have been good to go.

I have seen two Stripped KAC lowers and both of them were so messed up the trigger pins would not go all the way through.

Much better odds of getting a bad KAC lower than an Anderson.

Nice optics, nice barrels…doesn’t care about a roll mark.

Let me sing the praises of docsherm for a moment.

556Cliff

07-05-23, 20:19

Nice optics, nice barrels…doesn’t care about a roll mark.

Let me sing the praises of docsherm for a moment.

And just FYI, there are 2 Anderson roll marks... One is much nicer than the other, at least in my opinion. The problem is that you never know which one you're going to get.

Slater

07-05-23, 20:27

At least it isn't as ugly as Spike's logo.

Uncas47

07-05-23, 21:55

Built one with Colt innards and 6920 upper, all good.

ViniVidivici

07-05-23, 22:24

We've got one in the stable (see what I did there), and the gun runs 100%.

Magwell was a little tight, but I relieved it some with a file and sand paper. GTG now. FWIW, I've had ti do that to one other brand lower as well.

I'd buy another.

SteyrAUG

07-05-23, 23:34

I have 5 of them and 3 of those are SBRed. No issues at all. I have built at least 10 Anderson lowers and all have been good to go.

I have seen two Stripped KAC lowers and both of them were so messed up the trigger pins would not go all the way through.

Much better odds of getting a bad KAC lower than an Anderson.

That's a serious statement but I'll take your word for it. It was probably 20 years ago that I first became aware of Anderson. Saw some really problematic ones with pins walking loose in egged out holes. I'm assuming poor quality forging. You only need to see that kind of stuff once to swear off of something for the rest of your life.

Given all the reliable reputation AR manufacturers out there, I'm not sure what motivates anyone to gamble on a questionable rep brand.

TMS951

07-06-23, 06:07

My Anderson poverty pony went together nicely, as did my psa.

Of about 20 lowers I probably own an essential arms is the only one that gave me grief. It had a spring hole not drilled deep enough.