Sun Devil lower receivers in stock [Archive]

Otis

01-27-09, 19:12

Whoa, they also have the LMT Standard Service model:

http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=1040

Unfortunately, I am in no position to pull the trigger on one. But maybe some of you guys can do it.

markm

01-27-09, 19:19

I can't warm up to those SunDevils. They have some receiver tensioning screw in the bottom of them... plus they're billets.

lwoper

01-27-09, 20:37

just back the receiver tensioner all the way off if you don't need it, and what is wrong with billet??

Parabellum9x19mm

01-27-09, 20:53

i don't like billets either, i'd just rather have a forged lower. the "tighter tolerance" thing is a marketing gimmick....and tighter tolerances aren't always a good thing.

the only time i ever had a problem fitting a LPK was on an out of spec $300 billet, so it sort of spoiled the appeal for me. i know this is statisticly insignificant and meaningless...but personally it ruined whatever allure was there w/billet lowers.

plus the sun devils are 6061 right? eh. the plastic or nylon set screw just seems like a bad idea to me. not sure why you'd even want it.

12131

01-27-09, 22:08

just back the receiver tensioner all the way off if you don't need it, and what is wrong with billet??
Nothing wrong with billet lower. Die hard forgers will poo poo them, not as strong, etc... Get billet lowers, if you like them. As long as they are in specs, you will be fine.

markm

01-28-09, 07:55

An engineer on another site layed out the facts on Billet vs. Forged. There is no factual basis for claiming that billet is as strong as forge. Does it matter? I don't know. Maybe not for most shooters.

As far as the gay screw thing... forget it. I'd back it all the way out. But then you'd end up with a big hole in the bottom of the lower. It just doesn't belong there.

markm

01-28-09, 07:56

the "tighter tolerance" thing is a marketing gimmick....and tighter tolerances aren't always a good thing.

It's also Olympic Arms claim to fame. Enough said there.

MarineSniper8541

01-28-09, 10:33

Sun Devil uses 6061 aluminum. Too soft for a receiver. They get away with it by making it from billet. So while it it nice to look at, cosmetics are all you get as a bonus from Sun Devil's billets.

Remy

01-28-09, 11:10

Get off your high horses ragging on billet lowers. Forged receivers have certain good points and billets have their own superior features.

If you are cheap and can't afford the better finish and look of the billet......then so be it......but don't run them down just because YOU choose to not like them!

It appears to me that there are a Hell of alot of people who like the billet receivers considering the wild success of the LaRue Stealth series and the HIGHLY praised Magpul lowers that are selling like hotcakes as they are built up into guns by Noveske!

Parabellum9x19mm

01-28-09, 11:12

If you are cheap and can't afford the better finish and look of the billet......then so be it....

funny stuff

you're joking, right?

markm

01-28-09, 11:23

I hope he's joking.

The Sun Devils don't run any more than a forged here anyway with the market for lowers between 150 and 200 dollars.

jakjakman

01-28-09, 11:36

All gone. :(

Remy

01-28-09, 11:36

I was not speaking specifically about Sun Devil lowers in my earlier posts. I was thinking more about....

1) LaRue Stealth

2) Magpul

3) Tactical Innovations

4) POF

docsherm

01-28-09, 11:40

I have a Sun Devil lower and it is great, in spec and works just fine. It has held up just as good as my LMT. I have it mated up with a Sun Devil upper and it is a better fit than my Colt M4.

In my book Sun Devil products are good to go.

Note: The uppers do not have M4 feed ramps. Which is fine if you are building a SPR or just a precession rifle.

Parabellum9x19mm

01-28-09, 12:15

I was not speaking specifically about Sun Devil lowers in my earlier posts. I was thinking more about....

1) LaRue Stealth

2) Magpul

3) Tactical Innovations

4) POF

i already have a POF Gen II lower.

i honestly prefer my forged lowers....and it has nothing to do with being cheap. with the money most of us put into our ARs, a couple hundred here or there doesn't mean too much.

different strokes for different blokes, i guess.

MarineSniper8541

01-28-09, 14:23

SecretAgentMan

01-28-09, 14:31

I'm not a machinest, but my gun dealer is. He builds suppressors and all manner of AR accessories. This is what he says about the 6061/7076 debate:

6061 aluminum has some significant advantages over 7076. While 7076 is "harder" than 6061, it is more brittle. 6061 has a lot more "give" and resilience. 6061 is also more corrosion resistant.

So once again, there is no free lunch. 7076 (particularly 7076-T6) has its advantages, but it is not inherently superior to 6061.

12131

01-28-09, 19:55

.... Again, Sun Devil is just for looks.
Just curious, do you have actual experience comparing Sun Devil lower head-to-head with your favorite forged lower, to make your claim?

bkb0000

01-28-09, 20:07

i'm not all that happy with my sun-devils.. can only use DPMS charging handles (don't ask me- that's what they say and that's what i've experienced), very loose fit between upper and lower- and the tensioning screw just makes it hard to pop it open, it still wobbles even tightened up so tight you can't take them down without a hammer and punch- and the worst part, the rails aren't true m1913, so it's weaver-only for mounting without modification to the item.

they look great, though.

Celer

01-28-09, 20:08

I'm going to be in the market for a lower soon, but my local dealer's 140$ RRA lowers just went to 190$ on obamma day. Seeing threads like this is making me feel less offended at that price every day.

lwoper

01-28-09, 20:32

well i had a peice of crap oly lower before so anything is an upgrade from that junk. both of my sun devil seem to be in spec so i will keep the two that i have in this market.

MarineSniper8541

01-28-09, 21:21

Just curious, do you have actual experience comparing Sun Devil lower head-to-head with your favorite forged lower, to make your claim?

Yes. I had a second gen SD lower but sold it to obtain a Larue. I am much happier with the larue and it doesnt seem to ding and dent as easily as the SD did. Especially around the mag well opening.

MarineSniper8541

01-28-09, 21:25

Dont get me wrong. SD makes good lowers. But they are not worthy of billet prices. If you are going to spend extra money for a billet, get one made of more durable material.

au1776

02-01-09, 09:56

The only true drawback I can see for 99% of AR owners when it comes to billet is pricing. I'm not arguing it is inherently better than forged in any category but appearance, but I'm also not going to chastise someone for throwing down 160 bucks on a Sun Devil in this purchasing environment. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

BLACK LION

02-25-10, 13:34

My SD uppers and lowers were around 140.00 shipped( around jan/feb 09). So, price was not an issue when comparing to standard forged receivers being close in price. At my local gun show, standard forged receivers were being marked between 150.00 and 250.00...now they are down to around 150.00 or so.

They are a good deal and a well built piece. It wouldnt suprise me if they last forever.
I would prefer a 7075 billet piece over anything else out there.

M0rtarMan

02-26-10, 14:51

I have a bunch of Sun Devils Billet Lowers (Sun Devil even custom engraved one for me in case I decide to register this lower as an SBR)
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o135/jnortham/DSC_2212.jpg

This SD lower goes nicely with my billet LMT MRP Piston Upper

Jakal

02-26-10, 15:35

Not to hijack the thread but..

Has anybody used a Sundevil lower with a RRA .458 SOCOM upper?

I have one (complete A2 SD .458 SOCOM marked lower) on order and just looking to troubleshoot any known problems.

I don't think there would be just checking..

ca_fireman19

03-18-10, 02:03

As an actual Sun Devil owner, it seems a lot of bull pucky is being said by either people who don't know or people that just want to put other brands down...As I have said in many other threads, I am new to the AR world, but I did do my homework before buying my receivers...The price of my Sun Devil SD15 lower was actually LESS than a DPMS, RRA, R-Guns, Stag Arms and many many more....the fit and finish is fantastic. My only complaint is the odd set screw, but it doesn't really effect it much...if you don't like it, back it out and use one of them red wedge thingies in. And to Jakal, my local gunsmith is currently making a Sun Devil/.458 SOCOM...odd

bkb0000

03-18-10, 02:23

if you don't like it, back it out and use one of them red wedge thingies in.

no.. don't ever do that. and your sun-devil does not have m4 ramps, BTW.

perna

03-18-10, 02:27

Where is this tensioning screw, I went to their web site and didnt see any pics?

ca_fireman19

03-18-10, 02:27

no.. don't ever do that. and your sun-devil does not have m4 ramps, BTW.

I don't have a Sun Devil upper. According to your reply in a different thread, I DO have M4 feedramps, at least when I looked is looked like I do...

ca_fireman19

03-18-10, 02:30

The screw is at the rear of the receiver under the grip...it puts tension on the rear eyelet of the upper receiver.

bkb0000

03-18-10, 02:30

Where is this tensioning screw, I went to their web site and didnt see any pics?

i think it's under the pistol grip. been a while since i ****ed with one. it's a little dhelrin-<sp?>esque set-screw that pushes up against the bottom of the upper when closed. as i said at some point in the history of this dead thread, all it does is make the upper hard to open and close- it still wobbles, plus it just holds the gap wide open.

bkb0000

03-18-10, 02:31

I don't have a Sun Devil upper. According to your reply in a different thread, I DO have M4 feedramps, at least when I looked is looked like I do...

ah. i cant speak for whatever upper you might have, then.

perna

03-18-10, 02:33

Guess it is one of those "well it looked good on paper" ideas.

BLACK LION

03-18-10, 12:39

So I should sell my 2 lowers and my upper since they suck.
In that case who wants to buy a used 80% complete SD lower...150 bux with the trigger group,selector, trigger guard,A2 grip and YHM pivot/takedown pins... Oh, it has been painted green by the Krylon fairy. :p

The tensioning screw is right under the grip as stated above. It does make it harder to pull the rear takedown pin if you have the smaller standard pins or the KNS push button pins(I use these now). This is only if you tension it tight as ****, which you shouldnt need to do anyway. I have it in the middle somewhere and I can pull the rear KNS pin even with gloves on.
I didnt have a problem tightening it more when I was running the YHM EZ-pull pins.

M4 ramps are not integral but they are easy to blend into the M4 extension with a dremel or hand file(I wish I still ahd the pics).

They are good enough... not the best and definatley not the worst.

I heard the horse gurgle so I thought I would kick it again.

az doug

03-18-10, 13:38

Since this thread has been resurrected I will post in it.

I have several Sun Devil lowers and uppers and I like them. The lack of M-4 feed ramps is not a deal breaker for me. All my mags have anti-tilt followers and I have shot 77 gr ammo through them without an issue. Do I wish Sun Devil had M-4 feed ramps, yes. As someone else in another thread pointed out, there is no downside to having them, but again it is not a deal breaker for me.

ca_fireman19

04-07-10, 14:15

Note: The uppers do not have M4 feed ramps. Which is fine if you are building a SPR or just a precession rifle.

Sun Devil upper receivers ARE now available with M4 feed ramps.

Jakal

04-07-10, 14:40

My SunDevil lower came in. It is marked "Model: AR458 Caliber: 458 SOCOM".

The finish is really nice and the fit looks like it was a matched lower to the RRA 458 SOCOM upper. No slop, rattle or gap!

I put an A2 stock on it. I need to get out and shoot it since my .458 Barnes 300grn TTSX loads came in from SBR. I have the EO Tech 517 sighted in but that was with the 300grn Barnes TSX bullets, wouldn't think that there would be much difference in the two, so POI shouldn't really change alot.

I just need to get a Geissele SSA trigger for it and some sort of backup sights.

Clean and simple!

"Sorry about the picture quality, rush job!"