Biden unveiled a new rule that would make it illegal as of August 24, 2022 to manufacture a kit without a serial and for resellers to sell without conducting a background check. It’s currently being challenged so we’ll see what happens!
Update: As of November 2022, 80% Arms is exempt from the current ban so you’re able to buy both jigs and receivers together.
Looking to complete your own AR 80% lower receiver?
Today, we’re going to go over the best 80% AR-15, AR-10, and AR-9 lower receivers out there. And…we’ve done our fair share of 80% through the years.
Plus, the best jigs to help you get to the 100% mark.
And most recently…we’ve even added our favorite Glock 80% frame projects.
Here’s our favorite picks…but given the current situation things are selling out fast.
Summary of Our Top Picks
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AR-15 80% Aluminum PickType III Hard Anodized Billet AR-15 80% Lower
We used the Easy Jig 3 to build a couple of these to completion. Great anodized option.
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AR-15 80% Polymer PickGreat base for a polymer AR-15 80% lower project.
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AR-10 .308 80% PickBlack Anodized Billet .308 80% Lower
Like their AR-15 version, we're big fans of the 80% Arms .308 lower.
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9mm AR 80% Pick9mm AR-9 80% Lower - Glock Mags
Great choice if you're looking to build a pistol caliber carbine.
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Editor's Pick 80% JigThe go-to jig for AR-15, AR-9, & AR-10 80% projects.
And for Polymer80 Glock-style builds, check these quick links (selling fast):
- PF940V2 for Glock 17 Gen 3
- PF9SS Single Stack for Glock 43
- PF940SC for Glock 26/27 Gen 3
- PF320 for a Sig P320 Build
- PFS9 Full Size AFT Builder Kit
Table of Contents
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Brief Overview of 80% Lowers
First, you should really check out our other article on what exactly is an 80% lower.
TLDR; an 80% lower receiver is an unfinished lower that is nominally sold as a “paperweight” or other novelty and not a firearm.
If you’re buying a finished AR lower, you’re technically buying a firearm in the eyes of the ATF.
Meanwhile, an 80% lower is technically not a firearm until you finish machining it, so you can get them delivered straight to your house without paying FFL fees.
As long as you’re manufacturing the firearm for personal use, and are otherwise allowed to own said firearm in your state, you’re good to go.
Yes…it’s a “ghost gun” in that most places don’t require serializing/registration, but that’s a loaded term so we won’t be using it for the rest of the article.
What Makes a Good 80% Lower?
There are a few things to consider when choosing your first AR-15 80% lower…
Name Brand
First, tempting as it may be, don’t buy from Uncle Leroy’s Backwoods Firearms.
Small manufacturers are extremely hit or miss, and often lack the precision of a larger, well-known manufacturer.
In firearms, as with most things, the “cover your ass” rule is firmly in place.
During one of the previous panic buy periods…we bought a no-name 80% that had multiple alignment problems and required re-drilling of pivot pin holes.
Materials
Polymer lowers are easier to machine, but are more prone to scratching and gouging as well as full-on breakage if you aren’t careful.
Make sure they are reinforced around the buffer tube area as well since that’s where most can fail.
Aluminum comes in two flavors, forged and billet.
Basically, the only thing you need to know is that forged aluminum is generally considered to be stronger, but almost no-one will get near the stress levels for it to come into play.
There’s also the issue of 6061 vs 7075 aluminum…6061 is softer and will be easier to machine.
7075 is the standard for “real” lower receivers but the difference in strength is so little that I doubt someone could break a 6061.
Plus, 6061 is actually more corrosion resistant.
Coating
One final consideration is the choice between anodized and non-anodized 80% lowers, assuming you’re working with an aluminum lower.
Personally, I would go with a non-anodized lower because you’re going to be milling out large portions of it and exposing non-anodized metal anyway.
Usually, that means you’re just going to have the thing re-anodized or paint anyway so I’d just go with the cheaper option of the raw aluminum.
Of course, you don’t have to worry about that with polymer as you’re just exposing more of the same polymer as you’re doing your machining.
Best AR-15 80% Lower Receivers
Let’s start with the most popular of 80% lowers…the AR-15.
1. 80% Arms
Their AR-15 80% lower is 6061 billet but is cleanly machine and is anodized very well in the two our team has completed.
Billet gives you the ability to have some slight differences from more mil-spec lowers…such as more aggresive lines which I like.
The 6061 aluminum also made it possible to do deeper milling cuts each time which saves time (more on this in the jigs section).
Plus they work perfectly with 80% Arms’ jig.
And the finished product has worked in all our tested uppers.
Check out the full review of the entire process here. We’ve gone through both Gen 2 and Gen 3 versions.
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Or check out their other 80% versions like raw billet and even flat dark earth versions.
Want an easy kit to finish your lower build? Check out PSA’s MOE Lower Build Kit.
2. James Madison Tactical
Personally, I’m not a fan of polymer lowers.
It’s a really stupid hangup I have that’s in no way founded off anything rational. I own Glocks and other polymer-framed guns…but no polymer framed ARs.
Maybe one day I’ll change that.
If I do, it’ll almost definitely be a James Madison Tactical lower. I’ve heard nothing but good things from these guys, and I know several 3-Gun and Precision AR shooters that use these lowers. I’ve shot some of those guns and even competed with one, and I have nothing but nice things to say about it.
Hard to keep in stock but their .308 version is still available.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Their manufacturing process is also really cool. They use their own polymer-fiber blend with special care taken at common stress points to build a really cool, lightweight lower that is corrosion resistant far beyond what you’ll get with a metal lower.
3. Anderson Manufacturing
Anderson Manufacturing is one of the big juggernauts of AR part manufacturers.
With their 7075 80% lowers, you’re buying from people who’ve been making AR parts of years and who sell ridiculous numbers of the things.
There’s a certain comfort in buying from an established, reliable company.
Personally, I’ve built two ARs off Anderson completed lowers and with the rest of the team we’re probably in the dozens.
These things are rock solid, and in the case of my first competition gun, have been through hell and back with no issues.
However, lately they’ve been hard to come by.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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If you get one of their 80% lowers and you do your part with the machining (it’s the harder 7075 aluminum so go slower)…I have no doubt that you’ll end up with a reliable, well-done product.
4. Polymer80
Polymer80 is the other contender for my first polymer lower, especially if I decide to go the 80% route. These guys and gals specialize in polymer 80% lowers…hence the name.
Of course…we’ve done tons of their Glock 17 and 19 80% builds.
They also have a freakin’ ton of cool colors available which is perfect if you like to personalize your builds a bit more.
For me, I like building AR’s not just to shoot, but also for the mechanical challenge that comes with this type of thing.
Its really fun to take a box of parts and turn it into a working rifle that you can hunt, compete, and even defend yourself with if need be.
The cool thing about Polymer80 lowers, besides the awesome colors, is the jig sets you can get with them.
For $80, you can get the lower, the bits you need, and the jig to guide you…basically, everything but you need except for the drill.
Hard to find as well nowadays.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Best AR-10 and AR-9 80% Lower Receivers
1. 80% Arms
There’s not as many AR-10 and AR-9 80% lowers out there so I gotta give it to 80% Arms since we tried them and they work well.
Check out the size difference in the AR-10 80% Lower.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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And I’m glad the mag latch is already installed in the AR-9 Lower. YES…it takes Glock mags.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Now…onto the jigs!
Best AR 80% Jigs
We’ve built a couple 80% lowers through the years…starting years with a jig where we had to send a money order to some guy. Or silver dollars…he took those too.
And for the longest time it was the same design…drill a bunch of little holes with your drill press first.
Then attempt to “mill” or cut off material in a horizontal manner with a drill press…something that was never meant to do that.
Result…lowers that still worked but took forever (~3-4 hours) and looked gross in the fire control pocket.
Enter the next generation of 80% jigs…where you only need a normal drill and a router.
Note: an 80% lower requires some pretty advanced machining, so the quality, fit, and finish of the final product is going to depend entirely on you.
1. 80% Arms Easy Jig 3
Hands down the best 80% jig we’ve used is the Easy Jig 3.
We’ve also completed our Full Review of the Easy Jig with a corresponding video as well:
We got the multicaliber version which can easily make the AR-15, AR-45 and AR-9 platforms.
And that’s the router that basically spins the end mill bit…for our Gen 2 project we used a Ridgid R2401 Router ($90) that didn’t need any extra parts to work with the Easy Jig 2. For the Gen 3 build, we grabbed a router from 80% Arms.
We recommended getting the drill bits kit since it does need a special end mill. Or if you want to save a little money…get the end mill and the other things at Home Depot.
MUCH easier than the older jig designs and only took me about 1.5 hours.
Here’s the final product…
It’s definitely on the pricier side at around $250…but you’re looking to save up to 2.5 hours per lower. I’d highly recommend just building more (lol) or splitting the cost with friends.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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What’s your take on the Easy Jig 3?
2. 5D Tactical Universal 80% Jig
Another contender in the router-based universal jig world is the 5D Tactical Universal Jig ($259).
Like the Easy Jig 3, it can do AR-15, AR-9, and AR-10 80% lower receivers.
So far it looks like it has great reviews (and tons of fans in the comments) but is priced a little higher at $289.
We’re looking forward to testing this bad boy out in the future too!
3. Anderson Manufacturing 80% Jig
However, if you still want to do it old school and have a drill press and more time (to save around $70 compared to the AR-15/AR-9 Easy Jig)…Anderson has their 80% jig.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Best Glock 80% Frames
1. Polymer80
I alluded to Polymer 80’s Glock frames above but now we’ll dive a little deeper. There’s also a ton of options based on what you want.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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There’s also tons of options for size of handgun (things are selling fast):
- PF940V2 for Glock 17 Gen 3
- PF9SS Single Stack for Glock 43
- PF940SC for Glock 26/27 Gen 3
- PF320 for a Sig P320 Build
- PFS9 Full Size AFT Builder Kit
Fancy a super custom Gucci Glock with all its parts handpicked? Or simply want the satisfaction of building one yourself without the hassle of going to the gun store?
P80’s kits now range from the Glock 19, Glock 17…
And now even the single stack G43 series.
They are MUCH easier to complete than AR-15 lowers since you’re dealing with polymer material instead of aluminum. And there’s a lot less to remove.
You still need to be careful especially with the hardest part which is milling out the barrel block.
But I go through everything you need in my Polymer80 Glock Build Guide.
- kit overviews
- additional tools needed
- step by step instruction
- tips & tricks
- full parts list
2. 80% Arms
A relative newcomer to the Glock world is 80% Arms (which you should be tired of hearing by now) with their GST-9.
It’s similar in process to the Polymer80 but there’s some grip enhancements that let you switch between sizes.
Fancy a subcompact grip…boom! Want it a little larger to mimic a G19…boom!
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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We go through the entire process and build list…complete with video in [Review] 80% Arms GST-9 Build.
Parting Shots
There you have it, folks. These are our favorite 80% lower manufacturers AND jigs.
Check our Best AR-15 Lower Parts Kits to finalize your lower and also our AR-15 Ultimate Resources if you need any help assembling or choosing parts.
There’s a good amount of choices for 80% lower receivers…from 6061 to 7075.
If you gotta have mil-spec harder 7075 aluminum…go with Anderson.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Or if you want an easier milling time…go with 80% Arms.
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If you want a polymer lower where you get the jig AND lower for around $80…I like P80 based on my good experiences with their Glock kits.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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BUT…if you go aluminum…stick with the Easy Jig 3. We’ve tested it. And your sanity will thank you.
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Prices accurate at time of writing
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Want to complete a Glock frame instead? Go with Polymer80 and check our Complete Guide.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Need to choose other parts to complete your AR-15? Check our Best AR-15 Lower Parts Kits and also our AR-15 Ultimate Resources.
96 Leave a Reply
I've done four builds to date. Two .223 Wylde's and two .300 AAC's. For all of them I used Anderson 80% Lower receivers. The Jig I use, is a copy a machinist buddy made of his jig, so I'm not sure if he bought or milled his own jig (I suspect the latter).
The ATF's new rule has more to do with companies like 80% Arms selling complete kits, Jig, bits and Lower Receiver in one package or as the Rule reads "Everything at hand to readily build aFirearm. " As it was explained to me, you can still buy a jig, you can still buy bits and you can still buy a Lower, but you cannot purchase them all at one time. You have to spread the purchases out, or buy each from a different manufacturer
I've not purchased anything from 80% Arms, so I have no comment on their quality or service.
Stay away from 80 % arms! They are a bunch of thieves. They will take your money and you will never receive anything. Nor will they respond.
5D Tactical is the same company different name, I ordered a jig with 5 80% lowers kit and I got the lowers and the router and bits/ side mill but no jig. the rest are paper weights without the jig
It would be nice if this article (or a separate one) talked about uppers that are compatible with the 80% lowers/AR-9 lowers. I just spoke with Aero and they pretty much said, "Nope."
"Meanwhile, an 80% lower is technically not a firearm until you finish machining it, so you can get them delivered straight to your house without paying FFL fees. "
In a few days to a week that will not longer be true. The ATF will be publishing new rules in the federal register which makes these firearms period.
No
Why am I getting email for this reply? Not to you specifically Bob, but asking PEW PEW.
The 'John' to which you replied is not me. I also use the name John here but I did not make these posts yet i'm receiving email about a reply plus I don't check the box on my posts to get notified of follow-up comments by email. I think the pewpew system is screwed up
This guide conspicuously leaves out the actual company called "*80% Lowers" and they tend to have better receivers, parts kits and prices. In fact 80 Arms is a pretty sh*t company, but everything in here is almost exclusively referred to them. Pretty poor / paid off writing, imho.
My experience is totally different. 80% arms has great customer service. I lost one of the pins and they say they don't sell them, but they would ship me one at no cost. I received two. My 80% GST jig worked perfectly, my Plymer80 jig missed on the holes for the rear rail module/trigger housing. I also don't like the way they do the slide release spring. Note that this is a PF45. I have experience with only 1 GST-9 and one PF45 so my experience really isn't statistically significant. My 80% arms AR-15 and AR-308 turned out real nice too.
Looks like a bit of fun. But it's not worth the costs to me at this time. 100 and I get to spend half a day milling metal vs. 100 and a trip to the very close LGS (which is also a bit of fun)? Money being no object, I'd try it out. But it is THE object! Should prices come down, or I stumble across an unloved 80 jig, I'll definitely try it.
Having experience with both the 80% lowers & jig and the 5D Tactical lowers & jig I have to wonder if they are not manufactured by the same entity. Both turn out a very good, mil-spec product and the jigs are identical with the exception that one is anodized blue and the other is red.
I bought the jig and router at 80% arms and the router came with a 5d tactical sticker on it. Very god kit to complete a lower , they both look identical but the color.
Just bought 3 80% build kits at the tri County show here in PA. No legislation in sight here, and tom wolf talks about it all the time. Walked out with a glock 19, ar 15 556, and a ar 15 300 black out. All for around $1500. So I think we are in the clear. Lol
This article is in serious need of an update. Things have changed dramatically in four years:
New legislation, Ghost Gunner 3 CNC...
I feel like it was a bit cowardly to close the latest 80% lower commentt section.
Apparently the 2nd amendment “advocates” don’t appreciate the 1st.
The government didn't restrict your speech, so the first amendment doesn't remotely apply. Our team is small and we only have so many hours in the day. We can spend those hours working to produce outstanding content for our readers or we can spend those hours moderating comments on an article that was almost guaranteed to attract a huge number of spam, senseless argument, and internet keyboard warriors. We chose to deliver the information and then keep working.
Serious price gouging going on. I’m all about capitalism but doubling prices is bs.
I can't see it anywhere but does anyone know if 80% offers a military discount?
Interesting that you post this article as we are on the brink of an Executive Order(s) to ban these types of firearms. Being a machinist and an avid gun enthusiast, 80% items really interest me. I guess I will need to see how this plays out with our current administration before I delve deeper into this. Pretty sad.
No Executive Orders were filed and aren't likely to be filed right now, only Executive Actions were announced today. We got lots more info: https://pewpewtactical.com/biden-executive-actions-80-kits-braces
So I am looking to join the 80% crowd. I have ordered the 3rd Gen gig and 3 80% lowers from "80% Arms. (1 .223 for practice and 1 ea. .223 and .308.
My question is that since the 80% lowers are hard anodized, when I mill them the new surfaces will no longer be anodized, can I, or would it be beneficial to re-anodize the lower?
The anodizing adds approx. .003 in of thickness. Is this enough to make any difference in the fit of these parts. I suspect not, but would like to understand the tolerances impact of having things anodized.
Thank-you
In order to anodize the raw areas of an anodized part, it must be stripped. I advise against it. The only areas worth worrying about would be the trigger pin holes, especially if you remove the FCG occasionally. The inside of the pocket only locates the components. I would have the lower cerakoted. That way, the cerakote will protect the trigger pin and selector switch holes, in addition to the pocket. I have seen preanodized lowers that have the raw aluminum drilled holes and it hasn't affected them. Just keep some gun grease in the holes and you'll be fine.
i am very satisfied with the 5d tac jig i bought . it took about 12 weeks to show up due to the backlog and numbers. there is no plastic in the jig and i was very pleased with the ar-15 lower i milled for my build, however the front pivot pin that came with the kit did not fit any ar-15 lowers i tryed it in. my suggestion is to buy seperately both front pivot pins for the ar-15 and ar-10 for the lockdown points on the jig. i'm curently milling a 80% ar-10 7075 lower, and it's actually a lot of fun now that i have my technique down with with the dewalt dwp611 tool. i give the 5d 4 stars.
why not add juggernaut tactical lowers and jigs to the list. would like to see you guys review them
Do you have any experience with Jugernaut lowers and jigs? I was thinking of getting a few soon.
I have finished one 80% lower with their jig. It was super easy and straightforward, though the holes actually took longer to drill than the milling. Also, one problem was that their video shows drilling the holes straight through, but when I did that, the far end was wallowed out -- pretty significantly. Don't think it's going to affect operation, but it looks bad, and their instructions should show drilling from both sides.
Actually meant for the above comment to refer to 5DTactical's jig -- not Juggernaut's.
Love the juggernaut lowers but I prefer the 5D jigs
Warning to buyers avoid 5d tactical. Their quality has gone down hill, they've added a plastic top plate and other "upgrades" that make their product now worth the money. Also their customers service is nonexistent... I regret buying from them.
Not* worth the money
I get immediate answers to my emails from 5D
This seems a bit more like an ad than a review of the best 80% lowers really . 80% lowers are OK but they really aren't any better than the Modulus or 5D tactical lowers . They're pretty basic Right to Bear Arms has the engraved lowers , blah blah blah there are a 100 companies on the same level as 80% . Really the Andersons are much better lowers for constant Mil spec lowers . Next time maybe actually get some lowers mill them out use them for a while and then form an opinion .
Funny thing is thats kinda what they do! They test lowers AND jigs! Who'd have thunk it! lol
Any update with 80% Arms new Gen-3 release?
When you say "7075 is the standard for “real” lower receivers but the difference in strength is so little that I doubt someone could break a 6061." You're referring to the ultimate tensile strength for 7075-T6 is 83,000 psi vs. 45,000 for 6061-T6? Is that considered "so little"?
In this case, yes. The lower receiver of an AR-15 is not a pressure component or a wear component. It holds the trigger pack and provides threading for things such as the buffer tube and grip. The only places on a AR-15 lower that ever exhibit any kind of long term stress are where the buffer tube housing bends up from the lower and the takedown pin holes.
If your rifle is grossly over gassed and the material of the lower is especially weak, such as with some low-quality polymer lowers, then failure can occur at the buffer tube. However, that is not common. Zytel with 30kpsi is what several brands use in their polymer lowers and it is totally sufficient to handle the stresses required. Zytel being significantly weaker than 6061 Al at 30kpsi Vs. 45kpsi
The concern for an AR-15 lower for durability comes mostly from corrosion and trauma. 6061 Al is more corrosion resistant than 7075 and is easier to work with, both are desirable for an 80% lower since it's common for the lower to not be coated after completion, such as anodized or Cerakoted.
For trauma such as being run over with a truck, dropped, or other accidental happenings that could damage the lower -- there isn't a lot of events that would break a 6061 Al lower that won't break a 7075 lower that people are likely to encounter. The only time that it would really come into play would be if you plan on using the rifle as a crowbar or other intentional misuse.
If I remember correctly the reason the lower was changed from 6061 to 7075 was very simple extended full out use caused the pin holes to start to elongate (IE - become egg shaped) so unless you have a rare unmated DIAS you are using you will never have an issue
Not a bad write up, side note Can't remember the source off the top of my head but the reason for lowers made of 7075 is that the first ones were made of 6061 Military use found that the fire control pin holes were taking a beating and starting to elongate(egg shaped)so the change to 7075 to stop it. Since we poor peons are forbidden to have the giggle switch we really have nothing to worry about
your Uncle Leroy comment, in the immortal words of Mrs. Brown, "that's nice."
Matthew
Just what I needed to make informed decisions.
Very well written and full of expert advice.
Kind regards,
Chuck.