80%...The Final Level
Now that you have completed the machining part of and 80% lower, It's time to decide how you want to finish the gun. (If not then HERE and HERE are the first two installments) Since the receiver is either rough machined or cast the external part is going to look really rough. So what to do to make it look better? Make this decision before you start assembling the rifle. You want your gun to look like it was done by a professional. If you put the finish on after you assemble the gun it will just have to be taken apart and re-assembled after the job is done anyhow. As far as finishes go I would recommend Cerakote. It is a ceramic based finish that will hold up quite well over years of use. There are tons of gunsmith's across the country that can Cerakote your firearm for a decent price and have a good-looking firearm. You can find a list of certified Cerakote painters at www.cerakoteguncoatings.com The sky is the limit as far as what you want your finish to look like. Also, this is the time you want to make sure you have the rest of the parts for your build If you want to have it all done at one time. or if you are doing some sort of camo or custom finish it is much easier to do it all at the same time so it blends together. Now we can get into the meat of the build. Of course, you will need a lower parts kit, a buffer tube, buffer, and spring. Then you are going to want a good stock to fit it. (Back to Magpul we go.) For a combat rifle, I prefer the Magpul ACS stock. I also prefer the Hogue overmold pistol grip, but this isn't about what I would do. This is about your gun and how you want it set up. There are literally hundreds of options out there. Your best bet is to go onto www.brownells.com and research what you want on your lower. The nice thing about building your own gun is that you will know how it works and what you want on it. You also don't really need to do it all at once. I know, since when does need have anything to do with it. Once you have all the parts you need to complete your lower, It's time to assemble the gun. Please be aware of your local and federal laws when it comes to building your firearm. For this, I recommend following the instructions with your lower parts kit, or there are tons of YouTube videos that will walk you through it step by step. I am sure that if you can machine your own receiver, you can build your lower from a parts kit. I will be going over several variations of parts for your lower in the next few reviews. Hopefully, that will help you Make your selections carefully. You can change things but why when you could do it right the first time.
Then you will ultimately be faced with what do you want to build as far as your upper receiver is concerned. The lower you have just done is based on an AR-15 or an AR-10 platform, which does give you a few options as far as caliber is concerned. A lot of people look to stay with 5.56/.223, which is a good option. or you can go with 6.8 SPC, 300 Blackout, 7.62x39. Each of these options is good and a lot of fun. You can now that you have your lower, do several uppers that work with your lower.
There you have it straight from the gunsmith's mouth
U.S. Code 26 U.S.C. § 5842 "... anyone making a firearm shall identify each firearm, other than a destructive device, manufactured, imported, or made by a serial number which may not be readily removed, obliterated, or altered, the name of the manufacturer, importer, or maker, and such other identification as the Secretary [of the Treasury] may by regulations prescribe. (b) Firearms without serial number Any person who possesses a firearm, other than a destructive device, which does not bear the serial number and other information required by subsection (a) of this section shall identify the firearm with a serial number assigned by the Secretary and any other information the Secretary may by regulations prescribe. ===== 26 U.S.C. § 5871 — Penalties "Any person who violates or fails to comply with any provisions of this Chapter shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000, or be imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
