Carbon fiber lowers

[NiceOldDouble]

For a rarely ever shot, backup 5.56, is a cheap carbon fiber or polymer lower a problem?

 

[Car0linab0y]

My son has one; he's put a couple of mags through it and it's still in one piece.... for what that's worth.

 

[rdinatal]

There are AL lowers out there that are sub $75 range (at least there were).

Why a fiber or polymer lower?
Price?
Quality?

 

[NiceOldDouble]

There are AL lowers out there that are sub $75 range (at least there were).

Why a fiber or polymer lower?
Price?
Quality?

Price

 

[B00ger]

Never understood the price issue. PSA, and even Anderson lowers can be had for $50-80 bucks regularly. Is the $10 price savings really worth it?

 

[Exspiravit]

I have extensive experience with KE Arms poly lowers. They work fine.

 

[NiceOldDouble]

Never understood the price issue. PSA, and even Anderson lowers can be had for $50-80 bucks regularly. Is the $10 price savings really worth it?

Whole gun price will save me money.

 

[B00ger]

Sure

 

[keepcalmandcarryon]

KE Arms - KP-15 WWSD DIY #1-61-01-018

#1-61-01-018 - KP-15 WWSD DIY

www.kearms.com

I have had good luck with the KE lower. You loose some flexibility with the fixed stock but this eliminates one of the weak points of polymer AR lowers, the buffer tube to lower.
The wider area around the hammer pin also helps keeping the hole from wallowing out like I have heard (but no experienced myself).

 

[Timfoilhat]

Think about the original question...the word "backup" came into play. If something happened to the main one would you want to have to fall back to the "cheap" one? This is of course assuming there was no longer a supply chain from which you could source a new metal one. But what does that world even look like? Is it because a ban has prevented the manufacture and sale of new ones? Or because civilization has fallen? In either case wouldn't you rather have a backup that's at least as good as a cheap Anderson or PSA metal one?