80 Percent Lower: Billet vs Forged

What’s the difference between billet vs forged 80% lowers? In this quick video, https://www.80-lower.com/ takes a closer look at the different ways that an 80 percent lower can be manufactured. We specifically look at the billet vs forged 80 lower receiver.

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Billet vs Forged 80% Lowers: What’s the Difference?

Hey there, Gear Heads. Today we’re looking at a few different ways that an 80% lower receiver can be manufactured. Specifically, Billet and Forged. Let’s do this.

Billet 80% Lower
Ok. A billet lower receiver begins its life as a block of extruded aluminum, sometimes called a “bar stock”, if you want to sound cool. It’s going to be either 6061 or 7075 aluminum.

However, it’s more common to find a 7075 aluminum billet these days.

This hunk of aluminum is then cut and routed out by a CNC machine into the shape of AR-15 lower receiver.

In the case of an 80% lower receiver, the machine will stop a few steps from finishing the process. It is left 80% completed and therefore does not yet qualify as a “firearm”, due to the fire control area not being completed, meaning it does not have to be serialized.

But, before the billet lower receiver is considered ready to sell to AR-builders, the machine shop first has to broach the magwell-area and tap the buffer tube threads.

Because the CNC machine can more precisely mill the aluminum to a level of detail and absolute precision that you will likely never find in a forged lower receiver, it is sometimes considered the most attractive. The fine lines, one-piece trigger guard and cool designs make the completed build look sleek and professional.

While the billet features don’t enhance the performance, they can certainly add to the overall look of your rifle, giving it a higher-end look. Which, let’s face it, is gonna impress your friends at the shooting range.

Forged 80% Lower
Forged aluminum generally refers to material that is ‘forged’ into a specified shape. Forging a lower receiver requires “compressive forces.” In other words it’s “hammered” into submission and compressed into the general shape of the lower receiver.

Before the billet lower receiver is considered ready to sell to AR-builders, the machine shop first has to broach the magwell-area and tap the buffer tube threads.

In the case of an 80% lower receiver though, the process would stop before the CNC machine completes the fire control group. Again, this is done so that the part does need to be serialized.

Metal experts agree that a forged piece of aluminum is stronger than a billet.

This is because when the material is shaped under pressure, its ‘grain’ follows the same shape as the part. Get yourself a forged lower receiver if you plan for your AR-15 to see a lot of action. It can take it.

Billet 80% Lower                     
PROS:
• Higher detailing due to 100% shape being done on CNC machine.
• End result is a more professional, higher-end lower receiver.

CONS:
• More expensive due to increased machining time with CNC machine.
• Higher cost for same performance and function of a forged 80% lower receiver.

vs.

Forged 80% Lower
PROS:
• More affordable due to forgings process taking less time on CNC machine.
• Forgings are produced like Colt and Smith & Wesson AR-15s.

CONS:
• Less aesthetics due to less machining on CNC.
• No proprietary design changes.

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