A transparent polymer 80% AR-15 lower receiver from Eighty Percent Lowers:
The announcement was made as a “coming soon” on the EP Lowers facebook page. People like these 80%’ers because you don’t need to buy them through an FFL. You’re going to need some tools and some time to finish them though… as you can see in this video it takes around an hour with hand tools if you know what you’re doing. Definitely a gimmick, but if you need a project to kill some time why not right? It would be funny if that 2nd polymer that you have to mill out was found to be soluble in some type of solution, so no milling was actually required. I don’t know the intricacies of 80% law but I’m sure the ATF would shit bricks and shut something like that down though.
They have several colors you can buy their lowers in already, and they are all $100 over on their website.
Thoughts? Is transparency something that you’re currently lacking in kit and you feel you need?
Hat tip: Eric, Chris
JUMP DOWN ↓ TO ADD ANOTHER
Pretty cool that anyone with a Dremel or a drill press can do these, but $100 for an 80% poly lower? I got aluminum 80% receivers off of Rocket hub for $25 a few weeks ago, and can get full (FFL Required) lowers for $69-150 depending on how many I’m willing to order and where I buy them. Though the Clear one for novelty reasons alone might be worth a little more than their other products, I still think that is a bit steep at $100.
80% lowers are perfectly legal. All 80% lowers have to be submitted to the ATF to be approved as not being a firearm. Why would you want this:
1. you can buy it without have to go through a FFL
2. if you build your own firearm it does not have to have serial number or registered.
3. fun project
and I WILL buy a clear plastic lower
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQCP85FngzE
sorry mike i misread your statement: “I don’t know the intricacies of 80% law but I’m sure the ATF would shit bricks and shut something like that down though.”
i believe you were referring to the soluble plastic and not the 80% lower itself.
Hey Frank, yes I was referring to my statement about the soluble plastic.
Since no metal exists in the clear polymer, this would violate the Undetectable Firearms Act once made into a firearm. The metal in the lpk, pins, etc would not count, it has to be a permanent part of the frame. Granted it expires Dec 2013 so maybe if it is not renewed we can not worry about it. Here’s a good bit from Cnet.com on it
“he meat of the law makes it a federal offense to “manufacture, import, sell, ship, deliver, possess, transfer, or receive” a firearm capable of defeating airport metal detection. It requires that any firearm, minus the stock, grips, and magazine, have an X-ray detection signature no less than that of a calibration sample containing 3.7 ounces of stainless steel.
The law also prohibits you from making or selling a firearm that “does not generate an [X-ray] image that accurately depicts the shape of the component.” In other words, it’s a federal crime to make and sell a gun that looks like something else to an airport X-ray scanner.”
Is the definition of firearm in the undetectable firearms act the same definition in the gun control act? Sometimes a firearm is just a receiver, sometimes it is something that can expel a projectile.
Good point, but the trigger parts and buffer tube would still have to be metal. I’m not sure how this changes the legal situation though. Sigh… Another ATF grey area. Tyranny by bureaucracy.
Sigh… Another ATF grey area. Tyranny by bureaucracy.
AR 15, now more transparent than your government.
@chris, I believe the fire control group and upper will fix that, as it counts as part of the firearm as defined by that particular law, most other polymer lowers seem to work that way.
This would actually make a good training aid for a gunsmithing class. Not just for the required finishing work, but also because it shows exactly how a trigger works when it is assembled.
Now I want a clear upper too…we need McCoy needs to invent some Transparent Aluminum!
anyone think of this ?? if this can fly how about a aluminum 80% lower and 20% lead ??? a little heat trimming filing and your done???
And here I thought that transparent aluminum was Hollywood scifi bull hockey.
I wonder what the weight difference is?
But a black one looks pretty much like a regular one.
Too bad you won’t be able to get a good clear surface after milling out the pocket
Clear? I want an AR15 that’s shiny vampire chromed so it can light my house on fire when I forget to put it away…the sun misses the dog bowl and hits the chrome AR. We’ll call it the ENDO AR-chimedes edition. >:D
well, I will need a transparent handguard, magazine, and grip to go with it…… and a stock if you got it.