Building your own rifle offers a sense of satisfaction that buying a gun simply won’t provide. By building your own rifle, you get to save some money and make memories before you even get your AR-10 up and running.
In order to make your own rifle, you need to select an AR-10 lower first. Unfortunately, this task can be daunting if you’ve never done it before, but we are here to make the task a bit easier. Below, you will find an overview of AR-10 lowers, including the six best AR-10 lowers on the market.
The 6 Best AR-10 Lowers
- PSA Gen 2 PA10.308 Classic Complete Lower
- Aero Precision M5 Stripped Lower Receiver
- Seekins Precision SP10 308 Receiver Set
- Armalite AR-10
- Rainier Arms Ultramatch
- Lewis Machine & Tool Company
Whenever you are picking out an AR-10 lower, it’s important that you select a lower kit that is worth your money and has been tested by other rifle owners. If you do not select a good lower, the final result of your rifle will certainly be less than what you are expecting.
PSA Gen 2 PA10.308 Classic Complete Lower
If you are on a tight budget, you are probably looking for a lower that gets the job done without costing you a fortune. This PSA complete lower is the choice for you. Even though it isn’t the most attractive lower, it is highly affordable and is a great part.
PSA is known for producing highly durable and effective rifle parts. All the while, the parts are highly affordable. For this lower specifically, everything you need is included, all at an extremely low price. This will allow you to finish your rifle for as little as possible while still knowing that the finished product is durable and effective.
Key Features
- Forged aluminum
- M4 style
- A2-style grip
Aero Precision M5 Stripped Lower Receiver
The Aero Precision M5 Stripped Lower Receiver is the best AR-10 lower on the market. This brand is fantastic for a variety of guns and gun parts. As a result, you can always trust Aero Precision products to be superior and worth your money.
This lower specifically comes with an integral trigger guard, resulting in a stronger lower. Of course, this means you won’t be able to pick out a trigger guard on your own, but it is overall a fantastic trigger guard.
Something else that’s great about the Aero Precision lower is that it has an adjust fit option. Because of its polymer tip set screw, there isn’t a wobble, which happens a lot in lower caliber manufacturers. Although you can reduce this wobble with matched uppers, this adjustment feature really allows you to perfect your rifle.
Key Features
- Milled and marked
- Threaded bolt catch
- Flared magwell
- Integrated trigger guard
- Upper tension set screw
- Threaded takedown pin detent channel
Seekins Precision SP10 308 Receiver Set
The runner-up for the best AR-10 lower is the Seekins Precision SP10 308 Receiver Set. What makes this receiver set stand out is that it requires as little work as possible. So, you don’t have to do as much when completing your AR-10.
In addition to the minimal work required to putting on this receiver set, it is super easy to get a perfectly matched upper, lower, and handguard using this builder kit. This kit will help your gun be more polished and put together whenever you are finished.
Just like Aero Precision, Seekins is also a highly respected manufacturer in this industry. For years, Glen Seekins and his organization have been making fantastic rifle and rifle products. This means that you can trust your Seekins receiver set to work as it should.
Key Features
- Andonized finish
- Timney Competition Bolt Carrier Group
- SP308 lower
Armalite AR-10
The Armalite AR-10 has become the industry standard in terms of AR-10 lowers. In fact, when most people imagine the AR-10, it is this Armalite AR-10 rugged design that comes to mind. Consequently, this lower set certainly has one of the best finishes.
Of course, the Armalite AR-10 lower today has some great modern updates and designs. This results in a harder and more effective lower kit. When you select this kit, you can expect one fantastic rifle that will last you a long time and pack a heavy punch.
If you select the Armalite AR-10 lower, make sure you select the right ammunition. With this lower, you can only use magazines specific for the Armalite style rifle. What this means is that you cannot use SR25 style mags with this lower.
Key Features
- Standard grp
- Forged aluminum
- Two-stage precision trigger
Rainier Arms Ultramatch
Another great AR-10 lower to consider is the Rainier Arms Ultramatch. Often, it can be difficult to find this lower in stock, but it is worth your money if you can find it. Because it has a stripped design, the price of this lower isn’t as expensive as some of the other picks.
Additionally, the stripped design is very aesthetic. What this means is that it can save you some money while still looking great. This is something that separates the Rainier Arms Ultramatch from the PSA mentioned above, which is relatively ugly.
Key Features
- Anodized aluminum
- Upper tensioning screw in lower
- Integrally machined trigger guard
- Everything included
Lewis Machine & Tool Company
Finally, the last AR-10 lower to consider is the Lewis Machine & Tool Company. The LMT MARSH stripped lower is very expensive, but it is worth the money if you can afford it. It offers full controls. It is so effective that certain defense forces have even integrated it into their weaponry.
This lower is especially great if you need the most powerful and effective lower on the market, which explains its price. However, most people will not need a lower of this caliber, but you certainly won’t regret it if you can afford it.
Key Features
- Ambi control
- Bolt catch included
- Stripped
What Is An AR-10 Lower?
The lower receiver is responsible for housing the most important parts of the rifle, including the fire cartridges and the actual load.
An AR-10 lower is a lower specifically designed for AR-10 rifles. AR-10 rifles are designed to handle .223/5.56 ammunition specifically. In other words, an AR-10 lower acts just like the lower on any other rifle, but it is designed to handle ammunition for an AR-10 specifically.
AR-10 Lower Vs. AR-15 Lower
Because of all of the debates surrounding automatic weapons, many people are familiar with AR-15s, but fewer are familiar with AR-10s. More so, many people who are not knowledgeable about guns make the mistake of thinking that AR-15s are more powerful than AR-10s.
Because there is a difference between AR-10s and AR-15s, the lowers for each cannot be used interchangeably. That being said, AR-10 and AR-15 lowers are often made from the same lower kits, meaning they include the same parts.
However, AR-15s and AR-10s do not have the same type of takedown pin, bolt catch, and other lower receiver pins. As a result, they are not compatible with one another.
If you are making an AR-10, it’s critical that you select a lower specific to your AR-10. These will be a bit more costly than the AR-15 lower kit. Don’t try to save money by purchasing the AR-15 lower kit. Instead, stick with the more expensive AR-10 kit so you can properly finish your AR-10 lower.
AR-10 Lower
AR-10 lowers typically have an angular cut. AR-10s come in two series: Series A and Series B. Each series uses a different magazine. Series B is the industry standard.
What really makes an AR-10 lower stand out from AR-15 lowers is that they have more impressive hammers. That being said, a lot of AR-15 triggers can function in the AR-10 lower, but the entire AR-15 lower kit is not compatible with the AR-10 lower.
AR-15 Lower
AR-15 lowers are known for being durable and incredibly light, making them more affordable too. Because the AR-15 isn’t quite as powerful as the AR-10, the hammer portion is not as powerful, resulting in a smaller lower.
Benefits Of Selecting An AR-10 Lower
AR-10s have a lot of benefits, many of which are shared with the AR-15. For example, both of these guns are lightweight, which allows you to carry a lot of ammunition. In fact, AR-15s and AR-10s are so similar that they can look identical to the untrained eye.
For the AR-10 specifically, it has a larger bullet, resulting in more kinetic energy. As a result, the AR-10 is more powerful in terms of knockdown power. It also has a higher effective range with practically no significant recoil.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Can carry a lot of ammunition
- Great range
- A lot of knockdown power
- Easy to use and make
- No major recoil
- Higher effective range
Conclusion
In conclusion, you need to select a great AR-10 lower to complete your custom build rifle. Because the lower cases the most important aspects of your gun, you definitely want to consider lowers that have been proven successful and efficient. Any one of the lowers mentioned above are great choices.
