Thanks to easy customization and the invention of the pistol brace, the AR-15 pistol has become a popular alternative to building or buying a traditional rifle. Many also build AR pistols as an affordable alternative to owning a short-barreled rifle (SBR), an NFA firearm that requires ATF approval, registration and fingerprints. (The SBR tax was…
You bought or built a shiny new AR-15. Congratulations! But it looks just like every other AR out there. What do you do? You paint it. But how? Easy: We’re going to show you how to use Duracoat – a popular gun coating that now comes in a rattle can – and some simple vinyl…
![The Ultimate AR-15 Sling Guide + Top Picks [2023]](https://80-lower.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/the-ulimate-ar-15-sling-guide-and-top-sling-picks-2021-768x333.jpg)
A sling makes carrying your AR-15 easier. It allows for quickly switching from your rifle to a sidearm, too. But most of all, a good sling is a valuable shooting aid. It improves accuracy and stability without a bench or shooting rest. With the right sling, you’ll nail shot placement and reduce felt recoil and…
Which AR round should you pick for home defense? For competition? For hunting and general purpose? There are loads of cartridges that now fit in the average black rifle. Picking the right one for your needs is critical. While 5.56 NATO and .223 Remington are great “do-it-all” cartridges, new loads like 9mm, 300 BLK, 6.5…
You just finished putting together your first AR-15. Or, maybe you simply bought a “retail” rifle that came fully assembled. Either way, it’s probably a good shooter. Good, but not perfect. The AR-15 platform’s been developed for decades and it remains one of the most popular rifles sold in America. That means there are literally…
The AR platform can chamber dozens of calibers and be built in a plethora of configurations: Rifles, pistols, SBR’s, pistol calibers, centerfire and rimfire rifle calibers, and more. But the biggest component of any AR build, the lower parts kit (and the 80% lower or stripped receiver it goes into), often presents some confusion to…
The AR-15’s been chambering .22-caliber rounds (and its variants, .30-caliber) for decades. But recently, new calibers have been made available for the AR’s .308 platform: The 6.5 Creedmoor round. What’s the benefit? Is it worth going with 6.5mm over .308 Winchester? Let’s get the big questions answered first. 6.5mm AR FAQ Q: What is 6.5…
Black rifles deserve the name: They’re almost all, well, black. Other parts ( like our raw 80% lowers) come unfinished so you can add your own coating. Even though they all look alike, there are loads of finishes available for your AR-15 and other guns. Which ones can you apply at home, and how do…
The AR-15 and AR-10 look identical in their designs, handling, and functions. They even look the same at a glance: Can’t tell the difference? You’re forgiven. The AR-15 and the AR-10 are almost the same rifle. They both use a direct-impingement gas system. Both have double-stacked box magazines. They share the same lower and upper…
300 Blackout, 458 SOCOM, .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, 9mm, the list goes on. There are endless calibers being shoved into the AR platform for a myriad of uses. But why 6.5 Grendel? What’s its purpose, and why bother chambering your black rifle in it? Today we’re covering this cartridge, why you might want it, and how…
