You want to build a black rifle, but you’re not sure which caliber to go with. Maybe you just want to know the differences between the three most popular calibers the AR-15 can easily chamber: 300 Blackout, 5.56 NATO or .223 Remington, and .308 Winchester (technically called an “AR-10” or “AR-308” by builders). Each of…
Every time a new “gee whizz” rifle cartridge comes out, the curiosities about it can do begin to mount. One of the template questions is, “can it penetrate body armor”? While this curiosity is a novelty for most, 300 BLK serves its purpose among military folks and operators, so it’s worthy of analysis. Is 300…
M855. SS109. XM193… “Green” tips? What does it all mean?! In this guide, we’re breaking down everything you want to know about good ole’ 5.56 NATO, the round most used by the military and the AR-15 market. Let’s figure out what all these different 5.56 rounds do, what their names mean, and what it all…
The world of AR-15s is flooded with optics and sights. Picking the right setup for your black rifle can get a little confusing. You want a nice red dot or other optic, but you still want the ability to hit targets with a traditional set of irons. In this guide, we’re breaking down the differences…
Still deciding what type of 80 Lower Receiver to buy? There are two popular types of 80 lowers for sale. In this video we explain the differences between billet and forged 80% lowers. Forged and Billet describe the way that the 80 lower is manufactured. In this video we also take a closer look in the…
A common question that we get from fellow builders at 80-lower.com is, “Hey man, what’s the difference between a billet and forged 80 lower receiver?” Check out this sweet diagram that we put together to show the differences and explain some of the terms that you may run into when choosing between a billet and forged…
