• Mossberg Owners is in the process of upgrading the software. Please bear with us while we transition to the new look and new upgraded software.

80% lower build

It'll be a while before I get to mill it. Maybe a couple weeks. It just depends on how everything goes. Having patience while milling it is the most daunting aspect of it for me though.

Well, that and ensuring that everything is straight and level.

I also noticed that most of the videos on youtube are showing that they're drilling the FCG holes on each side and then flipping it over and then drilling the other. I was of the mindset that it would be best to make sure it's level and drill through one side and pass through the other. At least that way, the pins would be straight and inline with the other side so you don't unintentionally mis-drill one even if it is off by a few thousanths so the pin would at least go through without egging a hole out.

And to be perfectly honest, I was thinking it may would be better to drill the FCG holes prior to hogging out the channel too, this way giving the mill bit a relief cut and would allow the chips to escape too.

What say you guys?

That's about all I can do for now other than rearrange the belt on my press & put it on the slowest RPM. I'm still not sure whether to build it up into a pistol or long gun though. I'm kinda leaning toward pistol receiver mainly because I have several uppers for my registered SBR lower that I could use on it at the moment just to make life simple.

Plus, I like the Rock River Arms pistol buffer tubes.
 
Both were selling at a good rate so I grabbed a green one (soon to be black) so as to not wake up disappointed tomorrow.

I'll lag behind others on build time as $$ needs to pick up a bit. Hoping my current interviews pan out - then free time can become my problem!!

Great project, great deal - thanks John, been looking around for a while to start a build!!
 
mingaa said:
Both were selling at a good rate so I grabbed a green one (soon to be black) so as to not wake up disappointed tomorrow.

I'll lag behind others on build time as $$ needs to pick up a bit. Hoping my current interviews pan out - then free time can become my problem!!

Great project, great deal - thanks John, been looking around for a while to start a build!!
Click to expand...

Agreed!
They seem to be moving quite well.
 
Placed an order for a zombie green one... Couldn't pass this up!

I'll be looking to John for guidance on completing this though ;) ... Although I do have access to a drill press which should make my life easier!
 
John A. said:
It'll be a while before I get to mill it. Maybe a couple weeks. It just depends on how everything goes. Having patience while milling it is the most daunting aspect of it for me though.

Well, that and ensuring that everything is straight and level.

I also noticed that most of the videos on youtube are showing that they're drilling the FCG holes on each side and then flipping it over and then drilling the other. I was of the mindset that it would be best to make sure it's level and drill through one side and pass through the other. At least that way, the pins would be straight and inline with the other side so you don't unintentionally mis-drill one even if it is off by a few thousanths so the pin would at least go through without egging a hole out.

And to be perfectly honest, I was thinking it may would be better to drill the FCG holes prior to hogging out the channel too, this way giving the mill bit a relief cut and would allow the chips to escape too.

What say you guys?




That's about all I can do for now other than rearrange the belt on my press & put it on the slowest RPM. I'm still not sure whether to build it up into a pistol or long gun though. I'm kinda leaning toward pistol receiver mainly because I have several uppers for my registered SBR lower that I could use on it at the moment just to make life simple.

Plus, I like the Rock River Arms pistol buffer tubes.
Click to expand...

You could just make another pistol... And when SHTF, throw a buttstock on it ;) The ATF may never know... ( just kidding Mr. Agent man if you're reading)
 
Already have a registered lower so I don't have a reason to break the law especially when I've already jumped through the hoops.


Just my point was I have several uppers in the safe that have short length barrels and it just makes sense to use one of them and to build this into a pistol so it would be legal to do so, rather than building a new upper at the moment.

Just trying to be efficient.
 
Just another note to myself and for everyone who is going to do theirs.

The depth of the FCG channel is 1.25" below the top edge of the receiver.

Since that is one of the thinnest walls on the whole gun, I think I'm going to set my cutting depth below the top edge of the receiver to about 1.23" just to be on the safe side and try the trigger afterwards to make sure that it has adequate room to move freely. I would rather take too little meat out than too much and if I have to, will set it a little deeper for a final pass or may possibly do the fine tuning by hand without power tools.

Truth is, I have never machined polymers, so I don't know how it reacts to a cutter and I would rather take it slow and easy. Better safe than sorry.

The xdtalk link early in the topic was updated with photo's of the FCG channel of the tan lower after his buddy milled it. I don't expect mine will be as neat as theirs since mine is a manual mill. But as long as the trigger group has enough clearance to move freely is all that will matter in the end. At least where the channel is concerned.

Also, as for tapping the grip screw hole, I haven't decided whether to thread it with a standard 1/4-20 tap that I already have and use a standard machine screw, or attempt to use a grip screw that comes with a grip and see if that will thread it itself by running it in there by hand without a tap. I have done that with acceptable results on metal before, so plastic will probably be about the same.

I haven't gotten the parts, but I think threading it by either method would probably work the same.
 
I'm so doing this!!!! I ordered a green one. I may pick up more as funds become available, if they are still on sale.
 
I would say drill straight through to assure holes are lined up......is it plastic ?
 
Thanks Oli. That was what I was thinking as well.

Yes, those are plastic, polymer receivers. They also said it had Kevlar fibers in it to help with strength too. But for a relatively inexpensive winter project, and to satisfy my curiosity of whether I can do it or not, is worth the risk.

There are several companies that use plastic receivers on some of their stuff. Bushmaster in their "carbon" series, plum crazy firearms, new frontier armory, etc.

From as many guys that sound like they're buying to build, sounds like we're going to have a build party.
 
John A. said:
Already have a registered lower so I don't have a reason to break the law especially when I've already jumped through the hoops.


Just my point was I have several uppers in the safe that have short length barrels and it just makes sense to use one of them and to build this into a pistol so it would be legal to do so, rather than building a new upper at the moment.

Just trying to be efficient.
Click to expand...

Sorry John! I know I keep sounding like kid, and you're the voice of reason ;) don't get me wrong, I'm not usually one to brake the law... I just have funky ideas in my head.
 
No worry AK. I didn't take anything wrong.

Everything kinda goes out the window when survival is the only concern. Hopefully, none of us will ever have to be forced to cross that bridge.

Even if that means you have to take your last bullet and pour the powder out onto the wood stock to start a fire.

Personally, I'm going to abide by the eight million six hundred forty seven thousand twelve and three sixteenth laws already on the books :lol:
 
How to mill an EP Armory 80% Poly Lower with a Dremel (and a few other hand tools) in under an hour:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxcSlOVeXlQ[/youtube]

Anyone got an eye on a good LPK deal - PSA is well stocked, Amazon sells CMMG (?!) - Brownells has a decent looking complete DPMS kit for $60 - Bravo Co. has the same... :?:
 
Does this need to be shipped to an ffl dealer? Or is that just the upper?
 
No Rip, you can have this shipped directly to you because it is not classified as a receiver (firearm) because it is incomplete and the law (I suppose could include the Constitution/Bill of Rights) says it is lawful for anyone to build their own for personal use (that whole pesky shall not be infringed part).

State laws may prohibit the type of weapon you can build, but Federally, it's fine to make a weapon for personal use.

According to the Brady Bill, the lower receiver usually would need to go to an FFL, but as I mentioned, since this is not a complete firearm (in their current incomplete condition) they are not considered to be firearms because they cannot accept the parts needed to fire a bullet. At least not without further machining (what we're doing)...making a weapon for personal use and exersizing our 2A rights.

I've been pretty busy today.

I put up a bench and started setting up some of my shop tools in the basement today.

The little table top manual milling table and press is as close to level and square as it ever was. Something that the importance of can't be stressed enough especially when you are working on such small clearances (the receiver wall and FCG floor--0.090").

While I have never done this before, I have worked on some pretty small parts before and you really want it to be as true as you can. Especially when you take into consideration that the press is going to have some runout naturally too and smaller bits are going to inherently have some flex in them too.


benchpresssetup026_zps7875d7a7.jpg


benchpresssetup025_zpsfb6bc15a.jpg


benchpresssetup028_zps44ff09e5.jpg



And just to make sure both the milling table and drill press is straight and square to each other, I lowered the drill and adjusted the milling fixture so the bit would barely touch the side of the fixture and cycled it as far forward and rearward as possible to ensure that the drill and the table were inline with each other.

After I fine tuned the tension on the mill, it tracked true and there was no noticeable gap or bind between each other.

benchpresssetup031_zps20b48535.jpg


benchpresssetup032_zpsb6eded5a.jpg


And just to make sure, I tried it out on a piece of scrap wood. Yep, it works just like an etch-a- sketch

milltracking004_zpsd899ecaa.jpg
 
I just checked their website so I could check the tracking number for mine to see if it will get here today so I know when to plan to go to the grocery store this morning, and all of the green ones are gone now and only 39 of the blemished pink ones left.

When I ordered mine Thursday, there were 174 pink and 129 green showing in stock.

So I'm giving anyone that is procrastinating a heads up because at the rate these are going, I don't expect the remaining ones will last through the weekend.

And maybe not even through the day.

This public service announcement brought to you by the letter J.
 
Oh sweeet! Looks like I'm off to get a green one. maybe 2, jic I goof. :eek:
 
Well.. I just got 2 pink ones....

Thank you for placing your order. Your order number is XXXX
We have sent you a copy of your receipt via e-mail.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top