Anderson Manufacturing 80% AR lower receiver review
Anderson Manufacturing 80% AR-15 lower receiver (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)
Price - $45
Material - 7075 forged aluminum
Finish - raw
Color - raw
Rear pocket - completed
Trigger guard - none
Engravings - none
Notable features - safety selector stops
Works with the 80% Arms Universal Easy Jig - yes
Works with the Modulus Arms Jig - yes
I purchased this lower on sale with a coupon for $41 shipped. Actually I ordered it for $45 shipped but there was a 10% coupon I didn't know about which Anderson added for me without even being asked. That was appreciated. With the new universal Easy Jig this lower fits without modification.
First impressions:
This is what I consider a mil-spec standard lower. It's made from 7075 forged aluminum and has the Cerro Forge keyhole mark on the rear right of the trigger guard. Everything is where I expect it to be on a standard forged lower. The finish is raw and the rear pocket has already been milled out. For whatever reason the Anderson lower does not have the bolt catch detent hole drilled. No other 80% lower I have come across has this oversight. I have since been told by at least one person that their bolt catch detent hole was drilled so a change may have been made or perhaps it is hit and miss.
Fitment to the universal Easy Jig:
Good
Fitment to the Modulus Arms Jig:
Good
Ease of machining:
The 7075 of this receiver really tested the limits of my 8" Harbor Freight drill press. The previous polymer, 6061 and A380 receivers gave no problems with the drill press set at 1720 RPM. But that speed was a no-go with this material. I had to drop down to the lowest speed of 620 RPM to make any real progress. Judicious use of cutting fluid was used. This is tough stuff. Once I switched to the router I saw no real differences between this and the previous aluminum lowers. But when removing massive amounts of material as you do in the first steps with the 3/8" drill bit it will be very clear. If you have a lower powered drill press as I do you will want to take frequent breaks to keep your drill press motor from burning up. I have also found the key to getting through without binding is getting the speed and pressure on the bit just right when using the drill press. It takes some experience but when you get it just right it works great. I don't even use cutting fluid anymore.
Final thoughts:
This is a quality lower that is very strong and will last just like a standard AR forged lower. The machining was tougher but that's because it is a tougher material. The finish is raw and will likely need to be coated or anodized for a final build. My complaint with the Anderson Manufacturing lowers was the bolt catch plunger hole was not drilled as you can see in the photos above. That isn't part of the jig and is clearly an oversight, or should be, on the part of Anderson. As stated earlier in the review, this may have been changed since.
Anderson is known for making low-cost forged 100% receivers and it's good to see them offering 80% receivers as well. Anderson is now offering an anodized lower for $49 (no longer available) but it looks like the bolt catch detent hole is still not drilled. I have heard that this is because they sent in their sample to the ATF without this hole drilled and haven't re-submitted a lower with the hole drilled. I got a really great deal at $41 shipped on the raw lower but even at their normal price of about $60 shipped it's lower than most other companies offer a raw 80% forged receiver. This is definitely one to consider if you're looking for a 7075 forged receiver and don't mind drilling that detent hole.
80% lower receiver comparison chart