I’m looking for more info on these three lowers(Spikes isn’t availibe yet). Here in the wilderness of northern NY high end ARs are hard to come across so I can’t just check one of these out. Of the four only the POF Gen 3 is availible. I’m looking at these, but admit the only real advantage I think they give me as a lefty is a ambi bolt catch and a guard for the mag release.
The POFs tight mag well shouldn’t be a problem since P-Mags are post ban:mad: besides the tight mag well (and price) is there other issues with the POF lower that I should stay away from it? If so anyone have the pro’s on a IWS and a place to get one? MagPul lower nice but unobtanium.
Anyone other the Stickman able to do a side by side comparision?
For the amount of change you’d be pay for a POF or, for that matter, a Magpul lower (good luck finding one), I’d buy a KAC IWS lower. I’m pretty sure it’s about the most advanced AR-15 lower receiver you can buy, and it includes their 2-stage fully ambidextrous LPK and SOPMOD stock. It has everything you’re looking for in a lower.
For something cheaper, you can just get a regular AR lower from DD, BCM, LMT, Spike’s, etc. with one of their parts kits and outfit it with a Norgon ambi-mag release and LMT ambi-safety. The hard part is manipulating the bolt release… if you use a Magpul BAD or Sure Shot extended bolt release, for example, you limit your access to the Norgon mag release.
If you do most of your shooting from the left shoulder and have a bit of cash, I’d say go with the KAC IWS.
+1 for what Justin said. I have 5 POF USA lowers for custom builds, they are very nice but if the KAC would have been available at the time, I would have went with their offering. The ambi controls on the KAC have better placement.
The fit and finish of the POF is awesome, if you don’t care about the ambi controls you’d be hard pressed to find a more attractive or better built lower than what POF has. That said, form over function–go with KAC.
The tight mag well on the POF did not affect the Gen III. I am 5 for 5with no problems having any mag drop free. I’ve tried Tango Down, Magpul PMags (which are my mainstay), Brownells, Lancer, DH, and HK.
That said, I think there is a trick to how you install the mag release in terms of watching the number of turns and then checking inside the mag well for what it is when pressed as well as where it sits normally. I can screw up any lower by not paying attention to this. I don’t know what the rule of thumb is, I just go by what I see, how it feels, and how it works.
I have both the POF and KAC lowers and given the choice all my lowers would be KAC. It is lighter, I feel, to the POF and it has ambi everything. If it matters to you, I run the BAD lever on both lowers and noticed that the billet POF does not let the bolt lock back with the lever in place because it gets stuck in the groves and does not function properly.
I’m busy shooting shotgun pictures right now, but if you jump over to weaponevolution.com, I’ve got a thread on different billet lowers that might be of some interest.
I have no access to KAC lowers, which is why you never see me posting pictures of them, or making comments about them.
You use the BAD lever on both lowers? If they are needed then I guess one of the supposed reasons I had or looking at this route is out the window. I use Nogans and Ambi selectors on all my rifles now. Ad come to think of it I’ve been locking the bolt back with my left indexfinger for years to. Guess I’ll buy another lot of mmo and scheadual a course.
