lower parts kit advice

[Carter]

I'm building a sbr and am trying to decide between a spikes tactical enhanced parts kit or a psa lower build kit. The psa kit costs less and comes with stock and buffer. So is the ST enhanced kit worth the extra money? Also what buffer would be best for a 12.5 inch barrel suppressed?

Thanks.

 

[maxxhavoc]

The parts you will notice the biggest difference in when using LPKs is the trigger group. The "standard" PSA LPK may yield a good trigger, maybe a horrible one. That is the biggest difference you will probably see.

I would go "neither" on this, and get an LPK with one of the ALG (Geissele-made) standard triggers. Those triggers are about the best I have seen that use a standard military parts configuration.
This kit would be more of a direct comparison to the Spike's:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/10210/

 

[Telekinesis]

The biggest difference I've seen in lower parts kits is in the triggers. If you are going to replace the trigger with something else, pretty much any kit will do. If you're planning on going with the trigger in the kit, I'd recommend going with a higher quality kit.

Regarding the stock/buffer tube, are those the parts that you want? If you don't like the stock and it's the wrong buffer tube for the stock that you DO want, it doesn't make much sense to get it.

Buffer weight wise, I'd probably start with a H buffer and see how that does. Depending on how much back pressure your can causes, you might need to move up in weight.

 

[wally]

The psa kit costs less and comes with stock and buffer

But unless its exactly the stock you want, it'll be useless to you.

I'd agree get a LPK without trigger (~$40) and add the trigger you prefer. A standard buffer should be fine with 12.5", but I'd prefer an H if its going to be shot more suppressed than un-suppressed.

Shop around, the current AR parts trend is downward, good time to be looking for spares or parts for that next build.

 

[Tirod]

I bought an Anderson with SS trigger and hammer. Surprisingly, it had a really short reset and no grit. Spiral roll pins, and the detents aren't notchy. Much better working than the Brand name kit I bought for my 6.8 which desperately needed the adjustment screw in the AGP lower.

Instead of looking for a "Brand," look for what the kit actually has in it. The parts aren't all that if "milspec" is the only criteria. Just be careful ordering parts willy nilly and racking up a lot of shipping charges.

 

[greyling22]

I don't know which PSA kit you are looking at, but the ptac kit is pretty bad. The PSA classic is just as good (or not) as what you would expect to see in anybody else's not-budget-but-not-fancy AR's.

And if you are looking at the spikes kit that includes the KNS pins, fancy trigger guard, grip and ambi selector, well, unless you really want all those specific parts (and I wouldn't) I wouldn't pay for them. I'd get a cheaper kit and use the spare money to get a better aftermarket trigger. or optic. or flowers for the wife/girlfriend. Or the rent.

 

[ABTOMAT]

LMT makes a Geissele-style 2-stage trigger that's pretty nice. I have one in my AR. Much better than the older LMT trigger with the rivet.

 

[Olympus]

I buy Anderson LPKs without the fire control group and then add my trigger of choice.

 

[Walkalong]

One of the better plain jane lower parts kits I have used.

http://www.surplusammo.com/saa-standard-ar-15-rifle-lower-receiver-parts-kit/

 

[Carter]

Don't really care for most of the extras on spikes enhanced, just love the trigger. I guess I could get their standard kit without trigger and add their battle trigger and come out under $100. That kit with alg trigger from psa sounds like a better deal if it really is a good trigger and parts kit. Most of my other parts will come from bcm.