A shooting buddy out here in Oz sent this to me today. I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of the figures.

U.S. Firearm Production Sets Record in 2012:
AR-15 Production Up Over 100%

The number of firearms manufactured in the U.S. for sale to American customers hit an all-time high in 2012, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (BATFE) new Firearms Manufacturers and Export Report. American firearm manufacturers produced roughly 8.3 million firearms for sale in the U.S., a new record, up 33 percent from the 6.2 million produced for American customers in 2011.

The report shows not only that Americans valued firearms in 2012 more than ever before, but also that they particularly valued the kinds of firearms that gun control supporters have tried the hardest to get banned--handguns and semi-automatic rifles.

Production of handguns rose 32 percent to four million in 2012, as compared to 2011, including a 36 percent increase in pistols and an 18 percent increase in revolvers. Production of the AR-15, the most popular rifle in America, more than doubled in 2012, to over 825,000, not counting the large numbers made by Remington, Bushmaster and Sturm, Ruger. Total rifle production rose 38 percent, to three million, while shotguns rose 18 percent to 900,000.

We’ve been hearing for some time from those who want to ban guns that Americans aren’t interested in them anymore; that firearm ownership is on the decline. Like their fanciful notions that gun crime is somehow “exploding” or that concealed carry licensees are ticking time bombs, the numbers simply don’t back up their claims.

The anti-gunners are going to need all the “new math” they can muster, because the 2012 report contains figures for only two months of the surge in firearm purchases that began with President Obama’s reelection. Meanwhile, the FBI’s NICS figures indicate that Americans bought even more firearms in 2013 than they did in 2012.

For those who support the Second Amendment and American manufacturing, these figures provide cause for celebration. For those still seeking to ban private possession of firearms, they may want to skip the champagne and head straight for the aspirin.

Vince,
Given the fact that some states, such as Connecticut, have implemented new laws requiring registration, many fear this sort of legislation will sooner or later affect them and result in eventual confiscation. The receiver of any firearm is the only part we need to register, however many guns have been built to circumvent government control by using receivers that are 80% finished and not subject to a serial number or background check, can be delivered right to your door and leave no paper trail. AR receivers are usually made of an aluminum alloy, but they can be had similar to the Bushmaster Carbon 15 made of a kevlar reinforced polymer. While finish machining a 80% alloy AR receiver may be too involved for most, these polymer receivers are easily finished with a Dremel in about an hours time. My preference is for an alloy receiver, but given the current gun grabbing political climate the polymer receiver is better than nothing. How many of these 80% receivers have been made and sold is anyone's guess.
www.eparmory.com/Lower...s/1819.htm

As always: gunsmiths are much more clever than most of the lawmaking politicians and they always discover the ways of the exceptions.

and at the end everything is that difficult to understand, that nobody cares anymore except the lawyers who can make a good living out of it.

The ANTIs are working very hard at gaining ground mate...no two ways about that.

The 80% and 90% receivers from EPArmory look interesting. What is the 20% remaining to be completed mate?

If you look at this 80% polymer receiver, you'll notice an area that is white where the trigger group is installed. Remove all the white, drill through where the dimples are on the sides and there's your finished receiver.

Jeeez for $50 that's not too hard to do. I have a polymer receiver it works great. I am leery about taking the upper on and off because I lost a pin one time and I also don't like the front pivots, they just seem too easily broken. Haven't broken anything yet but it's on your mind every time you wanna take the upper off.

I'd love to try that receiver.....it takes more than I care to spend on building one tho. Those type of guns are just too expensive to build for me, totally fun to build too. There's some videos on YouTube about how to mill out that plastic.

Suz

At the store where I work, prices for an AR15 are actually lower than they were prior to the latest presidential election. Manufacturers really stepped up production last year, and the demand has dropped off a bit. Every body that was thinking about getting one, got one last year when prices were crazy. If you want to add one to your firearm purchase, you can get a stripped polymer lower for less than $30.

Have you seen this ( Kentucky gun co.com

Loke wrote:

At the store where I work, prices for an AR15 are actually lower than they were prior to the latest presidential election. Manufacturers really stepped up production last year, and the demand has dropped off a bit.

Yea! Its a great time to be a buyer! My Stag was almost $150 cheaper now than when I was looking at ordering one pre-shooting.

Quote::

Every body that was thinking about getting one, got one last year when prices were crazy. If you want to add one to your firearm purchase, you can get a stripped polymer lower for less than $30.

Just curious, how well do the Polymer lowers hold up?


-DallanC

DallanC wrote:

Just curious, how well do the Polymer lowers hold up? -DallanC

I have to question it myself, but as an unmarked, untraceable lower, it's hard to beat. I keep thinking to myself that most of us also questioned whether the Glocks would hold up.

This looks fairly tempting to build a cheap gun from:

www.joeboboutfitters.c...w15blk.htm


-DallanC

Until you get into them and find that they have a polymer fire control system. Trigger, sear, disconnector, safety, and sear. All plastic. Hmmmmm.

Loke wrote:

Until you get into them and find that they have a polymer fire control system. Trigger, sear, disconnector, safety, and sear. All plastic. Hmmmmm.

Thats true, I should preface that saying I found the link after googling up polymer lower reviews (which were surprisingly good).


-DallanC

For a light duty or sporting application I wouldn't hesitate to use a polymer lower. For something I would depend on to protect life and liberty I would rather trust an aluminum receiver. I've seen a couple come in the shop with a crack on the seam where the buffer tube attaches. A friend of mine had a Bushmaster carbon 15 that he used on prairie dog shoots. it worked well for him.

Loke wrote:

For a light duty or sporting application I wouldn't hesitate to use a polymer lower. For something I would depend on to protect life and liberty I would rather trust an aluminum receiver. I've seen a couple come in the shop with a crack on the seam where the buffer tube attaches. A friend of mine had a Bushmaster carbon 15 that he used on prairie dog shoots. it worked well for him.

Thanks for the info. I also thought the weak point would be where the buffer tube attaches. The aluminum would be better and I would prefer it, but my 13 year old wants a "light duty", shoot-up a bunch of cheap mil-surp ammo at the range type gun... he's on a bit of a budget and this might be an option. I hadn't considered polymer till you mentioned it then did some googling up reviews.


-DallanC