I have a lot of great information to give you about our new LAI AR-15 lower receivers, but first let me cover the basics. Some of you may still be wondering, “What is a lower receiver?” That is, of course, a perfectly valid question. When building your AR-15, only one component of the rifle is considered a firearm and must be purchased through an FFL-holder – the lower receiver. The receiver is the component of a firearm that houses the operating parts, generally including the bolt carrier group, the trigger group and the magazine well. With the AR-15, the receiver is separated into two components – the lower receiver and the upper receiver. The lower receiver (pictured above) is a solid piece of forged aluminum that houses the entire trigger group and includes the magazine well. The upper receiver houses the bolt carrier group.
The LAI AR-15 lower receiver is on par with just about any other lower receiver you will find on the market today. As noted, it is a MIL-SPEC receiver. Patriots will love the fact that it is completely made in the United States. Speaking of its manufacture, I have a few details on that as well. Upon close inspection, you are likely to notice the presence of a small keyhole on the right side of the receiver, right above the magazine well. This keyhole marking exists to give you some insight into where this receiver was manufactured. The marking is actually known as a forge mark, and it is the mark of a company known as Cerro Forge. This is one of the companies that actually provide a rough forge to one of the four or so companies previously mentioned. Upon receipt of the rough forge, these companies finish the machining before slapping on a logo and distributing them for sale by all of your favorite name brands, including Colt, Bushmaster, Rock River Arms, Smith & Wesson and all the rest. Cerro Forge has actually provided the rough forge for a number of reputable companies, including Colt, Smith & Wesson and more. What I am trying to tell you is that you can trust the LAI AR-15 lower receiver to live up to your highest expectations.
As noted, the LAI AR-15 lower receiver is forged from anodized aluminum and also contains a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon®) coating, which serves to protect against corrosion. All cutouts, including the safety catch, magazine catch and the bolt hold open are clearly defined and expertly machined. The safety catch is marked traditionally with the words “semi” and “safe.” You will notice that the magazine well includes a grip, something only a select few lower receivers offer. Additionally, there is a “TX” serial number (e.g. TX xxxxxx) for those of you with lone star state pride. With a quality lower parts kit, this lower receiver will be ready for your next build.
Being that this is a MIL-SPEC lower receiver, it is compatible with any number of high-quality upper receivers. Grab a fixed buttstock and slap on an upper receiver with a 20-inch barrel for the classic M16A2-style look, or get a collapsible buttstock with a 16-inch barrel and build an M4. The choices are endless, but it all starts with the LAI AR-15 lower receiver – available now for the competitive price of $199.95.
