Anyone have experience with Palmetto and ZR Tactical 80% lowers?

[gundawg]

Looking for some feedback on the quality or lack of it on 80% lowers from Palmetto and ZRTS.

 

[flatlander]

Don't know about Palmetto but ZRTS are good to go. Would put them up against pretty much anybody I can think of.

 

[gundawg]

Don't know about Palmetto but ZRTS are good to go. Would put them up against pretty much anybody I can think of.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[STFU]

Don't know about Palmetto but ZRTS are good to go. Would put them up against pretty much anybody I can think of.

Concur, ZR Tactical 80% lowers are very well made including a threaded screw for the bolt catch vs roll pin. (YMMV)

 

[gundawg]

Concur, ZR Tactical 80% lowers are very well made including a threaded screw for the bolt catch vs roll pin. (YMMV)

Thanks. I ordered ZRTS lowers from Spear Arms, they had the best price. I was going to go with Anderson but the current prices for those are insane. Plus, I was able to get raw lowers from Spear, so I can finish to suit myself.

 

[bobjones223]

Thanks. I ordered ZRTS lowers from Spear Arms, they had the best price. I was going to go with Anderson but the current prices for those are insane. Plus, I was able to get raw lowers from Spear, so I can finish to suit myself.

Does Zack not sell them direct from his place in Noblesville?

 

[gundawg]

Didn't know he was in Noblesville or anything else about ZRTS. But a quick look at his website and I didn't see any 80% lowers, just completed lowers.

It's a little bit crazy, but these days you can buy a finished lower (through an FFL) cheaper than you can buy an 80% lower.

 

[JasonCountry]

Didn't know he was in Noblesville or anything else about ZRTS. But a quick look at his website and I didn't see any 80% lowers, just completed lowers.

It's a little bit crazy, but these days you can buy a finished lower (through an FFL) cheaper than you can buy an 80% lower.

How was your experience with Spear Arms? They gtg?
I'm thinking about reaching out to ZTRS and see if they are able to sell 80% direct or how long their completes take to come off backorder.

 

[MontereyC6]

Does Zack not sell them direct from his place in Noblesville?

He does. Nice guy to deal with!

 

[DadSmith]

I have a question on these 80% lowers. I have no way to finish one. My Gunsmith said he does them all the time. Now the question is: If a Gunsmith finishes them don't they have to put a serial number on it and call NICS? How does that work?

 

[brian_a_mcmillen]

I have a question on these 80% lowers. I have no way to finish one. My Gunsmith said he does them all the time. Now the question is: If a Gunsmith finishes them don't they have to put a serial number on it and call NICS? How does that work?

You are correct in that you must finish the receiver totally by yourself for it to be legal to own. You also can never sell it or even give it away or will it to someone else. Not sure if your gunsmith can finish it and put a serial number on it either but any site that you can purchase the 80% receiver should be able to give you the legalities.

 

[JasonCountry]

I believe you can form 4 it and get it engraved with a serial number if you ever want to sell it or if a machine shop mills it out. Hypothetically I think one could buy a jig to make the complete lower, and then I think they can take it to a buddy who has a mill and he can help clean it up to look nicer. As long as they're not the one making it... my thoughts anyway. Right to Bear arms offers an engraving service for their 80% to be serialized with a custom number of your choosing, but you would still have to file a form to sell or whatever.

 

[MrMunster]

Thanks. I ordered ZRTS lowers from Spear Arms, they had the best price. I was going to go with Anderson but the current prices for those are insane. Plus, I was able to get raw lowers from Spear, so I can finish to suit myself.

If you show up at the shop and show them the page, they will likely match it. (They have for me.)

 

[Glocker99]

You can sell a firearm built on a 80% receiver the same as any other firearm, you just can't be selling a bunch of them. It doesn't have to have a serial number, it's easy to put one on if you think you might get stopped by the police and they think you removed the serial number which is a crime. There are millions of firearms made before serial numbers were required and sold in gun stores everyday.

 

[ditcherman]

You are correct in that you must finish the receiver totally by yourself for it to be legal to own. You also can never sell it or even give it away or will it to someone else. Not sure if your gunsmith can finish it and put a serial number on it either but any site that you can purchase the 80% receiver should be able to give you the legalities.

I believe you are correct about having to finish it yourself.
You have been misinformed on the legality of selling, giving away, etc. It’s easy to do, there is a lot of misinformation out there, but when you really dig deep to the source it comes down to intent. If you finished it with the “intent” to sell it, that’s illegal. If you build one and decide you don’t want it anymore you are free to sell it. The gray area comes when you do multiples, can you be ruled as a “manufacturer”?
Plenty of conversation on here already about this, don’t want to beat a dead horse, but also don’t want a previously beat dead horse jumping up and gaining new legs.

 

[ditcherman]

I have a question on these 80% lowers. I have no way to finish one. My Gunsmith said he does them all the time. Now the question is: If a Gunsmith finishes them don't they have to put a serial number on it and call NICS? How does that work?

Not positive about the legalities or at least the odds of being caught by doing this but what I do know is legit FFL’s tend to treat 80 lowers like a pariah, and also I’m sure your gunsmith does not want internet type attention.
I’ve seen pretty decent work on just a drill press, and I’ve really screwed some up on a mill.

 

[DadSmith]

Not positive about the legalities or at least the odds of being caught by doing this but what I do know is legit FFL’s tend to treat 80 lowers like a pariah, and also I’m sure your gunsmith does not want internet type attention.
I’ve seen pretty decent work on just a drill press, and I’ve really screwed some up on a mill.

No different than taking an unfinished ak 47 receive and fitting it to the AK kit. He prefers doing that than buying one pre drilled etc. He then puts whatever serial number you want on it calls it in and does a regular transfer. I imagine 80% lowers are done the same way. I wouldn't think it's to hard to put a serial number on something.

Also If during the work the original serial number is destroyed they just stamp the original elsewhere on the Firearm.

Oh and he has made several firearms from scratch in past so I highly doubt he's going to treat an 80% lower as taboo.

 

[ditcherman]

No different than taking an unfinished ak 47 receive and fitting it to the AK kit. He prefers doing that than buying one pre drilled etc. He then puts whatever serial number you want on it calls it in and does a regular transfer. I imagine 80% lowers are done the same way. I wouldn't think it's to hard to put a serial number on something.

Also If during the work the original serial number is destroyed they just stamp the original elsewhere on the Firearm.

Oh and he has made several firearms from scratch in past so I highly doubt he's going to treat an 80% lower as taboo.

That’s cool, I didn’t realize he was serializing and then transferring them, that’s the right way to do it.