Difference between Billet recievers and Forged?

IndianaShooter

IndianaShooter

New member
Hi guys.. What's a billet receiver? I'm confused. I had a shop that says they will build a rifle but that they use a billet receiver and that they have a screw or something on the lower that allows tightning of the lower to the upper for a better fit? They say they use a CNC to machine the same. I used to program CNC's and I can't imagine a couple pieces of metal if machined correctly that would need to be tightned ? Someone tell me the advantage? I'm asking not being critical. Just don't know.. Never heard of this..
Tim
 
Forged means it was pressed into a shape with great pressure, compressing the metal and making it a bit stronger per unit volume.

Billet means it started as a solid block (known as a billet) and the shape was cut out of it.

I use screws instead of roll pins for the bolt catch and i also use a tensioning screw just in case a upper fits loose to the lower. My trigger guard is integral as the forged ones are held on by a hinge and a roll pin.

The forged is supposedly stronger, but i have never seen the difference, the billet looks better with the crisp lines.

Here is a picture of my lower:
sdlower-1.jpg
 
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Hi,

I guess I should have known that. IS the reciever in the pic a Billet? I thought all of the receivers were machined from CNC's out of a block of Aluminum? I guess I diddn't know as much as I thought.. hehe..

Would you trust a Billet gun over a forged as far as reliability?

Thanks man..
Tim

Billet means it started as a solid block (known as a billet) and the shape was cut out of it.

I use screws instead of roll pins for the bolt catch and i also use a tensioning screw just in case a upper fits loose to the lower. My trigger guard is integral as the forged ones are held on by a hinge and a roll pin.

The forged is supposedly stronger, but i have never seen the difference, the billet looks better with the crisp lines.

Here is a picture of my lower:
sdlower-1.jpg
[/quote]
 
This is what a forged lower looks like before any machining:

dsc04305-large-custom.jpg


I don't see any reason why a billet lower would be any "better", the quality of the fit is determined by how well the set up and machining job is done.

With a billet, though, the manufacturer can turn out something custom by modifying their CNC program (like the one-piece trigger guard, for example).
 
Billet is usually more expensive also. They do look a little nicer, but there are millions of forged lowers being used harder every day than I am going to use mine. I haven't had any problems out of my cav arms "plastic" lower that is 2 pieces "welded" togther. I will buy a billet lower one day just for the looks, but you will be finr with a forged one.
 
I was told the billet is stiffer and is supposedly more accurate because of this. I was told the forged is stronger because of the process used to make it. I would guess both would work well. I chose billet for my newest AR.
 
I have both forged and billet lowers. Like was stated I dont think their is a difference as far as reliability or durability on either lower. I just like the looks of the billet a lot better, it looks cleaner. I dont think youll need the tighting screw but its there if you need it. I have one of Scotts Billet Lowers from Specialized Dynamics and love it. Lets us know what you end up with.
 
If your refering to shooting accuracy, the lower has nothing to do with it. The accuracy is all in the upper.


Originally Posted By: rletts77I was told the billet is stiffer and is supposedly more accurate because of this. I was told the forged is stronger because of the process used to make it. I would guess both would work well. I chose billet for my newest AR.
 
Originally Posted By: xcriderIf your refering to shooting accuracy, the lower has nothing to do with it. The accuracy is all in the upper.


Originally Posted By: rletts77I was told the billet is stiffer and is supposedly more accurate because of this. I was told the forged is stronger because of the process used to make it. I would guess both would work well. I chose billet for my newest AR.


Thats is exactly why I worded the statement the way I did. I was told....supposedly more accurate...you get the point.
 
The benefits of a billet lower also includes the following-

The CNC machines key off of a surface on the material that is to be machined, on billet, they key of of a "uniform" position, on forged lowers they key off of a position that is determined by the condition of the forging die used, most of these are not pristine shape and there for CNC machines key off of a spot that can vary from forging to forging.

I have seen this cause issues in more then one forged lower, as i have seen lowers from the same brand have (in our opinion) wildly different geometry in the final product.

With billet you have a much more uniform product.

And the lower can affect accuracy although it is not nearly as important as the upper. The fit of upper to lower is important, as is the geometry of the trigger group so that they can function as well as they are designed to.

On the other hand, the lower is 50% responsible for reliability. Magazine well angle, proper trigger pin geometry, bolt hold open location, proper safety selector geometry.

Now billet uppers (coming in our GEN2 line up) are a great thing, and also much more uniform then forged uppers. point in fact, we would return 80-85% of upper forgings in the past because they were not uniform enough for us, and we will continue to do so on our uppers that use forging

Now, do forged units work? yes they do, do most people never experience a problem do to them, yes definitely most never do.

However in addition to the cosmetics, and the ability to do certain things with the extra material available when making billet lowers, we also wanted them to function the best they possibly could. So we went with billet for our lowers and are adding billet uppers to the line.


(Sorry if i rambled a bit)

Thanks
Travis
 
Hey guys. Thanks so much for all the info. You folks rock..

Someone asked, and I meant what was the reliability and accuracy difference between billet and forged with the upper and lower fit ... That was what I was trying to say although I'm a terrible writer, so thanks again!

I really appreciate the answers. Actually, I got a really good price quote on a billet gun. I actually thought it must have been cheaper because of this..

Will a billet lower fit a forged upper, and the other way around? Or should they?

Tim
 
Originally Posted By: IndianaShooter

Will a billet lower fit a forged upper, and the other way around? Or should they?

Tim

Yeah, they're all built to the same dimensions. I bet you would have a pretty noticeable mismatch in finishes, though. Billet parts are machine finished on all surfaces and forged parts aren't. Anodizing doesn't hide anything like paint would, it's very thin.

But they will work together fine.
 
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Most of the finish differences if from parts being anodized at different shops, and having been made from diffferent materials.
 
Originally Posted By: Kies_firearmsMost of the finish differences if from parts being anodized at different shops, and having been made from diffferent materials.

Forged receivers are 7075, if I bought a billet one I'd want it made out of that. And yeah, I guess you could media blast both of them to look similar before you anodized them.

What I was saying was there's not a continuous tool path across all surfaces of a forged lower, and you can almost always tell which type it is with some very basic inspection.

Doesn't make any real difference in how they function, though.

But yeah, it's hard to get an exact color match unless the upper/lower are prepped and anodized/dyed as a pair. That's true.

I wouldn't mind having a side-charger with that H-K style folding handle and no cut in the rear of the receiver for the standard charging handle, though. That would actually be a safety improvement.
 
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all the billet lowers i know of are 7075 and most of the uppers i know of are as well, however some are 6061 (not ours, ours are all 7075)

also yes you are right rudimentary examination will tell you which is forged and which billet.
 
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