I've been sitting on a couple of TR Enabling 80% billet lowers for a couple of years now. I bought them with a jig, but never got up the nerve to do anything with them. I was waiting to find a buddy with a mill, or a build party, or just to find my balls.
So today I decided to go for it. I have a couple of other 80% lowers, so I figured I could afford to screw one up.
Here's my main reason for putting this off - my POS tabletop drill press. Also shown is the low-end jig that I bought with my first two lowers.
I didn't take any pictures during the 'milling' operation. Let's just say it wasn't pretty. I just held onto the jig and muscled it through, cutting about 1/8" at a time.
My biggest mistake (other than not using a mill) was using an end mill that has 2" of fluting. I ended up digging into the jig a bit, which led to my biggest screw-up of the project.
As you can see, I got into the pocket for the rear takedown pin detent. I cut out enough material that the detent would pop out of place as I slid in the takedown pin. I fixed this screwup by cutting a new detent, about 3/4" long, out of a drill bit. The new detent is long enough to ride in the botched hole, and works great.
Other than that, it all went together pretty easily.
Like I said, it ain't pretty inside, but it seems to function just fine. We'll have to wait and see what live fire does to it.
So today I decided to go for it. I have a couple of other 80% lowers, so I figured I could afford to screw one up.
Here's my main reason for putting this off - my POS tabletop drill press. Also shown is the low-end jig that I bought with my first two lowers.
I didn't take any pictures during the 'milling' operation. Let's just say it wasn't pretty. I just held onto the jig and muscled it through, cutting about 1/8" at a time.
My biggest mistake (other than not using a mill) was using an end mill that has 2" of fluting. I ended up digging into the jig a bit, which led to my biggest screw-up of the project.
As you can see, I got into the pocket for the rear takedown pin detent. I cut out enough material that the detent would pop out of place as I slid in the takedown pin. I fixed this screwup by cutting a new detent, about 3/4" long, out of a drill bit. The new detent is long enough to ride in the botched hole, and works great.
Other than that, it all went together pretty easily.
Like I said, it ain't pretty inside, but it seems to function just fine. We'll have to wait and see what live fire does to it.
![[laugh]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/012.gif "Laugh [laugh]")
. But you know something...., if it works, You did something right. Keep us posted.
![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
