Many of the millions of AR platform owners are content to buy a factory rifle and run it as is, trusting the manufacturer to put together a good rifle. For others, a more hands-on approach is the méthode du jour. This usually involves putting together a firearm starting with a stripped receiver, or at the very least picking out a factory gun that lives up to their specifications. In order to be picky about what you want, you first have to know the options and what makes them different.
A gun’s receiver is by definition an integral, essential piece. The strength of the receiver determines the strength of the entire gun. In the AR world, the big question is whether to get a receiver that’s Billet or Forged. Guns and Tactics has put together an informative video dissecting some of the differences. Check it out:
