Can you Store Magazines Loaded? (Yes, Here's Why)

Posted by 80-Lower.com on Jun 24th 2025

You've heard it before: If you store a fully loaded magazine long-term -- say, six months or longer -- then you might as well throw it away. That magazine's spring is ruined and unreliable, because it wore out. You might've also read that you shouldn't store magazines fully loaded, but that you inst …

DISCLAIMER: If you are new to the world of DIY gun building, you likely have a lot of questions and rightfully so. It’s an area that has a lot of questions that, without the correct answers, could have some serious implications. At GunBuilders.com, we are by no means providing this content on our website to serve as legal advice or legal counsel. We encourage each and every builder to perform their own research around their respective State laws as well as educating themselves on the Federal laws. When performing your own research, please be sure that you are getting your information from a reliable source.

300 BLK vs. 5.56 NATO: Which One's Better?

Posted by 80-Lower.com on Jun 16th 2025

300 BLK vs. 5.56 NATO: Which one's better? Is one better? (Yes). Which one should you pick for target shooting, self defense, short-barreled rifles, long-range accuracy? The answers to these questions might surprise you. We're covering ballistic data for both rounds and comparing their performance i …

DISCLAIMER: If you are new to the world of DIY gun building, you likely have a lot of questions and rightfully so. It’s an area that has a lot of questions that, without the correct answers, could have some serious implications. At GunBuilders.com, we are by no means providing this content on our website to serve as legal advice or legal counsel. We encourage each and every builder to perform their own research around their respective State laws as well as educating themselves on the Federal laws. When performing your own research, please be sure that you are getting your information from a reliable source.

How to Make Your AR-15 Legal in California

Posted by 80-Lower.com on Jun 2nd 2025

California has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, especially when it comes to the AR-15. The state's legislature has placed many restrictions on how, exactly, an AR-15 can be legally configured. There are numerous parts you can't legally install. But with the right ones, you can still en …

DISCLAIMER: If you are new to the world of DIY gun building, you likely have a lot of questions and rightfully so. It’s an area that has a lot of questions that, without the correct answers, could have some serious implications. At GunBuilders.com, we are by no means providing this content on our website to serve as legal advice or legal counsel. We encourage each and every builder to perform their own research around their respective State laws as well as educating themselves on the Federal laws. When performing your own research, please be sure that you are getting your information from a reliable source.

Yes, Building Your AR-15 is Better Than Buying

Posted by 80-Lower.com on May 20th 2025

It's an argument as old as the internet: Should you build your AR-15, or just buy a rifle off the shelf of your local gun dealer? Building vs. Buying Your AR: Which is Better? We'll keep it simple. Building your AR-15 is objectively better, and for plenty of reasons. here's why. Building Your Rifle …

DISCLAIMER: If you are new to the world of DIY gun building, you likely have a lot of questions and rightfully so. It’s an area that has a lot of questions that, without the correct answers, could have some serious implications. At GunBuilders.com, we are by no means providing this content on our website to serve as legal advice or legal counsel. We encourage each and every builder to perform their own research around their respective State laws as well as educating themselves on the Federal laws. When performing your own research, please be sure that you are getting your information from a reliable source.

Why You Shouldn't use (Some) 5.56 Mags for 300 BLK

Posted by 80-Lower.com on Apr 14th 2025

We've explained parts compatibility in our 300 Blackout AR-15 build guide. In that guide, we explained how, technically, the .300 AAC Blackout cartridge can be stacked in standard 5.56 NATO magazines -- but there's a critical caveat that needs to be covered. The short n' sweet summary is this: Alth …

DISCLAIMER: If you are new to the world of DIY gun building, you likely have a lot of questions and rightfully so. It’s an area that has a lot of questions that, without the correct answers, could have some serious implications. At GunBuilders.com, we are by no means providing this content on our website to serve as legal advice or legal counsel. We encourage each and every builder to perform their own research around their respective State laws as well as educating themselves on the Federal laws. When performing your own research, please be sure that you are getting your information from a reliable source.

4150 vs. 416R Stainless: Which AR Barrel & When?

Posted by 80-lower.com on Mar 17th 2025

Stainless barrels have gained popularity rapidly. In the past few years, they've taken the AR-15 market by storm. Nowadays, you'll find plenty of accuracy-focused upper receivers and prebuilt rifles configured with 416R stainless barrels. But 4150 barrels -- commonly called "carbon steel" barrels -- …

DISCLAIMER: If you are new to the world of DIY gun building, you likely have a lot of questions and rightfully so. It’s an area that has a lot of questions that, without the correct answers, could have some serious implications. At GunBuilders.com, we are by no means providing this content on our website to serve as legal advice or legal counsel. We encourage each and every builder to perform their own research around their respective State laws as well as educating themselves on the Federal laws. When performing your own research, please be sure that you are getting your information from a reliable source.