Good morning. First off this is not a spam thread trying to sell titanium uppers and lowers. We are a high end aerospace forge shop in New England that started making gun hardware for major OEMs back in 2005. Since then, we have started to get into some boutique markets. We do a TON of titanium for the military aerospace and thought it would be fun to make the uppers and lowers out of titanium since we already do the 7075. Any thoughts on this would be much appeciated. Thanks again!
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Any need for AR15 Titanium uppers and lowers
- Thread starter KFORGE
- Start date
warwickben
bubba Kalashnikov
I'd go for one if the price wasn't insane . Heck I'd be happy for a ar lower that took grease gun mags that wasn't 400$
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Chris
NES Member
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I don't see any benefit other than the 'cool' factor. Aluminum is lighter and plenty strong enough. The only other property of Ti, that of low thermal conduction is nearly moot as you don't hold either receiver.
I guess my question is why?
Telepathically uploaded via my iPhone 13.
I guess my question is why?
Telepathically uploaded via my iPhone 13.
If anything I learned in the past years about titanium it this: lighter the Al, stronger than steel, expensive as DC hookers.
I'd be curious to what cost will be although i'm not holding my breath.
in shop setting VR cost of:
Al billet
6061/T6 = $.95-$1.50
7075/T6 = $2.50-$4.50
Ti billet - $26.75 on average
machining difficulty of Al - Excellent of Ti - Fair to poor.
I'd be curious to what cost will be although i'm not holding my breath.
in shop setting VR cost of:
Al billet
6061/T6 = $.95-$1.50
7075/T6 = $2.50-$4.50
Ti billet - $26.75 on average
machining difficulty of Al - Excellent of Ti - Fair to poor.
Billsail
NES Member
Most Ti parts are MIM under extreme pressures, leaving minimal machining left to do. (Got this from a neighbor who works in the industry). I would LOVE a lighter rifle, but aluminum is slightly lighter than titanium. The only way to make a titanium gun lighter, is to make thinner parts, which would put it way out of spec.
Made to spec, it would be one hell of a strong rifle, only slightly heavier!
Made to spec, it would be one hell of a strong rifle, only slightly heavier!
DemonChronicles
NES Member
I don't see any possible advantage of receivers made in titanium.
Boghog1
NES Member
Doesn't sound like he want to sell anything, he is wondering if there is a market for it. So it seems to me he is doing market research more than anything.
To be honest I think there would be more of a market for a quality lower parts kit in Ti or maybe BUIS but again it comes down to value for the $
I don't think there is much demand for it. Standard AR receivers are already lightweight aluminum and plastic options are even lighter.
Look at the steel parts (trigger, pins etc) and see what it would cost to make those out of titanium.
Look at the steel parts (trigger, pins etc) and see what it would cost to make those out of titanium.
Billsail
NES Member
Yup. The Nemo AR10 linked in post #10 has a titanium barrel (which may offer the greatest weight saving, as well as increased durability, and service life), but surprisingly, still tipped the scales at 8.5 Lbs!
beaker
NES Member
MIM might be used for large volume stuff but most Ti stuff is made from billet or round stock. It also isn't that hard to machine if you know what you are doing. I spent 8 years in aerospace machining doing mosly Titanium and nickel alloys as well as exotic ceramic like cast ceramic-like hybrids (Al-Ti) oh the hororr...
Ti lowers and uppers are definitely in the boutique category as they would be pretty expensive although you could take a lot of weight out of them by thinning the wall thickness in many areas and take advantage of the higher strength. Interested to see what you come up with.
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Ti lowers and uppers are definitely in the boutique category as they would be pretty expensive although you could take a lot of weight out of them by thinning the wall thickness in many areas and take advantage of the higher strength. Interested to see what you come up with.
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Is this the same company that makes fishing reels out of titanium? Very nice stuff if it is, but is there a true practical need for it ? Other than the coolness factor I'm not sure. That company is fortitudefishing.com they make all sorts of aero space and miltitary items I am told, and they now venture into fishing.
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There is absolutely a market for it!
Don't take this the wrong way, but there are all kinds of idiots out there who would spend triple the price (or more) of a traditional aluminum upper if they thought it was the cool/tactical/ more accurate way to go.
Don't take this the wrong way, but there are all kinds of idiots out there who would spend triple the price (or more) of a traditional aluminum upper if they thought it was the cool/tactical/ more accurate way to go.
Ha! That's true. Some gun people have more money than know what to do with it.
I could see an application for a super high end "target" AR chambered in some long range caliber perhaps but a .223/5.56 tactical AR? Nah, unnecessary costly waste IMO.
warwickben
bubba Kalashnikov
Ar in 7.62x54r lol .....
lol .....
Billsail
NES Member
I may be one of those idiots that would consider a lightweight, and durable Ti barrel, if the price wasn't crazy insane. You do bring up accuracy though, and that is a consideration I didn't think about. I'm sure the harmonics are different than steel. Maybe better, maybe not?
I mentioned accuracy because people will spend money if they think it will be more accurate.
By the way, it won't be.
If someone can make money with these, I'm all for it. Make millions. I'll probably wish I had thought of it.
Dream to Dream
NES Member
Would a titanium bolt and BCG hold up?
I've seen TiN coatings on BCGs, but never an actual titanium piece. If it would be able to resist cracking, you could certainly market that.
I've seen TiN coatings on BCGs, but never an actual titanium piece. If it would be able to resist cracking, you could certainly market that.
Billsail
NES Member
The reduced weight might require adjustments to the gas system and perhaps the buffer? I'm sure it would hold up fine. I've used a Ti firing pin for years!
Dream to Dream
NES Member
Assuming it can resist the impact from cycling the rifle, I'd bet that it would be a great item to market.
Billsail
NES Member
Because mine broke and someone gave me one. Some say, being lighter, it reduces lock time, but I doubt if a few thousandths of a second makes any difference. Like I said, it was free, and I needed one.
My normal AR10 with a medium contour noveske ss barrel weighs exactly that sans optics and cost about 98,300 less.
Mike
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