I was shopping online for an 80% lower and came across Anderson. I have heard their name thrown around a few times on forums like this one, and I just wanted to give my detailed two cents about the company, its product, and my shopping experience.
Who is Anderson Manufacturing?
Anderson is a manufacturing company that specializes in gun parts, especially for the AR-15 platform. They have many lowers, AR 15 kits and AR-15 parts that consumers can take advantage of, often through their online dealers. Anderson Manufacturing is everywhere and accounts for a lot of the AR-15 parts sales that go on in the United States.
Anderson Manufacturing caters to both dealers and consumers with a website that has retail prices for customers, and a dealer login for wholesale pricing. The neat thing about Anderson is that they manufacture their own parts, so much of the discussion about issues with their products will only involve you and their support team.
Anderson Manufacturing is based in Kentucky, and with over thirty years in the industry they pride themselves on their mission to offer the best “performance, reliability, and value. Period.”
Are Anderson 80% Lowers any good?
One thing I noticed about Andersons 80% lowers is that besides the fancy logo and packaging, it really does seem like your run of the mill 80%er. That isn’t super disappointing considering the price for Andersons 80% lower isn’t that much higher than what you might be able to find elsewhere. However, you can still find cheaper lowers without all the fancy packaging for seemingly the same quality.
The actual quality of the lower is good. The spec of the lower was consistent throughout, before the milling process began. I like that they didn’t add their logo on the 80% lower itself, as now those areas are open to a more personal kind of customization.
More Information
| FEDERAL FIREARM LICENSE REQUIRED FOR PURCHASE (N0) |
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| RECEIVER FINISH (Type 3 Hard Anodized, Black) |
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| LOWER RECEIVER MATERIAL (Forged 7075 T6 Aluminum) |
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| TRIGGER GUARD (Open Trigger) |
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| COMPATIBILITY (All AR15 Platform Calibers) |
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| WEIGHT (1.000000) |
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| COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE (United States) |
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| RF-85 TREATED (Non-treated) |
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| UNIT OF MEASURE (EA) |
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| PRODUCT UPC (712038922376) |
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How Are Andersons 80 lowers made?
Anderson has been manufacturing AR-15 parts for a long time. Especially when it comes to complete lowers, it seems like Anderson has it down to a science. When it comes to 80% lowers, I assume they just leave out the final milling process for the fire control group and skip the engraving on the magwell where the serial number and logo might go if it were complete.
Types of 80% lowers Anderson Offers
Anderson only sells AR-15 80% lowers. They carry a decent jig as well, although there is not a lot of variation in the product itself. Anderson Manufacturing makes AR-15 80% lowers with a hard coat anodized finish, however the only color you can choose is black. They have the black anodized lower, but they also sell a raw lower which has yet to be finished. Raw lowers are great for those who want to get a custom finish, where you would have to pay extra to get the anodized layer off of a black 80 lower.
Anderson also sells upper receivers in raw or black anodized finish. This is great because you can keep the same specification with parts made from the same manufacturer. The jig kit comes with all the necessary bits and plates to get the lower machined properly.
Affordability of Anderson Manufacturing products
Anderson has a pretty decent price for the market generally. That doesn’t mean you can’t find cheaper 80% lowers anywhere else. Anderson definitely brings a comfortable standard to the market in terms of quality and price which is very fair to the consumer.
Anderson Manufacturing is an affordable option for many consumers, including me. I know I can buy from Anderson and expect a consistent quality because of the reputation of the company.
And don’t get me wrong, there are always mishaps and people just waiting to give a bad review of the place for whatever reason. But for the money I spent with Anderson Manufacturing, I have had no mishaps and enjoy my 80% lower AR-15 build kit thoroughly.
80% Lower Jig Kit, Gen 2 For use with drill presses. (Not Router Compatible) Compatible with Mil-Spec AR15 forgings. Not for use with AR9, AR10 or other specific caliber lowers. May not function with some billet or polymer type lowers.
The Jig Includes:
- Fixture Plate #1
- Fixture Plate #2
- 1/4″ Pin
- 1/4″-20 Socket head cap screw 1 3/4″ Length
- 10-32 Socket head cap screw 2″ Length
- Template #1
- 10-24 Socket head cap screw 1/2″ Length
- Drill Plate
- Template #2
- 1/8″, 5/32″, 5/16″, 3/8″ Drill Bits
- 1/4″ Flat End Mill
The Anderson Jig Kit Gen 2
The Jig kit that I bought alongside my AR-15 80% lower is called the Anderson Jig Gen 2. Now I do not know about the Gen 1 jig from Anderson, but this jig works great with the Anderson Lower. I assume also that it works with lowers of the same spec. The jig comes with all the bits and plates you need, and on the website, there is an option to buy only the top plates, which makes getting a new jig much easier and cheaper.
What is Anderson Customer Service like?
I am thankful I did not need to talk to the customer service this time, because the general consensus is that Anderson has some pretty poor customer service, with 2.6 stars on Knoji. I do not know how accurate that is, but I will say that any company that does not require you to have to get in contact with customer service has excellent customer service anyway.
Anderson Manufacturing Return Policy?
In order to cancel or return an item, you have to get into contact with their support team. From there the support team will work on either canceling your order, or will give you instructions on how to return the items. All the nuances of their return policy are found on their return and cancellation page which is a part of the Privacy Policy. It is legal to ship guns to them as they are licensed gun manufacturers.
Shipping times for Anderson Manufacturing
Anderson Manufacturing was hit just as hard by COVID. So it is no surprise that they saw an influx of orders which had them stopped up for a while. Currently, there are no listed shipping times listed, however they have a pop up text letting everyone know that shipping times are going to be a bit longer.
“We are currently experiencing SHIPPING DELAYS on select products due to an increased industry demand for parts that are always 100% made in the USA.”
Anderson Manufacturing is not a bad company, but it also is not a great company. That isn’t because they offer bad prices or have an inconsistent customer service record. It is because what comes out of Anderson Manufacturing is status quo. And while that is not a bad thing, there is simply nothing Anderson does right now that is extraordinary. Anderson Manufacturing, while not providing anything new for the industry, still offers a decent quality product for the prices most American consumers are willing to pay, and that is why Anderson still gets a recommendation.
Also Checkout: 80 Lower Review that goes in-depth!
