U.S. Arms Patriot 15 Lower

The AR rifle platform has been used by the U.S. Military since 1963.  That 50 year run makes the AR the longest in-service rifle ever used by our Armed Forces.  But the road wasn't rosy for the new AR.  The Air Force wanted it for their security details but the Army wanted nothing to do with this "plastic rifle".  From the time of the Continental Army through the Korean War our troops have fielded rifles made of blue steel and hardwood stocks.  In WWI, WWII and Korea they were chambered for high powered .30 Caliber ammunition.  They packed a punch and were accurate beyond 1,000 yards.  They were also heavy and their ammunition capacity was limited.  But Vietnam was fought in a different kind of terrain.  The battles took place in both cities, the jungle and the mud.  

There were no 1,000 yard shots to be taken in Vietnam.  While the Army Brass was stuck in the past there were a few people in the military and government that remembered the impact of Germany's Sturmgewehr-44 at the end of WWII.  

Many German Generals thought that they could turn the tide of the war if they could receive enough Sturmgewehrs with their 30 round magazines.  Eventually enough people in the military and government agreed that more ammunition and a higher rater of fire gave the troops a tactical advantage.   So, after several modifications Defense Secretary Robert McNamara gave the AR15/M16 the nod and hundreds of thousands have been ordered over the past half century.

President Kennedy examines an AR-15 and a crossbow?  I wish I had more information on what was going on in this photo.

There is a reason the AR platform has been with us for fifty years--it works.  It is light weight, accurate and, if maintained properly, it is reliable.

You may notice that in the first sentence I referred to this rifle as the AR rifle platform.  The reason for that is because the AR is one of the most customizable rifles on the planet.  You can pay big bucks to have a nationally recognized gunsmith build one to your exact specifications or you can buy a stock rifle and "flip-it" yourself.  Replacement parts are abundant and you can change sights, butt stocks, pistol grips, hand rails, triggers, springs and the upper and lower receivers.  Which brings us to the subject of today's review: The U.S. Arms Patriot 15 lower.

At this point you should be asking "Hey Joe, who is U.S Arms and, with the plethora of receivers on the market today, what makes the Patriot 15 so special?"  U.S. Arms was the main investor in the first company to manufacture a polymer lower.  While it was good, U.S. Arms felt that they could improve the product.  So they redesigned the lower and re-engineered their manufacturing process. What makes their lower so special?  The answer my friends is "polymer".  But not just any polymer.  U.S  Arms is using a new proprietary polymer formula that is more reinforced that any other polymer on the firearms market. 

Note the solid and over-sized trigger guard for ease of operation when wearing tactical gloves

So here's what you get with the Patriot 15 lower:

• First of all it looks great!
• It is 100% made in the U.S.A.
• Any mil-spec upper will work with the Patriot 15
• The fire control system is made of metal parts instead of the polymer parts utilized by their competitors
• It will accept all mil-spec trigger parts or any aftermarket trigger kit your heart desires
• It is lightweight
• Scratch resistant and
• The polymer is impervious to corrosion

You know that polymer framed rifles are the future just as polymer framed pistol became the future when the Glock model 17 debuted in 1982.  Your AR, outfitted with the Patriot 15 lower will give you all the accuracy you demand in a much lighter weight package.  For once in your life don't you want to be on the cutting edge of technology?