GTVS AR-15 Billet Lower Receiver
Major Pandemic 03.03.14
For one reason or another, I always seem be short either one upper or own lower for a matched set. At one point I was cruising the information superhighway looking for something unique in another lower receiver and I landed on the GT Virtual Concepts (GTVC) website. There I saw a video of their in-house machine shop creating their own AR-15 billet lower receiver with a unique look. So I ordered one for review.
Fit and Feel
The fit and feel of this lower receiver are excellent, and the finish is a deep black Type III mil-spec hard anodizing. The GTVC Billet lower matted up perfectly to a variety of upper receivers I tested it on without any goofy overhangs.
If you only have seen forged lower receivers, then you most likely have noticed that the forging process does leave surface imperfections, and even some billet receivers I have seen can be a little rough. Most companies count on bead blasting to overcome imperfections. GTVC, on the other hand, completely finishes the receiver on the machine. From my understanding, this is unique to the company and quite impressive after you see the finish. Keep in mind it has not been bead blasted at all. The finish on the GTVC Billet lower conveys the precision medical field tolerances that the company works to because they are definitely spending more machine time to maximize surface finish quality.
Features and Functions
From a features and functioning perspective, the GTVC AR-15 billet lower is, for the most part, just like any other mil-spec 7075 Lower receiver. It functions as expected and plays well with any other standard mil-spec upper receiver. The billet design overall has been beefed up in some critical areas such as the buffer tube union and magazine well to increase strength.
A few of the ergonomic improvements GTVC has made are a roughly a 6tpi checkering along the front of the magazine well, a little extra flaring on magazine well, and a nylon tension screw to improve fit between the upper and lower. Almost all of the uppers I paired with this lower fit very well, but if you have an upper that is a bit loose or old, you can simply tighten up the nylon tensioning screw and you will have a nice tight fit.
Another subtlety is the understated logo and minimal markings. For those that want to keep the look subdued, this is the perfect option.
I assembled the GTVC Billet AR-15 lower receiver with a DoubleStar parts kit with a standard buffer. The lower rode under a variety of uppers throughout testing, but I seemed to like the look most when mounted to my Yankee Hill Machine 20” 5.56Nato YHM LW-20 Upper. Regardless of the upper attached, the lower performed perfectly as would be expected.
Final Thoughts
That I know of, GTVC is the only company that is completely finishing their billet receivers on the machine. Everyone else is bead blasting to remove imperfections, but this extra machine time costs money. Surprisingly they are still offering this billet lower at $194, a price less than many others on the market. The grip, styling, and tensioning screw are all features I appreciate, but as they have gone this far with the design, I would like to see an integrated extended trigger guard and threaded bolt catch pin.
For a company that just wanted to get in on the action, the GTVC Lower far exceeded my expectations. They have done far more than just produce a part to make money. It is clear to me that they wanted to also show off their capabilities with lower receiver, and that attention to detail has resulted in an outstanding quality AR-15 part.
Specs
- 7075 T-6 Aluminum
- Type III mil-spec Hard Anodized
- MSRP $194 Stripped
- MSRP $314 Complete Assembled Lower
Sources
GTVC – GT Virtual Concepts – www.GTVC-MFG.com
