Ares AR10 billet machining question

[Meat_Popsicle]

Any Ares Arms Guru's in the house? Specifically - has anyone finished one of their 80% BILLET lowers?

I picked up an Ares AR10, 80% Gen-1 billet several years ago and I want to (finally) finish it.
I've done a few 80% AR15's and I wanted to step up to the 308 platform.

I also have a Juggernaut 'universal' AR10 jig. I will have to trim a small amount on the jig to accommodate a small lip on the top of the lower. This lip won't allow the jig to sit completely flat. Since there is no mil-spec on these billets, I expected a little trimming would be required. Easy enough in my old Bridgeport.

The potential problem I may have:

Looking at various drawings, I noticed there is a difference between manufacturers where the safety-selector/trigger holes are located. All these drawings reference off the forward take-down pin. The ONLY 'Ares' drawing I was able to find shows the distance between the forward take-down pin and the safety hole is 6.115", The Colfax shows 6.136" and the Quentin 6.160".

The Juggernaut jig I have appears to be set up for a Quentin spec. Although I have not drilled a practice piece yet, a rough measurement shows that hole location around 6.170" (Quentin).

Question:

Would I ruin the lower if I drilled it at the wider Quentin specs? The trigger/safety holes would be shifted back approx. .045" (according to the drawings). I don't know if this would cause any issues with whatever upper or trigger I get?  I don't know enough about the AR-308 (or billets for that matter) to know if this would cause a problem. My AR15 builds were all forged lowers and mil-spec. This 308 build is my first billet and a whole different animal!

I have not purchased an upper yet, but most likely it will be an LR308 or something from Palmetto (or perhaps build from scratch). I wanted to wait until my lower was finished before I got the upper just in case I hosed the machining process. And yes, I could always buy a stripped upper but how much is a ghost ultimately worth? *priceless*.

Thanks,

 

 

 

Edited December 3, 2022 by Meat_Popsicle

[shooterrex]

There is no milspec on these guns.

The upper and lower have to fit each other.

If you can't find an upper to fit that lower you are waisting your time.

Maybe you should find a 80% lower that is DPMS pattern to start with.

That way you won't have to modify your jig.

That would give you a much better chance of building a rifle that works.

[Meat_Popsicle]

The Ares lower I have IS a DPMS pattern. Apologies, I forgot to mention that.