V Seven Enlightened Lithium AR15 Aluminum lowers

[fledge]

When I take it apart again, I'll weigh it.

SMOS sells a GFY lower...and calls it that...for a reason. Yes, you are absolutely right...but that has more to do with politics than it does "ideas".

I spoke with someone familiar with the matter that SMOS actually designed that set and retained ownership of the design. So I was alluding that original ideas even on hat project were also outside Noveske. And yes to the politics.

I think Noveske's ambi is Magpul's.

Good to see Joel doing what he's doing. He always answers my emails personally which speaks a lot about him.

[UWone77]

When I take it apart again, I'll weigh it.



I spoke with someone familiar with the matter that SMOS actually designed that set and retained ownership of the design.

And we have a winner....

[Joelski]

7075 Al-Li isn't a thing, either.
(however, 7075 WAS(when in vented)/IS(currently in use) Aerospace, as well... fun fact )

2055 and 2099 Al-Li is a thing, and both ARE Aerospace alloys, being currently used by Boeing because they reduce maintenance cycles, have enhanced corrosion resistance, decreased crack propagation propensities, and higher modulus of elasticity. They also weigh a few percent less. *all as compared to 7075

The only "flaw" with AlLi is how painstakingly careful the anodizer has to be to get Type III RIGHT, and increased tooling wear and different CNC programs to account for thermal and shift differences in the material when cutting. It literally trumps 7075 T651 in every aspect from strength to weight to rigidity to resistance to fatigue to corrosion resistance. There is NOTHING it does not do better.

But...7075 will also do the job of "M4 lower". I won't argue that in the least. That said, so will 6061. Would you like a 6061 lower for the same % less as Al-Li costs more, than 7075? Why or why not?

OP, did you double-check the ACTUAL weight on that lower acclaimed at 6.4oz? I am not at all saying Joel is not 100% accurate, I would just like a 3rd party verification.

Okay, since you apparently didn't read down and make note that I mis-stated. How about naming one aircraft that presently utilizes 2099? It doesn't have to be a Boeing. []

[fledge]

To add to the SMOS, Noveske, VSeven mystery...

Here's what I call the gen 1 (on top) and gen 2 SMOS SM upper receivers. Notice the difference at the top of the pillar. One is rounded.



Same Gen 2 receiver on bottom. On top is the VSeven Enlightened upper. Notice top of pillar.



Not just top of pillar, but the lines connect the upper and lower in the same places. Here's the SM upper on the VSeven lower. The match is the same on both sides.



The SM upper was discontinued around at the same time the VSeven upper went into production. The new VSeven Enlightened handguards also have similar cutouts and QD socket to the SM rails.





My hunch is that the SMOS designer designed the VSeven set based on the SM platform and because of that (and the success of GFY) discontinued the SM line.

We know Erath3 uses SMOS too... and I've seen striking similarities between Erath3 uppers and Radian (AXTS) uppers (like the way their logo/name is engraved on back of the pic rail on the upper receiver, though the latter claims to be all in house.

This is not to mention the Larue lower of years past.

Whatever the case, if I were a gun magazine journalist, I'd want to be talking to the SMOS designer cause he has quite the skills, artistry, and portfolio.

Some of this is mere consumer speculation so take it FWIW. Some of you may have found this obvious already and I'm just the latecomer. :)

[Axlnut]

This poor horse. Either way, let me throw in.

I've consulted with / worked with a few of the former Noveske guys, and here's my understanding of how it worked, and it should all make sense after this.

John had an open design policy for all employees. You have an idea? Sketch it, present it, see what everyone thinks. He encouraged learning and using the company CAD and prototyping to see what his people could come up with, collaboratively or on their own.

When ideas made the cut, John worked licensing and content creation to ensure the idea man benefited. That's why you've seen some familiar parts leave and pop up with former Noveske people after John's passing, and others are still getting checks from "new" Noveske.

A lot of parts from the PNW where born, at least in idea stage, at Noveske, from everyone involved. Some items out now were passed on at the time, some were in que when John passed, etc.

Hopefully this sheds some light on the potential dramas with the GFY stuff, the similar extrusion profiles (likely using the same dies for obvious reasons), and most importantly, the kind of man John was. In a way he gave us so much more than Noveske, because of how he treated his people.

[fledge]

I love that teamwork approach to business.

[JGifford]

Okay, since you apparently didn't read down and make note that I mis-stated. How about naming one aircraft that presently utilizes 2099? It doesn't have to be a Boeing. []

https://books.google.com/books?id=OG...airbus&f=false


There ya go.

[Joelski]

https://books.google.com/books?id=OG...airbus&f=false


There ya go.

Nice try. It's a proposed use.

[GOST]

Let's not litter up V Seven's thread.

[Joelski]

Let's not litter up V Seven's thread.

Agreed.

The lower looks great with a grip installed; the guard becomes less weird-looking and more new design. I would like to see a traditional FA upper, or a real innovative use of the empty space. Perhaps a place to park a spare bolt? Storage space grips sometimes do a great job of dropping the insert with a heavier item like a bolt housed in it. That space has so much more potential than being a slate for each designer's CNC doodles. Great evolution so far.

[fledge]

I prefer no FA, personally. I've been influenced by Clint Smith.

I think this particular set is a bit space-gun.

This is their second lower and third upper. Their first lower is traditional forged. They have a third lower just released which isn't space gun. I suspect they will have a more low key upper to go with it. Their first upper lacked FA and their current forged upper has FA. I expect both offerings to stay in production.

Would like to see them innovate worh bolts (like KAC), with ambi lower, and offer/educate on port sizes so that their pinned blocks will suit the end users application.

[JGifford]

Nice try. It's a proposed use.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...P77_Cv2H_j5fBw

Currently used. Exact phrase: "Two aluminum lithium (Al-Li) alloys of
the latest generation are qualified by Airbus and
currently applied in the A380 program: the
Alcan 2196 and the Alcoa 2099. They are used
for extruded crossbeams, longitudinal beams,
seat rails."

First paragraph under header "4.1 aluminum lithium alloys" .


That said, and back on track, what impresses me most about v7s rifle is the anodizing. Aluminum Lithium is a raging bitch to anodize, and this is part of why geissele discontinued their 2099 mounts. I think people who do not understand aluminum lithium fully, fail to fully appreciate just how much innovation Joel and his upper and lower set represent.

[Axlnut]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...P77_Cv2H_j5fBw

Currently used. Exact phrase: "Two aluminum lithium (Al-Li) alloys of
the latest generation are qualified by Airbus and
currently applied in the A380 program: the
Alcan 2196 and the Alcoa 2099. They are used
for extruded crossbeams, longitudinal beams,
seat rails."

First paragraph under header "4.1 aluminum lithium alloys" .


That said, and back on track, what impresses me most about v7s rifle is the anodizing. Aluminum Lithium is a raging bitch to anodize, and this is part of why geissele discontinued their 2099 mounts. I think people who do not understand aluminum lithium fully, fail to fully appreciate just how much innovation Joel and his upper and lower set represent.

Being one of the relatively few guys to go at said anodizing with both a blaster AND variety of scratchy implements that would make you cringe, it is tough as nails, well applied.

[JGifford]

Being one of the relatively few guys to go at said anodizing with both a blaster AND variety of scratchy implements that would make you cringe, it is tough as nails, well applied.

By virtue of what it takes to properly anodized 2000 series AlLi, I would expect it to be impressively tough.

[jerrysimons]

Apparently they like boxy handguards. Their newly released lower (7075) mostly keeps it and adds the Noveske-like magwell flair.



I didn't weight my lower to verify weight. I wasn't personally chasing ounces with this build.

Joel isn't the only idea guy. There is a reason SMOS sells the GFY that Noveske made popular.

Where did you get this lower pic?

My 2055 AL-Li LR Enlightened Lower is 6.4oz weighed (6.4oz spec)
My 2055 AL-Li LR Enlightened upper is 5.85oz weighed (5.8oz spec)

SMOS probably consulted or machines or even works for V Seven, IDK.

Joel and Crew got it going on. Don't forget about Todd K.

Also, how/where did you get your Dead Air Keymount Brake machined?