PROS & CONS
Before we dig in, here is a quick list of pros and cons up front.
Pros:
- Well made, high quality lower
- Versatile – adapts to standard upper receivers
- Adjustable stock and pistol grip are first-rate
- Flared magazine well
- Flat-faced trigger
- Shoots fast in binary mode
- Reliable
Cons:
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Requires practice to control long bursts
BINARY Trigger
Binary trigger systems are a novel idea with practical applications. Unlike a semi-automatic trigger that fires once per trigger pull, binary triggers fire when pulled and when released. This simple idea makes a semi-automatic firearm fire very fast.
Since 2010, Franklin Armory of Minden, Nevada, has been producing trigger kits to convert a semi-automatic trigger to binary. These kits are available for Ruger 10/22 actions, Glock pistols, AR-15 actions, and others. Now, the company makes complete lower receivers for AR-15-type firearms, completed firearms, and .22 rimfire rifles and pistols.
LIBERTAS LOWER
This high-quality billet-machined complete lower is ready to mate to my upper receiver. Manufactured from solid 7075-T6 aluminum, it has a quality feel that is solid. Cast receivers seem to miss this feature.
The B5 Systems SOPMOD adjustable stock is a good choice. The ambidextrous cheek risers conceal small storage compartments for spare parts or oil. It is positive in its locking points and has a wide length of pull range to fit any shooter. The ERGO pistol grip is a rubber-coated longer grip with finger grooves. It gives me a fine sense of control when aiming. A flared magazine well allows fast reloads and mag ejections.
Rifles are only as good as their triggers. The flat-faced Franklin Armory AR-Elite trigger allows my trigger finger to feel the shot break. The large trigger guard can accommodate a fat gloved finger, and the trigger is longer than a standard AR-15 trigger.
On the left side of the receiver, bright red highlights the ambidextrous safety selector switch, which moves easily from safe to semi-automatic to binary mode. Although the selector appears the same as on a fully automatic firearm, it is not. When placed in the binary position, the internal sear mechanism will allow the firearm to fire once when the trigger is pulled and once when it is released. It is therefore classed as a semi-automatic firearm by the ATF and legal in most states.
MY UPPER RECEIVER
The beauty of buying a Franklin Armory complete lower is its versatility. I can attach it to an upper, and my Davidson Defense Wallbreaker 16-inch 5.56 NATO caliber upper receiver is a great choice. It has a full-length Picatinny rail and KeyMod-holed aluminum handguard. I have attached a vertical grip and forward short Picatinny rail to allow me to add a bipod or laser sight.
My scope is an NcStar 1-6x24 variable with lighted reticle. This etched reticle allows me to hold over for longer shots, and the scope caps can be removed to allow more precise adjustments.
No AR-15 is complete without a suppressor. The Banish Speed K Ti is a light, portable can that’s barely noticeable on the end of the barrel. Although not the quietest silencer for the .223/5.56 round, it takes the bark out of shooting without weighing me down. Its titanium construction means strength while presenting a minimalist profile at the muzzle.
The Complete Package
Assembled, this is a formidable rifle capable of good accuracy out to at least 300 yards. The Libertas lower feels solid, and aiming is steady. It fits precisely to my upper receiver, so there is no wobble between the two.
Controls are precise. The magazine release and bolt hold-open work well with no slop. The B-5 stock adjusts accurately, and the rubber butt plate grips my shoulder well with no tendency to slide.
Despite a slightly heavy 5-pound pull, the flat-faced trigger has little creep and breaks crisply. I do not expect it to be a target-grade trigger, given that it must also function as a binary trigger.
Libertas Lower SPECS
- Overall Length: 16 to 18.5 inches
- Length of Pull: 12.75 to 14.75 inches
- Weight: 2.5 pounds
- Trigger: 5 pounds, AR-Elite flat-faced
- Action: Semi-automatic, single, and binary
- Material: Billet-machined 7075-T6 aluminum
- Stock: B5 Systems SOPMOD
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Pistol Grip: ERGO grip
On the Range
Combined with my 16-inch heavy upper, the Franklin Armory Libertas lower receiver feels solid. Heavy is good when controlling a fast-shooting gun. Shooting PMC Bronze .223-caliber 55-grain bullets in both FMJ and pointed soft points, 30 rounds are gone in an instant in binary mode. The soft-point ammo turns root beer into mist at 25 yards.
The advantage of a binary trigger is to make controlled double taps on target, and with a little practice, I can double tap steel plates at 25 and 50 yards. The solid feel of the pistol grip and stock help me control the rifle for accuracy.
A Vortex carbon fiber tripod with a universal rifle clamp and gimbal head makes it easier to hit the 50-yard steel plate every time. Shooting in binary mode feels different. There is more felt recoil, and the rifle can spray bullets randomly. This is not bad, but it requires a firm grip to control a two-shot double tap.
