Polymer80
Manufacturer of unfinished receiver kits for privately made firearms.
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Polymer80, Inc. was a Nevada-based company that made firearm parts kits, including unfinished receivers often called "80 percent" receivers, which people used to build their own guns at home. Loran Kelley Jr. and David Borges started the business in 2013, and it was headquartered in Dayton, Nevada. The company drew widespread attention because its products turned up frequently in crimes involving "ghost guns," leading to several lawsuits. Polymer80 shut down and began selling off its assets in July 2024.
Background
Under U.S. law, anyone in the business of making or selling firearms must have a Federal Firearms License and put serial numbers on their products. But making an unserialized gun for personal use is generally legal and unregulated at the federal level. The Gun Control Act defines a "firearm" as a single finished part—usually the frame or receiver—so unfinished receivers can be sold without a background check. Some states have passed laws restricting private gun-making, but these are controversial.
Finishing an unfinished receiver can be done with a drill press, a handheld rotary tool like a Dremel, or a specialty CNC machine such as the Ghost Gunner. Companies like Polymer80 sold kits with drill bits, stencils, and jigs to help home builders. In the 2010s, Polymer80 started selling polymer frames and receivers that could be finished with simple hand tools, and the company's name became a common term for "80 percent receivers."
The company was founded in March 2013. Its first product was an injection-molded AR-15 lower receiver, followed by AR-10 receivers and then pistol receivers. The name "Polymer80" combines the injection-molding process with the term "80% receivers." The first Glock-compatible handgun kit came out in 2016, with an updated version in 2017.
History
In 2019, the company added more Glock-compatible frames in different colors and grip options. That same year, Defense Distributed announced that its Ghost Gunner CNC machines could mill Polymer80's Glock 19-style frames. The company marketed its kits with the slogan "Buy Build Shoot."
Co-founder David Borges retired in 2021. Loran Kelley Sr., who became a partner in the company's first year, died in January 2022. Loran Kelley Jr. is the current president and CEO. According to The Daily Beast, Polymer80 received a $371,000 PPP loan in mid-2021 for its 31 employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lore & Background
The company was founded by Loran Kelley Jr. and David Borges in March 2013. The first project undertaken by the company was an injection molded AR-15 rifle lower receiver. The company then moved to AR-10 style rifle lower receivers, and finally pistol receivers.
The name of the company refers to the injection molding process combined with the common designation of unfinished receivers as "80% receivers." The first version of the Glock compatible handgun debuted in 2016, with a follow up that arrived in 2017. The company expanded the options available to consumers in 2019 by offering more Glock compatible frames in more colors and with more options for grip feel. In 2019, Defense Distributed announced that their Ghost Gunner automated CNC milling machines would be able to mill Glock 19-style Polymer80 compact frames. The company marketed its kits as "Buy Build Shoot." Co-founder David Borges retired in 2021.
Loran Kelley Sr., who became a partner in the first year of Polymer80, died in January 2022. Loran Kelly Jr. is the current President and CEO of the company. As of around July 25, 2024, Polymer80 has ceased business reportedly due to the overwhelming cost of defending itself in court, despite the fact that 80% gun frames continue to be proven legal in court.
Reader's Guide
Polymer80's significance lies in its role as a prominent manufacturer of unfinished receivers, which became central to the debate over privately made firearms, often called "ghost guns." The company's polymer-based kits allowed individuals to complete firearms with simple hand tools, lowering the barrier to home gun building. This accessibility led to widespread use in crimes, with the Los Angeles Police Department reporting that nearly 90 percent of privately made firearms recovered by the department in 2021 were from Polymer80. A 2022 study of firearms recovered by police in twelve American cities found Polymer80 to be the fifth most commonly found brand, at 3.8%. The company faced numerous lawsuits from cities and states, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, as well as from injured law enforcement officers.
The ATF raided the company's headquarters in December 2020. Despite legal victories—such as Nevada's state courts striking down a law that would criminalize receiver blank sellers and buyers—the company ultimately ceased operations in July 2024, reportedly due to the overwhelming cost of defending itself in court. Its legacy is tied to the ongoing legal and regulatory battles over unfinished receivers and the definition of a firearm under federal law.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Polymer80 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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