[Black92LX]

i would like to build an AR15. well pretty sure this is what i am going to do. SAR1 still isn't fully out of the picture.

But here is what I am looking at. I am looking at the Rock River Arms Standard A2.

Since this is a prebanner upper. does that mean i have to buy a preban lower or does that not matter.

Is there a better kit out there than the Rock River that is around $400??

Also is it best to get an aluminium or carbon fiber lower reciever?

http://www.rockriverarms.com/images/ustda2cm.gif

[cslinger]

In my experience it really doesn't save you all that much money to assemble one yourself.

You can get a Bushmaster 20 inch A2 for $699 for SOG or AIM. Factor in 20 bucks shipping and 20 bucks transfer and that is still a good deal on a Bushmaster fully chrome lined and warranteed rifle.

After much research if I were to build/assemble really an AR-15 I would go with a Rock River lower and a Bushmaster upper because I like the fully chrome lined barrel and chamber of the Bushmaster.

Personally I like the alloy lowers and just don't like the carbon fibre/plastic whatever lowers like from Cav arms. Nothing bad to say about them just that I don't care for the look or feel of them.

Good luck.
Chris

Oh and Bushmaster, RRA, Armalite, Colt etc. are all good brands with pros and cons. The Bushmaster does seem to give the most options for the money though and I have been totally happy with both of ours.

[BryanP]

Since this is a prebanner upper. does that mean i have to buy a preban lower or does that not matter.

It very much does matter. If you buy a separate lower you will almost certainly end up with a postban, in which case you MUST buy a postban upper to go with it or you are in deep legal doo doo. Basically postban = no flash hider and no bayonet lug.

If you're going to build one I would suggest the first two books on this page -

http://www.fulton-armory.com/M6Books.htm#Books

Lots of useful information.

[cslinger]

Geez, I'm sorry I totally forgot to mention the pre/post thing.


Chris

[Jack19]

You can build an AR for not a lot of money, but when I tried it I found that I wanted better parts and options that the cheap version wasn't going to provide.

I started out with RRA internal parts and an RRA lower, which I used. I decided I wanted a chrome lined barrel, which RRA only offers in M4gery format so I bought a Bushmaster complete barrel assembly with a Superlight barrel and attached a KKF fake flash hider. The upper is a RRA flat top and I bought a Bushmaster carry handle for it and an RRA fixed telestock.

Not the cheapest route but it shoots like a dream and is ULTRA reliable. But you can spend less with kits from Model 1 and the like.

If you're going the RRA route, I'd strongly advise that you order through Pete at Legal Transfers. Pete is a stand up guy and I can't recommend him enough. Legal Transfers (http://www.ar15sales.com/)

If you order through RRA directly you may be in for a wait.

go over to AR15.com and check out the industry section.

[gun-fucious]

Sarco and a couple of others have some really low cost stripped lowers & uppers right now in SGN.

~85 bucks for a Lower

:cool:

[Swampy]

Black92,

YOu can build an AR for right at $500 by going with a stripped lower receiver ($100 =/-) and a full AR kit (not just an assembled upper) for around $400 or $425.

I've built a few AR's this way, using stripped lowers from wherever has the best price at the moment, and full parts kits from both "Model 1 Sales" and from "M & A Parts".

The upper halves come pre-assembled, just like the one from RRA, so all you have to do is assemble the parts into the lower and you are ready to go.

All of these rifles that I've put together have had no trouble shooting sub-MOA at 100 yds with 5 shot groups of handloads.

BTW, the guys are right re the pre-post ban thing.... It's nigh on to IMPOSSIBLE to locate a bona-fide pre-ban lower receiver that has not already been assembled onto a rifle. Don't even think about it.....

You will have to buy a post-ban receiver and assemble it with a post-ban parts kit or upper.

Best of luck,
Swampy

[benewton]

While I've a "finished" upper, I've assembled a pair of stripped Olympic lowers. Both work well, though I seem to remember a two stage trigger in the A1 versions I trained on, and, in truth, I don't like the single stage version.

I'm not sure about how it'd work out on price, since the upper was, in my case, free, and, in any case, there's this headspace thingy I'd worry about doing any "from parts" upper, but I've always thought that the more you know about your weapons, the better. (The second will be, when funds become available, built into the "girl's gun", probably a 16" shaved upper with a laser or red dot sight.
Mine stays A2.)

So, I'd go ahead and do it.

And look and learn how all those little pieces of metal interact!

[curt]

IMO you won't save any money building one, especially if you factor in the cost of the tools you should use (though many don't). What you will get is an AR with all of the features you want with no "throwaway parts", the knowledge of how your rifle actuall works, and the bragging rights. What i mean by throw away parts is if you decide you want a better trigger or a different buttstock you're not paying for the standard stuff just to pull it out later to put the good stuff in.

The only thing you really gain with a preban is the ability to use a flash suppressor. The ability to put a collapsible stock and bayonet is not really a factor unless you just want it. FS are nice and all but you'll have to decide whether you want to pay the bucks. You'll also want to educate yourself about pre/post ban stuff, or wait until sept 04 when hopefully this BS willl go away.

Get an aluminum lower, CF do work but some have been problematic in the pas and the aluminum lower is a proven commodity. BTW the lower and the upper aren't really stressed parts. Headspace is determined by the part on the aft end of the barrel, the barrel extension, and the bolt. I've never heard of HS problems on ARs but i still use gauges on mine.

some other things to consider:
If your building a 'tactical' gun for defensive purposes you'll want a 16" chrome lined barrel in a lighter profile like the M4 or the bushy ligthweight.

Flattops are nice cause you can put doodads on them like an aimpoint for CQB or a scope for varmint shooting at a distance and swap out easily. Nothing wrong with an A2 carrry handle type though.

You may want to consider your handguards carefully. IF you're building a tactical gun you'll want to mount a light on the front end, if you're buidling a benchrest gun you'll want a "free float" HG. Don't get too carried away though or you can spend almost what you spent for the upper for a handquard.

Triggers are nice but not necessary. I have Accuracy Speaks single stage trigger on my social guns and a Millazo-Krieger double stage on my BR gun. Many swear by RRs triggers.

[444]

You don't make any mention of doing this to try to save money, so I won't go there. I think it is a great idea to put together your own rifle. You can build it the way you want it from the get go and have a complete understanding of the weapon when you are done. The AR15 lends itself to this because putting one together is pretty darn easy.
I have never owned a Rock River product, but I have always heard good things about them. I personally like Bushmaster. I demand a chrome chamber and barrel. I have used Bushmaster parts on all my home assembled receivers. Don't try to save a few bucks by buying parts of unknown origin. The lower receiver parts are not expensive to begin with.

I would get a standard aluminum lower receiver. If you have a pre-ban lower you can put any upper on it you want. If you have a post-ban lower you have to put a post-ban upper on it. You will not find a pre-ban lower because in order to qualify as a pre-ban receiver it must have left the factory as a fully assembled rifle. If someone purchased a warehouse full of lower receivers in 1990, they would have to sell them today as post-ban receivers. I own one of the plastic Cavalry Arms lowers and it is a good deal if you choose to go that way.

If I was you, I would get a flat top upper. This seems to be a point of contention, but it gives you more options.

[TechBrute]

Are you doing this on the cheap? Are you looking for a tack driver? what are your needs in an AR?

[Black92LX]

what are my needs in an AR. i don't really have one. i like to shoot them and they are fairly cheap to shoot. i would like one because they are accurate and enjoyable. also becuase it's one of those evil black guns.:D

i guess my main reason is i want to build a gun. i would like the feeling of pride everytime i shoot it because i built it and made it what it is. i don't really know of a gun that is as bulidable (mean prevalant parts kits) like the AR.

[TechBrute]

Good enough reason for me. If you just want to build an inexpensive one, get a kit from Model 1 Sales (http://www.model1sales.com). You can get a complete kit starting at $400. With a lower for around $100, you have a $500 AR. Obviously, the sky's the limit on an AR, too. Get yourself a pre-ban lower with a Magpul stock and a SPR upper from MSTN (http://mstn.biz), and you might just see the far side of $5K after you put glass on it.

[Black92LX]

So i need one of these kits Standard Rifle (http://www.model1sales.com/catalog-list.cfm?Category=01&Subcat=Standard%20Rifle)

and a stripped lower reciever. that's it right?? is a model one stripped lower good or does someone else make a better one??

what are the differences in barrell length?

[falconer]

I just got done building my AR a few weeks ago. What I gathered from ar15.com was that the parts kits from Model 1, M&A parts, and J&T Distributing were all about the same quality.

I opted for a Model 1 kit. I got the 20" A3 with an aluminum float tube. I bought a Rock River Arms lower from Lexington Arms. The total cost for me was $570 ( $99 shipped for the lower, $20 FFL fee, $453 shipped for the parts kit).

The only tricky part in assembling the lower was the detent pin/spring for the take down pins. Cutting a few coils off the spring makes it much easier.

If you don't already have a good set of punches, you might as well order those too.
http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=554054

[gun-fucious]

saving money on a Model 1 internal parts kit may be a false economy

i would buy the internals from Bushmaster
http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/lowers/alowkit.asp
$ 64.95

parts is parts, but why are Model 1 parts cheaper?

Bushmaster buys 1st quality inspected hardware

Model 1's is 52 bucks
http://www.model1sales.com/item-detail.cfm?ID=LRP001&storeid=1&image=lowerparts.gif

13 bucks is not gonna break the bank and it might save you an hour at the gunsmith...

[TechBrute]

Funny you should mention that. I just got done giving BM a verbal beating over the phone in regards to one of their parts kits. The bolt catch was too short, causing the corner of it to bind up in the bolt. They are making good on it, but I wanted it to be correct in the first place. I'll take my chances with any of the major names. So far I've had bolt catch problems with BM and DPMS. This is in two different lower builds I've done. I have LPKs from BM, DPMS, RRA, M1S, and Armalite. They've all worked fine with the exception of the two bolt catches.