Psychobilly Grendel

Well, a lot of it depends on what you want. I like the A2 stock, I generally use Del Ton (about $70) parts due to being in stock. I prefer Stag, but availability is lower. What kind of trigger do you want? I like the Hiperfire sharpshooter (about $90 -$100) over milspec, but you'll still need the lower assembly kit to finish the lower. As for uppers, I've bought a couple of BCM scratch and dents for about $60, super fast shipping, great product. At that point, decide what bolt and barrel you want. I've used a lot of PSA stuff with good results over the years. Recently I've been buying from Bear Creek Arsenal. Their prices are great, shipping and quality are perfectly serviceable. Gas block and carry handle/ forearm will depend on your barrel/ gas block selection. Is it a competition match grade rifle built to dominate competition, or something you'll prop on the tailgate with your buddies? If this is the only rifle you'll build, find a buddy who has the tools, hell PM me. If not, factor in the cost of a basic AR tool kit. I recommend having one anyway because after you build one, you'll build another one.

OrangeCat said:

As far as triggers with a few exceptions everything I own is surplus with supposedly crappy triggers so I'm fine with milspec.

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Thats a good attitude. I love a great trigger as much as the next guy but a standard military weight trigger shouldn't be a handicap - we aren't talking about shooting a skittle at 800 yards. But if you're building on a budget (sounds like you are) the standard trigger will function fine and does smooth out some with use.

So I would advise you to built the lower you want, and I do recommend upgrading the trigger assembly, put and A2 stock on it and then buy an upper of your choice. If .223 is legal in you're area to take deer, then that will work. I've seen it work to great effect myself (shot placement). Once you have the lower sorted out to your liking, the upper is where you can really tailor it to your needs.

Edit: That shot was with a Milspec trigger.

Well, up at the courthouse they didn’t laugh
‘Cause to type it up it took the whole staff
And when they got through the title weighed 50 lb!

You should keep us posted on the progress and what parts you go with. Also trying my hand at a (my first) build.

Olon said:

Well, up at the courthouse they didn’t laugh
‘Cause to type it up it took the whole staff
And when they got through the title weighed 50 lb!

You should keep us posted on the progress and what parts you go with. Also trying my hand at a (my first) build.

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Be careful, it likely won't be your last!

I built my latest AR by only buying parts on sale from Primary Arms, Midway USA and Amazon. I had everything put together for around $450 when I figured I needed an adjustable gas block and then I decided to Cerakote it so there went my “budget AR”.

I live in CA now do I had to make it PC...I decided it should be featureless because I wanted detachable mags.

Here it is without the backup sights. I got the Sig Romeo 5 for $100 and I put Magpul MBUS on it. I guess I need to take a new photo of it.

lets throw some parts out there. Lets finish your lower first.

lower parts kit for $40-60
stock assembly for $50-70ish.

upper: you could go cheap with something like this bear creek for $250 complete. https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/bc...le-length-gas-system-1-8-twist-w-15-mlok-rail

or build your own.
bold: $75 toolcraft https://www.huckleberryarms.com/TOOLCRAFT-6-5-GRENDEL-BLACK-NITRIDE-BCG-p/tcinc_6.5g_bn.htm
upper: I like this anderson for $40 https://aimsurplus.com/anderson-manufacturing-lightweight-sport-ar-upper-receiver/ as I have no use for a forward assist.
barrel: as cheap as bear creek (hit or miss quality) for $60, or as high as $250 for a ballistic advantage https://www.ballisticadvantage.com/20-inch-65-grendel-dmr-fluted-midlength-ss-premium-barrel.html mmmm, look at that barrel. I'd love to have that barrel. Or even higher for something nicer.
gas tube - $12
charging handle - 12
adjustable gas block - maybe 40. I'm using this one https://www.wojtekweaponry.com/Wojtek-Weaponry-750-Adjustable-Clamp-Gas-Block_p_27.html without complaint.
handguard: ebay used to be drowning in cheap handguards of middling quality, but they have mostly vanished for whatever reason. I did find this one https://www.ebay.com/itm/17-inch-M-...111387?hash=item4d7c2267db:g:0jAAAOSwmVdbkM0b for $65 You can pay a lot more, and they are a little nicer, but really, it's cosmetic. I will not affect accuracy at all, and it seems like you want to contain costs. Found them over on aliexpress. $35 for a 15 or 17" handguard. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/329...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_1,searchweb201603_52 I have been very impressed with the utg pro handguards. you can get a 17" for about $115 https://www.opticsplanet.com/leaper...handguard.html?_iv_code=LP-HZ-SD231-MTU037SSM after coupon.
$10 thread protector or flash hider.

so $350-800 depending on how fancy you want to go. divide either number by 12 and there is your monthly cost.

PSA has a couple Grendel uppers in stock if you want to save time/effort on building the upper. Both have adjustable gas blocks too.

$349
https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...ainless-steel-15-m-lok-upper-with-bcg-ch.html

$379
https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...eight-m-lok-upper-with-bcg-ch-5165448709.html

From there, you just need to figure out the parts you want for the lower. For me, the biggest decision as far as that goes would be the trigger, and that just depends on your preference.

The other big one would be the stock. You could go with a standard A2. I personally wanted a "fixed" stock for the solid feel but didn't want to switch out the reciever extension. I went with the Strike Industries Modular Fixed Stock. It's inexpensive and gives you the solid feel of a fixed stock with the ability to tweak LOP. I also really like the look, but that's a personal preference.

Pat Riot said:

I built my latest AR by only buying parts on sale from Primary Arms, Midway USA and Amazon. I had everything put together for around $450 when I figured I needed an adjustable gas block and then I decided to Cerakote it so there went my “budget AR”.

I live in CA now do I had to make it PC...I decided it should be featureless because I wanted detachable mags.

Here it is without the backup sights. I got the Sig Romeo 5 for $100 and I put Magpul MBUS on it. I guess I need to take a new photo of it.
View attachment 866316

View attachment 866317

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I appreciate the skill and effort put into that rifle, great job! But man, can a politician screw up something beautiful?

Expect to spend probably $400-$500 or so to build one using decent parts. Could be done for less, could be done for much more. Really depends on how much you want to spend and what your personal tastes are.

You can put a lower together on your kitchen table in about 15 minutes with normal tools. A2 stocks go on without having to have a special wrench or anything. Just need a screwdriver, allen wrench, and you have to put in a couple roll pins.

The upper does take a little more tools to put the barrel nut on. At a minimum you need a vice to hold the reciever while you torque the nut. The military style barrel nuts require a special spanner wrench. Many free float handguards barrel nuts go on with just an adjustable wrench.

The whole thing is quite easy and straight forward. If you are mechanically inclined it will not be a big project.

James Fonteneaux said:

I appreciate the skill and effort put into that rifle, great job! But man, can a politician screw up something beautiful?

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I agree But, believe it or not, that stock is is comfortable and intuitive. I actually like it. Once you get past the thought that it’s weird looking on an AR, of course. It’s great for shooting, but it makes carrying it a bit odd. You keep thinking “This just ain’t right.”

Will it be on there once I leave CA after I retire? Probably not.

I'm doing a budget 6.5 Grendel and I started with a Bear Creek Arsenal 24"upper for less than $200 on sale, a Aero lower from my safe for $40, a LPK with stock $70, Vortex scope $100, scope mounts $40, mags $12 each and ammo $20 a box.
Everything goes together easily with few tools, wrench and blocks probably $30-$50 and punch set (I purchased some brass ones and a starting punch set) I use the exacto knife to hold the springs in and build the lower inside a big clear plastic bag to catch anything that gets away.

It's incredibly good advice. I've been doing that for awhile now. I chased detent springs around the shop for way too long the fist time.

Plastic bag trick is of huge importance. I lost a detent when a covey of AR parts flushed and flew off of the coffee table when I built my first rifle. It still has a piece of clothes hanger in it serving as a detent. It makes opening the takedown pins difficult and I let it serve as a reminder to not get in a hurry. It’s on the front, and I never pull the upper off of that lower, but I know it’s there.

The bag trick was shown to me a couple of yrs ago, so far no lost parts. The Bear Creek Arsenal uppers come fully assembled and the m-lok appears thicker than my others, I disassembled it and checked everything out and all was good, the BCG is included unlike a lot of others. I have regular triggers that I polished with toothpaste and trimmed the spring.

OrangeCat said:

(Red dots tend to have a Halo or something like that around them and I think it's me)

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This is common with people who have astigmatism.

https://www.at3tactical.com/blogs/news/ar-15-red-dot-sights-and-astigmatism

OrangeCat said:

I do have to ask because I can't quite tell but is this your handguard.

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The Timber Creek handguard you linked wasn’t the correct handguard for the picture you quoted.

The handguard in the pic appears to be an older Diamondhead VRS keymod handguard.

OrangeCat said:

I do have to ask because I can't quite tell but is this your handguard.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/timber-creek-enforcer-15-m-lok-black-hand-guard-m-e15-hg-blk.html

I ask because there is a closeout shop in the area with two of them around $60 and I was wondering if anyone has one and how they like it.

They seem a little heavy by themselves but that may feel different on a rifle and they are very very red and shiny but if they drop a little bit more or are a good value then I may find a way to make it work.

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No, my handguard is a Diamondhead key mod 15”. I really didn’t care what attachment system it had when I bought it. I was more interested in the picatinny rail.
This one is an M Lock.
https://www.primaryarms.com/diamondhead-handguard-vrs-t-556-free-float-m-lok-series-3-15in

I like the shape of it for getting a decent grip on the forend when shooting. It also has small indents like finger grooves.

Here is my "One Piece at a Time" build.

Lower: Stag blem 61.99 shipped
A2 stock: Delton 64.95
Upper: BCM blem 65.90
Barrel: Bear Creek 20" stainless heavy profile 84.86
Handguard: Bear Creek 17" lightweight keymod 50.99
Muzzle brake: Brownells 40.99
Gas block: Brownells Odin works 27.55
Stainless gas tube: Brownells 31.99
EDT Sharpshooter Trigger 94.05 (Brownells)
BCG: PSA nickel boron 99.99
Charging Handle: PSA, odin works extended 42.75

Grip and LPK of your choice

This rifle is chambered in .223 wylde, so different caliber but same idea. I'm sure if a guy wanted to he could shave some dollars off of this total, but this is what I did. I left the optics out of it, there's way too many options, preferences. I'm relatively new to aftermarket handguards, and this is my first extended charging handle. I wish I had allowed myself to discover them sooner! Good luck with your build and have fun with it!