Is building your own lower cheaper?

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gga357

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I have thought about building my own lower and have looked at the prices of the major components. Collapsible stock, MAID grip, drop in trigger and lower plus the "other" parts/internals and I am not too sure that I would come out ahead after buying an upper for the lower. I am talking about a higher end gun tacticool if you will. I am looking either for a LWRC, LM or POF upper to go with this lower. I might go the SBR route. So when I see the prices for the uppers and prices for the entire rifle I don’t think I will save money. I might save time because the uppers are somewhat more available than rifles.

Also if anyone has references for the build of the lower that would be great. A book from Amazon, online instructions with pics or utube would be great. That way I will decide if I want to go this route. Oh also any special tools?

Thanks.
 
You don't need anything other than a hammer, some gunsmith punches, and maybe a fine file. (I used a file to loosen up the bolt catch, it wouldn't swing freely in the slot.) The trickiest part is holding the forward push-pin detent and spring in place while you put in the pin. Brownell's sells a tool for it, which might not be worth it for one build, but might pay for itself when you see how easy this whole process is and decide to do several more.

As far as parts go, I think you have to spend a LOT before you see a difference between a basic DPMS or similar kit or any premium guts sets. If you want to get into two-stage or modular triggers like the Chip McCormack, they might actually be easier to install if you think you want one.

Understand that you must include a stock of some kind to hold in a spring, it falls out without one. Google "AR lower assembly instructions" and you will be bombarded with all the info you need to put it together. After you have done it once, you won't need the instructions to do it again, as long as you keep track of which spring is which.
 
Let me answer since I've built a few.
No it isn't.
Yes it is.
It can be.
It depends on if you get deals or what parts you go with.
It depends on how you look at it.
It doesn't matter because you'll still do it any way.

And that was before Obama.

I think it is a good way to go since sooner or later you will want full understanding of the inner workings, if you don't already have it.
 
The trickiest part is holding the forward push-pin detent and spring in place while you put in the pin.
Click to expand...
Hahahaha, It is true!!! It took me 15min to get it out.... 35min to find the parts that flew out, and 30 min to get it back together!!! I think I could strip 95% of the rifle and have it back together in the time it took me to do that damn pin!!!!

I also shot myself in the nose with the recoil buffer detent!

Very easy to build if your good at tinkering or following instructions...
 
You will START with a lower overall cost than buying one, but what happens is, you realize how easy it is to switch these parts out, you get the Brownell's AR catalog, (which is free, and you SHOULD get it,) and you see all kinds of cool add-ons you never knew you needed until you saw them in there. Then the fun starts.
 
I can say that it's no cheaper to make from an 80% receiver if you don't already have the equipment.
 
Several tricks of assembly:
The roll pin for the bolt catch can be chamfered little to start easier. NOT SHARPENED but chamfered. Another option is to put a small hole through thin metal as a starter.

You can put a set screw to keep the spring in the stock end. Drill & tap existing hole before hand.

The takedown pin detents can be handled a number of ways. 1 is a clevis pin. put the clevis pin through the receiver. Line the holes in the pin & receiver. Push the spring & detent through the pin & into the receiver. Rotate the pin 90. the spring & detent is now captive. Now push the pin out with the detent pin end to end.

You can also hold the pin with a thin piece of sheetmetal.

One thing I saw a guy on the net take a cardboard box cut 2 hand holes & cover the opening with saran wrap, like a sandblast cabinet. If a part went flying in stayed in the box. i think you do just the box if you kept the springs pointed into the box.
 
build one. then see what the price of an already built one is. what do you have to lose. I built one. it was:
$175 for a cmmg stripper lower
$65 for a Tapco 6 position stock
$190 for 2 stage jewel trigger
$55 for Del-Ton pins and springs kit (came with a trigger/hammer).
like WNTFW said, it depends on what you get.
 
Mine was $115 for a DPMS stripped lower from Impact, $55 for a guts kit from FBMG, $16 for a pmag from FBMG, (I should have bought more,) and a 6 pos a buddy of mine had lying around. I'll replace it with a better one later. I used a punch from my toolbox and the file on my leatherman.

I'm going to do some silly accessorization. It's like reloading. The overall cost may be lower, but because you think you're getting ahead, you do it MORE.
 
you can do a budget build and save money by assembling the lower yourself.

I slapped a very nice quality (custom laser engraved) Anvil Arms lower on a Delton 16" middy kit, with a pair of mags for $675 (including all shipping and FFL costs).

This was last spring before the Obamination.

You save 10% right off the bat, because the Feds sneak a tax in on the rifle manufacturers.

No special tools required if you by the upper pre-assembled.

Lot's of options out there.... head on over to AR15.com and read, read, read.
 
Who is gonna want it?
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I don't know, but there seems to be quite a market for them right now.

If you use quality parts, and do a good job, the rifle will stand out on it's own.

I would not worry about resale.

Half the fun of AR's is customizing them.
 
I think you need to take into account that if you ever have to sell it, there is going to be a limited market and poor resale value on a gun you cobble together in your garage.

Who is gonna want it?
Click to expand...

If it's that big a concern take it back apart and sell the parts individually just like they were bought and recoup the cost that way. Then someone else can buy them and put it back together if they're worried that much.
 
I don't think it fair to say resale is irrelevant. Colt's cost more than Bushmasters, but when you try to sell them, you will probably recoup a higher percentage of the original cost. I would say its very relevant. I don't mean to disrespect those of you with enough skill to build your own lower, but I think resale should not be disregarded. Even if you don't plan on selling it now, you never know what you condition might be in a couple of years.
 
Depends on why you're building it. If you're doing it for a relatively basic build "on the cheap", then yeah, you can save cash, if that's your point. If you're trying to be nitpicky and make it perfect.....no. There, the draw is that you can spread out the acquisition cost of the different components, and make it perfect the first time through.

Me? Have one, going to build an A2 (I've just always wanted one, so hush), and am going to then tinker around/modify the various parts on my 16" AR as I see fit--because now that I've owned one for a while, my ideas on what's good and what's not, and what works for me, has changed a bit.

To each their own.
 
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