new to the thought,
- Thread starter lxd55
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It is a good time to buy a complete gun, no doubt about it.
It is also a good time to buy a nice upper and build or buy a lower for cheap as well. AR enthusiasts haven't had it this good in about six years.
If anyone has been thinking of getting an AR,, but holding out until things got better, this appears to be the window of opportunity they have been looking for.
It is also a good time to buy a nice upper and build or buy a lower for cheap as well. AR enthusiasts haven't had it this good in about six years.
If anyone has been thinking of getting an AR,, but holding out until things got better, this appears to be the window of opportunity they have been looking for.
C5rider
Member
/\/\/\/\/\
THIS!!!
I am by no means knowledgeable of the AR platform, but I have to say that the pendulum has definitely swung in the direction of the AR enthusiast!
I debated about buying or building one and figured I'd go the assembled upper and lower route. That affords me the option of picking more of what I wanted and still giving me the relative assurance of correct assembly and that all the parts were included.
THIS!!!
I am by no means knowledgeable of the AR platform, but I have to say that the pendulum has definitely swung in the direction of the AR enthusiast!
I debated about buying or building one and figured I'd go the assembled upper and lower route. That affords me the option of picking more of what I wanted and still giving me the relative assurance of correct assembly and that all the parts were included.
dusty14u
Member
I just went through this and built a really nice AR for low bucks. I bought a blemished complete lower from PSA with free shipping for $149. I wanted a 20" barrel so I ended up buying a Del-Ton 20" upper with bolt carrier and charging handle from Buds for $385. It came with a flat rail and forward sight so I just needed to put on a rear sight to have a fully functional AR.
All my scopes and red dots are on QD bases so I put a 1-4 x 28mm Konus and took it to the range. It ran well and out of the box was shooting near moa. The reason it didn't was most likely due to me.
I couldn't believe the value I got for the money. The prices on components are dropping and the quality seems to be higher now than ever before.
All my scopes and red dots are on QD bases so I put a 1-4 x 28mm Konus and took it to the range. It ran well and out of the box was shooting near moa. The reason it didn't was most likely due to me.
I couldn't believe the value I got for the money. The prices on components are dropping and the quality seems to be higher now than ever before.
Frosty Dave
Member
It's only the first one that's a hassle. Depending on how involved you want to get, you may end up buying special tools like an upper fixture and a barrel nut wrench that you wouldn't need if you just bought a complete rifle or complete upper. You may pay a lot of small shipping charges by buying tools and parts one or two at a time. If you don't know about things like the difference between mil spec and commercial buffer tubes, you might end up buying some things twice. If you want to sell it later, a Colt will hold its value better than your pride and joy – because to someone else it's just a frankengun. These are all part of the tuition you might pay for the satisfaction of learning to build it yourself.
The second AR is less hassle, and once the incurable Black Rifle Disease strikes you, that spare buffer tube will be the start of your next build. And why shouldn't it be? Why heck, you already have the tools!
Don't laugh, spare spring kits can be enough of an infection to spread BRD throughout your gun safe and bank account.
The second AR is less hassle, and once the incurable Black Rifle Disease strikes you, that spare buffer tube will be the start of your next build. And why shouldn't it be? Why heck, you already have the tools!
Don't laugh, spare spring kits can be enough of an infection to spread BRD throughout your gun safe and bank account.
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It should be based on what your end use will be. If it's a 5.56 berm blaster, just buy off the rack. If you have a specific gun in mind that isn't generally available, then you build.
Start with an assessment of what target at what range? If it's paper, stick with cheap 5.56 under 500m, or consider an alternate if longer. You base the build on how far the bullet has to go, and how much power it has to carry to strike the target effectively (or ethically.) Get the cartridge defined for the job the gun will do 85% of the time, it will be the optimal choice.
That sets the barrel length, which sets the gas, which sets the handguard, then the trigger. After that, you add a flattop to connect to a lower to connect to a stock. And that is pretty much the priority of importance in the build. Too many build them backwards starting with the roll mark and working their way back to the flash hider. It's typical, and backwards. The gun is a launching tube for the bullet, focus on that and the optics first.
Here's where everybody details what they built (often in excruciating detail.) I wanted a deer rifle for broken woodland hunting in the Ozarks, max range is down a field maybe to 250m. I built a 6.8SPC with ARP recon barrel, nitrided, matching headspaced bolt and carrier. All the rest is window dressing, an AGP lower with trigger set screw, an LAR blem upper. I'm changing the furniture right now, a free float is in the mail. It's a lot of money spent for looks, it was an A1 with rifle handguard. It will be a MFT Minimalist with Apex Gator Grip. And, it absolutely will not be black, isn't now and won't be.
Biggest decision up front, will you build milspec with a pinned FSB, or go clamp-on gas block? I went clamp-on, I will have no trouble taking the barrel down and won't need to cut any delta rings or springs, which I can use on another rifle. It will likely take about 30 minutes to swap on the freefloat - not hours drilling out the pins and leaving ugly channels in the barrel to cover up. The military did that for a reason, if you are doing combat exits out a hatch, pin it. If not, don't hurt yourself later.
Other than that, read the assembly stickies at arfcom, and don't feel like you need to buy any special tools. They are just exactly that - common mechanics tools can and will do the job if you are building it to USE it, not store it as a safe queen. Worrying about getting a scratch in it is wasted effort if it's going to fall over in the hunting zone parking lot on grade rock in the early morning . . .
Start with an assessment of what target at what range? If it's paper, stick with cheap 5.56 under 500m, or consider an alternate if longer. You base the build on how far the bullet has to go, and how much power it has to carry to strike the target effectively (or ethically.) Get the cartridge defined for the job the gun will do 85% of the time, it will be the optimal choice.
That sets the barrel length, which sets the gas, which sets the handguard, then the trigger. After that, you add a flattop to connect to a lower to connect to a stock. And that is pretty much the priority of importance in the build. Too many build them backwards starting with the roll mark and working their way back to the flash hider. It's typical, and backwards. The gun is a launching tube for the bullet, focus on that and the optics first.
Here's where everybody details what they built (often in excruciating detail.) I wanted a deer rifle for broken woodland hunting in the Ozarks, max range is down a field maybe to 250m. I built a 6.8SPC with ARP recon barrel, nitrided, matching headspaced bolt and carrier. All the rest is window dressing, an AGP lower with trigger set screw, an LAR blem upper. I'm changing the furniture right now, a free float is in the mail. It's a lot of money spent for looks, it was an A1 with rifle handguard. It will be a MFT Minimalist with Apex Gator Grip. And, it absolutely will not be black, isn't now and won't be.
Biggest decision up front, will you build milspec with a pinned FSB, or go clamp-on gas block? I went clamp-on, I will have no trouble taking the barrel down and won't need to cut any delta rings or springs, which I can use on another rifle. It will likely take about 30 minutes to swap on the freefloat - not hours drilling out the pins and leaving ugly channels in the barrel to cover up. The military did that for a reason, if you are doing combat exits out a hatch, pin it. If not, don't hurt yourself later.
Other than that, read the assembly stickies at arfcom, and don't feel like you need to buy any special tools. They are just exactly that - common mechanics tools can and will do the job if you are building it to USE it, not store it as a safe queen. Worrying about getting a scratch in it is wasted effort if it's going to fall over in the hunting zone parking lot on grade rock in the early morning . . .
Mohave-Tec
Member
I love assembling an AR top to bottom.
I enjoy building them too. As for cost, it has been generally a wash. I like that u can build a custom rifle yourself. I'll generally wait for sales on quality parts that I want, and put it together. Then when someone brags about their store bought $2000 AR, I can say that mine is better, and is totally custom.
(flame retardant clothing is on now lol)
(flame retardant clothing is on now lol)
P.B.Walsh
Member
Get on PSA's email list, they usually have some great daily deals, just be ready to buy, as they go out of stock QUICKLY.
I'm builing right now, well, the lower. I'll be ordering a complete upper.
I'm builing right now, well, the lower. I'll be ordering a complete upper.
up 2 snuff
Member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2014
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- 40
ARs are easy to build. There are several good UTube videos that walk you right through the whole process. It is a great way to learn the gun.
Right on with the PSA build. I have two cold hammer forged mid lengths and both are sub MOA.
If you are patient and learn the PSA pricing game you can build a solid gun for about $550, or you can pay $900-1000 for a comparable gun. Buy the complete upper and the LPK separate. Buy your lower from a gun show or shop to avoid transfer fees.
Good luck!
Right on with the PSA build. I have two cold hammer forged mid lengths and both are sub MOA.
If you are patient and learn the PSA pricing game you can build a solid gun for about $550, or you can pay $900-1000 for a comparable gun. Buy the complete upper and the LPK separate. Buy your lower from a gun show or shop to avoid transfer fees.
Good luck!
tactikel
Member
I built during the peak of the "misery". I wasn't going to pay $$$ for an AR. I found a stripped lower, and bought components as I could afford.
It was really fun, and I know my carbine inside out. I'm already planning a 6.8 SPC upper for Deer. The cost is a wash, but I can make it exactly as I wish.
It was really fun, and I know my carbine inside out. I'm already planning a 6.8 SPC upper for Deer. The cost is a wash, but I can make it exactly as I wish.
maxxhavoc
Member
I just finished building a 9mm AR. It was a rewarding exercise, and it felt good to shoot it for the first time. Especially since it ran perfectly.
With that said, if you are looking at a 5.56, it would probably be a good bit cheaper to buy an assembled rifle or a built lower and a built upper. As others have said, watch PSA for deals...they have some good ones.
With that said, if you are looking at a 5.56, it would probably be a good bit cheaper to buy an assembled rifle or a built lower and a built upper. As others have said, watch PSA for deals...they have some good ones.
If you buy the built two halves, you save some tax money on the price in exchange for no warranty on the whole gun.
If you build it yourself, you battle paying retail for every part, vs the makers giving you their reduced prices because they buy volume at a 1,000 piece rate. That is why the shoppers can get under $600, and the real specific parts hunters often pay $1000, like me. Don't forget that each part shipped separately has it's own shipping charges, $10-15 every box adds up fast.
And you can also say you assembled it, vs shoving two pins into the lower, which can be considered operator maintenance. In other words, in the heirarchy of builders, it's not all that.
About the hardest part of the typical assembly are the springs and pins, getting the barrel nut on isn't rocket science despite some who attempt to glorify it. A vice is nice, using a block of wood in the mag well, attach the upper, and using large channel locks on the barrel nut physically does work. And frankly, who's going to see any little shiny marks on the teeth? There's a lot made out of having a blemish free rifle, the funny part is we forget it comes a a premium price, and very very few are capable of maintaining it in NIB unfired grade. It's an AR - go thru a couple of mags, chain it behind your car and drag it down the driveway. Get the new off, as some say.
If you build it yourself, you battle paying retail for every part, vs the makers giving you their reduced prices because they buy volume at a 1,000 piece rate. That is why the shoppers can get under $600, and the real specific parts hunters often pay $1000, like me. Don't forget that each part shipped separately has it's own shipping charges, $10-15 every box adds up fast.
And you can also say you assembled it, vs shoving two pins into the lower, which can be considered operator maintenance. In other words, in the heirarchy of builders, it's not all that.
About the hardest part of the typical assembly are the springs and pins, getting the barrel nut on isn't rocket science despite some who attempt to glorify it. A vice is nice, using a block of wood in the mag well, attach the upper, and using large channel locks on the barrel nut physically does work. And frankly, who's going to see any little shiny marks on the teeth? There's a lot made out of having a blemish free rifle, the funny part is we forget it comes a a premium price, and very very few are capable of maintaining it in NIB unfired grade. It's an AR - go thru a couple of mags, chain it behind your car and drag it down the driveway. Get the new off, as some say.
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