why build? ar .308

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theflatlander

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I know plenty of people build AR15 type platform rifles for various reasons. Whether it be cost or specific parts you might like not offered on one rifle.

Is it worth building a AR .308 When your main goal is your budget? I mean will be actually gaining anything paying $1500.00 for parts compared to paying 1500.00 for a pre built rifle?

If you built a AR .308 what reason's made you buy parts and build instead of buying a pre built AR .308? IF you were going to do it again would you still build or would you just purchase pre made?
 
Depends on the brand. Some of the rock bottom DPMS rifles might sell for less than you could build for. Remember, with a complete rifle you pay an excise tax as well.

It might not be overall cost-effective so much as...less painful. If you can buy one part at a time, you can nickle and dime it over time.
 
mljdeckard said:
It might not be overall cost-effective so much as...less painful. If you can buy one part at a time, you can nickle and dime it over time.
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And that's one of the biggest reasons why we build our ARs rather than buy them, flatlander... that and you can put your money where you want it. Close range blaster/SHTF gun... econo barrel/BCG/receiver/optic. Long range tack driver.... mo' money barrel/BCG/receiver/optic.
 
The 7.62 AR's are not nearly as cost effect to build as the smaller 5.56 AR's. Proprietary parts, plus you well need a few new tools like barrel nut wrench(s) and receiver block.
 
I build to spread the cost over months, so it doesn't hurt so bad. It also allows me to select parts more to my liking.
 
I understand about not having to buy the parts all at once and that makes sense to be able to afford better parts. But at the same time I still don't want to pay over 1500 bucks for the firearm or the tools. Call me cheap or what ever. If I want to upgrade I would just do it down the road.

I know the tools wont go bad of course or any parts but on of my bad traits is when I want something I want it now. :rolleyes:. I am still thinking of going with something already built. I have been leaning toward the Armalite for a while but when I keep looking more and more into parts also It almost seems as DPMS would be the smart route to go if I wanted to upgrade eventually.

With 1500 bucks as the budget is it even worth buying the tools to build? Or should I just buy a factory built rifle and forget about it until I want to upgrade?
 
people like noveske, colt, KAC can build rifles better than i can. so if they have the configuration i want, then i'd definitely let them build it. i'm lazy. but a lot of times they don't have the config i want, so i have to do it myself.

usually, the cost for me works out something like this:

$ << exact factory config i want << home built config i want << wrong factory config plus upgrades to get the config i want << $$$$
 
When someone says "build", I take that to mean they will assemble the whole rifle and for that, you'll need as much as $200 worth of tools. IMHO, if you want to have complete control over what goes into your rifle and can't buy what you want for less, build one. If your goal is to save money and you're gonna do it as cheaply as possible and/or only once, you're better off buying a rifle. A rarely mentioned difference is that factory rifle has a warranty. If you build one that doesn't work, you're on your own.

"So you will need an armorer's wrench and punch set. If you build your upper, you will also need a torque wrench, a barrel nut wrench adaptable to a ratchet, a set of vise blocks, no-go gauge. If you build a flat-top, you'll need a fixture for holding the forend and receiver square while you torque the forend locknut. You have to ask yourself if it is really worth buying $200 worth of tools just to build one rifle, or is it something you will need again and again."
 
I had started looking at tools before when thinking about building a AR15. I figured it was about 200 bucks in tools then also. Im starting to think as of now im better off just starting out with a pre assembled AR 308 that has a warranty and do upgrades to it down the road.
 
$200?

I bought a vise block that flips over to service AR-10 on one side, AR-15 on the other for I think $45. How much is a Harbor Freight torque wrench and punch set if you don't already have them in your box?

I also think that the knowledge that comes from having built your own rifle, and the confidence to fix it yourself if you need to is worth something.
 
I've had the same issue. I've found that the parts for an AR-10 or similar AR in .308 are running as much as the complete firearm. Or more when you add them up. I've seen the better deals on complete firearms, esp. if you don't need a flat top.
 
I bought a vise block that flips over to service AR-10 on one side, AR-15 on the other for I think $45. How much is a Harbor Freight torque wrench and punch set if you don't already have them in your box?

I also think that the knowledge that comes from having built your own rifle, and the confidence to fix it yourself if you need to is worth something.
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Yes, $200 and that doesn't even include the torque wrench. And no, I don't buy cheap Chinese tools from Harbor Freight but you can borrow a good one from the local parts store.

I have the confidence and knowledge to work on most of my guns and I didn't build but a tiny fraction of them.

Receiver blocks $78
Pin punch set $9
Free float forend wrench $30
Barrel nut wrench for ratchet $22
Picatinny vise block (for aligning receiver with forend) $50
No-go gauge $28
Total $217
 
I am pretty sure if you can't figure out how to disassemble and assemble a ar platform you better not take apart any of your other firearms. I agree I will eventually have the tools on hands to fix anything anything that might break or needs to be adjusted. what barrel length do you guys choose to build with? I'm thinking of buying a 18 inch barrel.

So correct me if I'm wrong. But between the armalite and dpms the main difference un the uppers are the bcg and barrel/nut thread. And lowers its just what type of mag fits into the well? So your lower parts kits / triggers can be used in either platform along with butt stocks and forearms are interchangeable on either platform correct?
 
When someone says "build", I take that to mean they will assemble the whole rifle and for that, you'll need as much as $200 worth of tools.
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That depends on how much you already have. I'm a career mechanic, so all I needed was a $30 armorers wrench for extension and barrel nut. I have hammers, punches and torque wrenches galore, and I just put the upper in a 6" vise with two chuncks of soft pine, relieved for FA and deflector.

But between the armalite and dpms the main difference un the uppers are the bcg and barrel/nut thread. And lowers its just what type of mag fits into the well? So your lower parts kits / triggers can be used in either platform along with butt stocks and forearms are interchangeable on either platform correct?
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Not really. They're totally different rifles, very little interchanges. The Armalite uses a standard AR-15 diameter barrel nut, just a larger Delta Ring. I don't know if the DPMS can accept AR-15 drop-in hand guards, but the Armalite will. Of course, no AR-10 that I know of will take AR-15 free float handguards, because the gas tube won't line up on the larger receiver.
 
I'm looking at building because nobody sells the config I want.

Heck, I'm having a hard time just finding the parts I want. Mostly I'm tired of seeing that any barrel longer than 20" is a 4# bull barrel and almost nothing comes with an A2 sight on the barrel...
 
Sorry you misunderstood. I was only talking the difference between ar .308 dpms and armalite. Not difference between the ar15 and ar .308. The way I under stand .223 and .308 parts that sometimes you can use the 15 buttstock and some trigger parts but that's it
 
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