Building an AR

[Quackerbox]

Any reason you are choosing to build vs buying a factory rifle?

In my experience, now there is no cost advantage to building vs buying factory WHEN USING EQUAL QUALITY PARTS. There used to be a significant cost advantage to building vs buying but not anymore if you follow the above guidelines. In addition, I have found it much more difficult to sell a self built AR than a factory one unless someone is uneducated on ARs in general or are just wanting to buy as cheap as possible.

What is your total budget goal?

IF building 223 maybe. Buddy of mine has been building entry type guns for about 750 from parts. I wanted a bull .204 ruger and that was far from the case.

An R15 in 204 was 1100 or more, dpms was the same. Rockriver was around 800 for just an upper.

I built my rifle with RR two stage trigger, fail zero bolt and carrier assembly, dpms lower, upper and stainless bull barell, yankee hill hand guard and gas block and ace skeleton stock for right at 900. Much better internal parts for less money than an off the shelf gun.

[Mike D]

IF building 223 maybe. Buddy of mine has been building entry type guns for about 750 from parts. I wanted a bull .204 ruger and that was far from the case.

An R15 in 204 was 1100 or more, dpms was the same. Rockriver was around 800 for just an upper.

I built my rifle with RR two stage trigger, fail zero bolt and carrier assembly, dpms lower, upper and stainless bull barell, yankee hill hand guard and gas block and ace skeleton stock for right at 900. Much better internal parts for less money than an off the shelf gun.

You are correct if building optional calibers, that is a niche market. BTW an R15 and a DPMS is one in the same. And on your parts list above, the only premium internals I see there may be the fail zero stuff.

But for a M4 style platform, Colt, Daniel Defense, BCM, etc is what I was referring to.

[Mike D]

Im trying to stay below 800.

You can get an entry level gun like a DPMS, Smith & Wesson M&P, etc for that budget, but for just a couple hundred more you can get a much better rifle.

And for around $800 you can get a Spikes which is much better than the ones I listed above. You have to be careful with "builders" guns because if you don't know much about ARs, they can throw junk in/on the gun and you would never know better.

[tpcollins]

I have a couple of questions:

- I assume an assembly manual is available when ordering parts?
- What parts can be ordered online and what part(s) must go thru a FFL
dealer?
- What is a popular caliber that's accurate, inexpensive, and readily available?

Thanks.

If you want to start from the ground up ...
-Lower Receiver "stripped"
-Upper Receiver
- Bolt , Cam pin , Firing pin retaining pin.
-Bolt carrier , Carrier key
-Lower parts
- Grip
- Semi Trigger
- Semi Hammer
- Semi Disconnector
- Semi Selector
- Bolt Catch Spring
- Detent Spring
- Bolt Catch Buffer
- Take Down Detent
- Bolt Catch
- Magazine Catch Spring
- Bolt Catch Roll Pin
- Magazine Catch Button
- Magazine Catch
- Front Pivot Pin
- Hammer Spring
- Trigger Spring
- Pistol Grip Screw
- Pistol Grip Lock Washer
- Selector Spring
- Detent Selector
- Hammer Pin
- Trigger Pin
- Take Down Pin
- Buffer Retainer Pin
- Buffer Retainer Spring
- Disconnector Spring

- Stock , Buffer spring and Tube
- Barrel and flash/comp.
- Hand guard / free float rail
- Optics and or Irons

You will get a lot of comments regarding what you need and what you want. For me , I use the Daniel Defense Lower Parts kit with all of my builds .... Its fun and good luck..
Here is a photo of a 6.8x43 in the process...



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[kmitchl]

I have a couple of questions:

- I assume an assembly manual is available when ordering parts?
- What parts can be ordered online and what part(s) must go thru a FFL
dealer?
- What is a popular caliber that's accurate, inexpensive, and readily available?

Thanks.

- All the info you need to assemble is available online at AR-15.com
- Only the stripped lower receiver must be shipped to an FFL. The rest can be shipped directly to you.
- .223 is about as cheap and available as any ammo you will find. I've seen guys shooting .223 make hits out to 600 yds with the right ammo, optics and rifle. If you handload brass and components are very available.

[dcw]

AR parts right now are going to be hard to come by and harder to get until companies can get caught back up.
It is very easy to built a franken gun for under 800. That would not be on a polymer lower either.

[Blue Tick]

AR parts right now are going to be hard to come by and harder to get until companies can get caught back up.It is very easy to built a franken gun for under 800. That would not be on a polymer lower either.

I think many people are pre-election purchasing already.

[dcw]

I think many people are pre-election purchasing already.

Been happening for a little while.

[Texastaxi]

SOG army off the beltway @59 has all the parts as well.

One of my friends was there early this week and said they have ZERO lowers in stock, at this time.

[tpcollins]

It is very easy to built a franken gun for under 800.

What's a franken gun (or is that what I think it means)?

[Coach W]

What's a franken gun (or is that what I think it means)?

A piece bought here, a piece bought there then assembled when the mad scientist has all the parts.

I love my franken guns... I call them "custom"

[BBRU]

Sweet ar

[Bill]

What's a franken gun (or is that what I think it means)?

Like Frankenstein - build from all different manufacturer's parts.

[benwhite34]

Check out www.rguns.net

[Coach W]

Check out www.rguns.net

Don't do that... As Matt and I discovered .net is out of Illinois and has horrible ratings.

Some dood name Vernon has rguns.COM and he is supposed to be a stand up guy. Here in Texas... I know nothing about him.

Rguns.net I would shy away from... Although they have some neat looking stuff there BBB rating is an "F" like failure in school.

Just fyi.