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Wanting to build an AR.

5K views 54 replies 16 participants last post by  The_Patriot2016 
#1 ·
I am looking at building an AR, I don't know much about them though. But I want to build one just to learn everything I can. And maybe build one cheaper than buying one. But not sure on what caliber I want or where to start.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Not knowing much about them is a rough place from which to start in building one. A true "build" (in my opinion) is to start with an unfinished lower receiver "80%" that needs milling and drilling. People who don't already have access to these very expensive machine tools (and the skill to use them) probably can't get the lower receiver completed without help.

Of course, you can also start with a "stripped" lower and install the fire control group that you bought in parts. Assembling the upper receiver is also a job that requires some knowledge and skill as well as some specialized tools.

By the time you purchase any needed tools and all the parts, I seriously doubt if you end up saving any money.

If saving money is highest on the list, you can purchase a very lightly used rifle and learn the rifle by cleaning and maintaining it.

Have fun with it!
 
#4 ·
In general you will not save money building it yourself. A 100% lower receiver plus lower parts kit and collapsible butt stock will run around $150. Then the upper will vary greatly depending upon what you want to do with it. Tools can add $100-150 to the cost.

But you can learn more about the AR if you do it yourself.
 
#5 ·
Check out Palmetto state armory, they have all types of kits, some come with everything, except the empty lower (that has the serial number). I bought a kit, the upper was all put together but the lower I had to assemble. The price was right and it was a fun first AR-15 build in 5.56 Nato.
Gun Firearm Trigger Airsoft gun Airsoft
Lower from my local gun store. (I filled in paint color for fun)
Gun Firearm Trigger Rifle Airsoft
Box of the rest from Palmetto state armory, (with my lower tossed into box).
Lego Toy
(Put together, before I added more purple)
Gun Airsoft Airsoft gun Air gun
A few purple Hogue parts and a mag dyed with purple RIT dye to make it more my own.
Product Shotgun Air gun
Took off forward and painted it purple and tossed it back on
to made it into more of a grape ape for fun. If I can do it, then so can you. :p
I know it was not total build from ground up but it sure was fun and I sure did learn alot. Just pick a you tube video and follow along step by step. It is fun to shoot, and gets some conversations going at the range. :rolleyes:
 
#6 ·
Building an AR is fun. You won't save any money, I promise. But you do get a sense of fulfillment when you're done. The two tools that you will absolutely need are an AR armorers wrench and torgue wrench. And then add a few pin punches and hammer. If you decide to go this route, I suggest starting with a basic 223. If you catch the bug, this won't be your only one.
 
#8 ·
It is enjoyable to build your own, but as said, you ain't going to save any money by doing it! The last one I did, a couple of months ago, I have $379 in it, only because I used a New Frontier Polymer lower that I have had for a few years. I have seen full, ready to shoot, ARs for selling for $379 in the past few weeks.

If you want an AR, I suggest that you buy one of the ready to go rifles for your first one and take your time getting parts as cheap as you can to build your second or third one. There will be a 2nd or 3rd one I promise you. They are a lot like Lay's Potato Chips, you can't have just one!!
 
#10 ·
Saving money isn't a priority. I just want to learn. I'm a mechanic so I have a lot of tools or I can make some. I would probably do a 5.56 so then I can shoot either that or .223. Probably would buy an 80% lower. But as far as the upper I'm debating on how assembled of one I want to buy.
 
#12 ·
Like everyone has said - you are not going to save a lot of money building your own - not since The Wicked Witch lost the last election. Besides the rifle parts - you need special tools designed to do the job. Those tools cost money, and if this will be your only AR you will likely never use them again - so the money is wasted.

I have 3 ARs. Two (Colt and Bushmaster) were bought ready assembled. The 3rd (Anderson) is one I built - or rather - had built while I stood there. A local store sold everything AR. I bought the components - picked which parts combinations I wanted - and the store had a guy there who put it together as I handed him the parts I wanted. He had all of the tools right there. Took him under 30 minutes start-to-finish. Because I bought all of the parts in that store - they didn't charge me a nickel to put it together.
 
#13 ·
Saving $$$ is possible if you know where to look for your gun building parts, are willing & have the ability to do some of the building yourself. Like mentioned before in some states it is legal for you to build your own lower receiver. This is called an 80% build it doesn't need to be transferred through a FFL like the 100% does. A good place to buy these forged 80% lowers are(low priced right now).
http://www.tacticalmachining.com/80-products/80-ar15-lower-receivers/blemished-80-ar-15-lower.html
These lowers can be finished with the use of a jig & a router or drill press. Here is the jig for the router.
http://www.5dtactical.com
Here is a jig for the drill press.
http://www.submoatarget.com/80-Lower-Jig-GS-JIG.htm
When you get the lower done here is a low price on a lower parts kit & buffer, buffer tube, stock kit.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/239400/ar-stoner-complete-lower-receiver-parts-kit-ar-15
http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-classic-premium-m4-stock-kit-black-psa.html
 
#14 ·
Building an AR will not save you money, but it will give you the opportunity to learn the gun, inside and out, plus it's a lot of fun. You can buy a complete upper assembly, including the barrel and handguard, or you can assemble your own from components you pick up from various sources. The upper part of the gun is a trivial exercise in selecting and assembling the pieces you want, and the combinations available to you are endless.

The challenging choices are in assembling the lower receiver. The easiest is to buy a complete lower, which will include everything you need already assembled and tested. This will be treated as a firearm for sales purposes, and you'll need to do a 4473 form and background check to buy it. Similarly, you can buy an assembled lower receiver, then add the stock of your choice. This, too, will be treated as a firearm when you purchase it. A third, and slightly more interesting option is to buy a stripped lower receiver, which is also a firearm that must be transferred by a FFL dealer. This is a completely machined and finished lower receiver with a serial number; all you need to do is to buy the bits and pieces that go inside, then install them.

The most difficult option is to build your gun from what is known as an 80% lower. These are fully machined lower receivers in all areas except the part where all the parts that matter are installed. The magazine well, the outer surfaces, the grooves for the mag release and bolt release parts will all be finished, but the space where the fire control group parts are installed will be a solid block of aluminum. There are templates and kits you can buy to let you mill out that cavity yourself with a drill press, but I've never seen one done well, and have had to replace quite a few that were so badly botched as to be unusable. Drill presses aren't milling machines, and aren't made to take the sideways stresses this job requires of them.

A supposed advantage of the 80% lower approach is that it's perfectly legal for any citizen to build his/her own gun - they have no serial numbers. This aspect appeals to those who prefer to have no record of what guns they own. The drawback is that there is no legal way to transfer to another person a gun made after 1968 that has no serial number, including by inheritance. Sure, you can do it and hope you don't get caught, but why risk it? Or more importantly, why expose your heirs to a risk of prosecution?

To my thinking, in order to gain the best understanding of the AR platform with the least amount of complication, you should start with a stripped lower receiver and a complete upper receiver. Then select a barrel, gas block and tube, and handguard for the length and look you want. Research and select a high quality bolt carrier group and charging handle to go with the combination. Purchase a stripped lower receiver and do the research to select quality components for the fire control group - I'd buy a kit, then upgrade selected parts if you find any to be lacking. Most people upgrade the trigger assembly to get a smoother, lighter trigger. Lastly, decide which kind of stock you want - fixed or adjustable - and buy the appropriate buffer, tube, spring and stock to meet your needs. This will give you a complete gun that is transferable and legal, and a starting platform on which to build to the extent of your pocketbook.

It's an adventure; have fun!:D
 
#25 ·
If you mean lower and upper sold separately, then yes, they are available from many different suppliers in nearly any configuration. For instance; choose your finished lower, or without the fire control group, and purchase the FCG separately, and put them together. The lower will either come stripped (no fire control group, no hand grip, and no stock, so you choose which ones to order and assemble the lower yourself.

Couple questions. Does it matter what upper/lower I get? AMD if I decide to just buy a complete one, is their a cheap brand that you recommend or ones I should stay away from. Was almost thinking of getting a high point one just to learn how to tear it apart and how to build it
The uppers are supposed to fit the lowers, but if you buy both from the same supplier, they will probably have been trial-fitted before shipping to you.

As for disassembling the upper, remember that the barrel fit is kind of important, so it requires some skill and specialized tools. The headspace is the critical measurement. Also if you're going to have a flash hider on the barrel, that needs to be screwed on to the correct position, usually involving shims or a crush washer to get it right. The upper receiver is one assembly that I would not try myself.

By consulting several supplier's catalogs, you will gain a feel for what is available at what price. If you have questions, call them. One of their customer service representatives will be happy to set you up with the rifle you want.
 
#19 ·
Couple questions. Does it matter what upper/lower I get? AMD if I decide to just buy a complete one, is their a cheap brand that you recommend or ones I should stay away from. Was almost thinking of getting a high point one just to learn how to tear it apart and how to build it
 
#21 ·
I built mine from parts with tools I made. If you are handy you can go that way.
Go on "you tube" there are several sites that will show you step by step how to assemble one. I picked up a nice Matrix lower at a gun show for $50 and bought most of my parts from Palmetto State armory. I would advise you to get a chrome lined barrel. There is a AR forum which is great for advise.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Good on you for wanting to learn! I've build...quite a few...its fair to say that my tools get more wear than my gun barrels do. The advice that I have given everyone that starts a budget AR-15 or AR-10 build...Spend your money on the barrel, the bolt carrier, and the iron sights. Everything else is made in 5 factories and re-branded. Avoid billet. Billet = higher cost and higher weight with little improvement. If you are going to go piston rather DI, get the Adam's Arms kit. Research the difference. Start with a .223 or 5.56. Its cheap to shoot and runs in the system reliably. Its also easy to reload if that what you want to do. As for the barrel get in on a .223 Wylde chambering. It will take either 5.56 or .223 without any loss in performance. If you want to experiment with other calibers you can always just build or buy another upper and attach it to the same lower. I'd advise going with an A2 stock to start. If you are dead set on a collapsible stock, get the Mission First Tactical. Its not very expensive and has the tightest lock up I've felt on any collapsible buttstock. It is good quality and it is just about the lightest on the market. They can be had for around $40 to $50. If you need any advice or have any questions feel free to PM me. Good luck!
 
#28 · (Edited by Moderator)
Fair enough, I was just pointing out that there are proprietary designs. The Arak21 is another that pops into mind.

If you mean lower and upper sold separately, then yes, they are available from many different suppliers in nearly any configuration. For instance; choose your finished lower, or without the fire control group, and purchase the FCG separately, and put them together. The lower will either come stripped (no fire control group, no hand grip, and no stock, so you choose which ones to order and assemble the lower yourself.

The uppers are supposed to fit the lowers, but if you buy both from the same supplier, they will probably have been trial-fitted before shipping to you.

As for disassembling the upper, remember that the barrel fit is kind of important, so it requires some skill and specialized tools. The headspace is the critical measurement. Also if you're going to have a flash hider on the barrel, that needs to be screwed on to the correct position, usually involving shims or a crush washer to get it right. The upper receiver is one assembly that I would not try myself.

By consulting several supplier's catalogs, you will gain a feel for what is available at what price. If you have questions, call them. One of their customer service representatives will be happy to set you up with the rifle you want.
I built the upper assembly on my first build. It does require a torque wrench and an AR wrench. That's about it. It's not rocket science and there's no snake oil needed. I could see how it would be intimidating, but build one and you've pretty well got it down.
 
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#26 ·
I have eleven AR's made with parts from probably 25 different manufacturers. I have uppers from Colt, CMMG, PSA, SOTA, Anderson, DPMS, and Del-ton. I have lowers from Anderson, Colt, DPMS, New Frontier, and Rock River Arms.

I can swap uppers and lowers on every one of those and every upper will fit every lower with the exception of one. The exception is an early Colt SP-1 upper that takes a large pin for the front "take down hole" but a small adapter makes it work with any of the lowers.

What I am trying to say with all this is that they are all mil-spec and will all work together.
 
#29 ·
I built the upper assembly on my first build. It does require a torque wrench and an AR wrench. That's about it. It's not rocket science and there's no snake oil needed. I could see how it would be intimidating, but build one and you've pretty well got it down.
And an upper receiver lapping tool if you want to be certain the receiver to barrel face is square.
 
#30 ·
I have eleven AR's made with parts from probably 25 different manufacturers. I have uppers from Colt, CMMG, PSA, SOTA, Anderson, DPMS, and Del-ton. I have lowers from Anderson, Colt, DPMS, New Frontier, and Rock River Arms.

I can swap uppers and lowers on every one of those and every upper will fit every lower with the exception of one. The exception is an early Colt SP-1 upper that takes a large pin for the front "take down hole" but a small adapter makes it work with any of the lowers.

What I am trying to say with all this is that they are all mil-spec and will all work together.
GDMoody , Do you have a favorite combo. I have a PSA 556 upper with CMMG lower parts kit and Magpul MOE furniture. I am real happy with it. I did a 80% build. Thinking about doing another one. May do a .308 build not sure at this point. Always trying to optimize the build. Just curious what are your preferences?
 
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