AR-15 builders and Owners, little help please

adrock1978

adrock1978

Joined
May 30, 2009
Messages
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I’m looking for some advice from anyone who’s built an AR or owns/knows them. Some time ago before I bought my Stag 2T, I read everything I could get my hands on with regards to AR-15s (including AR-15.com). I was looking for a complete rifle, but I knew enough about uppers and lowers and parts kits and mil spec vs commercial and blab bla bla. Now I’d like to build one, but I’m out of the loop and I’ve forgotten a good amount.

Basically I want to build a rifle that’s on par, budget and quality-wise with a Stag,(upper middle of the road) but not necessarily with Stag Parts. I remember companies like BCM, Spike’s Tactical, LMT, Knights… etc, but I forget the hierarchy of cost and quality among them all. I’m not looking for a $3000 AR-15, but I’ll put my money where it's worth it. First I need some suggestions for the upper and lower. I’d like to start with one of those billet lowers everyone is making now. The upper doesn’t have to be the same company, (should it be?) but obviously they need to fit well. I’m looking for a flat top with a Pic rail that will match up with a floating quad railed fore grip. Basically, to give you an idea, it will look like a Stag 2T, but custom built. The chamber needs to be 5.56 (not .223) and I want the buffer tube to be mil spec. Lastly, I’d like a recommendation for a bolt carrier group and a barrel (standard A2 profile). I understand a chrome lined barrel and BCG is a good thing… yes?

Any information or suggestions anyone can throw at me will be appreciated. I’m going to do some more hunting around elsewhere, but I always like to get the Busse User point of view. We’re usually a good cross section of know-it-allness. Thanks guys!

Adam
 
If you want to just plunk down some money and be done with it, you might want to resaerch and take a look at PWS.

I am looking at one of the PWS piston guns right now. They treat all steel parts (SS barrel included) with Ionite QPQ. Very hard and wear resistant (barrel wears better than a chrome-lined one!!!). You get a lot of Magpul hardware too. I might go for one in 7.62x39. The PWS mk114's can be had for about $1,600 on gunbroker.
 
Maximumpenetration said:
LMT, BCM, Spikes, etc. are all much higher quality than Stag. Go with BCM if you can get it.
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I know... they were just some of the companies that came to mind. BCM was one of the companies I was considering though.

SpyderPhreak said:
If you want to just plunk down some money and be done with it, you might want to resaerch and take a look at PWS.

I am looking at one of the PWS piston guns right now. They treat all steel parts (SS barrel included) with Ionite QPQ. Very hard and wear resistant (barrel wears better than a chrome-lined one!!!). You get a lot of Magpul hardware too. I might go for one in 7.62x39. The PWS mk114's can be had for about $1,600 on gunbroker.
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Nah, thanks though. I already went the Plunk Down Some Money, route. I want to build this time around.
 
Also, if I took an off the shelf rifle and built an identical one from scratch (assuming all parts were available separately) how would the price compare between my build and my store bought rifle? Assuming no outside labor involved... just cost of parts.
 
If you shopped around you could probably save some money building your own. That is, if you have the knowledge and the few tools it takes to build an AR. If your just trying to build a stock A2, you'd be better off just buying a complete rifle from one of the reputable makers. You could even find a newer used one and save more money. SnipersHide and some of the other shooting forums would be a great place to start looking.

Brownells has an AR builder tool if you want to get an idea on the cost of building it. http://www.ar15builder.com/
 
jwaj said:
Brownells has an AR builder tool if you want to get an idea on the cost of building it. http://www.ar15builder.com/
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Oh yeah!! Thats right! Thanks. I'm pretty familiar with an AR build. I've had mine down to the smallest pieces and rebuilt again, and I have a friend or two in the firearm industry that can help me in a pinch. Like I said, this isn't all new to me. Its just been a year or so since I've wasted entire work weeks reading through AR15.com and scouring sites like Magpul and Larue Tactical
 
If you already know how to do it...and understand how they are put together....it's not worth it. Coming from someone who loves to build things...AR's have become so commoditized that there is no real advantage to doing it yourself. If nothing else...at least you can get parts replaced that fail if you go with a reputable company with solid CS like BCM. Plus...saves more time spend with your kids or family (not that much time, really, since they really are simple devices).
 
Wow... you guys are killing me. With all due respect, I'm not here to pontificate about the pros and cons of building my own AR. I was just looking for some suggestions on parts And prices for a starting point.
 
Bravo Company and Rainier arms are good places to start. Best barrel for the money is white oak, if you want stainless.
 
Spikes, BCM, Daniel Defense, LMT, LaRue, all get good reviews over on ar15.com. Spikes, and LaRue have pretty long wait times right now if you are in a hurry.


You can look at the Industry section of ar15.com for more, but the following are good places to order: (no affiliation with either)
Bravo Company
PK Firearms
 
You can build an AR in less than an hour. It doesn't take any time away from family or friends. You can build as high of quality as you wish with exactly the parts you wish. I have sold all of my name brand rifles and only shoot my builds which includes my competition 3 gun rifle.
 
I have built sever AR's. I always end up going with Spikes parts. They have a very realistic price, top notch products, great customer service and my biased reason: they are Floridians. You would be ok with any of the other brands mentioned (BCM, DD, LMT, etc.) A relatively new comer in the AR game who seems to be building quite a reputation for reliability and offers great prices is Palmetto State Armory, just another one to look at. What you should really be researching is what platform to build off of, I recommend a mid-length gas system with a light-weight configuration. If you plan on carrying the rifle around for long periods of time you will want to eliminate weight where ever you can. An 11 pound AR gets old real fast.
 
Oh yea as for building it yourself (I have done it several times), IMO its not worth it. The savings are barely noticeable, in fact I have actually spent more building it myself (getting carried away) than buying it completely assembled from the manufacturer. The most building I will do now a days is buying the complete upper with the rail that I want and buying a complete lower. Removing/shaving the FSB is a PITA for me so I rather buy the upper with the rail that I want already.
 
Check out Plumcrazy lowers. They are complete lowers, and super lightweight for not much dough.
 
Just FYI, there is a reason many of the replies here are tending toward NOT building it yourself. Everyone's just trying to help out. Some of us have been down the path before. Keep that in mind.
 
Pick up the billet lower of your choice and a lower parts kit, mil buffer and tube, magpul or viltor stock and a complete bcm upper bingo your done with a great rifle. Usually quite a bit cheaper, last one I built for around 650. over 6000 rounds with minimal cleaning and no failures at all. Ok actually no cleaning just squirted some lube on it a few times.

price will vary from what I built depending on the upper of your choice. most lowers make no difference at all, you might want a fancy trigger. All that depends on exactly what you want. A gun that goes bang every time and has acceptable accuracy. You can spend more on optics than the gun itself easily.
 
No experience myself, but heard nothing but good things about BCM, Spikes, Noveske, Daniel Defense, etc.
 
When I built mine I was on a real tight budget if I did it again I would probably get a better upper. As is though its been accurate and dependable, 8 coyotes this year. One of these years I'll get some decent optics for it I just use irons right now.
 
Hey Adam. I was/am in the same situation as you (kinda). I built (with the help of a knowledgeable friend) a lower a couple of years ago. I went with Doublestar Corp. as they are out of Winchester KY which is 20 min from my house. I used their lower, parts kit, 6 position buttstock, ect. I had a Doublestar rifle at the time so I was in no hurry to finish it.

Here I am two years later after trading off both my AR's, wanting to finish it. After researching, I am going with PSA (Palmetto State Armory). I have only read great things about them, and their price is great for the quality it sounds to be. Plus I am going for the dissipator upper with mid length gas, which somewhat limited my options for companies.

I need to figure out exactly what rear iron sight I want and what charging handle I need. I shoot a rifle lefty so a ambi charging handle would be optimum. Any suggestions?
 
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