Assembling ARs

[KnobCreek]

Just wondering who out here is assembling their own ARs? What is your average cost and who are some of the vendors you deal with?

Just thought I'd start a thread to help others thinking into getting into building their ARs rather than purchasing an already assembled one.

[Optimus Prime]

I've got a Stag Arms lower with a RRA lower parts kit and A2 stock taunting me untill the tax return shows up... $130 for the reciever, and something like $130 after shipping for the parts and stock. Probably going with a Model1 A4 upper for price reasons, and they're supposedly ok anyway, and I'm going for a lowest bidder feel anyway since it's mainly for practice.

[KnobCreek]

I would personally go with Del-Ton over Model 1 strictly because the pricing is alittle less but the customer service is much better.

[KnobCreek]

BTW, where are you getting your Stag lowers and why in the heck are you paying so much? I'm getting them for $92 direct from Stag.

[Planning]

BTW, where are you getting your Stag lowers and why in the heck are you paying so much? I'm getting them for $92 direct from Stag.

knob, you are getting the dealer price, you have a 01 ffl license and add shipping to that. ffl dealer profit. that is why..............:rolleyes:

[LCPL 4]

I haven't heard a single bad word about essential arm's forged lower... Listed at $77 to $80 depending on finish. I like the mega's as well.

[KnobCreek]

man, I keep forgetting about that dealers' pricing privilege....:D

[franks71vw]

Ops I asked this in the wrong section but anyways, I am was looking to build 2 ars one for 9mm and the other for a feret 50 bmg upper. you guys think its worth buying them made or build them yourself. I have never even touched an ar before so it will be a totally different experience.

[KnobCreek]

I haven't heard a single bad word about essential arm's forged lower... Listed at $77 to $80 depending on finish. I like the mega's as well.

Yeah, spoke with EA the other day and they're out until sometime mid-March. You can't beat the price, so I will eventually order a couple of their receivers when the time comes.

[8675309]

I have an ameetec lower built from a Model 1 sales kit. I'm pretty happy with it. I got the M-4 set-up with the actual M-4 cuts and the pre-built upper.

Next step is to get a varminter upper.....

[weasel_master]

I'm looking at assembling a lower an picking up the Bushmaster varminter upper. Would be nice for some coyote hunts up here.

[Woodman in MO]

KC, thanks for that heads up on del-ton. I think they are the place I'll get me kit from. I don't have a particular reciever in mind. I know what to avoid, but I'll probably just get whatever they local gun shop has on the shelf.

[Alaskagrown]

ok Charlie since you are helping everyone with their builds what should I build a 10.5" SBR with rifle length handguards to cover part of the can or a Recce? The 10.5 would be an LMT upper the Recce barrel would be noveske.

maybe I should have said build first they are both on the docket just have to allocate funds and by allocate I mean come up with some way of getting the money for both.

[KnobCreek]

why not go shorter?
http://spikestactical.com/catalog/images/Feb07%20042%20(Small).jpg

[mrbgt]

m&a mid length kit stag lower ,i had $610 in it but kit prices have went up since http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v514/mrbgt/100_0066.jpg

[weasel_master]

I say do a Recce. I like the looks of them.

[Optimus Prime]

Does Del-ton do barreled uppers? I think I looked at them before and their website just kind of gave me a headache... I want to go assembled upper and let them worry about headspacing and all that.

[Optimus Prime]

Nevermind... found them.

[Alaskagrown]

why not go shorter?

because I want to shoot 5.56 not 22;)


I say do a Recce. I like the looks of them.

me too. I think that the Recce will probably win out since for the SBR I would probably get a different lower.

Optimus Prime yes Del-Ton does barreled uppers.

[KnobCreek]

Does Del-ton do barreled uppers? I think I looked at them before and their website just kind of gave me a headache... I want to go assembled upper and let them worry about headspacing and all that.

For a little more than the cost of a barreled upper, I would consider purchasing the rifle kit...you'll get an LPK and a 6-position collapsible stock.

[KnobCreek]

Here are a couple of the kits just waiting on receivers....I have about 15 on order through various vendors, but each one is backlogged....:(

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/knobcreek/IMG_1282.jpg

[Alaskagrown]

so whats on the end of the second one up from the bottom?

[KnobCreek]

so whats on the end of the second one up from the bottom?

an ornament....

[woofert]

I recently built an AR 15 Carbine in 9mm, the receiver, parts kit and magazines were all bought at the PRO gun show in Wilmington Ohio a couple of weeks.

Lower is a Superior Arms costing $ 107.00 ($ 100.00 plus tax).

Parts kit cost $600.00 (tax included), including everything except the lower, no markings but the guy selling the parts kit said it was to mil-spec and manufactured by the same company that makes RRA and Stag Arms parts.

Bought 2-ProMag 32 round polymer magazines for $42.80 ($20.00 each plus tax).

Total invested is just under $750.00.

284

285


The only problem I had was with the bolt hold open, the 9 mm mag block was interfering with it coming all the way up into position. I beveled the mag block at the area in between the two red lines and it now works perfectly.

286


I’ve got about 300 rounds through it and it’ll shoot one ragged hole at 25 yards with how ever many rounds you care to stuff into the mag.

I did find a better deal on mags at AIM Surplus, $13.95 each when you buy 3 mags

All in all I’m well pleased, this is something that has been on my wish list for a while.

Woofert

[KnobCreek]

That's a great looking build woofert. I would like to build a 9mm carbine next.

[woofert]

I would like to build a 9mm carbine next.

Definitely a little more pricey than one in 5.56 Nato.

I was looking at the 9 mm kits at M&A parts and Model 1 Sales, but found the kit I bought for about $80.00 cheaper than what Model 1 Sales was listing their kit for, and that’s not including shipping.

Like I said earlier, there is no markings on any of the kit parts, which was the main reason I had asked about how to I.D. what manufacturer made what parts in another thread here.

Everything in my kit looked to be of good quality, machined well with an even finish, I guess the only way to find out for sure is to shoot the heck out of it and see!:D

Woofert

[Simon]

I built one from a Stag lower and a Del-Ton 20" kit. Total cost was somewhere in the neighborhood of $900, I think. I took some options like chrome lined bore and chromed bolt group and so on.

Come to think of it, I don't think I ever got around to posting the pictures of it after changing out the front sight (looks like an A2 at the moment, nothing fancy). Tanker, if you're reading this, thanks for the help with drilling & tapping.

edit: Knobby, I'd loooove to have an SBR, but they are illegal in my state.

[Alaskagrown]

an ornament....

like my ornament

[tump]

i did my build (snap together) on a dbl star lower and a model 1 kit. put together in a hour(new nothing about them at the time) runs like a champ. $600 total another $200 for mags,ammo,and carry handle pic isn't that good but you can figure it out.:)

[KnobCreek]

i did my build (snap together) on a dbl star lower

How do you like the Double Star lower? Just ordered 3 yesterday and hope they get in by the end of the week.

[KnobCreek]

like my ornament

believe me, your's is nicer...;)

[tump]

everything on the dbl star snap right together.they look pretty good over all. the out side front of the mag well isnt machined as well as the rest of it but the finish is real nice.over all i was very pleased.:) got it from title 2 sales

[KnobCreek]

I ordered mine through Kiser Munnitions. How's the finish? Is it flat, shiny, semi, or what. I am hoping that it'll match up close to the RRA uppers I have.

[Optimus Prime]

For a little more than the cost of a barreled upper, I would consider purchasing the rifle kit...you'll get an LPK and a 6-position collapsible stock.

That would be silly... I've already got a fully complete lower half and carry handle, just need a standard A4 upper.

[Alaskagrown]

That would be silly... I've already got a fully complete lower half and carry handle, just need a standard A4 upper.

spare parts buddy spare parts plus a foot hold to another build

KC mine may be nicer but I only have one AR to put it on

[tump]

i would call it a semi. it looks real good about like the ones in the other thread you started.not real glossy and not dead flat so i guess that leaves semi.:)

[KnobCreek]

Well, it maybe silly, but $25 more, you get a collapsible stock, which you can go out and sell for $40, an LPK which you can go out and sell for another $40, if you don't need them.

[KnobCreek]

i would call it a semi. it looks real good about like the ones in the other thread you started.not real glossy and not dead flat so i guess that leaves semi.:)
Kewl, looking forward to receiving them then and assembling what I can.


spare parts buddy spare parts plus a foot hold to another build

KC mine may be nicer but I only have one AR to put it on

One for now.....give it some time and you'll have several more. ;)

[Optimus Prime]

eh... poor college student, so I need to stay away from the temptation to assemble another one... I'm not even a big AR fan, but the ammo's cheap and I want to get my BRM score up.

[Hoot]

Ops I asked this in the wrong section but anyways, I am was looking to build 2 ars one for 9mm and the other for a feret 50 bmg upper. you guys think its worth buying them made or build them yourself. I have never even touched an ar before so it will be a totally different experience.

Consider Watson's Weapons for the .50 BMG. Larry and Karen are good people. "Minnesota Nice" people. http://www.watsonsweapons.com/50boss.htm

Hoot

[KnobCreek]

I prefer to build them myself just for the sheer fact that it's enjoyable and I can purchase the components that I want.

[KnobCreek]

Speaking of which....I'm a very impatient guy and I couldn't wait for a rainy day to complete my builds. Here are 4 that I completed last night and this morning. I'll probably wind up upgrading each one, but for now, I just wanted to build the kits.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/knobcreek/IMG_1388.jpg

[Hoot]

The full-size one looks nice. Looking at it, I see what I'll wind up having to do with the one I'll be building soon. I'm either going to have to swap the front sight for a sightless gas block or stack up some extenders for my scope to see over it. I was hoping to keep the scope down as close to the receiver as ergonomics allowed. With my eyes and my love of small groups, a scope is a foregone conclusion on all my rifles. No hurry though, the range by my house is snow-bound for the moment. My only regret at the moment is that I didn't see my interest in a 5.56 gun coming soon enough to have bought some ammo before the price exploded and supply dried up. :help:

Hoot

[KnobCreek]

Yeah, the majority of my ARs have 16" barrels, so I wanted to build up a 20" for possible competitive shooting. The one pictured has a 20" Bushmaster HBAR barrel installed on a RRA flattop upper. I'll replace the lower receiver with one of the RRAs that I ordered about 20 weeks ago and am still waiting on. I just want to keep consistant with the parts...I have 3 more RRA two stage trigger assemblies that'll also be installed.

[tump]

hey knobby it looks like the dbl stars worked out pretty good for you .nice lookin bunch of pea shooters.:icon_mrgreen:

[KnobCreek]

hey knobby it looks like the dbl stars worked out pretty good for you .nice lookin bunch of pea shooters.:icon_mrgreen:

Yeah, they sure did. Now I'm sitting here, bored out of my a$$ cuz I went out and built all of them. I wanted to go shooting today, but it rained all morning and I was afraid the range would be all bogged down. Guess I'll go disassemble the rifles and try putting them back together again.

[Alaskagrown]

Guess I'll go disassemble the rifles and try putting them back together again. you could take one apart and do an upper build tutorial
:clapping:

[KnobCreek]

my other parts should be arriving early in the week, so I shall try and get an instructional on how to do an upper.

[wandering_ronin]

Here is the carbine I am slowly working on. This is in the early stages...I promise it is looking better now. Having a small gas problem that needs addressing, and I haven't decided if I want to go with a collapsible stock yet or not.

[texlurch]

I built one with a Superior Arms lower and M&A Parts 16" mid-length parts kit.

I just got a DPMS lower to build a 24" varmint; probably go with Model 1 for the parts kit since they have the options I want, and M&A can't do fluted barrels right now. I haven't found anyone else with 24" parts kits in my price ball park.

[KnobCreek]

Having a small gas problem that needs addressing....

Gas-X or even Rolaids does wonder....

[wandering_ronin]

Gas-X or even Rolaids does wonder....

Wrong gas problem, but appreciate the medical advice LOL!

[8675309]

I had a problem with the carrier key loosening up and causing gas problems.... I RED locktited the screws and torqued to spec. Bout 1000 rounds down the pipe and no more problems.

[Alaskagrown]

I had a problem with the carrier key loosening up and causing gas problems.... I RED locktited the screws and torqued to spec. Bout 1000 rounds down the pipe and no more problems.

whose bcg was it the carrier key should not need locktite if it is staked correctly

[8675309]

BCG?

It was a model 1 kit.

[Alaskagrown]

BCG?

It was a model 1 kit.


BCG= Bolt Carrier Group yeah it wasn't staked properly I'll see if I can dig up some pics on what it should look like.

[8675309]

Well, it works like a charm now. I am going to upgrade to some parts I saw on AR15.com. Ready assembled groups.
I was sure pissed when I was at the range and it quit cycling.

[arnaiz]

Here is mine.

[KnobCreek]

she's purdfy arnaiz!