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My first AR build
AzAfshin
Member Posts: 2,985 ✭✭
Just finished my first attempt at building an AR. It was much easier than I thought. It's just a very simple generic AR, so not worth posting a pic, but now I have dreams of building the next one with skeletonized receiver and match barrel. I'm sure that's gonna be a bit more complicated.
Comments
Soon, you will have buckets of AR parts...
Then, You will have several 80% ( or less) parts, awaiting welding, milling, or extruding...
Then short barrels, Suppressors,
Then, "Hello everybody, my name is xxxxxxxx"!
Truly Sorry about Your Wallet! Hope Your Wife is forgiving!
I'm lucky the wife is very understanding, though it doesn't help that she's an accountant and can tell me to the penny how much I spent on guns in any given year [:0]
One for the vacation cabin.
One for each Vehicle and Trailer.
A "Combat Spare" .....
Pelican cases full of "Special recipe" reloads...
You are nearing endpoint when you have one buried near each house/cabin, and at least one cached on the route(s) somewhere between the houses.
Why, I have NO IDEA, what you are talking about. [:D]
1st one I was surprised to the basic "lego " system of the AR rifles,
I am trying to avoid the 5.56 platform and move on to the 308 next , but PSA and others make it difficult with there deal of the day and inexpensive kits [:D]
Just finished my first attempt at building an AR. It was much easier than I thought. It's just a very simple generic AR, so not worth posting a pic, but now I have dreams of building the next one with skeletonized receiver and match barrel. I'm sure that's gonna be a bit more complicated.
Did you assemble the upper too, or was that already done?
After building a bunch of them I have my sort of "go to" parts, admit I'm not all that dedicated an AR shooter anyway. RRA 2 stage trigger, because it's dependable and doesn't cost too much. GB is always a steel clamp on like YHM, Sadlak low profile. KNS non-rotate pins and being lefty, the cheapest ambi safety I can find. The one thing that continues to be a bit of a PITA with me is torquing the barrel on so the gas tube lines up just right going into the receiver. I manage, but it always seems to be a choice between "is that too loose?" and "damn that's hard".
That would seem to be an odd combination since the cutout receiver causes more flex which mostly negates any advantage of a "match barrel".
I've "assembled" several with generally excellent results at meeting the goals I'd set out to achieve.
"You are nearing endpoint when you have one buried near each house/cabin, and at least one cached on the route(s) somewhere between the houses."
Have you been spying on me?
You make a good point Mobuck, I didn't think of the flex issue. Maybe I'll do the skeletonized with an SBR for even more weight reduction.
Edit: forgot to ask. What's the optimal depth to bury the AR in the yard? [:D]
For Christmas my best friend gave me an AR-15 part, thinking I would want to build my own. I'm not even sure what its called, but perhaps "lower receiver?" He said it was the only piece of the AR that has the serial number stamped on it.
My problem is that I am in NO way mechanical. I'm terrible at working on my car, or building models (though I did try many times as a kid.) I couldn't get my project in electric shop in Junior High School to work - ever. I am just one of those people who cannot work well with my hands. I follow the directions and always screw it up - whatever "it" is.
Believe me, it's a MAJOR victory for me just to successfully take apart and clean and oil an AR's firing mechanism - and put it all back together again properly.
I also have no interest in gunsmithing. I just like to shoot them (which I do pretty well.)
I was surprised when he gave the part to me because just a month earlier I bought a Wyndham SRC from him at Cabela's. I've always heard/read that Wyndham is one of the best mid-priced ARs one can buy, so I don't need to build my own! I already have one of the best.
So I now have a DPMS Oracle (which I want to sell,) the Wyndham, and then this part. And I wish I only had the Wyndham.
Anyway, he's my best friend and I don't want to hurt his feelings, so can anyone tell me how hard (or easy) it is to put an AR together, and how much one with good quality parts would cost me to build?
Can one save significant money (using good parts) building their own? The Wyndham cost me $700. Could I build a comparable one for that - or $500 - or less?
I would appreciate any good advice. I know this is semi-humorous, so fire away with the jokes if you have any.
Maybe I just need to come out and tell him I can't do it - but if it's not too hard, and if I can build one cheaper than the Wyndham, maybe I should try it and then sell the Wyndham. I don't know.
I'll appreciate any good and serious advice.
Thanks.
Since we're on the subject, I'm in a dilemma and would appreciate some info and/or advice.
For Christmas my best friend gave me an AR-15 part, thinking I would want to build my own. I'm not even sure what its called, but perhaps "lower receiver?" He said it was the only piece of the AR that has the serial number stamped on it.
My problem is that I am in NO way mechanical. I'm terrible at working on my car, or building models (though I did try many times as a kid.) I couldn't get my project in electric shop in Junior High School to work - ever. I am just one of those people who cannot work well with my hands. I follow the directions and always screw it up - whatever "it" is.
Believe me, it's a MAJOR victory for me just to successfully take apart and clean and oil an AR's firing mechanism - and put it all back together again properly.
I also have no interest in gunsmithing. I just like to shoot them (which I do pretty well.)
I was surprised when he gave the part to me because just a month earlier I bought a Wyndham SRC from him at Cabela's. I've always heard/read that Wyndham is one of the best mid-priced ARs one can buy, so I don't need to build my own! I already have one of the best.
So I now have a DPMS Oracle (which I want to sell,) the Wyndham, and then this part. And I wish I only had the Wyndham.
Anyway, he's my best friend and I don't want to hurt his feelings, so can anyone tell me how hard (or easy) it is to put an AR together, and how much one with good quality parts would cost me to build?
Can one save significant money (using good parts) building their own? The Wyndham cost me $700. Could I build a comparable one for that - or $500 - or less?
I would appreciate any good advice. I know this is semi-humorous, so fire away with the jokes if you have any.
Maybe I just need to come out and tell him I can't do it - but if it's not too hard, and if I can build one cheaper than the Wyndham, maybe I should try it and then sell the Wyndham. I don't know.
I'll appreciate any good and serious advice.
Thanks.
Everything you need to build your lower. Just one of thousands of options. AR's are like legos anymore.
http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-m4-5-56-nato-1-7-melonite-13-5-lightweight-moe-freedom-rifle-kit.html
Since we're on the subject, I'm in a dilemma and would appreciate some info and/or advice.
For Christmas my best friend gave me an AR-15 part, thinking I would want to build my own. I'm not even sure what its called, but perhaps "lower receiver?" He said it was the only piece of the AR that has the serial number stamped on it.
My problem is that I am in NO way mechanical. I'm terrible at working on my car, or building models (though I did try many times as a kid.) I couldn't get my project in electric shop in Junior High School to work - ever. I am just one of those people who cannot work well with my hands. I follow the directions and always screw it up - whatever "it" is.
Believe me, it's a MAJOR victory for me just to successfully take apart and clean and oil an AR's firing mechanism - and put it all back together again properly.
I also have no interest in gunsmithing. I just like to shoot them (which I do pretty well.)
I was surprised when he gave the part to me because just a month earlier I bought a Wyndham SRC from him at Cabela's. I've always heard/read that Wyndham is one of the best mid-priced ARs one can buy, so I don't need to build my own! I already have one of the best.
So I now have a DPMS Oracle (which I want to sell,) the Wyndham, and then this part. And I wish I only had the Wyndham.
Anyway, he's my best friend and I don't want to hurt his feelings, so can anyone tell me how hard (or easy) it is to put an AR together, and how much one with good quality parts would cost me to build?
Can one save significant money (using good parts) building their own? The Wyndham cost me $700. Could I build a comparable one for that - or $500 - or less?
I would appreciate any good advice. I know this is semi-humorous, so fire away with the jokes if you have any.
Maybe I just need to come out and tell him I can't do it - but if it's not too hard, and if I can build one cheaper than the Wyndham, maybe I should try it and then sell the Wyndham. I don't know.
I'll appreciate any good and serious advice.
Thanks.
Sounds like you have a lower. If it doesn't have a trigger or anything and looks just like an empty shell, then what you have is called an 80% receiver which is the lower part of the AR. Legally, this is the part that is considered to be the gun.
I love taking things apart and putting them back together. I've also been dabbling with gunsmithing. That combined with the awesome power of youtube made it very easy to put one together. I also have a lot of the tools that are needed, which makes it a lot easier. Having said that, it doesn't sound like building one is or would be interesting to you. In that case perhaps you can have a friend (maybe the one that gave it to you) help you with the assembly. Once you have all the needed parts you can put it all together in an afternoon. This way your generous friend won't be offended and you have a new custom AR.
As for the cost, if you go the route I did which was decent, middle of the road parts, it'll cost about $600. If you want to go with better parts, then really the sky is the limit. You can easily spend $300 just on the trigger. So a little bit of research on your part is needed to see what you want the end product to be. First decide what it will be used for (plinking, varmint, etc...) and that will dictate the parts you'll need and then the cost.
Thanks so much for your replies! They both really helped!
If a medium-quality build only saves me $100, then I probably won't go through all the time and trouble of a build, and will just stick with the Wyndham. I know it was built by professionals.
When I go to the sites and see all the little pieces and screws and nuts and such laid out (for building one,) it gives me chills thinking about trying to put all that together.
Yes, I have the 80% receiver. I'll probably just give it back to my friend and apologize. He said he could re-sell it, so I think that's probably for the best.
He just didn't realize how incompetent I am at building things.
So thank you for your information. I appreciate it.