[Guest]

what are the legalities (sp) with building your own firearm like an AR15?
also is it cheaper to build or buy one. local prices around here keep them around 900+ (more on the 1000k+ side)
i priced out a complete upper and lower on some website and ended up being around 700$ and some change for an M4 style AR build but i dont want the M4 style i want more or a long range target style AR build and am having a hard time finding full size uppers. (non carbine style i should say)
any help would be appricated

 

[Guest]

It s diffocult question to answer because of so many variables, but here are some of the features I would reccomend. BTW: I am by no strech of the imagination an expert. I'm an old M14 guy.

If your looking for Home Defense (HD) and that trasitional space of 25 yards to 300 yards an M4 "type" is extremly more than adequate.

When I priced out all the feature set I wanted it came out to over $1500. I decide to buy a "turn key" solution from S&W. The M&P15T.


there also a lot of XD members that are walking Library of AR knowledge base and Check out AR15.com, there are some trully amazing, knowledgeble and helpful individuals there that live a breath AR stuff.

 

[Guest]

Build one!
Check local laws as far as what is legal... www.packing.org has been helpful to me.
I did my first build about a year ago. I went with a kit from www.mapartsinc.com
If you buy the midlength kit from them it is a true RRA upper. (A2 upper/bayo lug/A2 flash supressor)
All other kits are made with mil spec parts....

The stock that comes with the kit is cheap but thats an easy fix. If you just want a functioning rifle to add to (like I did) and upgrade as you see fit it can be done for about $550. A varmit/target rifle will run slightly more...

Check out AR15.com everything you need should be there.

 

[Guest]

Make sure mag capacity isn't restricted, and there are no goofy laws like mags in front of the trigger rules. Then build away!!

Good source for cheap lowers. I have 2 and love-em both!
http://www.essentialarms.com/

 

[Guest]

check this link out form AR15.com http://ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782
i always wanted to biuld one but i came across my bushmaster for a decent price and had to jump on it

 

[Guest]

not really looking for a home defense gun more of a Target/Long range plinker/varmit rifle. i have a 45 and a 12ga for home defense lol

ill check out those sites tonite at work if im not real busy though. also can you mix/match parts like a DPMS lower with a Bushmaster upper? or does it really matter?

 

[Guest]

not really looking for a home defense gun more of a Target/Long range plinker/varmit rifle. i have a 45 and a 12ga for home defense lol

ill check out those sites tonite at work if im not real busy though. also can you mix/match parts like a DPMS lower with a Bushmaster upper? or does it really matter?

You sound like you're looking to build, a longer range AR. I've looked at building them and buying them. I read a VERY large review 2 months ago in a magazine over long distance AR's (in the 600 yards range), and they found the RRA AR to be the most accurate. I started checking out RRA, who I've always really heard good things about. They have a varminter AR for I think $1,040-1070 (depending on barrel length) or so, fully assembled. Now keep in mind that this is with a heavy bull barrel that is stainless steel, free float tube, match trigger, etc. I would personally rather pay $1,070 for all those features in a gun exactly like I want, than $970 for a bushmaster that I would have to customize for MY shooting applications. They sell the parts to make this exact rifle for a bit cheaper, which if you don't mind the work can be a good thing, because you can put the extra couple of hundred towards the glass on top.

There are lots of other great AR's out there, but I was just going to tell you a couple of the things I had read and seen. This is the rifle that I am myself personally considering for the same applications as yourself. Hope this helps http://www.rockriverarms.com/item-detail.cfm?ID=AR1500X&storeid=1&image=06va4.gif&CFID=20470423&CFTOKEN=94409898

 

[Guest]

Go to the Equipment exchange on AR15.com If you cant find it there it isnt made. I built my Varmit barreled AR for less than $700. Armalite upper, Bushy lower ergo grip RRA winter trigger gaurd. I still have to get the money together for a match trigger and a better scope. I started out with a $600 bushy car 15 11 1/2" barrel and just started swapping parts. I got the Armalite uppper in a across the board trade for the CAR upper, Swapped the stocks.

 

[Guest]

check out www.ar15barrels.com - Randall can customize a Stag upper to your specs for a reasonable price. Build your lower, mate the two, adn go shooting.

and yes, you can usually save $100 by building, even without searching for the absolute best deals.

 

[Guest]

Subscribing.

 

[Guest]

Do different brands' uppers and lowers match up well? I'd want it to be tight.

 

[Guest]

As far as fit, they do. Sometimes the finish of different brands may be slightly different.
There are people over there who have built 50+ AR's and know exactly what upper matches which lower (finish/texture wise) etc...

 

[Guest]

Being tight just means you have a "new" gun. The thing is going to get looseanyway. just know it won't get any looser. I had a RRA DCM gun and it was very tight when I got it. after about 1000 rounds it was well broke in and shot very well. it had a little play in the receiver s but it never got any worse. They nevery really do. In The USAF we get the Army's hand-me-downs and they were still well fitted with just enough play.

 

[Guest]

Nearly all AR-15's are tight fit in the get go, which is actually a good thing, as the looser a gun gets, the worse its preformance is over time. The difference in preformance though is usually smaller than how accurate the shooter is.

 

[Guest]

The only "tightness" I didnt like was the takedown/pivot pins....I still cant take it down totally by hand....Other than that tightness is usually a good thing

 

[Guest]

I bought a DPMS upper and lower, aftermarket grip, rings and scope and put it all together in about 20 minutes. If you were going to pay retail, it would be about $800 after taxes, maybe a bit more with shipping. I did the standard 15-minute trigger job on it and now it has about a 4 lb trigger but still a decent amount of creep. Even with the creep it averages 3/4 MOA, and I got a 1-hole group at 100 yds with it the last time out. People don't talk much about DPMS but their stuff is solid and I know that their customer service is great. Sounds like it's sort of what you're looking for so If you want a complete purchase list, I can provide one.

Obligatory photo: Since then I have added the aftermarket grip and bought a 20-round mag for easier benchrest shooting.

 

[Guest]

Nearly all AR-15's are tight fit in the get go, which is actually a good thing, as the looser a gun gets, the worse its preformance is over time. The difference in preformance though is usually smaller than how accurate the shooter is.

Oh, and if you read David Tubb's book "The Competitive AR-15," you'll note that the play between the upper and lower doesn't affect the accuracy of the rifle. As long as you put tension on the gun before firing (either with benchrest bags or a shooting sling with good position technique) the play has no effect on accuracy. It makes sense if you think about the limited role that the lower receiver plays in the firing/cycling process.

Something else that blew my mind: Tubb is of the opinion that a longer barrel is more inherently innacurate than a shorter barrel! He puts some good thought behind it, too. A longer barrel gives you more velocity and therefore a flatter trajectory, but after reading his thoughts on it I'm convinced he's right about inherent accuracy. I still think my 20" barrel just looks meaner than the 16" bull barrel uppers.

 

[Guest]

polymerhead, that is a nice rifle how much did it cost to build if you dont mind me asking? one like that where im from minus the scope would run about $1500. AR's are hot right now down here i saw 5 carbines at the range the other day! no kidding lol so the gun shops know they can get top dollar out of them any of them actually.

that is why i would rather build one than pay over inflated prices and line the pockets of the gunstore guru's

right now im just trying to get a feel for the prices what i want and what is good and what to stay away from the build would be several months off though after we close on our new house

 

[Guest]

I think it's worth it to build it so that you can get exactly what you want. I priced out the different rifles that I was interested in and they all came out a few hundred more after I added all the "upgrades" I wanted. I was able to get a stripped lower from a local dealer and just placed my order for a kit from Del-ton.com for an M4gery. Total cost was right around $1000.

That was for their 16" M4 rifle kit with a DPMS barrel, M4 CAR buttstock, YHM Phantom brake, 2 rail gas block with detachable front flip sight, YHM 4 rail lightweight free-float tube, M4 feed ramps, YHM flip-up rear sight, and cover panels for the rails.

I had so much fun planning out this first AR that I actually bought 2 more stripped lowers for future AR builds. Next one is probably going to be a 24" bull barrel for precision shooting.

 

[Guest]

For the upper Go with Yankee Hill Machine. they are the forearms I put on both of my uppers in the gallery. they are very easy to install and the wrench is a good investment if you plan to shoot a buttload of ammo through the gun and need to change barrels. 10,000 is a good number to remember for that.