Im starting an ar15 build at home and would like some input on what parts not to buy. I will order the upper and lower stripped reivers first. Ive been looking at some aeroprecision parts. If u have an asshole comment, keep it!
- Thread starter jimbob
- Start date
Really depends on your budget. Are you wanting only the best parts or are you on a budget. I built one for right at $500 on cheap parts and it functions fine. And accuracy is good enough.
Im looking for info on the parts that fail and will cause problems. I cant have malfunctions
If it's your first build figure at least $100-200 for tools depending on what you already may have..
As for an AR
If your never gonna shoot it junk parts will work
If your gonna shoot the piss out of it or need to trust your life with it quality parts will prevail..
As for an AR
If your never gonna shoot it junk parts will work
If your gonna shoot the piss out of it or need to trust your life with it quality parts will prevail..
Im gonna wear it out
It would be easier to tell you what is good than what is bad. When It comes to LPK they are all about the same. I like CMMG, RRA, and if you want to really step it up Geissele now has a LPK with a SSA trigger group. Magpul is great for furniture.
My biggest concern is what "bcg" to use. I always keep my guns clean and oiled. M-16 bcg or what?
IMO if you don't have the experience and know how to pick quality parts then I'd buy a quality factory assembled rifle. As competitive as the AR market is and as many companies there are trying to do their own thing to the same gun if you can't find what you're looking for at a great price then I don't know what to tell you. Also when you total the parts it will cost you as much or more to assemble it yourself not to mention the cost of tools and you have a cobbled together rifle with no warranty. Buy a factory rifle and you have a company to fall back on if it doesn't work, buy a quality factory one and you won't need a company to fall back on because it will work.
If you're doing it to save a few bucks then you're going to get the same rifle you could save a few bucks on assembled and you'll at least have a company to send it to when the POS breaks.
Thats my .02. When the price is the same for the same quality level there is no reason to build it yourself.
If you're doing it to save a few bucks then you're going to get the same rifle you could save a few bucks on assembled and you'll at least have a company to send it to when the POS breaks.
Thats my .02. When the price is the same for the same quality level there is no reason to build it yourself.
Go read the FAQ over at ARF-com. These types of basic questions will best be answered there.
Staked or "un-staked" will be your next question.
...or buy a Noveske and be done with it.
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+1 Rolling your own is generally only worth it when going high end...and the parts (although not always) will be better so less need for a warranty. I've built the equivalent of $3-5K AR .308s for a grand less. But building a $500 .223? Would only do it for the experience...and you can get that by taking apart a factory rifle.
I was just wondering if there were parts not to buy, like the bcg. I want to build it myself because i like doing things for myself. I dont want a rifle that somebody else built. Any retard can buy the most expensive parts.
Yes, you will want an M16 BCG with a High Pressure Test/Magnetic Particle Inspected bolt that is marked as such. Do not get an 8620 bolt. You want a Carpenter 158 or 9130 alloy steel bolt from a reputable source.
BCM is an easy answer for bolt sources, but Brownell's and other established AR15 parts suppliers all pretty much carry HPT/MPI bolts. If the BCG is under $100, it's probably an 8620 steel bolt.
For reliability, you need a solid gas system configuration, a steel gas block for anything MLGS or shorter, non-binding gas tube, chrome-lined carrier key that is securely fastened to the carrier, a carrier that has tight tolerances inside where the bolt tail inserts, quality gas rings on the bolt, a quality recoil spring and buffer assembly that is balanced to your gas system length and the main loads you will be shooting.
The BCG needs to be run with a thick, wet lubrication that doesn't burn off as fast like thin oils do, and the system needs to be run with good magazines, as well as quality ammunition that is consistent. Most well-built carbines will eat crap ammo for thousands of rounds with only repeated lubrication, maybe a toothbrush on the bolt face every 5000 rounds, squirt Slip2000 or motor oil on the BCG, slap it together, and keep blasting.
Start to depart from the reliability formula, and you will become more ammunition and condition sensitive (cold weather). Reputable companies like BCM will use optimal gas port diameters, while el cheepo brands will get whatever and bash the parts together, call it good, looks like an AR15 for non-discerning customers who might plink with it once a year, easy sale....
A lot of even the economy industry has recognized these market demands, and significantly raised the bar on their parts selection ever since high-volume courses and competitive action shooting became such a dominant driving force in the AR15 market, because the look-alike guns were crapping the bed with regularity, while others rarely hiccup.
BCM is an easy answer for bolt sources, but Brownell's and other established AR15 parts suppliers all pretty much carry HPT/MPI bolts. If the BCG is under $100, it's probably an 8620 steel bolt.
For reliability, you need a solid gas system configuration, a steel gas block for anything MLGS or shorter, non-binding gas tube, chrome-lined carrier key that is securely fastened to the carrier, a carrier that has tight tolerances inside where the bolt tail inserts, quality gas rings on the bolt, a quality recoil spring and buffer assembly that is balanced to your gas system length and the main loads you will be shooting.
The BCG needs to be run with a thick, wet lubrication that doesn't burn off as fast like thin oils do, and the system needs to be run with good magazines, as well as quality ammunition that is consistent. Most well-built carbines will eat crap ammo for thousands of rounds with only repeated lubrication, maybe a toothbrush on the bolt face every 5000 rounds, squirt Slip2000 or motor oil on the BCG, slap it together, and keep blasting.
Start to depart from the reliability formula, and you will become more ammunition and condition sensitive (cold weather). Reputable companies like BCM will use optimal gas port diameters, while el cheepo brands will get whatever and bash the parts together, call it good, looks like an AR15 for non-discerning customers who might plink with it once a year, easy sale....
A lot of even the economy industry has recognized these market demands, and significantly raised the bar on their parts selection ever since high-volume courses and competitive action shooting became such a dominant driving force in the AR15 market, because the look-alike guns were crapping the bed with regularity, while others rarely hiccup.
Thanks for the helpfull info lrrpf52
There are a lot of shit parts out there, many labeled 'mil-spec' including BCG's.
I can understand some pride about something you made but you're installing some pins and tightening a couple things, hardly "building". It's not like you're machining the receivers or any of the parts. It's the equivelent of buying a night stand at ikea and putting it together... not a life accomplishment.
I'd get much more pride knowing I have a quality AR assembled from quality parts out together by professionals that will work when I need it to.
I didnt ask for an opinion poll. U dont know my skill level. I wanted a badass car and i built one. I dont need a warrenty because i work on everything myself. Im not the kinda guy that pays someone to do something when its easy to learn off of such a great website such as this. I dont hear " u cant"
I said thanks when somebody actualy gave me what i asked for. If i hurt your feelings then grow a pair.
My build consisted of an 80% lower I finish machined myself, and had anodized. A Palmetto State Armory upper that was on sale. A used Colt M16 bolt carrier group I sourced from a friend for $20, a brand new Colt bolt assembly that was given to me, etc, etc. I had a lot of help from friends and local people sourcing good parts for very little money. It is possible to build a quality rifle for little money, you just need to be patient.
I never said you couldn't, I was just pointing out how stupid it is to buy tools and spend time doing something so meaningless when you can buy it for less. When it's the same price or less for the same quality, you're not paying somebody to do what you can do.
No skin off my ass though, if you want a cobbled together turd then be my guest. I was just giving the best advice I know. I've had over 50 AR's and assembled that many multiplied a few times.
No skin off my ass though, if you want a cobbled together turd then be my guest. I was just giving the best advice I know. I've had over 50 AR's and assembled that many multiplied a few times.
If i buy the jig for the 80percent receiver, should i get a practice receiver? I can use a manual mill at my buddies shop.
The jig is set up fairly foolproof. Just follow the instructions and look up some internal dimension prints online.
Do i need to register a finished lower with atf?
Nope, as long as you don't sell it.
If lowers are legal in your state just buy one. 80% lower are not what I would start off with, just more work. These days you can get a finished lower for $50-80...
Fixed your incorrect statement.
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Nope. Since you have much more complex assembly experience, and access to tools, you can take responsibility for a whole different level of control when building your own AR15. Probably the most important area that you have control of at that level is truing the receiver face. With a simple tool from Brownell's or Midway, you can take a blem upper receiver purchased at a discount, and make it more valuable than the ones 2-3x the price, with performance to prove it.
You can also apply a top-quality finish to your personalized project using Cerakote H-series oven-cure products, and if you have access to a blast cabinet, spray booth, compressor, and air guns, it will make life that much easier.
What direction do you want to go with this? Just a beater carbine that will eat ammunition all day?
An accuracy stick for impacting steel?
A nice multi-role lightweight hunting package that will double as a recreational target gun?
Sounds to me like you're the type of guy that wants to build a Cobra Jet 428, not a beater Pinto with maypops.
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I would like to build an m4 style upper first. Then maybe a 6.8
ALL mechanical devices CAN and WILL fail at some point. And if your device doesn't malfunction then you haven't shot it enough. Even my top tier gear has failed at some point or another. The trick is knowing what to do about it when it does. Now don't get me wrong I understand the need for the best equipment in order to reduce failures and maximize up time. But don't fool yourself into thinking that just because you have the best gear means that it will not malfunction or fail, murphies law is the only thing I trust to not fail.
I dont think you need $100 $200 dollars worth of tools to put together an AR I have put together at least four lowers this year with no more than an punch stock wrench and razor blade. That amounts to about $10 and if you need a stock nut wrench ill mail you one for cost of postage. The upper depending on the handguard only reguires an armorers wrench or free float tube wrench and a torque wrench if you would like to go that far. The reliability and durability is going to depend on the parts not who puts them together. I could teach my 8 year old how to assemble an AR.
BCM full auto bolt carrier or Daniel Defense bolt carrier.
Thanks for the input guys. Looking forward to going hands on. In my state, you need a. 24 or larger bullet dia. to hunt big game. My buddy has me thinking about a 6.5 grendell for a second upper.
Listen to your buddy, he is steering you in the right direction. Let him convince you by burning up some of his ammo!
For where you are at in the rugged wilderness of upstate WA, and hunting is on the menu, the Grendel is one of the most versatile game-slayers for AR15 hunters.
Since you are putting emphasis on the bcg, Rainier Arms has theirs on sale for $100. They may also have some other items you need. Some require coupon code 2013. You will also be supporting your neighbors in Washington.
https://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/clearance&pagenumber=1
