AR Build cost in our current state - Report

[bombay546]

I'm looking to see what build costs are coming to theses days. What's the best price with breakdown you're finding?

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[Kruel J]

If you can even find parts, expect to pay premium pricing. No "cheap" build parts out there right now.

 

[V4Cascade]

If you're patient you can still find good deals but you need to act fast otherwise it's gone. Not sure what your situation is at the moment but if you need something right this instant for home defense I'd be looking at a shotgun. Something is better than nothing.

 

[User 1234]

It can still be done at a reasonable cost. It will take some hunting and pecking to find certain items. The classified forums, vendor email lists, and in-stock notifications help. Also, Daniel Defense and Blackhawk sell some items on Expert Voice if you are a veteran.

 

[GWS]

IMO its gotten to the point where you can pretty much buy an AR rifle at Sportsman's for what it costs to build one these days.
$100 for stripped receiver
$40 for lower parts kit without trigger or pistol grip or buffer, tube , spring & stock
$100 for a trigger module
Another $100, give or take for pistol grip, buffer, buffer tube , spring & stock
Now let's talk about the upper
A basic built up upper receiver with receiver, barrel and forend but no bolt carrier group or charging handle ranges from $350 to $1500 depending on what you want to spend and some occasionally will include the BGG and charging handle
so let's say $400
add another $175 for BCG and charging handle

As you can see, we are closing in on a grand as in $1000 but even if you knock $200 out of my estimate because I didn't look too hard for the best bargains you're at $800 (plus tax)
Now, just looking at Sportsman's Warehouse online I see they have in stock Ruger and Smith & Wesson AR-15s at $669 to $729
Oops! I just saw a Diamondback AR-15 for $549
And these are in-stock.

Before the crush, it was way cheaper to build an AR.
Nowadays , it is no longer so.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

 

[billdeserthills]

It's true, only reason to bother building an AR these days is to make yourself a ghost gun

 

[arrowshooter]

I just finished ordering everything for a 16" 300 BLK upper for right at $500. These were the least expensive, in stock prices/items I could find.

 

[bombay546]

Thank you for all the replies. It's looking like the days for a $600 build are out the door. I am a veteran so I will take a look at DD, but at this point, I don't know if I want to wait it out in hopes of cheaper prices or to buy what I've always wanted to build while I still can.

 

[billdeserthills]

Thank you for all the replies. It's looking like the days for a $600 build are out the door. I am a veteran so I will take a look at DD, but at this point, I don't know if I want to wait it out in hopes of cheaper prices or to buy what I've always wanted to build while I still can.

This 'Piss on Biden Harris' lower is sweeet!

KG15/AR15 Lower Receivers

karrisguns.com

 

[Rkangel]

The days of easily finding good prices aren't what they were. These days you have to put in some sweat equity, warm up gundeals, and do some of your own legwork, but deals are out there. For curiosity sake I just priced out an AR pistol build for less than $500 w/o optic but with a decent Rosco or BA barrel. Had to use 3-4 websites but all had free shipping over a certain amount, so it can be done.
Hint: Check out AR15Discounts, Joebob Outfitters, Right to Bear Arms and Supply. Right to Bear offers free shipping items that apply free shipping to the entire order. Just so happens that one of those free shipping categories is certain barrels.

 

[TTSX]

Does "best" in this case mean "cheapest?" Because it's important to qualify just what best means.

 

[Flopsweat]

This 'Piss on Biden Harris' lower is sweeet!

KG15/AR15 Lower Receivers

karrisguns.com

Maybe pair it up with this:

Radical Firearms 5.56 SOCOM Barreled AR-15 Upper - Zero Impulse Muzzle Brake - RPR Handguard - 16"

DetailsThe Radical Firearms AR-15 upper receiver assembly comes ready out of the box to attach to any Mil-Spec lower receiver. It has a forged M4 railed upper so you can easily attach scopes and red dot sights to the MIL-STD rail. The upper receiver is does not include bolt carrier group or...

www.primaryarms.com

 

[monkeybutler]

Colt 6920s are 900-1000 right now.
Why anyone would put together a 600 dollar POS is beyond me.

 

[Flopsweat]

Colt 6920s are 900-1000 right now.
Why anyone would put together a 600 dollar POS is beyond me.

$400

 

[nwslopoke]

You have to try hard to build junk these days, IMHO. If you want a go to war rifle you have to be willing to pay for it. Most others can be rugged and reliable for a lot less.

 

[TTSX]

You have to try hard to build junk these days, IMHO. If you want a go to war rifle you have to be willing to pay for it. Most others can be rugged and reliable for a lot less.

It's true. I just built what I consider a pretty solid rifle. I paid a premium for the BCG, but it was in a snazzy color. It's made of geissele, BCM, Midwest industries etc. Frankengun, yes. "Cheap," no. All in I'm under a grand.

 

[Flopsweat]

It's true. I just built what I consider a pretty solid rifle. I paid a premium for the BCG, but it was in a snazzy color. It's made of geissele, BCM, Midwest industries etc. Frankengun, yes. "Cheap," no. All in I'm under a grand.

I've built or helped build several of those. A friend of mine built an AR for $450 using all new parts bought at the same time. If he had put a decent trigger in it, it would have been closer to $600, but it ran just fine.

 

[Rkangel]

Everyone has bad days, but for $900-$1000 I'd expect a bit more. I'm not part of either the Hate Colt or Love Colt club. There aren't many factory rifles that float my boat regardless of manufacturer.

Until they fell into the lake I preferred building my AR's rather than buying them. I had direct control over quality. Mass production by workers in factories who may or may not care about their jobs still leaves you with the chance of getting the one built by the worker who didn't care.

 

[TTSX]

View attachment 1025291

Everyone has bad days, but for $900-$1000 I'd expect a bit more. I'm not part of either the Hate Colt or Love Colt club. There aren't many factory rifles that float my boat regardless of manufacturer.

Until they fell into the lake I preferred building my AR's rather than buying them. I had direct control over quality. Mass production by workers in factories who may or may not care about their jobs still leaves you with the chance of getting the one built by the worker who didn't care.

Unless you manufactured the parts yourself, you don't have as much control as you might think. You have direct control of the brand you purchase and that's about it

 

[Rkangel]

Unless you manufactured the parts yourself, you don't have as much control as you might think. You have direct control of the brand you purchase and that's about it

Maybe, maybe not. But I can select all the components, the level of quality, and the features I want. If the brand makes quality parts then those parts can make a quality build. During my last build I knew the material, dimensions, manufacturing methods, and testing used in items such as the barrel, bolt, gas block, gas tube, extension, trigger group, etc... because the manufacturer listed them and I was able to choose those parts based on that information. Compared this to the similar factory rifle at the store. The store rifle never listed any of these specs, so you don't really know what you're getting. Is it MIM? Is it forged? Is it 4150? Is it C158? Is it balsa? Is it pot metal? Who knows if they don't tell you.

I can also exercise the care and finesse I want during assembly. Plus, to me it is more fun building than it is stripping a factory rifle down to make it into what I want.