AR15 build, what brand?

[70cyclone]

I just call it 'mine'

my favorite AR has these brands:

magpul
seekins
odin
aero precision
POF
burris
silencerco
and a few others I can't remember(I don't even remember which brand 80% unit I used lol)

so what 'brand' should I call it?

 

[partsed]

So following the logical approach, I bought my Anderson AR15 online and they sent the lower to an FFL of my choosing and the upper came to me at my work and I assembled them, then my gun is a Frankengun....

 

[JRuby]

A gun made by different manufacturers parts may work better than a premanufactured by one vendor but it's still a Franken gun. It's made out of pieces not by a single vendor.

 

[Member 3687]

Well let's see if someone asked I have carbines or M4geries, rifles and pistols.

Or I just tell them home built then if they ask for more info I will let them know what parts are in it.

As far as value goes I have two Colt rifles with boxes to better prove they are original with all the manuals and goodies. The rest I mainly run Anderson lowers and complete BCM uppers and they are so marked so it is easy to identify. I do own several parts guns that I am not even sure what barrels they are as the where taken as trade stock and made from other folks take off so it is hard to put a price on them so It depends on the market and how bad someone wants it.

 

[Member 3687]

So following the logical approach, I bought my Anderson AR15 online and they sent the lower to an FFL of my choosing and the upper came to me at my work and I assembled them, then my gun is a Frankengun....

Well if I understand you correctly the answer is yes.

Yes Anderson sells complete rifles and when you buy one it goes to the dealer as a completed rifle and the 4473 states that it is a rifle.

If the receiver is sent to the dealer and the upper is sent to you it is not a complete rifle and is sold as a receiver and the 4473 states that as well so even if you put an Anderson upper on it there is nothing to show it was sold that way so it is a Frankenstein.

 

[Member 3687]

It sounds like you bought the rifle through a third party who bought Anderson rifle kits and Anderson lowers then they assembled them. If they put the upper and lower together they become a manufacture and there is an 11% excise tax that needs to be paid as a completed rifle or it should have shipped as a complete rifle to the dealer not the upper to you and the lower to the dealer.

 

[HB of CJ]

Probably the best way to go is just research then buy from a good builder. Consider Colt Industries providing a complete firearm. Unless you are experienced and equipped to properly build your own, (and most are not) then consider not building your own. It is what you do not know what you do not know that can get you.

Respectfully. Hundreds of AR15 builds. Uncounted M16 rebuilds. All the gages, gigs, special tools, wrenches and widgets were sold off years ago. Even for me to do another precision AR15 build today would cost hundreds and hundreds in build stuff just setting up to do it again. Just buy a complete rifle. Easier and safer.

 

[Medic!]

I like turtles.

Me to.

A turtle has seven different flavors of meat.
All tasty!

 

[rick benjamin]

AR A3 platform, 5.56 chamber, 16 inch barrel 1:9 twist birdcage flash supressor.
Stock polished FC group, 3.7 lb pull. Magpul collapsable stock w 12 inch forend.
There are many like it, but this one is mine

 

[partsed]

It sounds like you bought the rifle through a third party who bought Anderson rifle kits and Anderson lowers then they assembled them. If they put the upper and lower together they become a manufacture and there is an 11% excise tax that needs to be paid as a completed rifle or it should have shipped as a complete rifle to the dealer not the upper to you and the lower to the dealer.

I bought it thru Sportsman's Guide and looking at their website they have rifles that have the word "kit" in the listing and states that the fully assembled Lower will ship to your FFL of choice and the Upper will ship to you. Interesting....

 

[wired]

Probably the best way to go is just research then buy from a good builder. Consider Colt Industries providing a complete firearm. Unless you are experienced and equipped to properly build your own, (and most are not) then consider not building your own. It is what you do not know what you do not know that can get you.

Respectfully. Hundreds of AR15 builds. Uncounted M16 rebuilds. All the gages, gigs, special tools, wrenches and widgets were sold off years ago. Even for me to do another precision AR15 build today would cost hundreds and hundreds in build stuff just setting up to do it again. Just buy a complete rifle. Easier and safer.

CNC machining has turned you into a dinosaur. I cant think of a single specialized tool thats NEEDED to build a AR-15 any more. Barrels always come with the extension now and I cant think of a time in the last 10-15 years where headspace wasnt as required. Modern bolts and extensions are within ten thousandths of standard. Sure theres some things that make it easier but necessary any more ? Not really. If you are building from a barrel upper receiver there pretty much isnt a single tool other than than maybe a $9 stock wrench. $50 steel reaction rods are pretty nice to have for barreling an upper receiver.

 

[Member 3687]

I almost hate to say it but I have been building these dang things sense the late 80's and still have all the barrel vices, clam shell blocks special punches, head space gauges and have updated to a lot of new tools as well and still buy a lot of my uppers as complete from BCM because they work and I like them.

But I do agree the stuff now days are like Lego they are snap together with very few issues or problems. Just inspect the parts as you get them will get rid of 9o% of any issues because it usually missing springs or pins that stop the build not bad parts.

The only problem now is trying to figure out what barrel length you want and how custom to build it.

 

[Koda]

everything today is plug and play, there is no gunsmithing to do.

Lets say you build yourself a high end target rifle in 6.5Grendel. Buy an expensive barrel, Upper, BCG etc. and you can literally throw it on a $60 lower and accomplish what you want.

Dont really want to call it a "frankenrifle", what do you call it as? wont be the lower mfg... thats for shure. If you buy an expensive complete assembled 6.5G upper then definitely call it that, whoever you bought it from.

 

[HB of CJ]

wired. DSAPT9. Koda. Respectfully; input based upon ignorance does not help this forum. Some of us can provide helpful information based upon actual experience and wisdom. Said another way, been there, done that.

Gaging, (pun intended) the response from the majority of the causal home builders attempting a home build based upon wrong videos and bad books and hoping the rifle turns out OK dictated my honest forthright answers.

Some will disagree. A few will understand. The AR15 platform does have its areas where the home builder must know what he is doing. Some aspects are not snap together. Proper barrel torquing and indexing are two such areas.

I do not currently have the stuff needed to do a proper build. I do have the stuff needed to do a throw together non proper build. The money to reestablish the stuff needed by me is not there. It was a good Christmas indeed.

Again, it is a case of not knowing you do not know. Most if not all the viewers of this fine excellent forum have not done over 500 AR15 builds along with assisted uncounted, (literally) M16 rebuilds. Buying a complete rifle is much better.

Respectfully. That is the way it is. Corrective action for me would be to create a proper correct AR15 build video and manual for the home builder. I do not have the time or money to do so. Therefore my comments are provided here.

 

[Member 3687]

wired. DSAPT9. Koda. Respectfully; input based upon ignorance does not help this forum. Some of us can provide helpful information based upon actual experience and wisdom. Said another way, been there, done that.

You know 20 years ago or even 7 years ago I would have agreed with you but today I do not.

Yes there are still safety checks to be made and there are many books and military manuals as well as some some good videos that can show you what to look for along with the many forums where you can get help if you so choose to look.

You have the right to your opinion and I respect that but you are right I do not have to agree with it.

There are literally thousands of untrained folks building ARs every year and can you show me any major evidence of people getting hurt or guns blowing up due to the lack of training during the build. I personally only know of a couple due to defective equipment from the factory or over charged reloads.

I bet if you do the research it is no more than the few that happen from factory guns from the top name brands and buying a name brand is no guarantee it was done correct.

So I guess on this subject we will have to disagree on.

 

[UserNameInUse]

Take your last name and add the word "Tactical".

When my current one is done I am going to call it Hillary.

 

[Koda]

Yup, plug n play. If ARs required smithing there would be few custom builds out there. The market is flooded with custom builds, heck sometimes even 80% lowers are on back order and most none of those folks are true machinists either.


"Koda Tactical"
I like it...

 

[HB of CJ]

Respectfully. Plug and play. 80% lowers are doable. Head space not a concern. Proper barrel installation not a concern. Nothing ever can go wrong. Nothing has ever gone wrong. Every part is perfect in every way. Every home build is perfect. Every home builder is an expert. Everything is cool. Is that what I am hearing? What I am NOT hearing here is the naggy reality that NOT all 100% of home made AR15 rifles are perfect. Respectfully.

And a lack of specific information as to why they may not be perfect. Just general fuzzy statements.

My job here as I see it is to let home builders understand that lots of times still dark water runs deep. It is based upon past and present build experience. Uncounted thousands. Probably not as much as yours, but enough. Safety first. Lots of comments here seem to ignore this important fact. One would almost think that some comments come from manufactures who just desire to sell stuff to the kitchen table guy. The more you sell, the better you do.

Corrective Action: This might be difficult for some here to understand, but so be it. It is important to grok that home building your AR15 rifle is doable if one understands the potential areas of concern with the build. Let us just touch on two areas. Proper understanding of head space and why it is vital that the barrel torquing be conducted in a specific fashion. AND WHY. We will leave out others lessor areas of needful insight. Perhaps I will need to do this.

Respectfully. Great Forum.

 

[Boboclown]

If someone asked me what kind of AR I own I just call it a mutt.

 

[CamoDeafie]

My first AR build, I brought the thing to a competent gunsmith to install the barrel, and it's been perfect ever since. I don't have a vise and a receiver vise block, though I do have a torque wrench from working on cars. Otherwise, the build went pretty easily. Granted, it was not from an 80%, and had a generic Wylde chambered M4 profile carbine barrel that already had the barrel lock nut on and standard FSB pinned, as well as a standard flat top upper that already came with the barrel extension built in.