Build or buy? AR

[Firemansim]

This looks almost like a scam. (Maybe I have the wrong product ?)
Inexpensive Anderson receivers that someone "skeltonized" ?
I'd run away from that one.....fast.
View attachment 694061

I did a web search on the part #. Looks fine to me. Allows you to pick your furniture, BCG, rail, etc... Probably going to be $700+ when you're done though.

 

[asbtg]

I did a web search on the part #. Looks fine to me. Allows you to pick your furniture, BCG, rail, etc... Probably going to be $700+ when you're done though.

Ah-- I didn't realize it was missing the BCG. That's going to add $150 or so if I've done my looking right... That's a huge help!

 

[Jcon268]

Oh, now this is an important point. Get it in 5.56, not .223. There is a difference. A 5.56 will run both 5.56 and .223. A .223 will run only .223. You will probably want that flexibility, also you won't wind up with a round stuck in the chamber. I think I said .223 in my earlier post and I shouldn't have.

Only true with .223 Remington, which is becoming less common these days. A .223 Wylde chamber will run 5.56 NATO and .223

 

[asbtg]

Ended up going with a DEL-TON Echo 316L Optic Ready 5.56mm NATO 16in from Sportsman's Warehouse in Everett. Set of BUIS and I should be G2G. Here's hoping they have a couple boxes of 223 or 556 in stock...
Thank you everyone for your help and the astounding depth of knowledge here!

 

[Flopsweat]

This looks almost like a scam. (Maybe I have the wrong product ?)
Inexpensive Anderson receivers that someone "skeltonized" ?
I'd run away from that one.....fast.
View attachment 694061

If it's at Precise Shooter it's not a scam. Sergey is the real deal.

Only true with .223 Remington, which is becoming less common these days. A .223 Wylde chamber will run 5.56 NATO and .223

Sorry, when I say .223 I mean the .223 Remington that's been around forever. So far anything I've seen stamped .223 is .223 Remington. Everything I've seen chambered in .223 Wylde (admittedly not a lot) has been stamped .223 Wylde. I probably could have been clearer since we were helping a new member.

 

[BlindedByScience]

Not the cheapest hardware on the block, but Aero Precision for your lower (and upper, actually) are solid as it gets, and are made in the PacNW so they are my 'go to' for AR builds. Available directly or through lots of dealers....easy to recommend. The flip side of the argument is that with a lower, as long as the holes are in the right place it pretty much doesn't matter who built it. You can easily spend hundreds of dollars on a billet uber lower and upper...and I never understood that (other than they look hella cool).

You could do lots worse than an AP lower and one of their assembled uppers. The nice guys at Rainier Arms can probably take care of all your wants.

 

[Tony617]

FYI, I've found that Palmetto State Armory and Delta Team Tactical are the 2 places to get the best prices. PSA will have a bit better quality control. Be advised, if you are going buy a kit and assemble it yourself, you'll need some tools. Midway has a good how to on building the upper.

This link: AR-15 Lower Build has pretty clear instructions on building the lower.

That is guide that I was using for my first few lower that I assembled I printed them out but now I know based on the size of the springs where everything goes now.

 

[Firemansim]

...You can easily spend hundreds of dollars on a billet uber lower and upper...and I never understood that (other than they look hella cool).

Isn't that what it's all about, looking hella cool?

 

[BlindedByScience]

Isn't that what it's all about, looking hella cool?

....not that it's a bad thing, but if I have the choice to spend money on an uber billet upper / lower or a better barrel and trigger, you can guess where I'm spending my money.

Best AR platform barrels I have in the safe are Rainier Ultramatch. There are others, to be sure, but these really shoot. Got a Ballistic Advantage for the next build (300BO pistol) so we will see how that works out.

 

[Doomtown]

I found it useful to buy before build. It goes with reason that if you haven't done either you likely have limited experience, if any, with the AR platform. This was the case for myself. When I was considering this like OP I was torn between the intricacies of building a rifle I'm not familiar with and all of the eye candy I don't know if I need or would like anyhow. So I bought an affordable "entry level" AR and familiarized myself with what I liked and what I didn't like. I learn best by doing and found it invaluable to break the rifle down and put it together. When I finally bought parts and put it together it was a cakewalk, and I saved money on some parts I found weren't as essential as I had previously considered.

 

[titsonritz]

Just buy a BCM otherwise if you cobble together a bunch of POS parts you'll most likely be back in a couple weeks trying to figure "Why is my AR 'jamming'?"

 

[tinkerbill]

What a lot of people do is buy a stripped lower from your local gunshop and then order a complete upper, receiver extension/buffer/spring kit and lower parts kit online. Add back up sights/optic and you have a complete AR. It is usually cheaper that way.

You also get the advantage of anonymity with no serial#. Homemade guns do not require it but you cannot sell them. No biggie, that's the kind of guns I like anyway! Because they come apart fairly easily, they stash good as well. Building it yourself, you also become more familiar with the gun as well!

 

[CLee0507]

You also get the advantage of anonymity with no serial#.

???

My comment was buying a lower from local gun shop which does not have anything to do with an 80% build.

 

[BlindedByScience]

Just buy a BCM otherwise if you cobble together a bunch of POS parts you'll most likely be back in a couple weeks trying to figure "Why is my AR 'jamming'?"

....I agree, but the key is not to buy "...a bunch of POS parts....". With good stuff it'll work just fine.....

 

[titsonritz]

....I agree, but the key is not to buy "...a bunch of POS parts....". With good stuff it'll work just fine.....

As this is the OP's first go around I doubt he know the difference, plenty of people with several builds under their belt and still don't know the difference. Buy a BCM or even a Colt eliminates that problem and provides benchmark for future builds.

 

[BlindedByScience]

As this is the OP's first go around I doubt he know the difference, plenty of people with several builds under their belt and still don't know the difference. Buy a BCM or even a Colt eliminates that problem and provides benchmark for future builds.

BCM, Colt, DD, Noveske, Rainier Arms.....tons of solid rifles out there in all price ranges, no question. At the low end of the price scale, I've heard good things about the Ruger, for the money. No disagreement.

But, asking people that know and getting advice on a build is a pretty good way to go as well. Buying an assembled upper and pinning it onto a lower you built from quality parts is a pretty reliable and predictable path. Done it myself, a time or two. Chances of success are pretty good. Either way works.

As they say, one man's opinion......

 

[titsonritz]

 

[Ops]

Caracal CAR814 A2 5.56 NATO Rifle - 16\

FFL Required Before Shipping. Please have your dealer email their license to [email protected] or they can also fax it in. Please give us a few days to process the information.

www.rainierarms.com

 

[PiratePast40]

I'm another one that really likes Aero Precision. I went to Granite Ridge for my good deal on an M4E1 enhanced upper & handguard combo. Be nice if you could find comparable prices locally. I'm really not in the camp that thinks you should get the cheapest and most basic for your first time around. Go with what best fits your budget and skill level. That isn't the same level for everyone but I really think you should start out with what you can handle. Most people that can tie their shoes and don't mind buying a few more tools can assemble an AR.

 

[Member 38805]

I wouldn't be too quick to build or buy right now. The guns and the parts have all taken a bump with idiots going corona virus nuts. But once things settle down you'll find them back to lower realistic prices. So if you want the value of your gun or parts to drop from today's pricing, go ahead. Otherwise be patient.
In the meantime start pricing guns and all the parts to build one. I did this a few years ago, and immediately saw it would cost me much more to build my own than buy a complete gun. I bought an Anderson Ar in .223 at Cabelas on sale for under $400. I couldn't begin to buy the parts for that price, and it's been a fantastic, very accurate rifle.