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Building an AR in 2023

Ebs

Ebs

`
Joined
May 28, 2020
Member Number
1631
Messages
695
Loc
MI
Can I still beat a mid tier gun (800-1200) by building it myself? There's some pretty nice offerings out there in that range that make me wonder if it's worth piecing together a similar build. Where's my calculator at.
 
I just finished my AR "other" build and didn't break the bank. It can be done, while still doing some personal touches vs an off the shelf unit. Easily could have save $130ish with a mil spec charging handle and not replacing the LPK items I did.

Blem Aero M4E1 lower $95
Mil Spec LPK $40
Magpul K2 grip $20
Aero M4E1 12.5" complete upper $350
Pistol Buffer tube setup $40
Blem Expo Arms Chrome BCG $95
DD charging handle (used) $50
Extended Mag release $20
Extended takedown Pins $20
Ambi Safety $20
Magpul vertical grip (required for legality in my state) $20

Total $770

20230208_164110.jpg
 
How the hell is a vertical grip on a "pistol" required? That makes it an AOW, does it not?
 
Ebs said:
Can I still beat a mid tier gun (800-1200) by building it myself? There's some pretty nice offerings out there in that range that make me wonder if it's worth piecing together a similar build. Where's my calculator at.
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People rag on PSA, but I have built quite a few firearms from their components.
 
D_JEEPER said:
How the hell is a vertical grip on a "pistol" required? That makes it an AOW, does it not?
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Its a CT legal "Other". Its specific to CT state law. Pistols are barrels less then 12" and designed to be shot 1 handed, rifles are designed to be shoulder fired and it is over 26" in length so its not a AOW. When CT made their AW ban they were so specific in the law they accidentally created a category that didnt exist yet. So the forgrip is required because its intended to be shot with 2 hands not one.
 
Building it is half the fun. One of my builds I traded stuff I was never going to use (some gun, some bicycle, a few old coins, etc). I think I have a grand total of $60 into that POS. :laughing: Another build is all the crap that I absolutely detested on a bunch of other guns and removed. And, yet, another I splurged on a few high dollar parts (barrel, BCG, trigger). The main reason to build ain't about saving any money (probably buy whatever you want cheaper, unless you like to wait for sales 'n stuff). :flipoff2:
 
Toreadorranger said:
I just finished my AR "other" build
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Thanks for the price breakdown. You've got some nicer parts in there but come out similar to some retail offerings which is what had me asking.
Example:
gunprime.com

Sig Sauer M400 556 Nato Tread AR Pistol PM400-11B-TRD - GUNPRIME %

buy Sig Sauer M400 556 Nato Tread AR Pistol PM400-11B-TRD for sale best price
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gunprime.com

IWI ZION Z-15 556 Nato AR-15 Pistol 12.5 MLOK SBA3 Brace Z15TAC12 - GUNPRIME %

buy IWI ZION Z-15 556 Nato AR-15 Pistol 12.5 MLOK SBA3 Brace Z15TAC12 for sale best price
gunprime.com gunprime.com
 
Ebs said:
Thanks for the price breakdown. You've got some nicer parts in there but come out similar to some retail offerings which is what had me asking.
Example:
gunprime.com

Sig Sauer M400 556 Nato Tread AR Pistol PM400-11B-TRD - GUNPRIME %

buy Sig Sauer M400 556 Nato Tread AR Pistol PM400-11B-TRD for sale best price
gunprime.com gunprime.com
gunprime.com

IWI ZION Z-15 556 Nato AR-15 Pistol 12.5 MLOK SBA3 Brace Z15TAC12 - GUNPRIME %

buy IWI ZION Z-15 556 Nato AR-15 Pistol 12.5 MLOK SBA3 Brace Z15TAC12 for sale best price
gunprime.com gunprime.com
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It really depends on what your going to do after you buy it. That Sig is a decent deal but if your going to turn around and do a charging handle and any smaller parts right off the bat it quickly becomes a $1000 gun after FFL transfer and shipping.

I think you can easily save $100-150 over that gun and include some nicer upgrades and that $150 will cover a Sig Romeo red dot so your ready to go.

I really enjoyed building mine, especially for my first one. I thinking buying the complete upper and filling our the bare lower was the right move for me in both enjoyment and learning how the AR is setup, but if you have a few then that probably factors in less.
 
I’m putting one together. This will be my Gucci AR.
 

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D_JEEPER said:
People rag on PSA, but I have built quite a few firearms from their components.
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Werd. PSA and BCA have decent parts. I told a friend I was going to buy an AR-10 from PSA and he poopoo'd it. I told him to put a parts list together within $100 with the same level of features. He couldn't do it.
 
As others have said, you really aren't going to save anything by building your own AR.
It is really fun and you can get the exact components you want.
The IWI Zion would probably be my go to in this price range.
PSA offers a great value. I have built several and all have run and shot well. One friend had a barrel issue on his PSA AR-10. He sent it in and they made it right. My brother's Psa AR-10 shoots very well.

Can't deny the fun of building yourself. I always end up spending more for the fancy stuff when I build.
Resale will probably be higher on a prebuilt rifle than a mixmaster, if that matters to you.
 
aron82 said:
Can't deny the fun of building yourself. I always end up spending more for the fancy stuff when I build.
Resale will probably be higher on a prebuilt rifle than a mixmaster, if that matters to you.
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People sell guns after they buy them? :laughing:
 
I've got PSA, Aero, Stag, and Anderson lowers, if it wasn't for the roll marks I'm not sure I could tell the difference.

My first builds were mostly PSA stuff, but in a post Newtown, '12-'13, I spent over $300 on a PSA M4 Carbine style upper, without a BCG or CH, in it. Things have really ebbed and flowed since then.

Today, yeah you can probably buy one off the shelf cheaper, by the next election cycle, or after the dust settles from the current active shooter, who knows.

I'm fortunate enough to mostly have what I want AR wise, and I enjoy building them, so that's what I've done on them all.

Some of them I know I could have bought complete rifles for less at various times since I've put them together, but others (like my Beowulf) I set goals to beat a price point and succeeded.




PSA has a kit with 18", stainless, heavy barrel, .223 Wylde, Mlok free float hand guard, with MBUS sights, and an "enhanced" lower parts kit with MOE furniture for $700.


I'm not sure we'll ever see <$40 blem lowers again, but even a $60-$100 lower makes a hell of a lot of rifle for about the same money as those links. I didn't look for any short barrel 5.56 stuff for comparison, because, why would you? :homer::flipoff2:
 
You can still get Anderson lowers for $35-$39 if you look.
 
i dont know where the prices on ARs are, but have been disappointed with trying to sell an AR-10. seems that people are holding onto their money more and more now. 6 months ago it wouldnt have lasted 2 days.

and yes, i think you can build a mid tier AR much cheaper than buying a complete one. but what do you consider mid-teir is really the question.

LWRC at $1600
Aero - $1100
BCM- $1600
SOLGW- $1600
LMT-$1500


i hadnt priced LMT rifles in a long time. if i am looking to buy a "mid-tier, off the rack, factory built rifle" in that mid teens price range, LMT would be an easy choice.

last LMT i bought was a police trade-in i think i got for $650 with the full enhanced bolt and BC. that last three years those things were unobtainium and going for $400 on their own. Crazy/
 
Texas97 said:
i dont know where the prices on ARs are, but have been disappointed with trying to sell an AR-10. seems that people are holding onto their money more and more now. 6 months ago it wouldnt have lasted 2 days.

and yes, i think you can build a mid tier AR much cheaper than buying a complete one. but what do you consider mid-teir is really the question.

LWRC at $1600
Aero - $1100
BCM- $1600
SOLGW- $1600
LMT-$1500


i hadnt priced LMT rifles in a long time. if i am looking to buy a "mid-tier, off the rack, factory built rifle" in that mid teens price range, LMT would be an easy choice.

last LMT i bought was a police trade-in i think i got for $650 with the full enhanced bolt and BC. that last three years those things were unobtainium and going for $400 on their own. Crazy/
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LMT sells guns to a country that sponsors terrorism. They can kiss my white ass.
 
Been noted, what do you want and what is it going to do.
Bear Creek has completes for $490 at the moment. I have their complete upper on my 450. Not going to be a high round count gun and I've only had it one season and two deer. Had a failure to eject after both, but I think I need to tune buffer spring and weight I put in.
 
Texas97 said:
Interesting take. Very socially conscious.

You do know WE sponsor terrorism, don't you?
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You look at things a bit different when you’ve had a brother killed by terrorists. Ain’t a day goes by that I don’t think about him. I’m sure his wife and daughter miss him even more. You do you though.
 

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I have built all but one of mine, and the only prebuilt one is still in background check jail but I've already got parts on the way for it. If your'e the type to just buy the gun and run it as is a complete rifle is fine, but if you're like me and can't leave anything alone it's more economical to build off a stripped lower and get the shit you want without paying for a bunch of stuff that you're going to pull right off the gun.
 
Aisin said:
You look at things a bit different when you’ve had a brother killed by terrorists. Ain’t a day goes by that I don’t think about him. I’m sure his wife and daughter miss him even more. You do you though.
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I'm sure it's awful for everyone's loss, but the terrorist killed him, it wasn't the guns fault.

Liberals blame guns and gun companies. Sorry for your loss
 
Aisin said:
You look at things a bit different when you’ve had a brother killed by terrorists. Ain’t a day goes by that I don’t think about him. I’m sure his wife and daughter miss him even more. You do you though.
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Hey buddy, his point is valid, and has nothing to do with your loss. Seriously mutually exclusive. Nobody is downplaying your Bro.

☮️
 
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