AR-15 Type Kit Build

[Red Lagoon 6]

I am interested in building my own AR. My plan would be to start with a stripped lower and then buy a complete upper kit. I am fairly new to shooting. Can anyone suggest a decent upper kit that would be MA legal and easy to build?

How difficult is it to build one? I may not be the handiest with my hands, but I am not an idiot and I believe that I could follow decent instructions. I am curious if trying to build an AR from a kit would be biting off more than I can chew.

Any thoughts/comments would be appreciated.

 

[ericcif]

Stag Arms has great prices. I built one from them, not sure about Ma compliant but since they are right in CT you may want to call.
http://www.stagarms.com/

 

[wolf223]

i've only done "semi" builds as I call them. what I mean is that I haven't conquered assembling a lower or upper from parts.

what I've done:
*buy a lower w / parts kit installed
*buy upper (complete with barrel and bolt group)
*buy butt stock

some of the components require special tools and vices to do it "to standard".... -not so say it can't be done "properly" by improsing either....

several NESers do their builds from stripped parts. like this one: http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...814-AR-Build-Guide-in-PDF-comments?highlight=

there is also Ar15.com. my only caution is this:

I am fairly new to shooting.

-i suggest you read on some of the massachusetts gun laws (i.e. AWB) before you venture out and potentially buy something you are NOT supposed to have... I'll go further and suggest you just find a sexy rifle you like and buy it from a MA dealer. Familiarize yourself with it first, then venture out and do a build. Others may or may NOT agree, but I can dig up countless threads of newbies and oldies alike having problems with their builds

now to pick a brand, huh?

good luck

 

[Batbox]

i was about to comment that building a lower from a stripped receiver and parts kit is easier than you think it will be, but i was already familiar with the general functioning of ARs. i agree with wolf223, if you're not familiar with the platform, you should probably start with a complete weapon system, or building one with someone who knows what he's doing.

 

[op4guy]

I always buy stripped lowers and parts kits and build my lowers myself. It's not very involved and can be easily done. The only real specialty tool you will need on the lower is a stock wrench, small hammer and I would suggest a punch set and some beer. Most lowers today are pretty standard and there are dozens of makers to choose from.

As for uppers I would suggest buying a complete upper pre-built. Unlike lowers, not all uppers are created equal. My questions would be this:
-What is your budget?
-What are your intentions for shooting? (distance, plinking, combat course of fire)
-What is your time line?

All three of these play a big role in how you will build a rifle. If you are looking for just a inexpensive plinking rifle that you will shoot on occasions then something like an Olympic or Model 1 will serve you well. If you are going for distance precision then you may want something like a Noveske and if you are shooting a lot of combat type stuff I would suggest a quality upper like Bravo Company, Colt or LMT.

 

[crazymjb]

I definitely don't think its too great of a task, even for a new shooter. If anything, it will help you get familiar with how your rifle works. You will need some special tools, but apart from that, if you are mechanically inclined, you shouldn't have too much trouble.

Try to give us some idea of what you are going for, look, function, etc, and we can guide you in the right direction.

Mike

 

[ShadeWPI]

Sportsman's Guide (www.sportsmansguide.com) has a CMMG "Kit" that is everything but the lower reciever for 749.97

It's a forged flat-top M4 Upper, Lower Parts Kit, 6-position stock w/ buffer and spring.

You'll have to swap the flashhider for a break and have it pinned and then pin the stock if you're in MA.

They also have a used (new barrel) Vietnam era M-16 Kit with everything but the lower reciever and trigger disconnect for 699. That's a 20" threaded barrel, so you have have a break added or have the barrel cut down to remove the threads.

BTW - I've assembled 2 lower recievers now. The first one was about a month ago and the latest was about a week ago. The second one I assembled in 2 hours the night the lower parts kit and stock came in. The most difficult part that I've found is getting the damned trigger pin through the trigger AND dissconnector with the two springs installed. If that pin goes in easy, check to see if you forgot to install the disconnector sping (I've done that, and it was: Well, that was too easy, something must be wrong)

Pick up an AR tool that has a stock castle nut wrench or you'll never torque the castle nut on the stock properly.

 

[crazymjb]

I'd stray away from buying a kit and just build it exactly how you want it with the parts you want. That way you don't have stuff left over when it is set up how you want it, and you know you are getting the best parts and exactly what you want.

Mike

 

[mac1911]

1. budget 2. end use 3. it is not to hard. There are really no need for special tools BUT there are tools that make it easier, quicker, cleaner, safer ect ect.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782 If you do not feel like you are up to the task after reading this the price of ARs has been drifting down a bit.

Then call ACMEARMORENT in plympton 781 582 1151 talk to adam. he got me a Complete stag for a good price a while back....I have since got the bug and built a couple.

Personally unless you really scrounge and search you are not going to save much on building your own upper. Find one complete I have 2 stag M2 models and one franken upper that I built from parts from multiple sources some parts where used or factory secounds. I purchased a barrel that the threads where not machine correctly. no problem for me. Note the vise blocks are very handy and the AR tool is good to have also, although the one I have did not fit the locking ring on my stock?

So far the best deal I have recieved on a "kit" is from AR15sales.com check it out. He has run many "kit" buys from stag. http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=22&t=382832 great thing is it is shipped right to you. just call and tell pete you need MA compliant.

over all I saved about 250.00 over buying out right. gunkings.com can have some good deals.

Will cheaper than dirt ship a upper to mass ???

 

[0sportsman0]

Sportsman's Guide (www.sportsmansguide.com) has a CMMG "Kit" that is everything but the lower reciever for 749.97

It's a forged flat-top M4 Upper, Lower Parts Kit, 6-position stock w/ buffer and spring.

You'll have to swap the flashhider for a break and have it pinned and then pin the stock if you're in MA.

They also have a used (new barrel) Vietnam era M-16 Kit with everything but the lower reciever and trigger disconnect for 699. That's a 20" threaded barrel, so you have have a break added or have the barrel cut down to remove the threads.

BTW - I've assembled 2 lower recievers now. The first one was about a month ago and the latest was about a week ago. The second one I assembled in 2 hours the night the lower parts kit and stock came in. The most difficult part that I've found is getting the damned trigger pin through the trigger AND dissconnector with the two springs installed. If that pin goes in easy, check to see if you forgot to install the disconnector sping (I've done that, and it was: Well, that was too easy, something must be wrong)

Pick up an AR tool that has a stock castle nut wrench or you'll never torque the castle nut on the stock properly.

FWIW sportsmansguide doesn't ship anything that resembles,could be added to,or anything to do with weapons to MASS.That includes kitchen knives

 

[wolf223]

FWIW sportsmansguide doesn't ship anything that resembles,could be added to,or anything to do with weapons to MASS.That includes kitchen knives

this

better off picking up a stripped lower (locally) and a rifle kit from del-ton or model1sales....

FOR THE HATERS: the LOWER RECEIVER is the regulated firearm, everything else is just "parts" and NOT regulated in anyway....

-but please heed my previous post, it may get overwhelming. -unless you have someone to help you.

 

[Gammon]

The quality of the parts is the key to success, or miserable failure. A friend of mine bought a kit from the SG news and couldn't assemble the AR. He had to pay a gunsmith $250 to build the gun. The gunsmith, who will go unnamed, ripped him off because the cheapo parts kit should never have been used; he justified the $250 by claiming he had to "hand fit" the parts. It would have been a lot cheaper to ditch the cheap kit and start over with quality parts.

Get your parts from Brownells; they sell quality merchandise and their customer service is top notch. I wouldn't touch stuff from the "Sportsman's Guide" or "Cheaper Than Dirt".

 

[Red Lagoon 6]

Thanks for all your input. I do not need anything with all the bells and whistles on it. I thought is that it would 1. fun to do a build, and 2. just used for plinking. I am looking not to spend a lot of money because this would be a "just for fun" rifle and not used for any serious shooting. My intention would be to get a completed upper.

When I am looking at "completed uppers" how do I know if all of the parts for the lower are included? Is there a special lower parts kit that would also need to buy, or do the "complete upper kits" generally include the lower parts kits? Any idea on how much the AR wrench costs?

Thanks.

 

[Batbox]

usually lower parts kits are packaged complete with everything that goes in the lower receiver (except receiver extension and other buttstock related parts), the upper being an independent grouping of parts. you can buy the parts individually, but i think you're better of with a bag that has everything. once you've put one together it's much easier to identify what the parts are, as you now associate them with a function.

 

[Alex9661]

The best bang for the buck these days is Spikes. Their uppers are of excellent quality and can be factory configured for Mass compliance. You can also buy a lower from them.

 

[Malchira]

How difficult is it to build one? I may not be the handiest with my hands, but I am not an idiot and I believe that I could follow decent instructions.

Regarding decent instructions, I found MidwayUSA's upper assembly guide to be helpful when I was doing mine.

 

[Remsport Mfg]

Contact us at Remsport Mfg. we are right in Mass. and you can come in and select the parts for your build kit. We can also offer some instruction.
We have eveything you woud need to build an AR and our pricing for high quality parts is the best.
Contact us
Thanks
John
413 579 1994

 

[ShadeWPI]

FWIW sportsmansguide doesn't ship anything that resembles,could be added to,or anything to do with weapons to MASS.That includes kitchen knives

Thanks for the information. Since I don't live in MA, I don't keep a tight watch on what a perticular supplier will or will not ship into MA. I know they wont ship ammunition or components, wasn't sure if gunparts were included.

 

[crazymjb]

Bells and whistles are different than a quality build (quality parts).

Mike

 

[Kenny474]

Contact us at Remsport Mfg. we are right in Mass. and you can come in and select the parts for your build kit. We can also offer some instruction.
We have eveything you woud need to build an AR and our pricing for high quality parts is the best.
Contact us
Thanks
John
413 579 1994

This.

Go talk to the guys at Remsport. They have nice stuff, you can contact them for help either via phone or through NES, and they are a local company, and it's always better to support local business. And if you do have a problem, you are talking to someone relatively close, rather then someone across the country. You could probably even bring the lower to them if you have a problem, as John always seems to be very willing to help his customers. Also, since they are right in Mass, you don't have to worry about anything being compliant, as I am sure they really know their stuff when it come to Mass laws.

Consider going green as well. I have seen posts of members doing an AR Build Day in the members forum, as that would be very helpful to someone new to the AR platform such as yourself.

 

[t-town assassin]

Hey I'm right around the corner from you had have the tools to put one together. I have put together 4 AR's so far and 3 of them I had to put together the upper from stripped parts. The only thing I used a gunsmith for was to pin and wield a muzzle brake on the barrel... if you need any help sent me a pm....I sent you a pm with my location if you want to see the AR's I've put together, have any questions, or if you just want to go out and shoot one.

 

[Red Lagoon 6]

Thanks for everyone's input. I appreciate it. At a minimum I feel confident that I could most likely build one myself. I probably won't look to purchase anything until next year (I already tapped this year's gun fund with a purchase from CMP). It seems that doing a quality build and buying a complete rifle is a difference of only a few hundred bucks. The Stag Arms uppers look nice and seem pretty reasonably priced, but I am stilling looking around. Can anyone suggest a decent AR book for reference?

 

[Gimlet]

Also take a look at Yankee Hill Machine out of Florence (Northampton) Ma. As others have already stated doing business with a local company is a win-win in many ways. I recently completed my first build with the intent of using as many parts as possible manufactured right here in state. You can get a YHM complete or piece by piece and there are certain things that, if you feel, are above your skill level they can do for you. Had I been familiar with Remsport at the time I would definately have looked at them as well. Don't be afraid. You'll find lot's of support either here or at arfcom.

 

[vellnueve]

If you can whistle up the cash, there's a Member's Only group buy going on and some of those YHM uppers are available at a very nice discount.

 

[travis]

Ok I am new here but I think you guys left out a nice option. That is the BIG uppers. The 338 the 50 BMG and such. Yes they make your rifle into a single shot bolt action but they can really get out there. As a side note there is even a crossbow upper that will go on a ar lower. The possibilities are endless. Any ar fan with a idea and a few bucks can make just about anything happen.

 

[ShadeWPI]

Travis,

I guess I don't see the point of using the AR fire control and stock on a single-shot bolt action upper like the 338 or a .50 BMG. If I'm going to look into one of those rifles, I'm going to be looking for a dedicated bolt gun, and ideally one with a detachable magazine (A Chey-tec .408 would be nice)

 

[travis]

Travis,

I guess I don't see the point of using the AR fire control and stock on a single-shot bolt action upper like the 338 or a .50 BMG. If I'm going to look into one of those rifles, I'm going to be looking for a dedicated bolt gun, and ideally one with a detachable magazine (A Chey-tec .408 would be nice)

I can not remember who makes it but there is a company making a bolt 50b,g upper that has a 5 rd mag that sticks out the side. The point is you can get a 50 bmg upper for a ar you already own for a little over a grand. That means more money for ammo. There is also a company that makes lowers without mag wells that are more beefy just for 50 uppers. The ar is a very versatile weapon and being able to remove the upper and change to another caliber is very handy and can be cheaper then owning many rifles. I have 22, 9mm, 45acp, 5.7, .204 Ruger, 50bmg and .410 uppers. Of course I own quite a few lowers as well. If you have the money you can have a upper in any caliber that will fit through the mag well made for you. Then agin they are even more fun when put on a m16 lower. One stamp many options.

 

[Kenny474]

Then again they are even more fun when put on a m16 lower. One stamp many options.

I don't know much about tax stamps and full auto, so I have a question for you on that.

I always thought you had to state the caliber of the weapon that you are getting the stamp for? Basically, do you have to report all the different caliber uppers you intend to use on the lower, or just the lower and it doesn't matter what you use for an upper? I always thought you would need to update them with info on any new additions or changes to a full auto weapon. Not necessarily get a new stamp, but add the new chamberings to whatever paperwork associated with owning one. But like I said, I don't really know.

 

[vellnueve]

Travis,

I guess I don't see the point of using the AR fire control and stock on a single-shot bolt action upper like the 338 or a .50 BMG. If I'm going to look into one of those rifles, I'm going to be looking for a dedicated bolt gun, and ideally one with a detachable magazine (A Chey-tec .408 would be nice)

Because there are far more options available off-the-shelf for customizing an AR platform.