AR build or buy

Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
7,449
Likes
5,062
Location
Forest
Feedback: 15 / 0 / 0
Thinking about either building or buying an AR type. Wanted to see what thoughts were on building up your own versus a straight purchase of a ready to go firearm.
 
Well, if you ever want to sell it for close to what you paid, buy a good name brand. If you tend to hold onto stuff and enjoy projects for their own sake, build one.

If you decide to build one, think it all through and plan it first so you don't end up with stuff that doesn't fit or won't work with other parts you bought.

I will also say if you go the build route, either buy a full AR tool kit from somewhere like Brownells, or borrow one from a friend. It will cut way down on the cursing when trying to get a roll pin started.

Adding that the link in my post was created automatically, not added by me to point to something I was recommending.
 
Last edited:
If you know exactly what you want in terms of parts/features, where to get what you want, and enjoy assembling things and tinkering, build. Be aware that recently, AR parts have become hard to find, especially BCG's and uppers.

If you don't know an A2 from an a**hole, go to a shop or five and look at a few, see which catches your fancy and fits you. Bonus is you can shoot it on the way home.

Just my two cents. Someone will be along shortly to tell me I'm wrong.
 
Build if you know exactly what you want, and like to play with things.

Otherwise just buy one. (buying a name brand, would probably be easier to sell down the road as well.)

Disclaimer: I have a stripped upper & BCG & LPK in the classifieds as of 5 minutes ago too. [laugh])
 
Yeah, buy one, take it apart, rebuild, repeat, replace the parts you want, try this/try that, accessorize...so much fun. It is helpful to start with a "working" AR, IMO.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
A lot depends on your budget. I would much rather go the route of collecting top tier parts and assembling as you can afford stuff rather than settling for a cheap off the shelf gun just for instant gratification. If you have a decent budget, then you might be better served by buying a decent rifle to learn on, then when you build you will know exactly what you want. Aside from that, one big advantage of building is that it familiarizes you with the workings of the gun much quicker than if you just buy one and take it to the range, but honestly they aren't all that complicated anyway. "Building" an AR is basically just assembling parts and there are numerous videos and tutorials out there to make it simple enough for just about anyone who can use basic hand tools to accomplish. Inmo "building" is a term better suited to the AK realm, especially when starting with a flat and a parts kit, or even a bare receiver because there is more skill level and tools needed to make a functioning gun. Even as a first timer you should be able to "assemble" an AR in under 2 hrs, and that's if you had to assemble both the upper and lower receivers from bare.
 
I watch ar15.com for used parts for my builds. The rest of the free world hates Mass neutered parts and they seem to sell cheaper. Get a new stripped lower and lower parts kit. They get the rest used online.
 
Buy, prices are down to normal and the shelves are full, in fact down here in North Carolina, the shelves are too full and great deals are to be had if you have cash.
 
Buy, prices are down to normal and the shelves are full, in fact down here in North Carolina, the shelves are too full and great deals are to be had if you have cash.

Yeah this is true too.

I don't mind building out my own lowers with what I want, but when I am ready for another upper, I will just buy a complete upper somewhere.
 
just my $.02
building one is great because you learn exactly how everything go together. after you know how it all goes together you can fix it or upgrade yourself
 
just my $.02
building one is great because you learn exactly how everything go together. after you know how it all goes together you can fix it or upgrade yourself
Every firearm you own should be an ingrain on strip and build, if not why own it, everything I have, from M1 to M1A to 700's to 870's to 45's to wheelies is a go and get er done, if you own it you better be able to fix it, sorry folks that don't like my attitude, **** your selves when the SHTF!
 
My answer to the OP is a question.

What do you want to do with it?

If your answer is primarily SHTF or defensive use, I'd say buy. And buy a top brand.

I've built 3 ARs in the last year but if the SHTF I'd reach for a 25 year old Colt that I own that is box stock.
I've never tinkered with it, its exactly like it left the Colt factory. Its never malfunctioned ever on me. Admittedly, I don't have a lot of rounds
through it, maybe 1000, and it gets cleaned like the safe queen she is. But its still the most solid go-to AR I own.

In contrast. If you want something different. Then you build.

This gun mostly a toy. I wanted a pre-ban SBR. So I started with a pre-ban lower and being left handed used all kinds of Ambi stuff on it. Even still, it would be my number two rifle simply because its a custom lower assembled by me, but the upper is bone stock LMT with a LMT enhanced lobster claw bolt in a stock BC. I've gotten this gun very very hot and it keeps going. I use this gun when I take carbine courses.



In contrast. This gun is purely a toy. I wanted to build something light and accurate. So I built both the upper and lower from scratch. Its a Lothar Walther stainless bbl on a plastic lower from GWACS. With an overweight H2 Buffer and a M16 BCG (both heavier than I wanted) it came in at 5.2 lbs. This thing so far runs fantastically. But I wouldn't trust my or anyone elses life to it yet.


 
Building an AR is fun but you won't save any money. The advantage is that you will get exactly what you want. This is a fairly simple operation; if you can change a flat tire you can build an AR. Check out Brownells web site.
 
PS Do not cut corners on parts. Buy all of them from a reputable dealer lioke Brownells. I have heard more than a few "horror stories" involving low budget parts. You get what you pay for.
 
Building an AR is fun but you won't save any money. The advantage is that you will get exactly what you want. This is a fairly simple operation; if you can change a flat tire you can build an AR. Check out Brownells web site.

Agreed. Where it can save you money is in changing a factory gun over to how you really want it. We all know the schmuck who buys a rifle then proceeds to swap the handgurds for a quad rail, the FSB for a low pro gas block, installs a magpul stock and grip, maybe a better trigger. Well you get my point. Most of that stuff ends up sitting in boxes never to be used again. Ask me how I know. I am that schmuck.
 
Last edited:
Buy your first, shoot it a lot and see what you like and what you would improve on. When you find yourself ready for a second AR, build it to your specs and you'll have exactly what you want. After shooting a lot and by the time you're ready to build you'll be more knowledgeable and comfortable with AR's.
 
Thats a great point. I ser lits of new ar owners pimping out their rifles and they don't yet really even know how to run them.

That's doubly true for new AR owners who are also new shooters.

Sent from Samsung Note 2
 
Thinking about either building or buying an AR type. Wanted to see what thoughts were on building up your own versus a straight purchase of a ready to go firearm.

If this is your first AR, buy one complete, you will then understand how it works, how to take it apart, and what you don't like about it. My first AR was a Bushmaster that I sold at the height of the insanity. With that profit, I assembled two ARs, a 20" heavy barrel for long-range shooting and a 16" light carbine model for messing around.

Chris
 
Back
Top Bottom