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AR Rifle Kits

Brin747

Brin747

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I've been seeing these in emails from Palmetto State the past few months...

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/ar-15-05/rifle-kits.html

I don't currently have an AR, but would like to get into one for reasonable money just to have one. Is this a decent way to go? Is it basically the kit and a lower that are required to assemble the rifle? School me please gents...
 
lowers are east to come by here, there is one group buy feeler going on in the members forum right now. detailed assembly instructions are also on here. psa uppers come with the a2 flash hider, which unscrews. you then need to install a muzzle brake or thread protector (i went with the thread protector, very little muzzle rise with a .223/5.56)

most psa kits come with everything, including the lower parts kit, stock, buffer etc. all you need is the receiver.

the brake or thread protector needs to be pinned & welded, most shops do it. you will also have to pin the stock to your liking.

i did all my own work, and it was fun, but i really have no warranty on my mutt. about the same price to buy the s&w mp15. of course then you have a FULL warranty. not trying to talk you out of your own build, just giving my experience.

definately look at utube vids, as kc6623 noted, and decide if it's for you.
 
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boscru said:
lowers are east to come by here, there is one group buy feeler going on in the members forum right now. detailed assembly instructions are also on here. psa uppers come with the a2 flash hider, which unscrews. you then need to install a muzzle brake or thread protector (i went with the thread protector, very little muzzle rise with a .223/5.56)

most psa kits come with everything, including the lower parts kit, stock, buffer etc. all you need is the receiver.

the brake or thread protector needs to be pinned & welded, most shops do it. you will also have to pin the stock to your liking.

i did all my own work, and it was fun, but i really have no warranty on my mutt. about the same price to buy the s&w mp15. of course then you have a FULL warranty. not trying to talk you out of your own build, just giving my experience.

definately look at utube vids, as kc6623 noted, and decide if it's for you.
Click to expand...

He's in NH.
 
Just go with a Windham and be done. Palmetto ARs are hit or miss, and their shipping department is responsible for 10% of suicides in this country.
Some people will tell you that the M&P is a tremendous value, which is a myth. It used to be, but in 2012, S&W changed the twist from 1 in 8 to 1 in 9, and stopped meloniting the barrels. For around $50 more, you'll get a better twist, a forward assist and a better quality BCG from WW. That's wort it all day long.
 
Lowers are simple to put together with the help of a you tube video and normal house hold tools. I belive uppers are a little more difficult and require more tools, but so far I have been able to find complete uppers for only a few $ more then stripped+parts.

Next AR buil will likely be a from scractch though (have a mostly stripped upper inbound)
 
I think those kits are great for a first time builder since they have everything you need without having to research and source individual components, which can be a bit daunting if you are unfamiliar with the platform. They run some really good sales too, but as Frenchman pointed out, their shipping is less than stellar. It is however, a hit, or miss thing. Sometimes you'll have stuff in 2-4 days, sometimes it's 2-4 weeks. As far as quality goes, I'd say stay away from their P-Tac line. The regular PSA branded stuff is decent for the money though. I've assembled a few rifles with their parts, and they are ok. Not BCM, or Colt quality, but on a budget they make great range rifles.
 
frenchman said:
Just go with a Windham and be done. Palmetto ARs are hit or miss, and their shipping department is responsible for 10% of suicides in this country.
Some people will tell you that the M&P is a tremendous value, which is a myth. It used to be, but in 2012, S&W changed the twist from 1 in 8 to 1 in 9, and stopped meloniting the barrels. For around $50 more, you'll get a better twist, a forward assist and a better quality BCG from WW. That's wort it all day long.
Click to expand...

The PSA parts quality are standard run of the mill AR parts, it's the PTAC that will have machine marks. I did the PSA Rifle kit and a friend did the PTAC kit on Black Friday/ Cyber Monday. We used Anderson lower which we sourced locally for $50 out the door. All said and done, the build was $430 (less shipping). We have run both rifles through their paces and haven't had any failures with them. The triggers are on the lower end, but what's expected for the price paid. I have fired about 3K and have had zero issues with it. The uppers come pre- assembled so the only tools you need are a lower block that fits into the mag well and a tool for securing the buffer tube nut. I believe you can buy both tools as well from PSA for around $20.

Their $7 D&H mags are reliable. I have never had any issues with them so might as well stock up on those as well.

Every once in a while, their ammo pricing comes out to be very affordable. Every once in a while, their 420round can XM193 are offered at $169.99 (sometimes they even have free shipping).

Their shipment times are awful, but its ok because the prices are fantastic, expect a lead time of about a month.
 
The Palmetto kits are pretty good for the money. Not a super high end gun...but pretty good.....

The uppers are fully assembled and you only need basic hand tools to complete a lower. I would buy a Palmetto kit and then just drive over to Riley's or Shooters Outpost in Hookset, NH and buy a stripped lower....they are pretty cheap and last I checked, Rileys stocks about 10 different manufacturers lowers.

I must also agree with a previous post....the Windham rifles are EXCELLENT.... That would be my first choice for a complete AR rifle.....they are the old Bushmaster and make a fantastic rifle.....

If you have more $$ to spend I think the Rock River Predators with the Wilson Stainless Bull Barrels are the AR's to own for superior accuracy...
 
being in the free state of NH you could probably find a better complete rifle new or used for not much more than the kit+lower+ your time
 
It wasn't so much the money, as wanting to know the rifle intimately and understand how it works. That being said, I have been eyeballing some Windhams, they do seem to be a lot of bang for the buck!
 
frenchman said:
Just go with a Windham and be done. Palmetto ARs are hit or miss, and their shipping department is responsible for 10% of suicides in this country.
Some people will tell you that the M&P is a tremendous value, which is a myth. It used to be, but in 2012, S&W changed the twist from 1 in 8 to 1 in 9, and stopped meloniting the barrels. For around $50 more, you'll get a better twist, a forward assist and a better quality BCG from WW. That's wort it all day long.
Click to expand...

You haven't bought from PSA lately. The items they tell you take 10-15 days (upper assemblies, rifle kits) will in fact take 10-15 days, but over the last 6 months my regular orders have all arrived in 4-7 days, which is on par with everyone else in the business besides Primary Arms, who I think may be quicker than Amazon haha.

PSA is good to go. The PSA Premium line is better than anything else at it's price point. FN hammer forged barrels, C158 bolts, etc...

For your first AR that may see duty as a defense weapon, I suggest going with the PSA Premium or CHF line. The PTAC and Freedom stuff has some QC issues occasionally, but it is infrequent compared to the massive amount of product they move -- you just hear about EVERY single issue because it's the internet. PTAC/PSA Freedom is great for a truck gun or range blaster.

They have a 13.2" SQR railed pencil profile 16" upper right now, that I want, but I just can't justify ANOTHER AR right now, haha.
 
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familyman15 said:
Sorry i don't have thousands of dollars at the moment. Enlighten me on how you have the best of the best, but yet they all do the same thing
Click to expand...
I'm not sure you understood his comment. He just meant that the hyper inflated pricing of a couple years ago is gone, so prices fell across the board

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk
 
browncoat said:
I'm not sure you understood his comment. He just meant that the hyper inflated pricing of a couple years ago is gone, so prices fell across the board

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Not sure how else that could be mis-understood, so let me break it down for you. Following Sandy Hook, AR prices were double what they should have been and people were paying crazy prices for them. As time went on, the prices dropped back to their norm, and below it. All the people who spent $1,200 on a $600 AR were SOL, hence the "bottom fell out of the AR market".

That is why you can get high quality AR's for around $600 these days.

As for QC issues with the PTAC line, they are made to mil spec. The issue is in the anodizing in of the aluminium (sometimes a purple hue) slight machine marks or other visual issues. Has there been an issue such as head spacing, incorrect machining or other issues with PTAC that affect functioning?
 
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RImike said:
Not sure how else that could be mis-understood, so let me break it down for you. Following Sandy Hook, AR prices were double what they should have been and people were paying crazy prices for them. As time went on, the prices dropped back to their norm, and below it. All the people who spent $1,200 on a $600 AR were SOL, hence the "bottom fell out of the AR market".

That is why you can get high quality AR's for around $600 these days.

As for QC issues with the PTAC line, they are made to mil spec. The issue is in the anodizing in of the aluminium (sometimes a purple hue) slight machine marks or other visual issues. Has there been an issue such as head spacing, incorrect machining or other issues with PTAC that affect functioning?
Click to expand...

I remember seeing threads about misaligned FSB's and keyholing barrels.

PSA righted their mistake in every single instance though. They are active in their industry forum on ARF.

This is the salad days of AR15s. Everyone should be stacking these things 10 deep. They have never been as cheap as they are now -- in fact the sticker price is about the same as it was in the 70's and 80's, so when you factor inflation in they are way cheaper now.
 
thormx538 said:
You haven't bought from PSA lately. The items they tell you take 10-15 days (upper assemblies, rifle kits) will in fact take 10-15 days, but over the last 6 months my regular orders have all arrived in 4-7 days, which is on par with everyone else in the business besides Primary Arms, who I think may be quicker than Amazon haha.

PSA is good to go. The PSA Premium line is better than anything else at it's price point. FN hammer forged barrels, C158 bolts, etc...

For your first AR that may see duty as a defense weapon, I suggest going with the PSA Premium or CHF line. The PTAC and Freedom stuff has some QC issues occasionally, but it is infrequent compared to the massive amount of product they move -- you just hear about EVERY single issue because it's the internet. PTAC/PSA Freedom is great for a truck gun or range blaster.

They have a 13.2" SQR railed pencil profile 16" upper right now, that I want, but I just can't justify ANOTHER AR right now, haha.
Click to expand...


This is correct. They've changed something, because the shipping is totally on spot now. I've gotten a CHF mid length upper, a lower kit, and a scope from them -- everything was here within the week.

The upper seems to be good so far, but havent shot it. I got a McKay Ent. lower that I built with the lower kit -- I got it together in 30 min yesterday. I think you can't go wrong with PSA. As far as cheap, quality ARs go, I'd do it again in a split second. If you dont want to do the work, I'd probably get a Ruger AR -- they seem to be quality for the price.
 
I built my first AR with an Anderson Lower and a PSA kit. It functions fine and is as accurate as I am. I want to build rather than buy so i could see how it works. I built my second one from scratch and it had a few issues that needed to be resolved. both function fine now.
 
Chet0729 said:
I built my first AR with an Anderson Lower and a PSA kit. It functions fine and is as accurate as I am. I want to build rather than buy so i could see how it works. I built my second one from scratch and it had a few issues that needed to be resolved. both function fine now.
Click to expand...

Not a fan of Anderson. Competitive price but less than savory fitment.
 
I got it now, sorry man. I still see plenty of AR's for 1000-1500$ me personally i cant justify triple the price.. I think the prices will be back on the rise shortly with this ban this ban that talk, and election season
 
familyman15 said:
I got it now, sorry man. I still see plenty of AR's for 1000-1500$ me personally i cant justify triple the price.. I think the prices will be back on the rise shortly with this ban this ban that talk, and election season
Click to expand...

I think you may be right about prices going back up. I haven't seen any for less than $500, if I do I think I'll pick one up.
 
familyman15 said:
I got it now, sorry man. I still see plenty of AR's for 1000-1500$ me personally i cant justify triple the price.. I think the prices will be back on the rise shortly with this ban this ban that talk, and election season
Click to expand...

No worries. I am convinced the only reason you still see AR's in that price range is because that is the price they purchased them at during the height of the market. As long as it goes bang when I pull the trigger, my $500 AR works just as fine as any other.
 

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