AR15 Build - Price creep and too many choices.

[marvelshooter]

I have been thinking about an AR for a while and was able to get an unclaimed lower from the 2012 NES group buy. The lower and a stock and parts kits come to about $250 so far. Now we get to upper assemblies. Midway has a DPMS without sights for about $400 - it was on sale for $375 or so but that ended. With the sale price I would have been at about $625 complete. $650 regular price. AR15sales has an upper without sights for $445 or an upper with sights - either flip up or removable carry handle - for $500. New totals either $695 or $750. Then I started looking at Rock River uppers which I REALLY like the looks of for either $530 for a flat top without rear sights or with a non removable carry handle for $555 for new totals in the $800 range. If I go flat top and want to use open sights a flip up is another $100. If I go with the carry handle and want use a scope I have to mount it on the carry handle. Money is less an issue here than making the right choices the first time and there are many choices.

 

[msdamato]

There is no "right choice" the first time. There is only "right now"
On your second or third build that will be "right then"

In other words, carefull before you know it youll have three in diferent configurations and be thinking about changing the up.

I know this from personal experience!!!

 

[jasons]

I have been thinking about an AR for a while and was able to get an unclaimed lower from the 2012 NES group buy. The lower and a stock and parts kits come to about $250 so far. Now we get to upper assemblies. Midway has a DPMS without sights for about $400 - it was on sale for $375 or so but that ended. With the sale price I would have been at about $625 complete. $650 regular price. AR15sales has an upper without sights for $445 or an upper with sights - either flip up or removable carry handle - for $500. New totals either $695 or $750. Then I started looking at Rock River uppers which I REALLY like the looks of for either $530 for a flat top without rear sights or with a non removable carry handle for $555 for new totals in the $800 range. If I go flat top and want to use open sights a flip up is another $100. If I go with the carry handle and want use a scope I have to mount it on the carry handle. Money is less an issue here than making the right choices the first time and there are many choices.

What are you planning on using it for? Form follows function.

 

[marvelshooter]

What are you planning on using it for? Form follows function.

To be honest it will be a range toy. I would like the option of using either open sights or a scope. I like the looks of the A2 carry handle but not with a scope stuck on top of it. I can accomplish this with either the Stag with the removable carry handle or the RRA flattop and the optional carry handle. The Stag is cheaper but as I said in the first post I like the looks of the RRA so I guess I have my answer.

 

[jasons]

...I like the looks of the RRA so I guess I have my answer.

There you go.

If you think you'll ever put a scope on it the flat top is the way to go. Scopes on carry handles suck to shoot. The mounts are crap and they end up too high to get a proper cheek weld on the stock.

 

[Mike_Diako]

Have you checked out Palmetto State Armory? They have uppers minus the BCG and charging handle for $299.

 

[mac1911]

Well there's a few things one can do...you can get a flat top with a carry handle for traditional type sights. With a flat top its no big deal to go to optics. If you get into it there's always a use or someone needing your spare parts. For me Im at that point it seems every draw, box or shelf has some ar parts
Trying to beat the price of a standard ar set up is hard to do piecing it together.
Ex: I tried building a rra national match model ar15. By the time I was done finding all the parts and shipping it was a few hundred more than buying it out right from AR15SALES.COM
Its all fun. Get on board of group buys and such. If you buy decent stuff you can recoup close to cost on resale. There's a member selling a stag detach handle and muzzle break for less than the handle new.
Look deep ask around. I still have my stag h2 only complete ar other than my rra nm. That I bought complete. 6 others have passed through my hands in one shape or another.

 

[marvelshooter]

Trying to beat the price of a standard ar set up is hard to do piecing it together.

I am finding this out. This was intended to be a low budget build but I am not so sure I want a low budget AR.

 

[ACfarmer]

I am finding this out. This was intended to be a low budget build but I am not so sure I want a low budget AR.

Exactly.... you can selectively pick and choose the best parts from all the various manufacturers as your budget/ build time frame allow. You also get the benefit of learning how to put it all together/ take it apart.

 

[marvelshooter]

After looking at every source of uppers I could find I ended up ordering a 16" Rock River A2 flattop from JSE Surplus. This will let me either use optics or open sights. As someone pointed out earlier in this thread form follows function. Well I want both. I like the looks of the A2 but want the option of using a scope. Rock River told me 60 - 120 days delivery but JSE has them in stock for the same price. For about $50 RRA would install an AWB compliant muzzle brake which I now have have done myself - or maybe even do myself. Will post pics when it is done.

 

[mac1911]

Trying to build a budget AR or common carbine or rifle trying to copy the standard off the shelf fodder is not always cost effective. Unless you slowly gather parts. Like my franken-AR
I got a complete barrel from a guy who swapped out his standard 16" carbine barrel for a heavy bull barrel and free float tube. I got complete barrel assembly and hand guards for 50.00 that sat idle for 3 years before the rest of it fell into place. used upper flat top with damaged rail 75.00
ect ect until I finally had a parts gun complete for 500.00
You get you deals when building more extreme ARs----i find good deals sometimes. I found everything needed to put to gether a 24" ruger 204 with stupid long free float tube....harris bipod, half decent scope and all the upper parts to make it go bang. The guy never put it together. lost interest. He just wanted it gone....400 for everything... I sold the scope for 200.00 passed along the 204 ruger to my friend who moved out to arizona where long range shooting is just a kitchen door away. Good luck have fun remember parts dont go bad.