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Page AR-15 » Build It Yourself
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
Posted: 10/11/2015 10:41:47 PM EDT
So, I'm starting my first build on a stripped lower. I am trying to make an easy to clean, smooth shooter, but keeping the build as cheap as possible so I can get a $200 optic and still be under a grand overall. I have done my research, and even got my hands on a very basic optics ready Anderson Arms 16" that I've taken apart and put back together to make sure I would be comfortable building one. I haven't identified all the parts yet, but I think I know enough to figure out the lower. Here are the parts I am looking at, does anyone have a better idea? Is there a part I am going too cheap on? Something better for maybe the same price or not too much more? An absolutely must have part I am missing here? Is this the stupidest thing you have ever seen? All opinions are welcome. You know what they say about opinions and assholes, everyone has an opinion and they are all assholes.

BCG $99 http://www.tracecreekoutfitters.com/#!product-page/c1u5r/218a20ce-b6d3-b8b7-9e50-0241737a433b
Stripped upper$90 http://www.tracecreekoutfitters.com/#!product-page/c1u5r/8e5652dd-e987-0821-4c89-999259ee0a11
PSA Defender MOE LPK http://www.graniteridgeoutfitters.com/Palmetto-State-Armory-Defender-MOE-Complete-Lower-Parts-Kit-7777793.htm
Stripped Lower in Midnight Brozne Cerakote from my LGS/Cerakoter $70
Anderson Milspec buffer tube and buffer kit$30
Gently used, almost like new Vortex Strikefire II $120

Link Posted: 10/12/2015 11:26:17 AM EDT
[#1]
Nikon p223 3X32scope  is on sale now for $119  most dealers honor that price. Walmart .com has them for $116 + $49 for the mounts. It is a nice compact scope at 8.1inches.
I got a  ALG ACT LPK from primary arms for around that price. I am very happy with the trigger.
Link Posted: 10/12/2015 12:08:15 PM EDT
[#2]
You say you want to keep the build as cheap as possible but you have a $95 lower parts kit and a $133 dollar buffer spring listed???  WTF?

For more reasonable parts look at PSA.

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

You can build a general purpose rifle for just over $400 pretty easy. Add any special stuff if you need it for a specific task.

Link Posted: 10/12/2015 12:26:47 PM EDT
[#3]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
You say you want to keep the build as cheap as possible but you have a $95 lower parts kit and a $133 dollar buffer spring listed???  WTF?

For more reasonable parts look at PSA.

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

You can build a general purpose rifle for just over $400 pretty easy. Add any special stuff if you need it for a specific task.

View Quote


I thought the same thing but he did say that he wanted a soft shooting rifle. Still, he did mention cheap so I would personally not go with them.  You are going cheap on a scope but want to use $228 in lower parts?  I don't think the WMD LPK is worth the $95 just because the parts are Nib coated although I have never used this kit.  I would go with a decent LPK in the $40-$50 range without trigger, a BCM, Spikes or Vltor buffer tube kit and upgrade to a better trigger.  The PSA 7075 buffer tube kit for $30 and PSA LPK with their enhanced trigger are both great deals.  I have a couple of those triggers and they are very nice for the cost.  I also have used one of the PSA $30 buffer tube kits and it's quality.
Link Posted: 10/12/2015 1:01:20 PM EDT
[#4]
In regards to the optic, check out the Vortex Spitfire. Palmetto State Armory has them for $199.

I just ordered my 2nd one for a new build I'm doing.
Link Posted: 10/12/2015 4:05:34 PM EDT
[#5]
Unless you are hell bent on building your own lower, this deal is pretty hard to beat:

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/14434/

They also have it with Magpul moe furniture for a few bucks more.

Then you have a ready to go lower with good components, and you can spend more where it counts; your barrel, bcg, and optics.

You can swap out the trigger in the lower after you shoot it awhile and figure out what you want.
Link Posted: 10/13/2015 12:32:33 AM EDT
[#6]
Is my math off or is a $40 LPK (let's call it $30 for sake of argument), and an ALG ACT trigger kit $65, not just as much or more? My reason for going with the WMD is that they include the bolt catch and mag release also in Nib-X, which aside from its physical properties of higher lubricity and ease of cleaning, I think they look cool. So even if I went with an Anderson LPK for $35, I would still end up changing out at least 5 or 6 parts at 15-20 a pop, and end up with a spare handle. I appreciate the feedback, nothing helps reconsider a decision like defending it.
Link Posted: 10/13/2015 1:23:50 AM EDT
[#7]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


I thought the same thing but he did say that he wanted a soft shooting rifle. Still, he did mention cheap so I would personally not go with them.  You are going cheap on a scope but want to use $228 in lower parts?  I don't think the WMD LPK is worth the $95 just because the parts are Nib coated although I have never used this kit.  I would go with a decent LPK in the $40-$50 range without trigger, a BCM, Spikes or Vltor buffer tube kit and upgrade to a better trigger.  The PSA 7075 buffer tube kit for $30 and PSA LPK with their enhanced trigger are both great deals.  I have a couple of those triggers and they are very nice for the cost.  I also have used one of the PSA $30 buffer tube kits and it's quality.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
You say you want to keep the build as cheap as possible but you have a $95 lower parts kit and a $133 dollar buffer spring listed???  WTF?

For more reasonable parts look at PSA.

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

You can build a general purpose rifle for just over $400 pretty easy. Add any special stuff if you need it for a specific task.



I thought the same thing but he did say that he wanted a soft shooting rifle. Still, he did mention cheap so I would personally not go with them.  You are going cheap on a scope but want to use $228 in lower parts?  I don't think the WMD LPK is worth the $95 just because the parts are Nib coated although I have never used this kit.  I would go with a decent LPK in the $40-$50 range without trigger, a BCM, Spikes or Vltor buffer tube kit and upgrade to a better trigger.  The PSA 7075 buffer tube kit for $30 and PSA LPK with their enhanced trigger are both great deals.  I have a couple of those triggers and they are very nice for the cost.  I also have used one of the PSA $30 buffer tube kits and it's quality.


The buffer spring is a captured spring buffer. I talked to a couple of guys locally, and the ones that have used them say they are the tits. Some other guys say, they don't mind the cheap buffer. I was hoping someone had some experience they could share. Trying to sort out real experience from marketing noise, here's a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-h6WzXM1h8.
Link Posted: 10/17/2015 12:31:48 PM EDT
[#8]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
You say you want to keep the build as cheap as possible but you have a $95 lower parts kit and a $133 dollar buffer spring listed???  WTF?

For more reasonable parts look at PSA.

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

You can build a general purpose rifle for just over $400 pretty easy. Add any special stuff if you need it for a specific task.

View Quote


Agreed.

Why a $35 NiB buffer tube?

Just get the Anderson 7075 buffer tube.

I chased low prices from various vendors for 5.56 carbine number one then for 300blk carbine number two just made a couple purchases at the lgs and had them order me a pile of Anderson.  Turns out carbine number two is about $100 cheaper...
Link Posted: 10/18/2015 1:29:04 PM EDT
[#9]
Just build a cheap lower with Anderson and a PSA LP kit, then fine tune a new build later, it is not going to hurt you to learn first and have a spare lower on hand.
Link Posted: 10/18/2015 5:09:46 PM EDT
[#10]
HA HA HA  a cheap build ya thats what i told my self when i started my first build GOOD luck with that !



as i started looking at all the neat cool stuff out there for the ar's well that whole cheap build got shot to hell lol



No but really there is a lot of good parts that are not to much $$$.


if you want easy to clean nothing better then a gas piston system but there go's the cheap build idea see what i mean lol



and i agree with BGENE ya can't have to many extra parts if your getting in to building ar's.



Have fun man good luck.



lock load live free
 
Link Posted: 10/19/2015 11:53:53 AM EDT
[#11]
I think you would be better off with an ALG LPK (http://algdefense.com/lower-parts.html). You can either go for a quality mil spec trigger or the ACT trigger which will serve you better for the 'smooth shooter' requirement. Its a little cheaper than than the kit you have. Personally I would just go for the lowest cost mil spec gun I could get my grubby hands on, then splurge on a good trigger. If you like the coated stuff because it looks cool, that's one thing. But basing your decision on the fact that it has 'better lubrication properties' is kind of moot since the basic mil spec components are time tested as well. For the upper, are you gonna try to build from scratch? or get something like a BCM upper assembly that just needs a hand guard, BCG, and CH?
Link Posted: 10/21/2015 3:04:07 AM EDT
[#12]
Glad people are still chiming in and thanks for the other replies guys.

Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I think you would be better off with an ALG LPK (http://algdefense.com/lower-parts.html). You can either go for a quality mil spec trigger or the ACT trigger which will serve you better for the 'smooth shooter' requirement. Its a little cheaper than than the kit you have. Personally I would just go for the lowest cost mil spec gun I could get my grubby hands on, then splurge on a good trigger. If you like the coated stuff because it looks cool, that's one thing. But basing your decision on the fact that it has 'better lubrication properties' is kind of moot since the basic mil spec components are time tested as well. For the upper, are you gonna try to build from scratch? or get something like a BCM upper assembly that just needs a hand guard, BCG, and CH?
View Quote


Yes it looks cool has a lot to do with it, I was originally gonna go cheap mil-spec and get parts cerakoted, cause my LGS is also a cerakote applicator and he does really cool work. I realized I could accomplish the same aesthetics with the advantage of increased lubricity and easy to clean. I think the matte black lower with all nib-x parts contrasting with the nib-x upper with all black parts and nitiride barrel will look cool like a 2tone 80's silverado. I'll post pics as soon as its all done.
Link Posted: 11/9/2015 11:53:21 AM EDT
[#13]
***New Update***
So I finally built my lower using a PSA Defender MOE LPK $69.99.
http://www.graniteridgeoutfitters.com/Palmetto-State-Armory-Defender-MOE-Complete-Lower-Parts-Kit-7777793.htm
Free shipping, no tax, I think it was a sweet deal.
I've ordered a Nickel Boron stripped upper and Ares Nickel Boron BCG from http://www.tracecreekoutfitters.com/
This guy is awesome. Great order support, same day shipping, I ordered Friday, my stuff is out for delivery today.
If you want nickel boron stuff, he is the man.
Link Posted: 11/11/2015 11:36:00 AM EDT
[#14]
****New update 11/11****

Went to see my cerakote guy about a shotgun build I've also been working on, and he had an Anderson 20" Melonite HBAR for $100.
http://www.andersonrifles.com/product/20-hbar-melonite-barrel/

He also had a $6912" keymod handguard on hand and $10 gas tube and $20 low pro gas block. So I figured why not go ahead and finish it off?
He's going to let me use his armorer's wrench and vise clamp to put everything together, so the entire rifle will be actually built by me. I will post pictures afterward.
Page AR-15 » Build It Yourself
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
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