New to the AR world, AR-15.com has helped me immensely with improving my knowledge on this wepon. So, the million dollar question.......Do I build my first AR or do I buy it and learn more about it. Looking for a great shoot'n varmint gun????

all comments are good comments

I'd say buy the first one, figure out what you like and don't., then build your second.  And third, and so on....

It would depend on you. If you feel you could build it then go for it. Me I bought my first ar15 because at the time I didn't feel I could do it. I was going to build from a 80% receiver. I ended up doing it after I bought my first one. If your going to use a 100% receiver then I'd say give it a try it's not that hard.

What do you mean 100% reciever

100% completly done. You have to buy it throught your gun dealer. 80% are not considered receivers. You have to finish the remaining 20% for it to be considered a firearm.

I'm with bsbg: unless you know exactly what kind of AR will really fit your needs it would be in your interest to buy something - preferebly with a warranty.

Once you've shot that weapon for a couple of years and have gotten to know what it is that trips your AR-15 trigger, you'll have had time to acquire all of the tools and skills required to build your first weapon with nary a hitch.

I partially built my first one many years ago (complete upper but built the lower).  I'm glad I did because I was able to learn so much more about the operation of the weapon by doing so.  That has gone a long way in helping me diagnose problems in friends' AR's.  

Building is quite easy if you are remotely mechanically inclined, and there is a good instruction guide with nice tips on this site.  Plus, any and all questions you might have can be answered right here in the build forum.

By researching and then building, you get what you want, not something you'll just plan on changing.  After you have the build knowledge, you'll be able to change out your AR to any config you may want in the future a lot easier.

Build it....I you can walk you can build from a kit.   J&T kit appr 450, Lower appr 125.... Where you gonna buy one for $575? It's not hard. I built a 20" A2 I love it... But knowing what I now know I would build a A3..... But that's the fun of building you learn a lot... If you buy one all you learn is how to pay for it...


Good luck. Warning this web site is bad for your budget!

Not really build or buy, but somewhere in the middle. Get a complete upper and lower and put them together.

Some combination of CMMG, LMT, and J&T would be good combo.

LMT?

Just build one out of an upper/lower kit.

Nikkels.

Ya, I ran a serch and couldnt find there web site. Do you know it

DPMS makes a good varmint gun from what I've seen... rock river is pretty good too.

Nikkels

buy or build....??  doesnt matter.....

just feed the sickness....!!!

Well Said!!!!

I had a standard post ban colt - sold it for another gun....got the bug.

Bought a RRA lower, and a kit from J&T - putting in the lower parts kit is a breeze, give you a better understaning of how it goes together/works.

It get bad when you start to buy your lowers more that two or more at a time.

good luck,

Badredfish

I'll cast my vote in for build.

I built my first one without incident. (well i did put the buffer in backwards... :p)

They're not that hard to build, and you learn a lot.

I've had really good luck with adcofirearms.com.  For the 2 builds I got Mega lowers (carrico'z is local to me), and ordered RRA internals (lower parts kit), RRA  6-pos buttstock, and a RRA complete upper.

The upper requires a lot of special tools, where as the lower pretty much only requires a couple of bunches (I got mine at Sears for ~ $10) and a hammer.  I also used a lot of blue painting tape and covered up the lower receiver so I wouldn't scratch it.  Took about 3 hours the first time. The only trouble I had was the bolt release pin, just couldn't get that by myself and had to have my dad come help me by holding the lower receiver and the pin while I held the hammer and the punch.

You can get RRA uppers for less than $400 from adco (I think $395), a 6-pos buttstock for $67, and a lower parts kit for $54.  You can get mega lowers for $100 or RRA lowers for not much more.  So that's only $625 and you have all parts (except maybe lower receiver) from the same manufacturuer, which was a key thing for me.  And $4 shipping is NICE.

Build it....I you can walk you can build from a kit. J&T kit appr 450, Lower appr 125.... Where you gonna buy one for $575?

However, the price quickly adds up on J&T.  They charge $18 or something for shipping, and charge you $20 for a 6-position stock. So add that to their cheapest kit at $460, and you're looking at $500 vs going to adco and getting RRA-quality for $520.  J&T also have a 2-3 week wait time, Adco is instantaneous.

However, I have heard really good things about J&T and they do have chrome-lined as an option which Adco lacks.

Just my thoughts on my research.

If you build it, they will come!!!!!!!!


"It get bad when you start to buy your lowers more that two or more at a time."

I thought lower only came in groups of Three....... :-)


"However, the price quickly adds up on J&T. They charge $18 or something for shipping, and charge you $20 for a 6-position stock. So add that to their cheapest kit at $460, and you're looking at $500 vs going to adco and getting RRA-quality for $520. J&T also have a 2-3 week wait time, Adco is instantaneous."

I hear ya... Bottom line... Give or take 50 or 100 bucks. In building you get much more Gun and much more Fun!!!!!

Build it. It's easy plenty help here and money you save can go toward next one.

i bought my first one so that i could get aquainted with it and then i built from there on out

Saw one of those NEW Rock River Arms M4 16" with WILSON Chrome Lined Barrel with 2 Stage trigger for $950.00.  I was impressed to say the least!

Recommend you buy your 1st  AR15; learn the works.  You'll know then exactly what you want.  Beware: AR15 owners develop obsessive compulsive tendencies.

Enjoy whatever you decide.  Welcome!

Quoted: Do I build my first AR or do I buy it and learn more about it. Looking for a great soot'n varmint gun????

Do it in true ARF.COM fashion and do both

Quoted: LMT?

bravocompanyusa.com/M4Uppers.html

That's what I was waiting for

LMT makes awesome stuff. Personally though, I think I would buy a CMMG upper first. Their stuff is top notch in every way possible

CMMG

Just checked there web site, it looks like they sell a lot of DPMS lowers. are they stock or do they do a lot of work on them?

Quoted: Just checked there web site, it looks like they sell a lot of DPMS lowers. are they stock or do they do a lot of work on them?

They build everything in-house

I bought an A2 M4gery(yeah I know, shoulda been A3 but I made my decision on a coin toss at the time) kit last year from M&A Parts at 17, and my mom bought the Oly lower for me.
That night I had the lower together in about 1 1/2 hours. Woulda been sooner, but I'll be damned if those detents don't FLY
Put my second one together in much the same way, just used all RRA parts.
My third one will be built from the ground up by picking the barrel, freefloat tube, upper, lower etc. etc.   I just got a feeling that it will set me back a few more dollars than my first 2

WIZZO

Man this BRD is setting in bad!!

Build it just be prepaired to build another one shortly after it is totally addictive and this forum cannot be beat because of the wealth of information on here. I just built my first one about a month ago and am now aquiring parts for the next. Like someone earlier stated just feed the sickness. Resistance is futile!!!!

Hey Wizzo, have you had good luck with M&A Products?

Quoted: New to the AR world, AR-15.com has helped me immensely with improving my knowledge on this wepon. So, the million dollar question.......Do I build my first AR or do I buy it and learn more about it. Looking for a great shoot'n varmint gun???? all comments are good commentshr

You save a little  money (100$+) when you build it yourself.

Build, that way you can get what you wont. To buy a rifle and to buy the parts you wont you have a lot more money in it.  

I have built all my ARs and have no parts laying around that I will never use.

if that is the case, what is a good lower to start?

"That night I had the lower together in about 1 1/2 hours. Woulda been sooner, but I'll be damned if those detents don't FLY "

Make sure you wear glasses when you put it together.  Things do go flying around!!!! It's all part of the fun!!!!

It took me 45 minutes to assemble my first. But my kit came with extra detents and springs.....

I like the Rock River Arms lowers, however no one has them in stock right know,

Well, I bought a complete upper and built the lower for my first one. I am in the process of building the upper and lower for my 2nd one :)

I built the first AR I ever owned.

That said, I had 4 years of extensive experience with the AR/M16 platform in the Marines before I built it.

If you've never used an AR before...buy a factory gun.

ballisticbill,
I've had pretty decent success with it. There were a few little marks and small dents that were there before they anodized the upper (Probably just rough handling on the part of the manufacturer) Don't buy M&A and expect to win a beauty contest with it. Mine was bought for the intention of being used on the farm and doing a little bit of Coyote huntin'. In short, it's not a pretty rifle now......but it works like a charm. I'm having a problem with it not wanting to load the first round from a new mag all the time now, but I think I just need to get a new buffer spring (plan on getting a RRA 6 pos at a funshow in 2 weeks) No problems other than that though, even on a 1500 round a year Wolf diet

WIZZO

BTW, I haven't regretted my purchase at all. They had very good customer service too.