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AR15.COM
5/4/2006 12:50:29 PM EDT
So I am sitting around with a swollen jaw and doped up on vicodin.  And With nothing better to do I am surfing this board and see many ofyou build your ar15 rifles.  

Well before the AWB died I unloaded a Blue Label Colt and cut my losses.  Now I am wanting so many rifles right now and trying to manage different hobbies, etc.  I am thinking of building an AR15 A2 20" rifle.  Looks like the Stag lowers are good and I like the deer head!  $115 plus $60 for a LPK and $50 for the butt assembly and buffer.$225 for the lower.  Then I need the upper.  I have access to the toools thru a guy in my squadron.  I want a 1/7 twist barrel gov't profile, bayo lug and FS.  Do I go with BM or someone else?  Looking for quality milspec stuff but don't want to fund just for a name brand.

Even so I could just put a complete BM upper on there and be under $800.  I think I can do it much cheaper but need pointers on where to go.  And yes I know there is a build forum but this one gets more visibility..

TIA
5/4/2006 12:55:29 PM EDT
[#1]
the EE if you have the patience...

sounds like you've got plenty of time

SGN if you don't want to wait (or circle the EE like a shark)

Essential Arms is selling its stripped lowers for 77 bucks.

Sabre Defense you can find 129.99 to 149.99

CMMG has stripped lowers for around 125 bucks.  pick up a LPK if you order from them.

Vltors are a great stock IMO and an excellent stock for the money.

you "could" build an AR for much less than $800 (closer to 600-650 if you don't mind buying slightly used pieces)
5/4/2006 12:57:07 PM EDT
[#2]
I think someone on here built one for around $400 bucks a while back.
5/4/2006 12:58:26 PM EDT
[#3]
a guy on azshooting built one for $340
5/4/2006 1:00:15 PM EDT
[#4]
I went with J&T distributing for my Upper, and got a Mega lower.
Built it for $600 with 3 mags for an A2 upper and lower parts kit.
5/4/2006 1:00:27 PM EDT
[#5]

Quoted:
a guy on azshooting built one for $340



Did he refine his own aluminum before milling the receiver himself?
5/4/2006 1:00:57 PM EDT
[#6]

Quoted:
I think someone on here built one for around $400 bucks a while back.



Old_Painless built one for about that price, IIRC
5/4/2006 1:02:38 PM EDT
[#7]

Quoted:
circle the EE like a shark


What he said: circle the EE like a shark.  In my experience, a great deal on the EE will last 15 minutes.  If you stop to think about it you'll loose it.

ETA: Someone just sold 2 A4 uppers for $105 shipped in 3 minutes 58 seconds.
5/4/2006 1:02:57 PM EDT
[#8]

Quoted:

Quoted:
a guy on azshooting built one for $340



Did he refine his own aluminum before milling the receiver himself?



nope, just got used parts by keeping an eye on the classifieds
5/4/2006 1:07:41 PM EDT
[#9]
There was a thread a while back about cheap builds and some of the super cheap builds are not what they claimed.  Sometimes parts were given to the builder by a friend. Sometimes the builder traded for parts but didn't count that because no cash was involved.  Other times the build uses take off parts from previous builds.
5/4/2006 1:08:21 PM EDT
[#10]

Quoted:
the EE if you have the patience...

sounds like you've got plenty of time

SGN if you don't want to wait (or circle the EE like a shark)

Essential Arms is selling its stripped lowers for 77 bucks.
Sabre Defense you can find 129.99 to 149.99

CMMG has stripped lowers for around 125 bucks.  pick up a LPK if you order from them.

Vltors are a great stock IMO and an excellent stock for the money.

you "could" build an AR for much less than $800 (closer to 600-650 if you don't mind buying slightly used pieces)



The current EA forged lowers are a little light in color if that sort of things matter to you. I just buit one with a M1S pistol upper. The fit is extremely tight. Haven't brought it to the range yet. I will Saturday.

Edit to clarify: The color is slightly lighter than the bushmaster and m1s upper. The fit is tight in comparison to my stock bushmaster ( the only other AR I own)
5/4/2006 6:48:21 PM EDT
[#11]
CMMG stuff any good?  I see they offer 1/7?
5/4/2006 7:04:20 PM EDT
[#12]

Quoted:
CMMG stuff any good?  I see they offer 1/7?



Real nice stuff, A little pricey but great stuff and killer people to deal with.

JSE Surplus is the best place on the net to get a cheap, new, good AR
5/4/2006 7:11:57 PM EDT
[#13]
wait for july, go to Camp Perry.  Factory seconds that are perfectly serviceable abound.
5/4/2006 7:13:38 PM EDT
[#14]
Be careful about playing on the internet all doped up.  After foot surgery five years ago I sat at home all doped up for about a week.  Apparently I bought a fish finder on ebay.  I don't own a boat or even know how to fish.  
5/4/2006 7:30:07 PM EDT
[#15]

Quoted:
Be careful about playing on the internet all doped up.  After foot surgery five years ago I sat at home all doped up for about a week.  Apparently I bought a fish finder on ebay.  I don't own a boat or even know how to fish.  



heh
5/4/2006 7:34:05 PM EDT
[#16]
I built my AR for under $500

RRA M4 complete upper , chrome lined, like new - $300 (From the EE, I swear the upper was brand new)
Stag Lower - $85
DPMS buttstock assembly - $35 (From the EE)
DPMS LPK - $50

Total - $470
5/4/2006 9:09:58 PM EDT
[#17]
I am wanting a 1/7 20" standard upper.  Chrome lined bore and chamber, bayo lug and FS.

I like the Stag with the deer head so that will be my lower I guess..  LPK's seem to be about 50-60 dollars.  I need a buttstock and parts list to build the upper.

Upper Stripped?
Sights?
Dust Cover Assy?
Bolt/Carrier and Charge Handle?
Barrel Assy?
5/4/2006 9:48:55 PM EDT
[#18]
You can get a Oly kit from J&S for $450 and a Oly lower for about $115 than you have a 100% factory rifle that will bring a higher price than a frankenAR.
5/4/2006 10:08:27 PM EDT
[#19]
I built a A1 clone for $770 last year using brandname parts shall we say.

Bushmaster stripped Lower  $150
Colt surplus Upper from CDNN with complete A1 buttstock $399
DPMS parts kit $50
LMT bolt/carrier $125
$45 to Duracoat the lower to match the upper.
5/4/2006 10:15:11 PM EDT
[#20]
I built a M4gery for under $400.00 last fall
5/5/2006 12:38:12 PM EDT
[#21]
I built a pre-ban A2 for $185.

I usually have spare parts lying around.  Then one day I met a guy at the range that wanted a custom barrel mounted on his brand new Colt, but was getting screwed by the local gunsmiths.  I offered to mount his new barrel if I could have his old one.  Score one new Colt mil-profile barrel!!

Open up Shotgun News and PWA is selling A2 upper/lower set for $165.  I traded a few other parts and mags for a bolt carrier, furniture,  and some other stuff I needed.  I ended up having to spend about $20 on a buffer and small parts to finish it.  The rifle looks great and shoots great!  First high-power match I entered with it I placed second behind some guy with an M1 that probably cost more than my truck.

During the ban I could've probably sold it for $2k, but I decided to keep it.  I'm still glad I did.  A few extra bucks are always nice, but it's not worth missing the looks on friend's faces when I tell them the gun that I just outshot them with only cost me $185.
5/5/2006 12:52:25 PM EDT
[#22]
My first two AR-15s were Stag lowers with Del-ton kits. Put a 20" and 16" together for less than $1200 combined, that includes a few "upgrades" as well like chrome lined barrels and an Ace skeleton stock. Not great but after looking at $900-1000 prices in the shops that seemed like a better way to go.

I got three stripped Stag lowers from hg112 in the EE for $252 delivered awhile back, price has gone up since then though I think.

I've got two more stripped lowers and two used complete uppers, gonna try to piece together some budget models from used parts in the future.

The Stags even come in different colors now.



5/5/2006 12:59:26 PM EDT
[#23]
You can get a Stag lower for $80 shipped.  I don't remember where, but ask in the Build It Yourself forum.  You can get the exact kit you're looking for from M&A Parts for $500.  That's about $650 complete, with shipping and transfers.

CO
5/5/2006 1:04:14 PM EDT
[#24]
I'm going to sell an AK to suprise my wife with an AR of her own. This is good info.
5/5/2006 2:04:34 PM EDT
[#25]
I got a new Colt SP1 upper for $275, used colt bolt & carrier for $175, and a mint complete Omega lower with collapsible stiok for $225. All from the EE. Had to build a conversion pin cause the upper was large pin and the lower was small, the gun looks and shoots great.

rk
5/5/2006 3:45:09 PM EDT
[#26]

Quoted:
I went with J&T distributing for my Upper, and got a Mega lower.
Built it for $600 with 3 mags for an A2 upper and lower parts kit.




J&T here also 2 builds and no problems from the sale,service or the assembly of rifles J&T are great folks to business wth IMO
5/5/2006 7:36:33 PM EDT
[#27]
Decided to go for it.  So I will go with a Stag lower.  Already ordered a LPK from DPMS for $59 shipped.  I need a buttsock assy.  Who's got them at good price?  Also I need a stripped A2 upper.  One that will match in finish closely.  I'm gonna buy a 1/7 barrel assy too.  So right now I need the lower stuff.  

I might make this a flat top..  Maybe..  Hmm.

I like the idea of a new AR less than $700.
5/5/2006 10:46:51 PM EDT
[#28]
BRAND NEW • Colt Factory SP1 Upper Assmebly • Tear Drop Forward Assist • Triangular Handguards • 20" Chrome Lined Barrel with Flash Hider • Small Hole Upper • SP1 Sights • No Shell Deflector • Light Weight Barrel • NO BOLT, BOLT CARRIER OR CHARGING HANDLE!!

COL78 $369.99

CDNN

I paid $399.99 for mine a few months back but it came with the A1 butstock as well brand new coated in cosmolene wraped & boxed dated 5/86