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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Honest Sub $400 AR Build (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 12/30/2016 11:32:55 PM EDT
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Anybody have suggestions for an honest complete ready to fire AR build under $400. Looking for ideas on all new parts including sights and a magazine plus shipping cost if required. Background checks and transfer fees don't need to be counted in build cost. Not looking for highest quality but a 5.56 range plinker type gun. Here is my first attempt.
Anderson complete lower (local gun shop) $120 Oregon Rifle Works (503) 352-9552 Palmetto State Armory Ptac upper with BCG and CH $249.99 http://palmettostatearmory.com/ptac-16-carbine-1-7-phosphate-upper-with-bcg-ch-516444459.html Carry handle sight $19.99 https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?type=3&campId=5337559805&toolId=10001&customId=ixcoaosn6600zk8a00004&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2Flike%2F181701335895%3Flpid%3D82%26chn%3Dps%26ul_noapp%3Dtrue Magazine (local gun shop) $10 http://nwarmory.com/p-65975-magpul-pmag-30round-ar15-black-mag571-blk-in-store-pickup-only.aspx10 Total $399.98 Would love to hear any ideas on how to reduce the cost on this build. Thanks to Trump AR prices are going to tank, maybe next year we will be discussing sub $300 build:) |
| Your not going to see sub $300 AR's, there would be no money to be made. That isn't a bad price for a very budget build, PTAC upper will go bang, but not great accuracy. I think the cheapest I built one for was around $350 a couple years ago around Black Friday. |
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I can do under $400, but end up with stuff I don't want. I've patiently gathered parts for the two I built for my boys, and still ended up around $500. I don't choose top tier parts, but also don't want garbage.
The only way I could see putting something together for under $400 is to be picking up take-off parts and pieces. |
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Check out slickgun.com, you'll find quite a few assembled uppers minus BCGs for under $200, some with Melonite barrels or free float rails.
I've got two budget builds with Palmetto State Armory and Radical Firearms uppers, both run great with no issues. I've seen AIM Surplus or Toolcraft BCGs on sale for around $80 and PSA had theirs on sale for $70 last month. I've seen both a Vortex and Bushnell 1-4x24 scope for $99. PTAC grade uppers will probably be your cheapest option when they're on sale, but $75 more will get you a much better barrel if above average accuracy is what you want. But a lot of budget builds are for young or first time shooters, truck guns, or rifles that can be dragged thru the woods. |
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Ok maybe a sub $300 won't ever happen but the big cost hang up right now seems to be the bolt carrier group and lower parts. I have seen adequate uppers for $180 and that price seems very fair. Stripped lowers can be had for darned near $40 but the bcg's can't be touched for less than about $70 and lpks seem high. I would like to see bcg prices come down. I also think there is room for lower parts or complete lower prices to come down a bit.
lowest priced commercial rifles are approaching the $400 mark and ar prices in general are dropping fast so hopefully parts will keep coming down. |
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Ok maybe a sub $300 won't ever happen but the big cost hang up right now seems to be the bolt carrier group and lower parts. I have seen adequate uppers for $180 and that price seems very fair. Stripped lowers can be had for darned near $40 but the bcg's can't be touched for less than about $70 and lpks seem high. I would like to see bcg prices come down. I also think there is room for lower parts or complete lower prices to come down a bit. lowest priced commercial rifles are approaching the $400 mark and ar prices in general are dropping fast so hopefully parts will keep coming down. BCG prices come down? You want to cheap-out on arguably the most critical component of your firearm? |
| I wouldn't trust a sub $100 BCG. And you can get an Anderson lower for $40-$50 online add in shipping and transfer fees it should be $20-$30 bucks cheaper then the $120 you stated check primary arms for that. Save money where you can like the furniture but don't skimp on critical parts like the bcg. Good AR's are expensive for a reason, guns are one thing still around that you actually get what you pay for.Anderson lower from primary . Also consider a polymer lower I don't like them but they are cheap and that seems to be your priority. |
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You won't trust a Toolcraft BFG? The military does.
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I wouldn't trust a sub $100 BCG. And you can get an Anderson lower for $40-$50 online add in shipping and transfer fees it should be $20-$30 bucks cheaper then the $120 you stated check primary arms for that. Save money where you can like the furniture but don't skimp on critical parts like the bcg. Good AR's are expensive for a reason, guns are one thing still around that you actually get what you pay for.Anderson lower from primary . Also consider a polymer lower I don't like them but they are cheap and that seems to be your priority. |
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I wouldn't trust a sub $100 BCG. And you can get an Anderson lower for $40-$50 online add in shipping and transfer fees it should be $20-$30 bucks cheaper then the $120 you stated check primary arms for that. Save money where you can like the furniture but don't skimp on critical parts like the bcg. Good AR's are expensive for a reason, guns are one thing still around that you actually get what you pay for.Anderson lower from primary . Also consider a polymer lower I don't like them but they are cheap and that seems to be your priority. Plenty of sub $100 bcg that are good. Toolcraft, AIM and PSA Premium come to mind. |
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Firearms in general are pretty expensive these days... plus, during the last 8 years of the Obama administration, gun sales have escalated, big-time, and suppliers can hardly keep up with demand (panic buying/gun control fear?).
With that said, I don't think you will find an honest sub-$400 new AR15, unless current prices come down, or someone puts on a massive sale. Let's say you go with the Anderson complete lower for $120 + tax (I doubt you'd find one anywhere else for less); then a complete upper from PSA (or else ware) without BCG, $200 (+ or -); then the BCG and charging handle, (PSA ?) $90 plus shipping and tax, then $12 for a 30 round mag? You're just over $400, if you're lucky. As far as used gun prices go, I have a habit of looking at the used guns for sale on Armslist, and the used gun prices there are ridiculously high/astronomical if you ask me. Do the private sellers really think they can get those kinds of prices for their used gun, when you can buy a new one for a lost less at the gun store? I guess some people are willing to pay a premium just to buy a gun from a private seller and not have to go through the back-ground check or fill out the FFL forms. It's a mystery to me. Good luck! |
| You are right about the ridiculous ar prices on armslist. I ordered the ptac with bcg and ch for $250 with free shipping. I will put it together with anderson lower and try it out. If it doesn't shoot well or I get the bug to put together a different combo I can probably put it on armslist at $395 and sell it quick. The ptac upper reviews are pretty postitive so I have hope it will be a fine plinker. I believe ar prices will continue to go down until another democrat gets in to the highest office. More states may follow California's lead in restricting gun owners options which should mean more for the rest of us. |
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I recently tried to build a $400ish AR
in the end I wound up with a little over $500 in it, just because I wanted some nicer stuff I don't think I'd be at all interested in a sub $300 AR UNLESS!! 3 or 4 years ago I had a guy ask me if I had an extra AR to sell because they were going to outlaw them and he needed to have one. he said he had $2000 to spend on one I was tempted but declined because I like all my guns |
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I've built several $400/ sub $400 AR's but they all required used/takeoff/Scrounged parts to get there.
Most recent one- $40 Smith Wesson Melonite Barrel (Guy had two brand new Sports converted to .300) Upper- Traded for it, no cost- (Bought A2 upper for $25, traded it for $125 in cash and flat top upper) Bolt-Palmetto Blem Milspec $69 A2 flash hider, gas tube (carbine length)....Takeoff $0 $45 Anderson Lower (Had it to do over, would have spent another $25 for a better lower) $29 Tan Magpul/Palmetto less trigger LPK (They had these for half of last year on special) Trigger, hammer, springs disconnector (Free, taken from rifle upgraded to CMC) $22 Brownells Milspec Extension Tan MOE buttstock, $15 Pawnshop find Tan Magpul Carbine handguard $10, gunshow Carry Handle Sight, $15 gunshow find Charging handle, USGI, free, upgraded to Vltor on another rifle. The rifle is nothing special but it functions reliably and is pretty accurate. A good, dirt cheap truck/loaner rifle. |
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You can find blem Aero stripped lowers for $65 now and then. Quoted:
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What would you have done differently on the Anderson lower plus 25?? You can find blem Aero stripped lowers for $65 now and then. Just goes to show that non-blems can turn out to be blems, and blems can turn out to be non-blems... or something like that. 
I think it is best to be able to look at something before you buy it. This ordering online can be hit or miss... |
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Why not? Two years ago you would be saying same thing about sub 500 dollar rifle. Quoted:
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Tell you what? You wouldn't get a safe usable gun for under $300. Why not? Two years ago you would be saying same thing about sub 500 dollar rifle. First off no I wouldn't, I built several for under $400 a couple years ago. And as previously mentioned, you will start get parts that are unreliable at a price much lower then they are now. They might come down a bit more, but sub $300 would be a shit rifle. To many individual parts go into an AR and several of them you really don't want to go cheap on. |
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If I was building a $400ish gun, I would start here: http://www.trinityordnance.com/. They sell Sabre Defense (Cav Arms Mk 2) lowers for $65. That's a stock, buffer tube, pistol grip, and lower for $65. I think the only way you can beat that deal is use a steel pipe for buffer tube and stock on a Flat Spot lower. Or a Fruity Ghost lower would be cheaper, I suppose.
Full disclosure: I've done work for Trinity Ordnance in the past, and he recently sold me two "cracked" Sabre Defense lowers for $25 each - except he didn't feel like pulling them out of the bottom of the pile, so he gave me two perfectly good ones for $25/ea. |
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While you're at it, go ahead and ask for a magical unicorn.
Under $400 for a functioning AR that is worth something is hard to do. In a few months it may be possible, and may be now, but chances are you'll end up putting so much effort and time into it, the end may not justify the means. Remember to throw in sales tax, shipping, and transfer fees for the lower. All that adds to it, so shop frugally. |
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If I was building a $400ish gun, I would start here: http://www.trinityordnance.com/. They sell Sabre Defense (Cav Arms Mk 2) lowers for $65. That's a stock, buffer tube, pistol grip, and lower for $65. I think the only way you can beat that deal is use a steel pipe for buffer tube and stock on a Flat Spot lower. Or a Fruity Ghost lower would be cheaper, I suppose. Full disclosure: I've done work for Trinity Ordnance in the past, and he recently sold me two "cracked" Sabre Defense lowers for $25 each - except he didn't feel like pulling them out of the bottom of the pile, so he gave me two perfectly good ones for $25/ea.  To each their own, but Sabre Defense lowers are horrible. I would rather pay the extra $40 for a complete regular lower.
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To each their own, but Sabre Defense lowers are horrible. I would rather pay the extra $40 for a complete regular lower.Quoted:
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If I was building a $400ish gun, I would start here: http://www.trinityordnance.com/. They sell Sabre Defense (Cav Arms Mk 2) lowers for $65. That's a stock, buffer tube, pistol grip, and lower for $65. I think the only way you can beat that deal is use a steel pipe for buffer tube and stock on a Flat Spot lower. Or a Fruity Ghost lower would be cheaper, I suppose. Full disclosure: I've done work for Trinity Ordnance in the past, and he recently sold me two "cracked" Sabre Defense lowers for $25 each - except he didn't feel like pulling them out of the bottom of the pile, so he gave me two perfectly good ones for $25/ea. To each their own, but Sabre Defense lowers are horrible. I would rather pay the extra $40 for a complete regular lower.These are Cav Arms Mk 2 lowers made by Cav Arms for Sabre Defense on a variance. They weren't made by Sabre Defense. Cav Arms Mk 2 lowers can be shot & still work:  Failed To Load Title |
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We're talking sub $400 ARs here. Take your pretty boy stuff elsewhere.  Quoted:
Quoted: Sorry, didn't mean they don't work. Meant they look horrible. We're talking sub $400 ARs here. Take your pretty boy stuff elsewhere. Lol...I know. You can do a complete Anderson lower for under $110 though including transfer fee. Add a PSA upper for $250 and you have a decent AR for well under $400 |
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Quoted: Lol...I know. You can do a complete Anderson lower for under $110 though including transfer fee. Add a PSA upper for $250 and you have a decent AR for well under $400 That's pretty good. Trinity Ordnance was selling complete Sabre Defense lowers for $100, but they sold out of 'em. PSA is the real driver here. You can only get so low on the lower. Even if via Fruity Ghost we manage to clone the Cav Arms Mk 2, you still have to have a buffer, spring, and an LPK. $200 for an upper & $100 for a BCG, you're still right up @ $400. When PSA dumps a complete upper w/ BCG for $250, that significantly lowers the price. I think the real deal is Trinity Ordnance's $25 cracked lowers, but I've got to dig out my washers and hitch pins to prove it works. |
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Your not going to see sub $300 AR's, there would be no money to be made. That isn't a bad price for a very budget build, PTAC upper will go bang, but not great accuracy. I think the cheapest I built one for was around $350 a couple years ago around Black Friday. I have a PTAC nitrated upper, its the most accurate I currently own. OP if you want a range toy/blaster, your parts list is fine. If you are a LEO looking for a duty weapon, spring for a Colt, Spikes, BCM, DD, etc. |
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sub 300 LOL do you know what you would be getting in quality for 300 ?? LOL i dont buy Junk I am glad you have the money to buy nothing but the best, some of us have a more limited budget and have to balance price and value Vs needs and desired use. And the thing about ARs, you can upgrade a part at a time pretty easily, so even if you start out with PTAC quality gun you can replace the barrel, BCG, trigger components with higher quality stuff as your budget and desired use changes. YMMV. |
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The week before black friday 2015, PSA had their slick side PTAC M4 kits for $300 shipped. I couldn't resist the budget build challenge so I bought one and assembled it with an Anderson lower ($55), a cheap carry handle/sight, basic sling, and one magazine for a total cost of $400. All the parts were new and the total cost includes all taxes, shipping, and FFL.
The carbine has been 100% functional, and accuracy is acceptable (3 moa) for the price point. The mil-spec PSA trigger wasn't very pleasant, but it worked. PSA currently has their PTAC phosphate carbine kit for $350 shipped. If you can find a decent priced lower, you could complete a rifle for close to your budget. It won't be a tackdriver, but it should function properly. Once you have that, though, you will notice things you don't care for or wish were better. Spending a little more up front to get exactly what you want is probably the cheapest way to go, or you can upgrade parts individually as you have the money. I went the latter route and added a PSA EPT trigger for a better trigger feel. Since I am left handed, I also added a PSA ambi safety. I also changed out the pistol grip and stock. So, far my budget AR is near $460 total cost, but it is much more suited to my needs now, so the extra $60 was well spent. |
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What would you have done differently on the Anderson lower plus 25?? Yea, I would have bought a different lower and spent another $25 for a total of $70 or so. Blem Aero would fit the bill and Palmetto has blems from time to time reasonably....... I have had a few issues with my Andersons. They work, but of the 4 I have built I had trouble with two of them (bolt hold open slots were too thin). There are quite a few reports of issues with them- for the most part they work but for a lifetime purchase I'd rather just spend a few more bucks....You can always put on a better upper, a rail etc....but a lower is "the gun" part of the rifle and most people don't just buy and sell lowers...... |
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Yea, I would have bought a different lower and spent another $25 for a total of $70 or so. Blem Aero would fit the bill and Palmetto has blems from time to time reasonably....... I have had a few issues with my Andersons. They work, but of the 4 I have built I had trouble with two of them (bolt hold open slots were too thin). There are quite a few reports of issues with them- for the most part they work but for a lifetime purchase I'd rather just spend a few more bucks....You can always put on a better upper, a rail etc....but a lower is "the gun" part of the rifle and most people don't just buy and sell lowers...... I never understood the emphasis on the lower or "parts holder". As long as things appear to be in spec, holes line up and such, no cares given. The upper is where the magic is supposed to happen. I think of a lower like a wallet, it holds in all the stuff that makes everything else work. As long as its got the right holes, I wouldn't think it would matter? |
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I never understood the emphasis on the lower or "parts holder". As long as things appear to be in spec, holes line up and such, no cares given. The upper is where the magic is supposed to happen. I think of a lower like a wallet, it holds in all the stuff that makes everything else work. As long as its got the right holes, I wouldn't think it would matter? That's the problem, half of my Andersons didn't have the "right holes"- and I'm not the only one. That's an obvious sign of poor quality control....and because it's the most "permanent part" of the rifle for legal reasons and also because most people just swap uppers etc....it should be of decent quality. I can go to any decent sized gunshow in the country and find used uppers, handguards, stocks, even barrels sometimes. What you don't see? Used lowers. Almost never. People generally buy a lower and keep it forever- for legal reasons if nothing else. I'm not saying you should pay $200 for a lower. There are MANY lowers in the $100-75 range that are acceptable. I have a half a dozen Palmetto Blems that I bought for $49 and I DEFY you to find a blemish mark on them, they were beautiful and dimensionally correct in all ways. I just think when you know that you have a part that you'll have pretty much forever, a few dollars more is worth it over the bottom of the barrel option. |
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I'm not saying you should pay $200 for a lower. There are MANY lowers in the $100-75 range that are acceptable. I have a half a dozen Palmetto Blems that I bought for $49 and I DEFY you to find a blemish mark on them, they were beautiful and dimensionally correct in all ways. I just think when you know that you have a part that you'll have pretty much forever, a few dollars more is worth it over the bottom of the barrel option. I guess I'm just not as lucky as the folks who say they purchased a blem from PSA and couldn't find a blem. |
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I have 4 PSA blem lowers and have found actual finish blemishes in all of them. But that's okay, because I knew they were blems when I bought them. I guess I'm just not as lucky as the folks who say they purchased a blem from PSA and couldn't find a blem. Two of mine had a tiny, I mean pin sized spot, of missing anodizing in the magwells. After inserting a magazine a few hundred times over the last few years, I don't really notice it. They were dimensionally perfect in every way and I've never had any issues with them. I am hopeful we will see their blems again at sub $60 over the next few years with demand being driven lower for the most part. |
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i agree. take your time and take a little longer, and build it right. i cant count how many sub jam o matics i
see at the range. Quoted:
I am glad you have the money to buy nothing but the best, some of us have a more limited budget and have to balance price and value Vs needs and desired use. And the thing about ARs, you can upgrade a part at a time pretty easily, so even if you start out with PTAC quality gun you can replace the barrel, BCG, trigger components with higher quality stuff as your budget and desired use changes. YMMV. |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Honest Sub $400 AR Build (Page 1 of 2)
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