First off I want to congratulate everyone on this site.  It’s amazing the amount of excellent and detailed information that is here.  

My question:
I am planning on building an AR15 soon and would like to know if once built, I need to register the rifle with the BATF?  I live in Washington state which is fairly gun friendly.  Can I put a 16” barrel, and a telescopic stock on it and be totally legal for as long as I own the rifle?  

Second question:
In checking out the build your own step by step, it looks like building an AR15 is easy as putting together an erector set.  In fact, much easier than building an AK (which I was quite surprised by).  What’s the hardest part?

Last question:
What manufacturers do you guys recommend?  Any ones to steer away from?

I am new to this forum and would greatly appreciate any information.  Thanks very much.

Quoted: I am planning on building an AR15 soon and would like to know if once built, I need to register the rifle with the BATF?  I live in Washington state which is fairly gun friendly.  Can I put a 16” barrel, and a telescopic stock on it and be totally legal for as long as I own the rifle?

You do not need to tell the ATF anything.  Yes, you can put a 16" barrel and a telestock on the rifle and be legal.  I cannot foretell the future, so I can't answer whether that will remain legal for as long as you own the rifle.

In checking out the build your own step by step, it looks like building an AR15 is easy as putting together an erector set.  In fact, much easier than building an AK (which I was quite surprised by).  What’s the hardest part?

For me, the hardest part was getting the roll pins in without damage, particularly the triggerguard pin.  Next time (which happens to be this weekend), I'll try out the vice-grip method and see how that works for me.

What manufacturers do you guys recommend?  Any ones to steer away from?

Hesse/Vulcan Arms is universally despised (and not just their ARs - their FALs and AKs suck too), and ASA doesn't have a very good reputation either, although I've never dealt with them personally.    Any of the major manufacturers generally put out a quality product.

Basically the receiver is the firearm, so you'll have to buy it locally or through an FFL.

Other than that it's pretty easy to build, particularly if you buy the upper barreled, most kits come that way, have fun.

Buy one of the lower priced quality lowers like Stag Arms, Mega, Ameetec or Stinger.  Buy a complete upper from Bushmaster or RRA and stock of your choice.  Putting it together is super simple and will save you $100-200+ over buying a complete rifle.

I bought a complete lower with parts installed cause it was only $5 more than buying parts and installing them myself.  Something to think about when you're looking for your lower.

Also, only RRA's M4 uppers are chrome lined.  You'll want chrome.  

BUSHMASTER
they are all chrome (almost)

no regestry to ATF unless its an sbr

Welcome to the site.

You list yourself from Washington, so I suggest a Mega lower.  If you are on the West side, they're there (forgot where).  I can't find the bookmark right now, but I bet some one will provide a link....

Any how, the Mega lower is made in WA and the quality from the reports is excelent.  Price is good and quality is near if not better as the "major" players in the AR business.

Check out Eaglefirearms.net You can get a Stag lower for $85 just as good as BM and RRA. They also have good deals on Rock River Arms complete bolt carriers (one of the best carriers in my opinion)and upper receivers.  They have a Tactical Entery rifle that they may sell you just the complete upper, it has the M-4 16" style barrel and is chrome lined. Shoot them an e-mail they are really quick to reply.   If you stick the above manufacturers you should be able to build an excelent rifle.  RRA is actually run by a group that used to work for Armalite and Stag makes RRA's lowers .

You list yourself from Washington, so I suggest a Mega lower.  If you are on the West side, they're there (forgot where).  I can't find the bookmark right now, but I bet some one will provide a link....

I just got my MEGA lower from Clinton Carrico himself at the Puyallup Fairgrounds Gun Show last weekend.  Carrico's ARmory is out of Lacey.  Carrico's ARmory  The MEGAs are absolutely beautiful!

Mega is in Tumwater. I also just picked up a Mega (Gator Model) loser and flat top upper. Fit and finish
is excellant IMHO. I had one piece of flash come out of a trigger guard ear but that was the only
"defect" I could see.  Its marked as a .458 Socom which just makes it that much more sexy in my
mind. I put an RRA lower kit in in about an hour. Now if the rest of the parts would just arrive!

Quoted: You list yourself from Washington, so I suggest a Mega lower.  If you are on the West side, they're there (forgot where).  I can't find the bookmark right now, but I bet some one will provide a link.... I just got my MEGA lower from Clinton Carrico himself at the Puyallup Fairgrounds Gun Show last weekend.  Carrico's ARmory is out of Lacey.  Carrico's ARmory  The MEGAs are absolutely beautiful!

+1

I'd also say that building an AR from scratch can be pretty fun, but for a first AR, I'd recommend at least buying a complete upper and complete lower and putting them together yourself (if not buying a complete firearm). Popping in two pins to mate an upper and lower will be a lot easier than building from from scratch (and it will save money over buying a complete rifle). Basically I say this because for a first rifle I think it would be best to have something already built, in order to familiarize yourself with how they are supposed to work. That way, when you build one from scratch down the road you'll know what the end product is supposed to be like.

What I did was I got a couple complete MEGA lowers with stocks from Carrico'z (picked it up in person, great guy). Then I ordered two uppers from Eagle Firearms. I had them built with Rock River upper receivers and Bushmaster barrels. In the end the rifles cost me several hundred less (each) than buying a complete similar Bushmaster, and all I had to do was pop in a couple of takedown pins.

For more info on MEGA lowers.