Iam new to the Ar15 market and would like to build one. I don’t want to invest huge money into my first one but I don’t want to build junk. Any ideas?
This will yield a quality AR for around $800 . BCM upper, Aero precision lower, Palmetto state armory LPK with ALG QMS, BCM stock kit.
You need to decide how much building you want to do. You are mistaken if you think you can save by assembling a rifle from a box of small parts. The tools to properly build it will cost more than the box of parts. As inexpensive as assembled rifles, uppers and lowers are today it will be hard to assemble your own for less even if you have the tools. Have you thought about buying a mid grade gun used and modifying/accessorizing it to better fit your needs as you gain experience? Example… I saw a lightly used S&W sport sell for $400 last week.
This is a way to get in a good M4 type AR that will be more than adequate and can get you in around $800 (including optic).
PSA uppers:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/ar-15-05/barreled-upper-assemblies/psa-16-m4-cmv-mp-upper.html
PSA lowers:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/1213/category/4282/
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/2416/category/4282/
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/13115/category/357/
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/1393/category/357/
BCGs:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/15174/category/332/
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/2321/category/332/
Charging Handle:
http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx?item=XARCH&name=Anderson+AR15%2FM16+Charging+Handle&groupid=1994
Optic:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/663/category/1195/
What are looking for in your M4? HD gun? Range gun? Long range?
As others have said, buying an assembled rifle will be a better option. It’s a buyers’ market right now.
Thank you for all the info…I enjoy making mods to my pistols and thought assembling a Ar would be fun and interesting. Just looking to shoot at range and who knows what comes next. My thought was to buy 1 pistol and now I have 6…No telling where it will go with a AR.
Maybe buying used could be an option??? This is a very friendly and informative forum…Thank You…
A lot depends upon your definition of “build”. For some, simply pinning an assembled upper to an assembled lower and maybe changing the furniture is considered a “build”.
Not so for me. The beauty of the AR design is that one can be assembled from components using very few specialized tools.
Contrary to what others have posted, the required tools will not add significantly to the overall rifle cost. Sure, there are a lot of tools available that are nice to have if you’re building ARs in volume or make things more convenient, but they are not necessities.
A lower receiver unit can be assembled using pin punches and some basic hand tools. A bench vise and vise block make life a lot easier. The vise block can be purchased or you can make your own if you have the tools.
Barreling an upper requires additional tools, most notably a wrench for the barrel nut. If the barrel nut is standard, then the $8 GI wrench works as well as anything out there. (You will need a 1/2" torque wrench.) FWIW, many tube fore ends use a unique barrel nut and the GI wrench won’t work. Sometimes a wrench is included with the fore end, other times not - keep this in mind when sourcing parts. In the case of the upper receiver, a bench vise and receiver block are pretty much a requirement. Headspace gauges are strongly recommended, though a lot of folks barrel ARs without checking. To me, it’s cheap insurance.
Also contrary to popular belief proper staking of the carrier keys and buffer tube ring can be achieved without buying an expensive tool. I use a nail set punch to accomplish this task.
Anyway, I hope this helps. Happy building!
I agree with this. Unless you really want the experience of building your own, you’re not really going to save a whole lot of money.
I agree with the advice to get the complete BCM upper (include the BCM bolt and charging handle), then pick a lower. You can build a lower fairly easily with a smaller investment as far as tools go. I would just buy a complete Palmetto lower, put the BCM upper on it, and call it good. Then you can upgrade things like sights, trigger, stock, grip, etc. as you shoot it and find things you want changed.
This…