what constitutes a “pieced together ar” does this diminish value or make it less of an ar?
i have “mismatched” ar’s lmt and noveske uppers on dd lowers.
i was told that they were pieced together and therefore less valuable than a complete bushmaster?
damn just damn
It’s just what it says, pieced together. Doesn’t matter if the parts are Colt, DD, Noveske, etc…
Personally I wouldn’t be worried about the value and I would guess that most who build such set ups aren’t either.
As for their value in comparison to Bushmaster or other trash that is a laughable fantasy for someone who knows absolutely nothing about AR’s.
Because so many possible errors exist when building these (Bushhamster is hardly immune from this statement themselves), piecing one together won’t have the same sort of resale value as buying a complete factory rifle with a warranty.
That said, quality stuff is quality stuff - if this site should teach people one thing, it’s that having a correct and high quality upper, and lower is more important than how well the finish or logo matches.
I’d choose LMT/DD/BCM/KAC/Colt/Noveske mix and match guns over any other factory option regardless of cost.
From my earliest years until now, I’ve spent a lot of time (probably too much) in gunshops and at gunshows and have seen this kind of behavior many times. At the Pamona Gun show held on the L.A. Fairgrounds years ago when it was still allowed, I walked by a table carrying a rifle I was selling for my father. Guy called out “Hey, you selling that rifle?”
“Yes,” I answered. “$350.” Dad said I got to keep anything I got for it over $300.
“Too bad you weren’t here 15 minutes earlier,” he said. “We just gave a guy $375 for one just like it, only it wasn’t in quite as nice condition.”
Damn!, I thought. If only I’d been here sooner, I could have made an extra $25!
Two hours later I walked by the same table still carrying that rifle. Another fellow was there. He called out “Hey, you selling that rifle?”
I thought I’d try him at his own game. “No, I just bought it. Got for a good price too, only $325!”
Guy shook his head sadly. “That’s too bad. 15 minutes ago we sold one just like it, only in a little better condition, for $300.”
No matter what you have, the guy at the gunshop or behind the table at the gunshow is going to act like he knows more than you and that you could have done better by dealing with him exclusively
It just depends… on a buyer’s knowledge and stuff.
I mean… a factory original Bushmaster, Olympic Arms, or LWRC is going to have no value to me.
On the other hand, I’m not buying some guy’s build unless I know who put it together and what went into the gun.
That was my first thought…WHO built it…
When looking at selling a complete gun, a lot of people are going to want everything to match. They will also want the box, manual, etc.
This is why I always tell people to keep the cardboard box that the rifle came in as it really does help sell the gun.
In the event that you had to sell your gun, separating it out (upper, lower, etc) would most likely sell ok.
C4
My thoughts exactly.
One of the great things about ARs is if you want/need to sell a pieced together gun…just break it down and part it out.
You have 2 good uppers on 2 good lowers and any combination of those parts is a good gun. Ignore whoever told you that and rock on.
Recently I have been down sizing my collection since I’m getting a mite too old and poor for more than one AR.
A factory assembled AR such as Cot, DD, LMT etc will always sell easier and probably for more than a mismatched AR. That does not mean it’s better.
I personally like a little diversity 
If you assemble a rifle for your tastes and it fits everything you want what could be better?
I am building a SBR utilizing parts from multiple manufacturers. I have no intention to sell it, so the parts I’ve collected over time have been what appealed to me. I do agree that a complete factory built rifle, with the box, paperwork and the original accessories that it sold with will bring more money at a sale than a built up rifle.
I only own “parts” guns…
I’ve got pics in my album of one I put together a few weeks ago with spare parts.
DD14.5" LW carbine barrel-YHM28A FH (Pin &Weld)
Colt/Diemaco A1 upper
Colt M16 BCG
Colt M4 Butt stock
Vltor Extension
Colt Carbine buffer and spring
Colt LPK
DSAZM4 Lower
YHM Drop in hand guard
Magpul moe grip
It’s a light weight mutt… But it shoot’s reliably.
Another lower is waiting in the bin…
It’s going to be a poor mans DMR… someday.
I personally enjoy building “frankenguns” for several reasons, I have no intent to sell any of them. I can say this, I have no problem parting guns out and selling of various parts and furniture. I’ve sold gas blocks, sights, handgaurds, barrels etc. with ease but certainly a complete factory “anything” would most likely be more desirable than something “somebody” built.
thanks guys
the uppers were bought as complete units as well as the lowers.
getting down to the nitty gritty i dont think the upper tier or lower tier makers manufacter their own springs,lots of parts being outsourced.
maybe it was the context of the comment.
thanks for all the responses.
fz1boxer
Doesn’t matter the value. Never sell a gun… you will only be unhappy a few days later. I have never sold a gun that I didn’t have regrets about.
I’ve never sold any of my shooters but have sold 2 or 3 that fall into my “collection” space in the safe. I wish I had kept them. The only gun I feel good about selling was a NHM-91 to a friend. He wanted an AK and he has a nice one now instead of a Century monkey screwed over WASR.
I think there is truth to the statement that parts guns will bring less to the uninformed. I also add that I build my own and very much prefer them to any factory weapon I’ve owned and that includes Knights, Colts, Noveske, and such. FWIW I’ve owned weapons from all the big players. When I build I generally like to keep the uppers and lowers from the same company. With everybody being into stamping or printing their info on everything from BCG’s to uppers now people seem to like them to be the same.
Last month I had 2 complete carbines on the table at a gun show that I built. The first was a BCM MOE type build with standard parts. The other was a BCM upper and lower with a Centurion barrel, Troy sights and Extreme rail, Giesselle, and BattelComp, CTR, Battlegrip, etc. The upper and BCG was BCM, non marked. There was much more interest in the fully marked weapon than the totally custom weapon. To the uninformed they don’t know what they don’t know.