Here’s the deal. I have a $900 budget and I would like to end up with a carbine or mid-length with an over-sized rail (to cover a low profile gas block), flip up sights and a collapsible stock.
It would also be 14.5" barrel with a pinned flash hider, but this isn’t a deal-breaker. The 16" would suffice.
I haven’t been able to find this “dream rifle” for under $900, but I think I could construct it myself. I am pretty competent mechanically, but my question is what tools would I need to complete this build?
How does the average Joe go about building a 14.5" barrel with pinned and welded flash hider without running afoul of “the man” in the process? Would I be better off to to have the barrel built as a sub-assembly with the low-pro gas block, short barrel and flash hider?
Also, I live in Iowa where a SBR is not an option.SUCKS.
To correctly go from a box of loose parts to a properly assembeled functional carbine requires knowledge, skill, and a couple of hundred bucks worth of tools and equipment.
High quality parts alone (barrel, bolt, HG, sights) will push your price dangerously close to your limit. It is entirely possible to put together an AR for less than $900, but that requires compromise on parts that do make a difference in performance.
you will not be able to build a quality AR, and buy the necessary tools, with that budget. you’d be better off buying a box gun- which will still be very difficult to do with that budget.
tool list:
panther claw: $40
quality armorer’s wrench: $35
torque wrench: $50-150+ (some people will say this is optional, but i’d call it essential unless you’re experienced or experience with torque values and know what 80ft/lbs feels like)
bench vise: $50-100+
punch set: $20
roll-pin punch set: $60+ (for a quality machine tool set, though they can be found for cheaper)
spring-loaded punch: $15
barrel blocks: $50-80
and these are the basics… you can double this by adding specialty tools and upgrading the quality of basic tools. and i haven’t listed things like hammers and crescent wrenches, which i’d assume people already have.
for the time being I am stuck in an apartment with no tools.
I want to shoot on a budget, add to the gun later.
I found an out of the box stag model 2 with flip up rear sites for $800,
I can add things in the future.
My other thought was. For this being my first AR, how do I really know what I want? What is my shooting style? I want to know the ins and outs of the AR from first hand expereience before I build.
This is how I have made my decision. Should be here friday !!
Also Stag has lifetime warrantly. And it already comes with a case?