Posted on 02/08/2017 6:15:05 PM PST by TNoldman
I am considering building a AR-15 Carbine 223/556. I have looked at the Ruger AR556 for about $600. Being an Engineer and mechanically skilled I'm giving some thought to "building my own". What do you think?
Buy a complete assembly. After using it for a while you may find a different set of features/function that may desire. Then go build one.
Haven’t priced it out lately, but I have built two and both came in right about $600 and I shopped pretty hard to get them down there, plus you have to buy a barrel wrench if you can’t borrow one. Not much mechanical ability needed, it’s pretty much just assembly. At 600 I’d likely just buy the Ruger these days.
Open the wallet and go with Tracking Point.
Over a dozen manufacturers make parts for the 15.
A local smith built one for me and it doesn’t need a brand name.
Primary Arms had Anderson AR15’s for 399 this morning. Prices are plunging right now. You can’t build one for that cheap.
It’s easy and fun. Thousands of options. No gunsmithing expertise required. I suggest you start with an 80% lower and build a completely legal weapon that nobody has to know about but you.
Do it,it’s easy.I would recommend building it in .300 blackout.A 220 to 250 grain .30 bullet does a lot of damage,even at sub-sonic velocity.
Do it.
If you can change a tire, you can build an AR.
DPMS Panther has one that’s decent right out of the box. Just add optics and dope it in.
Buy what you need from Palmetto Armory. Uppers and Lowers at every quality and price point. They have M4 Carbine style uppers with barrels made by FN(Fabrique Nationale)with chrome bores and chambers and top quality receivers, and they also have less expensive Nitride barrel assys, and stainless steel as well.
They have sales all the time and if you’re patient you can snag excellent stuff at very cheap prices.
That is an expensive path to start. I picked up an Armorlite Eagle Arms AR-15 5.56/.223. Put a Bushnell TRS-25 red dot. Keeping stock, all under $600.
Now, you can save money like that but you probably won't. What you will do is end up with components that you've hand-picked. A custom gun built to your personal specifications. In other platforms that can cost a lot of coin.
You can get down to components if you like - barrel, gas block, bolt carrier group, trigger group, etc. The only part that's FFL linked is the lower, the rest can be mailed to you directly. It's just a question of how much assembly you want to do, and none of it is complicated. I speak as a victim of severe mechanical challenge (society is to blame) and just didn't find any part of it difficult.
Best of luck. Enjoy!
Just buy one,build em when parts are cheap.
Builds are fun
I got a Diamondback just like that for about the same price.
I added a handle/rearsight for $16.00 and it’s ready to go.
If at any point one wants to dress it up, it’s a good building block. All milspec, which I understand the Ruger AR556 is not, so interchangability of parts might be an issue with the Ruger.
$99 Romanian AK kit was great buy and a lot of fun
Get on the palmettostarearmory.com mailing list. They have good kit specials.
I’ve worked with these folks. They sell fine parts.
And having done this I’d recommend you pick one path or the other. If you’re going to build from a parts kit, do that.
If you’re going to buy a rifle, do that. Mixing the two will only cost you more money.
Just my two cents. YMMV.
L
You can spend a lot or a little on a kit. How much are you wanting to spend?
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