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Why you should build America’s rifle: the AR-15
American Thinker ^ | 6 Jul, 2026 | D. Parker

Posted on 07/06/2026 7:38:18 AM PDT by MtnClimber

Celebrate America 250 and Firearm Freedom month by building a modern-day musket and America’s Rifle, which is in common use.

SNIP

Brownells , the parts suppliers to shooters, professional gunsmiths, hobbyists, military/law enforcement armorers, hunters, and gun tinkerers for over 75 years, recently produced a short video entitled: Why You Should Build An AR15.

They listed out a number of very good reasons why you should roll up your sleeves, and get yourself a lower receiver and parts kit, and build what Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor termed as “commonly available” and as Supreme Court Justice Kagan referred to as “the most popular rifle in the country”.

The video had a number of very good reasons you will want to endeavor to build one of these fine instruments of freedom, but we have our own list in no particular order (sure, Dave, whatever you say).

1. America's Rifle: It’s like the proverbial Barbie doll for adults.

The AR-15 is modular in construction, giving you many options for its final configuration. In most cases, if you so choose, you can just build the lower receiver portion, and then opt for retail parts for the upper receiver.

2. There are plenty of resources on how to build an AR.

Certain video sites are retentive of what they will show you, but there are plenty of resources to help you along the way.

3. You get to know the rifle, inside and out.

There is something about selecting all the modular parts for your build and assembling them together that gives you an intimate knowledge of the firearm, far above that of just buying a completed rifle off the shelf.

4. If you want, you can build it from the ground up.

Meaning that it is possible to produce a lower

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: americasrifle; banglist
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1 posted on 07/06/2026 7:38:18 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

Buy one or build one? I have only built mine.


2 posted on 07/06/2026 7:38:38 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

I put a bump stock on my AR. My backyard is a rifle range due to its size. Sometimes I mix tracers in with the ammo just for old times’ sake.


3 posted on 07/06/2026 7:42:42 AM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: MtnClimber

“IF” I had one, it would be an Armalite with an extendable stock.


4 posted on 07/06/2026 7:54:56 AM PDT by rktman (Patriotism not 'hateriotism' !. Enlisted USN 1967 proudly. 🇺🇸)
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To: MtnClimber

My American Rifle Will
Not Identify as a “Barbie Doll” .


5 posted on 07/06/2026 7:58:36 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (Good SCIENCE is Not Faith BUT Curiosity. )
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To: rktman

In before the boating accident jokes. 😆


6 posted on 07/06/2026 7:58:59 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America....so great even the people that hate it won't leave!)
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To: T.B. Yoits
From the article: 9. Adding to the common use argument. When you build an AR, you’re adding to the stock of the most popular rifle in the country, making it that much harder to ban because it’s “dangerous or unusual.”

There is no restriction of the inalienable right to keep and bear arms based on whether it is in "common use" or not.

That said, one can buy a stripped lower AR polymer receiver for as little as $40 (or aluminum around $60). Since the ATF considers the lower receiver as the firearm, you can bump up the AR buying numbers without breaking the bank, nor going through the time and effort for full build-outs.

7 posted on 07/06/2026 8:01:19 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: MtnClimber

I blame Eugene Stoner.


8 posted on 07/06/2026 8:03:47 AM PDT by kawhill (Dywedwch Wrthbym because + Add translation Welsh-English dictionary 'Tell Us')
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To: MtnClimber

My version of “build” is to pick and install all the lower components, then put on a complete upper.

Have a 9mm carbine that I couldn’t get to work properly with a universal lower and mag block. Switched to a dedicated 9mm lower, and now it works like a charm. Everyone likes shooting it.

Also have a sweetheart build with an AIM 16” CHF .223/5.56 BRAVO 13 upper, Geissele trigger, Leupold scope, and other parts that I like. May not be top shelf to some AR snobs, but it’s accurate and always functioned perfectly.


9 posted on 07/06/2026 8:18:57 AM PDT by Rinnwald
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To: V_TWIN
In before the boating accident jokes.

Funny you should mention that.
I was machining a lower out of billet aluminum when we started taking on water...

10 posted on 07/06/2026 8:21:54 AM PDT by TangoLimaSierra (⭐⭐To the Left, the Truth is Right Wing Violence⭐⭐)
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To: Big Red Badger
My American Rifle Will Not Identify as a “Barbie Doll” .

Really, a Lego rifle is the correct toy analogy. Or a Mattel rifle if you're of a certain age.

11 posted on 07/06/2026 8:22:31 AM PDT by Rinnwald
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To: MtnClimber

Americas rifle.

Get one today.

L


12 posted on 07/06/2026 8:25:50 AM PDT by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is. LOL l)
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To: MtnClimber

Built 4 complete in .223 and .308. Blueprinted upper receiver and bedded barrels.

Another .223 needs a lower, I just swap the upper around.


13 posted on 07/06/2026 8:28:00 AM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: T.B. Yoits
There is no restriction of the inalienable right to keep and bear arms based on whether it is in "common use" or not.

Yeah, in a real world for grown-ups you would be right. Unfortunately, we don't live in that world.

"Common use" protects what we've got, but stifles future innovation. At least it's better than the emotion-driven arguments coming from the left, which, of course, are just cover for a Marxist dystopia.

14 posted on 07/06/2026 8:28:04 AM PDT by Rinnwald
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To: MtnClimber

I’m partial to AR-10 variants, M1As, and FN-LARs.


15 posted on 07/06/2026 8:31:15 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: Rinnwald

Mattel may Fit. They are Fun to shoot.
You can spend Alot of Money on them.
Modifications are easy.
Right Now seems Complete Rifles are
Very Cheap from Good Manufacturers,
ammo Is available and Priced lower than we’ve seen in Years.


16 posted on 07/06/2026 9:00:34 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (Good SCIENCE is Not Faith BUT Curiosity. )
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To: Big Red Badger

yours:
My American Rifle Will
Not Identify as a “Barbie Doll” .

mine:
then your American Rifle won’t get any jobs, promotions, scholarships, fellowships, or research grants.


17 posted on 07/06/2026 9:05:53 AM PDT by faithhopecharity ("Politicians aren't born, they're excreted." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
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To: Rinnwald

Believe it or not Mattel never did build a real rifle or parts.

What they did build was non-operational rifles for JROTC. Millions of them. We had really old ones when I was in school, which is not that long ago.


18 posted on 07/06/2026 9:26:18 AM PDT by TheThirdRuffian (Orange is the new brown)
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To: GingisK

An AR10 will rip right through almost any body armor.

It’s an impressive rifle.


19 posted on 07/06/2026 9:27:46 AM PDT by TheThirdRuffian (Orange is the new brown)
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To: sauropod

Bkmk


20 posted on 07/06/2026 9:36:54 AM PDT by sauropod (Make sure Satan has to climb over a lot of Scripture to get to you. John MacArthur Ne supra crepidam)
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