Tell me about AR building

[DIXIE DUCK]

Were do I get the parts, how much will it cost me and what are my options. I want a 16" gun. I have built aks, will I need any special tools or is there anything that would be dificult?

[maceace]

Hello there,
I'm sure if you've put a AK together then the AR will be a piece of cake. I haven't built an AR or an AK, but the AR is a lot simpler than the AK so you shouldn't have any problems.
Depending on how you want to do it you can either a stripped lower receiver and a complete parts kit, or a complete lower and a complete upper and push the two pins together.

This site www.ar15.com has a complete guide on how to assemble a stripped lower, and the upper will come pre-assembled and head spaced, so once the lower is done all you do is put the two together and push the pins in. The same site also has a equipment exchange and for sale advertisements for uppers/lowers/magazines and anything else you need for the AR platform.

Based on my research of building a standard M4 or M16 configuration (I have been researching and contemplating to build one also), stripped lowers will run you from $90 to about $200, and complete lowers including the stocks from the low $200s to about $350 for the LMT.
The complete kits are in the low $500s, so all you would need is a stripped lower and to put it together.

The guys on this site are excellent help if you have any questions, and the best prices I have found have been on the AR15 site above.

[crazymoose]

This is a cut-and-paste of my answer to a similar question a couple of days ago. YMMV

To put a lower parts kit in a stripped lower, you basically just need a screw driver and a few punches for a couple of roll pins. To put an upper together, you need an AR combo wrench (I like the DPMS model), a vise like you find on just about any work bench, a plastic receiver block to hold the upper in the vise, some molybdenum disulfide paste (Bushmaster sells it for about $8), and, optionally, a torque wrench. Basically, you're looking at about $100 in tools if you don't use a torque wrench, $200+ if you do. This sounds like a lot, but I find that it's hard to stop at just one AR and the savings will quickly add up if you build more than one.

If you want to use regular handguards, and buy a complete barrel assembly, basically all you have to do is stick the barrel in the upper, grease the threads a bit, tighten the barrel nut on to the proper torque and align the hole with the gas tube. You then slide the gas tube in place and tap in the little pin that holds it in the front sight tower. If you want to add a free-float tube, you'll have to tap out the pins that hold on the front sight tower, slide the old barrel nut off, and assemble the barrel with the nut that comes with the tube, screw the tube onto the nut, then replace the sight tower and put the gas tube in place. It sounds complicated, but is actually pretty easy to do- it's basically screwing things on and tapping pins in place.

There are step-by-step directions with pictures for just about everything you might want to do over at AR15.com

[WVG26]

which part requires a ffl ...

would be nice if i could just sit here and order all the parts to make an unregistered AR but i'm bettin' that aint the case ....

[1bigtaco]

Originally posted by WVG26
which part requires a ffl ...

would be nice if i could just sit here and order all the parts to make an unregistered AR but i'm bettin' that aint the case ....

The lower requires an FFL. I'm about to start building mine using a Spikes Tactical stripped lower with THIS (http://www.del-ton.com/Del_Ton_AR_15_Barrel_Assembly_p/dt2002.htm upper) upper (minus the bolt and carrier) I'll be using a Magpul CTR stock. I will come out just at 1000$ before the optics for everything I need.

[redduck21502]

For your first AR, I would assemble a stripped lower and buy a complete upper. Usually the upper requires more specialized tools like the action block to clamp the upper into a vice. I put my lower together using the vice grip method detailed over at ar15.com for the appropriate pins. I also purchased a T-handled hex set by craftsman for the pistol grip and some of the optics (In case I lose all of the little ones that come with every optic). If you assemble the upper, you do need to check the headspacing, so you'll need the stuff for that too. I doubt you would have an issue with headspace, but you're supposed to check it on a new upper too. Most complete uppers are checked for headspace and test fired; at least my Del-Ton uppers are claimed to be.

My first AR, I bought a complete lower and a complete upper and pushed the two pins together. Nice and easy. My second one I assembled the lower and slapped on a complete upper. To get a little idea of how the upper works, I did put on a Troy railed handguard. I still do not have the action block, so I haven't done any barrel work. It seems easy overall and you should have no problem, especially with your background with AKs.

[1811guy2]

If you are even mildly handy and don't mind spending around $100 on the tools, the upper is a piece of cake to build. I built my upper on my first gun because I wanted a specific barrel/receiver/handguard combination that was not available as a complete upper. It was as easy as tightening a nut with a torque wrench, because that was the hardest part. That's the beauty of the AR15, it is completely modular, and extremely easy to assemble. No pressing of parts, no lapping, no hand fitting, and with any milspec barrel assembly and bolt, no headspacing either. Just go to the building instrustion on AR15.com. It shouldn't take more than half an hour. Enjoy!

[DIXIE DUCK]

Wow! thanks for all that info, were is a good place to buy parts?

[redduck21502]

Lots of places sell good parts.

Check the banners at the top, refresh them and you'll get new ones. It is good to buy from the sponsors of the forums that you visit. If you visit this forum for most of your AR15 info or GLOCK info, then buy from the vendors here. I think that Bravo Company has a banner on this particular forum. I have bought lower receivers and lower parts kits from RBPrecision. They are good people to deal with. I've bought uppers from Del-Ton, also good stuff. I have bought an assortment of parts and optics from Talon Arms, Rainier Arms, DSG Arms. They were all good to deal with. I think it is Rainier Arms that has a flat $5 shipping rate, I like that.

You can get lots of parts from Brownells for a good price.

You can also try MidwayUSA

[1bigtaco]

Originally posted by DIXIE DUCK
Wow! thanks for all that info, were is a good place to buy parts?

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/default.asp
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/

Just a few... ar15.com is your friend

[crazymoose]

Originally posted by DIXIE DUCK
Wow! thanks for all that info, were is a good place to buy parts?

You've just brought up the hardest part of the process... deciding what parts you want. That's the great part of the AR15, it's basically like the LEGO set of guns.

If you want a solid no frills, meat-and-potatoes gun, Stag Arms is great quality and about as cheap as you'll find while still being very well made.

If you feel like customizing a lot (optics, free-floated handguards, etc.), you definitely need to do some reading, look at pictures of other people's builds, etc. to get an idea of what you want.