Hello all can someone list what all parts i need to build a AR-15?
Also if you can list what parts you recommend i can take a look at them for the build, my budget is $1000 now higher than that.
I have put several together for less than 400 bucks. Dwight55 is right why put yourself thru the aggravation! Right now there are plenty of descent
AR's on the market cheap or fairly cheap. Buy one of those then take all that left over money and buy a descent optic. If you really have your heart set to build
there are plenty of Youtube videos covering it. Good luck!
If you really want to build your own, find the stripped lower locally if you can. Pretty much any forged aluminum lower will be good to go. Don't listen to the people on YouTube or wherever telling you have to have this one or that one, 9 times out of 10 they have a vested interest in the company or are friends with the owners. The rest of it you can get at a good price from places like Palmetto State Armory, JSE Surplus, Primary Arms, ect. Question is, how do you want your rifle? Basic? Decked out? If it's basic, buy one already built and go from there. If you want it decked out and customized, build it yourself. I won't list the parts, too many options out there. I will say this, a polymer lower is not a good choice for a fighting rifle or one that will be shot a lot. The buffer retainer pin hole gets wollowed out and the rifle will cease to function.
Built 2 myself. Had fun doing it and I learned something. The only frustration was finding just the right parts for the price I wanted to pay. Palmetto State Armory has great sales for holidays. I also suggest going to ar15.com for good threads on building and buying.
Just a few weeks ago I picked up 2 of these since they had them on sale for $559 each and free shipping. I took them out Sunday and ran 60rnds through both of them to dial them and just check and make sure everything functioned correctly. Both worked flawlessly and I actually like them better than my more expensive bushmaster. Like the others have said, its probably a good idea to buy one, get familiar and customize it, and then assemble one of your own. If you're set on assembling one on your own, go for it. You definitely will learn quite a bit by the time your done, but you may end up with a rifle you either don't like or doesn't quite function properly, and you'll spend a little extra money to buy additional parts to get it "right". Either way, let us know what you decide to do!
I'm one of those guys that wants to be a jack of all trades....but I learned long ago, I want a master of the weapons building trade to make my fighting rifle. I will dick around with something else and just learn how to fix what I can on the gun. But to each their own. I've heard there's joy in firing a weapon you built yourself....but If I got any more joy than I already get from firing my store bought gun, I'd go broke on the range.
Plus with my dying breath, I want to be able to blame someone else for that empty click sound I heard moments before my demise....not myself...I'd still be dead...but going out cussing and fussing is my style.
If it's your first AR, you should probably buy a complete rifle. A good one. If not have a ball! I started building them, annnd ehhhhhhh, thank jeebus my wife doesn't understand the total cost. My builds usually go over 2 years and end up over 3K. To me that is the beauty of building, 3K over two and a half years is easy to swallow/hide. Why build a cheap rifle? I can buy one NIB.
Anyway, first rifle, For that money, get a Colt and a Trigger. The Colt isn't going to fail you, and when you get solid, swap the trigger. That will give a taste of a build. No biggie, just a taste.
(I have no relationship with G&R, I've bought from them before and it was hassle free. You can google and probably do better, I'm just lazy and don't feel like doing it for you.)
As I have said a dozen times, I whore myself out as a gunsmith.
I built my first AR type specifically an M16A1 in 1971, preproduction samples at H&R.
Actually made the parts, we had a big battle over the Carpenter steel for the bolt.
Company and the rest of the engineers wanted to use US made steel not imported.
Rock Island Arsenal insisted, someone must have got a very nice kickback.
If they are not put together right, life is quite low in parts.
I have had many Bubba built in here to straighten out.
I have confidence in what I build, will stake my life on the results of my builds,
but I have the professional background, are you willing to risk yours?
You can build an AR as easy as buying a complete upper and a complete lower and assemble or buy components and assemble.
If you want to assemble from pieces then you need:
Barrel preferably 1:7 twist with extension that include M4 feed ramps, preferably one that has a description such as this from PSA
Chambered in 5.56 NATO, with a 1/7 twist, M4 barrel extension, and a mid-length gas system. The pencil profile style barrel is high pressure tested, magnetic particle inspected and then phosphate coated to mil-specs.
Bolt Carriage group, a big variety in these, I prefer full auto
Charging handle again variety
Barrel nut
Gas block A2, low profile or other
Gas tube decide if carbine, mid-length or rifle length
Upper receiver with dust cover and forward assist
muzzle break with crushable washer
handguards of which there is a great variety at a great price
Stripped lower receiver
Complete lower parts kit is the easiest way to go as it will have all of the lower parts or you can buy as you like
Tools are needed for a build which will vary by the individual. I found the following DVD to be useful in suggesting tools and also an easy step by step build process.
$1000 will assemble a pretty nice Ar. You do know that of the difference in a very good $600 Ar and a very good $900 Ar is not really the working parts but what is hung on it.
They type of front hand guard rail system you chose can will be a big part of the budget. The Flip up sights set from about $85 to $250 depending on what you want.
IMO . First decide what you want for a base the complete lower and Upper. It is often lower cost to buy a complete weapon , then add what you want then you have a price to work from and go shopping.
I will have to disagree. Inexpensive AR's have components usually built out of lower quality steel and typically not tested to the standards of higher quality components. Barrels and BCG are the heart of an AR (in my opinion) and if you buy lower quality parts you can generally expect lower quality accuracy and lower length of service.
Below is a profile of a quality barrel for instance.
It depends what you want out of it, building one id great if you want to master assembly and disassembly. However, a couple great rifles in the $600 price point (less if you search and are patient) are the Ruger 556 and the S&W MP15. Both are in my arsenal.
Stock
Buffer
Buffer spring
Buffer tube
Castle nut
End plate
Stripped lower receiver
Lower receiver parts kit with or without lower grip
Lower grip
Complete bolt carrier group
Stripped upper receiver
Charging handle
Forward assist
Ejection port door,rod,spring
Flip up front and rear sights
Free float handguard with barrel nut
Gas tube with roll pin
Gas block
Barrel
Muzzle device
Crush washer
Aeroshell 6 barrel nut lube
Torque wrench
Assorted punches
Vise
Various fixtures/tools to hold upper/lower in the vice
Soft hammer
Ballpein hammer
Hex wrenches
Assortment of screwdrivers.
Lower barrel is a Radical firearms 556 1/7 twist. I think I paid 90.00 for it, primary arms ran a 10 minute sell out sale.
Found these two hiding in the back of the closet. Time to order a couple stripped uppers
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