AR Sponsor
Posted: 3/24/2012 11:00:45 PM EDT
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Hello,
I'm looking to build an AR15 for hunting deer. I currently hunt with a .30-06, so if possible I'd like to stay with that caliber. If not, I wouldn't want to go with anything smaller than a .243. I've been doing a little bit of looking around and I've got a ton of questions, but I'll start off with just a few of them. I like the idea of building my own AR from a parts kit, but I have a limited budget (about $1000) and I have no gunsmithing tools. Would I still be able to order parts kits and assemble it without any special tools? Or would I be better off ordering a complete upper and lower and working from there? What tools would be required to assemble an upper and a lower, both from parts kits and from an already-assembled upper and lower? I kind of get the sense from reading other posts that free-floating handguards are better with an AR15. Is this true, and what makes it so? Would anybody mind putting together a list of tools, items, and parts that I would need? I'd like a 20" or 24" barrel and quad-pictanny rails to attach optics and a bipod. I like the tactical palm grips (like the DPMS Panther Tactical Palm Grip). I would also like a gas block with a pictanny rail so that I could put a front iron sight on the rifle, if I wanted to switch from a scope to iron sights. Any additional tips or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for the help! |
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Quoted:
Hello, I'm looking to build an AR15 for hunting deer. I currently hunt with a .30-06, so if possible I'd like to stay with that caliber. If not, I wouldn't want to go with anything smaller than a .243. I've been doing a little bit of looking around and I've got a ton of questions, but I'll start off with just a few of them. I like the idea of building my own AR from a parts kit, but I have a limited budget (about $1000) and I have no gunsmithing tools. Would I still be able to order parts kits and assemble it without any special tools? Or would I be better off ordering a complete upper and lower and working from there? What tools would be required to assemble an upper and a lower, both from parts kits and from an already-assembled upper and lower? I kind of get the sense from reading other posts that free-floating handguards are better with an AR15. Is this true, and what makes it so? Would anybody mind putting together a list of tools, items, and parts that I would need? I'd like a 20" or 24" barrel and quad-pictanny rails to attach optics and a bipod. I like the tactical palm grips (like the DPMS Panther Tactical Palm Grip). I would also like a gas block with a pictanny rail so that I could put a front iron sight on the rifle, if I wanted to switch from a scope to iron sights. Any additional tips or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for the help! 30-06 will be a problem. there may be specialty ar derivatives out there that will work for 30-06 but I have never seen one, this would require a very unique custom rifle with a special lower rec as well as the upper because of the length of the cartridge. it you are looking for a high powered ar rifle, the ar-10 and ar 308 rifles are chambered in 308, these rifles are not ar-15 rifles they are larger and more robust to accommodate the larger cartridge than the much smaller 5.56mm(223 cal) that a standard ar-15 fires popular companies to choose from for ar 308 rifles are armalite, dpms, RRA and many more. you should be able to buy a complete base ar-308 rifle chambered in 308 for around a $1000 if you budget hunt and shop around. if you want a ar15 IE not ar308 rifle however you will need an ar15 lower half complete and then a complete upper half chambered in the caliber of your choice, standard ar15 uppers will come in 5.56mm(223 cal) but there are many other caliber options for hunting medium to large game popular ar15 calibers include 6.5mm, 6.8mm, .300 blackout and many more. you should be able to build a ar15 chambered in an adequate hunting cal for less than $1000 if you buy a complete rifle you need no tools, if you buy a complete lower and a complete upper you will need no tools, if you want to try to build an ar from scratch you will need some special tools and a vice, standard ar15 lowers will work with any ar15 upper in any cal with some exceptions(6.5mm, 6.8mm, .300 blackout all use standard lowers). ar308 rifles are totally different all togeather and not compatible with ar15 lowers uppers ect... I own an armalite ar10 308, and a alexander arms 6.5mm ar15 and I have killed deer with both rifles good luck |
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I would count on a minimum of about 80 bucks for the basic tools.
Upper and lower vice blocks. Armorers wrench Punches. There is nothing scary about building an AR type rifle and the good thing is all the information is out there to include instructional videos. |
| The ar 10 platform would probably break your budget a 6.8 or 300 could be a great choice and pretty sure you could do it in your budget. If you don't have access to a good vice I would just get a complete upper then you don't really need an upper action block or armorers wrench. The lower is a pretty easy build you only need punches (if you want to keep your finish nice) or vice grips and tape (if you don't mind a little marring) and a stock wrench i would just get an armorers wrench instead of a stock wrench. Start by selecting a barrel and then see if that company makes complete uppers and if there are any parts on that upper that you would replace you may just want to get the barrel and build your own upper. |
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Check out PSA. They have complete uppers in 6.8 and .300 blk for sure. Their lowers and lower parts kits are very reasonable also.
Can definitely come in at $1000 or under Good Luck Paul ETA: BTW, I recommend assembling your own lower. It is usually cheaper and you can customize it exactly how you want it. Very minimal tools needed to assemble (pin punches, a hobby/brass hammer, a stock wrench or armorer's wrench and a vise all come in handy) |
| So if I want a .308, where should I start? I don't have a ton of spare time on my hands, so would I be better off buying the completed upper and lower and just attaching those? What tools would I need then? I'm not in a big rush (deer season isn't until November), so I've got some time to learn more and make a good decision. |
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Quoted:
So if I want a .308, where should I start? I don't have a ton of spare time on my hands, so would I be better off buying the completed upper and lower and just attaching those? What tools would I need then? I'm not in a big rush (deer season isn't until November), so I've got some time to learn more and make a good decision. If you don't have a ton of spare time, you're better off buying a complete 308AR or AR10. Attaching an upper to a lower doesn't require any special tools. Will it save you money ? Maybe....depends on what you choose. The large frame (308AR/AR10) prices tend to be north of 1K. |
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I guess I'm trying to build a rifle that looks something like this:
http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1467&bih=634&tbm=isch&tbnid=V2aqcbqxkqvUDM:&imgrefurl=http://www.ar15.com/mobile/topic.html%3Fb%3D3%26f%3D4%26t%3D409405&docid=CpZ5PJwOUn682M&imgurl=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v166/Stalker61/ScopedFull.jpg&w=800&h=533&ei=AY5vT_GnBITB0QHA1-joBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=116&vpy=156&dur=1192&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=151&ty=66&sig=111916155267712655158&page=1&tbnh=136&tbnw=186&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0 I'd like the Magpul PRS stock, a 20" or 24" barrel, quad-pictanny rails, PSG1-style pistol grip, and a gas block with a rail on it to attach iron sights if I take a scope off. I think I'll slowly accumulate parts and assemble the receivers as I get them and have time. I'm thinking I'll purchase the stock and the lower and get those put together, then in a month or two start working on the upper. What are some good and reputable websites with which to purchase parts from? |
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Quoted:
I would count on a minimum of about 80 bucks for the basic tools. Upper and lower vice blocks. Armorers wrench Punches. There is nothing scary about building an AR type rifle and the good thing is all the information is out there to include instructional videos. I would add a torque wrench to that. |
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