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Posted: 12/28/2009 7:24:12 PM EDT
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To start off, this is my first post is what looks like a very nice forum.
So the countdown to my 18th is less than 6 monthes from now, thus spiralling my mind into a haze of gun fantasies and such. My plan for my 18th is build my own mid length 18 in. barrelled AR. I've decided on the Spike Tactical lower and RRA LPK unless anyone here suggests otherwise. I don't know which upper I want but as far as "style" goes, I want a flat top. I plan to get the flip up sights both front and rear.(no carry handle or stationary front sight) As for the buttstock, I have gorrilla arms (6ft 7-8'' wingspan) so I need to know what would fit me best. To sum this up; I'd like to make a build for apprx. ($700-900) that will fit me well. This does NOT have to a tack driver, just a nice, relatively cheap build. I'll mostly use this for random target shooting. If anyone here has any advice I'd appreciate hearing about your builds and where you bought from to get the best prices.. Thanks in advance! *Forgive any spelling errors or miss-used terminology, I am but a wee child. |
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Here is what I've come up with so far along with the rough prices;
Stripped Spike's Tactical Lower: 90 RRA LPK: 70 Hogue grip: 20 A2 Stock: 60 (Not sure about this) RRA Mid Length upper with Chrome lined barrel and Quad Rail Free Float: 640 MBUS Rear Sight: 55 MBUS: 40 YHM Low Profile Gas Block- 20 Grand Total $995 
I'd appreciate any advice on how to lower cost by $200 or so 
Thanks in advance, Ben |
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Why flip up front and rear with no optic?
Why flip up front and rear at all? Why not a Spikes upper? It's a carbine length upper, but this is a great deal for $600. |
I want flip up sights because as money comes in, I'd like to get an Eotech or similiar, though that might be a long while. I really don't care for the front fixed sight for aesthetic reasons, as silly as that may be. At $600 that seems like a good deal, but after looking through the Mid-Length picture thread, nothing but a mid length will appease my obsession 
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I may end up buying with the front sight and change it later if I don't like it. I'm just not sure, but by all means, keep the advice coming!
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about the most cost effective way I know is here:
http://www.del-ton.com/AR_15_Rifle_Kits_s/1.htm this should get you pretty close to what you are looking for |
http://www.del-ton.com/Rifle_Kit_p/rkt104.htm
 How did I miss this? Thanks for the link! I'll definately be going this path. Here are just a few questions:
Will the Spike's Tactical lower match the color of the Del-ton upper? (from experience please) What are the differences between the default upper with "T-marks" and an A-2 Upper? Which CRT buttstock will work better for me? The commercial or the mil-spec? What are the differences? Which would YOU consider better? Diamond vs Lightweight Free Float Rails |
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Quoted:
To start off, this is my first post is what looks like a very nice forum. So the countdown to my 18th is less than 6 monthes from now, thus spiralling my mind into a haze of gun fantasies and such. My plan for my 18th is build my own mid length 18 in. barrelled AR. I've decided on the Spike Tactical lower and RRA LPK unless anyone here suggests otherwise. I don't know which upper I want but as far as "style" goes, I want a flat top. I plan to get the flip up sights both front and rear.(no carry handle or stationary front sight) As for the buttstock, I have gorrilla arms (6ft 7-8'' wingspan) so I need to know what would fit me best. To sum this up; I'd like to make a build for apprx. ($700-900) that will fit me well. This does NOT have to a tack driver, just a nice, relatively cheap build. I'll mostly use this for random target shooting. If anyone here has any advice I'd appreciate hearing about your builds and where you bought from to get the best prices.. Thanks in advance! *Forgive any spelling errors or miss-used terminology, I am but a wee child. By my 18th , do you mean your birthday ? If so ,they have changed the age you can buy or own a AR lower receiver to 21(BATFE ) because so many are making pistols out of them now. Didn't mean to rain on your parade. Some one straighten me out if I'm wrong . |
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I use the YHM flip up sight front gas blocks.
The A2 upper is a built in (non-removable) carry handle w/ rear sight that is adjustable for windage and elevation. I have both types of FF forends, I think I like the light weight slightly better today. I have all rifle stocks. If I were buying a buttstock for somebody else I would probably get the mil-spec on general principle. I think Magpul’s website has a good description of the differences. |
I was planning on ordering on, yes, my 18th birthday. Now I might as well register it to my mom, and transfer it at 21. 
As for the A2 top, I had A2 and A4 mixed up in my head  I really like the light weight rails but the diamond bridge the gap between the reciever and rail which I think would look sharp. I'll go with mil-spec ctr stock and switch it if I need to. Will this kit be completely unassembled? Will I need special tools to attach the barrel? I hope I don't bite off too much during this project
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| I myself am building an AR for the first time also. The best advice I can give is to watch out for the small parts when assembling the lower receiver. and when you buy a punch set, try to get a brass gunsmith hammer and some small brass punches. ( you will be happy you did ) |
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I believe he was talking about his mother buying the lower(straw buy in the eyes of the BATFE, they don't care if its family ) because an bare AR15 lower is considered a handgun by the BATFE now ,no matter what stamping is on the receiver.( you have to be 21 yrs old to purchase handguns in the USA )Once its a complete rifle ,it is classified as a rifle ,of course .
He was asking for advice on a build . I think its great that he wants to build . He is the next generation ,keeping our passion alive, so to speak. |
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There are a number of 3rd party books out there that explain builds in detail, you should get one. Study it and a TM then ask questions.
Keep in mind a TM is not a new build guide and it assumes you have all mil-spec parts. In other words a TM will not cover the little kinks that sometimes come up with new builds. New receivers are often not perfect. A person needs to check things like hole sizes to make sure detents fit properly, sometimes the anodizing is too thick or there is something trapped in the hole. I have actually had a DPMS lower that would not lock onto any upper, so just because these things are CNC machined does not guarantee everything is right. DPMS made it right, promptly and cheerfully. This was during the ban and the receiver had been sitting in a safe for several years. There is a core set of tools anybody needs and there are a lot of specialty tools in a good AR tool kit that are not necessarily needed. For instance a roll pin punch. One can use a regular punch, but sometimes it is all too easy to slip and ding the receiver with a regular punch where a roll pin punch tends to stay on the pin better. Note: if the upper is preassembled the core tool list shrinks dramatically How much assembly will depend on what you buy. The last M1S kits we bought had the uppers assembled, but I have also bought kits where hardly any two parts were together. |
Thanks for all of the encouragement, I'm quite looking forward to the assembly now. My number one fear is that I could strip the threading of the barrel while attaching it to the reciever. Also, I'm not quite sure how I will get it perfectly straight, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I'll look for a book on Brownells and study it day and night 
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Quoted:
Thanks for all of the encouragement, I'm quite looking forward to the assembly now. My number one fear is that I could strip the threading of the barrel while attaching it to the reciever. Also, I'm not quite sure how I will get it perfectly straight, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I'll look for a book on Brownells and study it day and night Look at the "how-to" videos on Brownells website. There's step-by-step videos for each step of assembling an AR-15. I would watch each of these a couple of times before you start because, and no offense, you don't seem to know too much of what you're getting into. There aren't any threads on the barrel to strip when attaching it to the upper. The threads are on the upper, and as long as you take a tiny bit of care in getting the barrel nut started, and you torque it to spec, you won't have any problems. Here's a link to the Brownells videos.... Brownells AR-15 Assembly Videos |
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Well, if aesthetics are your primary concern, then I'm not your huckleberry. I see someone else likes the movie tombstone, i use that phrase too much on a daily basis. And as far as a decent set up flip up sights will cost almost as much as a i can find an eotech for. Or within $100 or so. edit: sorry didn't read the 2nd post good enough, i was thinkin something along the price of troy flip ups |
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By no means am I any sort of gun expert, you are correct. Though, I consider myself a fairly intelligent kid and if I have directions, I am fairly capable. On the the Eotech, is it possible to find one of these for >$450? I am in no particular hurry to buy these parts since first, I have to get the cash. To afford this I will be selling my Beretta 92D a Marlin 336 and some coins so it may take a while for all the peices of this puzzle to come together I have plenty of time to learn though!
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Welcome to the forum and building ARs Patriot4316.
Just completed my second build with stellar results. My best tid-bit that some may poo-poo but I hope will aid you and maybe others when installing a barrel and to make the torquing a bit easier. Use a torque wrench to get you to a measured minimum torque of 30-35 foot pounds. Here is where some may poo-poo, take a length of lead solder wire and shape it to the figure and length of your gas tube and shove it in between the notch of your barrel nut and into your upper receiver. The lead solder wire is soft and relatively pliable. The wire should be canted to the right of your gas tube hole on your front sight, or straight on if you're lucky enough to hit it dead-on on the first try. Just use your wrench without the torque wrench here. Just wrench that barrel nut and watch that wire line up with your gas tube hole on your front sight. Often times a small amount of rebounding occurs that causes fits with even the most experienced builders. Watching the wire gives you a great visual reference point. Oh, and don't forget a bit of lube on the threads before install. This technique really helped me on my second barrel install. Some have had really hard times during barrel install(s) and have put so much torque on that barrel nut that they destroyed their upper receiver. Exceeding 80 foot pounds of torque is not recommended. Over 80lbs. and you start twisting your upper receiver to the point where it could be destroyed. Getting near 80lbs of torque is using a huge vice with huge wrenches and a very solid bench. Just be careful and don't gorilla the darn thing and you should be fine. 
That's 27 rounds of mixed stuff that I wanted to burn up to do a function test. 27 rounds at 50 yards fired as fast as I could pull the trigger on a blustery -2F windchill day. |
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Quoted:
By no means am I any sort of gun expert, you are correct. Though, I consider myself a fairly intelligent kid and if I have directions, I am fairly capable. On the the Eotech, is it possible to find one of these for >$450? I am in no particular hurry to buy these parts since first, I have to get the cash. To afford this I will be selling my Beretta 92D a Marlin 336 and some coins so it may take a while for all the peices of this puzzle to come together I have plenty of time to learn though!I'm gonna be doing a build here soon also, but i've seen new eotechs online as low as $379, can't remember where because i haven't really been looking for them lately, may be able to find cheaper. |
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I'm gonna be doing a build here soon also, but i've seen new eotechs online as low as $379, can't remember where because i haven't really been looking for them lately, may be able to find cheaper. Can anyone confirm this? Also, the lead pipe trick sounds like it might work. Lead soldering wire is what I will use. |
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I'm gonna be doing a build here soon also, but i've seen new eotechs online as low as $379, can't remember where because i haven't really been looking for them lately, may be able to find cheaper. Can anyone confirm this? Also, the lead pipe trick sounds like it might work. Lead soldering wire is what I will use. You can find a bottom line EOtech for $399 any day of the week. I'll give you a good tip. Start looking around at the buisness that have listing in the Equipment exchange on this site. Browse their websites and you will find some of the best deal anywhere on the web. Good luck with your build, sounds like a great project. |
| Maineyack: This is not a flame, but your comment on lube needs to be expanded on. Too little lube is a problem. The torque spec is based on properly lubed parts. In my time Molybdenum Disulfide grease was specified (MIL-G-21164). I imagine one could put too much on, but if I did not have some squeeze out I would pull the nut off and add grease. Also it is important to torque the nut on a total of three times. |
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WOW! If I was buying guns when I was 18 instead of throwing cash at an old Mustang and all the tail it and I could haul, I'd be one well armed mofo right now!
BTW, the general consensus round here is that Aim Points are #1by far as far as zombie/combat optics are concerned. I however am a huge fan of variables. I don't think the few milliseconds difference at CQB ranges are enough to justify a RDS for a civi-gunner. I am MUCH faster with the DMS at 1x than irons, and I can hit 4x to take full advantage of my weapons accuracy at extended ranges. |
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you are better off with a middy & an auto bcg. my views on a good bcg is a BCM auto. do not go cheap on the bcg. that is the heart of the weapon. anyone disagree? flame suit on.
flat top receiver. change sights out. with the a-2, what you see is what you get. lpk, stag that's what I like, a single stage trigger. but to each their own. fun is reliable & reliable is fun. if your weapon messes up "no fun" middy is more reliable than a carbine lenth. right or wrong? flame suit still on. welcome to the BRD 
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Flame suit not necessary, but I personally think of the barrel as the heart of the weapon. My reasoning is the major common denominator between all firearms is a barrel.
Also in an AR a good barrel will perform with any reasonable BCG where as the best BCG will not make a bad barrel look good.
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| On my first build I am trying to keep the price relatively low so I will keep the org. bcg and barrel. Being 17 with very limited funds, I won't be shooting thousands of rounds from this gun yearly, just as much as I can afford to, so I can't imagine those parts failing. As for the Hogue grip, I'm going to get an Ergo instead. My hands are large and I've read the Ergo are more filling. |
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