AR Sponsor
Posted: 3/5/2012 10:48:07 AM EDT
|
I've been trolling here for a little while now reading and searching soaking up as much knowledge as I can. I've decided to build my own AR instead of buying one already complete. I'm familiar with assembly/disassemble from my Army days and handling my M-16, so i'm confident I can do it. I don't need a top of the line competition ready AR, but I don't want junk either obviously. The only mods I plan on doing (for now....LOL) are: Adjustable butt stock, vertical grip, light w/pressure switch, and red dot/holographic scope. I really like the look of the AR's that have the dark earth or OD Green accessories. Now come my questions.....
What brands uppers and lowers are good and what ones should be avoided? Will I save much money doing a complete build vs just buying the fully assembled upper & lower? Here is an idea of the basic setup I am going for... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/lucky8926/ARniceODgrn.png |
|
Welcome to the site.
The brands of uppers/lowers you should avoid are Vulcan, Hesse, Blackthorne.... and RRA, Rock River Arms is a decent mid range company but their uppers/lowers can be a crap shoot unless bought as a set or a complete rifle, they are known for VERY tight tolerances and might not work well with others. The brands of uppers/lowers that are ok is a bit longer, basically if you find them from any of the sponsors on this site they should be GTG. There is always the chance of getting one out of spec but if you purchase from a reputable company then at least you can be sure they will stand behind it. Some of my favs in no particular order - PSA (Palmetto State Armory) Core15 Aero Precision Spikes Rainier Arms Noveske DPMS Stag Umluat Sabre Larue Mega etc... Keep in mind that price will vary wildly on that list, and just because it is more expensive doesn't always mean it is better, or prettier, or more functional. As a rule they all "do" the same thing, some might have ambi controls or ergonomic improvements or cosmetic improvements... the bottom line is as long as your upper/lower is in spec it will shoot fine and uppers/lowers have nothing quantifiable to do with accuracy or durability. How much if any you can save is going to be a case by case basis dependent on the features you want, the price you can find them for, and the amount of time you are willing to put into watching for deals. You can always sit and watch the Equipment Exchange here for good deals on used parts but you might be second to the party and miss out on a one time deal and never see it as low as that again. I would use PSA and Spikes as your retail price safety net. Eyeball how much it would cost you to get a basic rifle with close to your wants... then use the Equipment Exchange here for a rough guess on how much it will cost on top of that to accessorize. Once you have that number you'll know what you are trying to beat and you can start researching the costs on individual prices. |
|
As stated, stay away from Vulcan, Hesse, Blackthorne.
I disagree and say RR is good to go. However, RR that I have looked at use a high shelf, makes using an accuwedge not possible except for a sliver. If you simply don't use anything between the upper and lower it's no big deal. The next time I go for a build I am tempted to try BCM for the upper. The first three lowers above are a crapshoot. Other lowers are fairly GTG. |
|
Quoted:
Great info so far guys, thanks!! ezlife45, what do you mean by high shelf, & whats an accuwedge? High shelf lowers have more metal in them, this is so you cannot install full auto parts. 
Accuwedge is a little piece of foam that people put in between their uppers and lowers... this puts pressure on the takedown pins and makes the fit between your upper and lower very tight. This also might require you to use a tool to break open your AR and over time it will fall apart and could lodge itself in your FCG and cause a serious malfunction. |
AR Sponsor