Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles How to build an AR

1.It is best to have a friend school you thru a few basics, especially a friend who has the RIGHT tools, Thanks, Ed.
2.Build a rifle. There most certainly is a carbine that will cost less than the sum of it's parts (and work well) at any price point from $499 on up.
3.You will need a dealer for the lower receiver. Buy a Rock River or whatever basic lower. Plan on just under $100. I just paid $89 each.
4. Buy two lowers. Really.
>>>HINT>>> If your dealer has Uppers and Lowers at a good price, maybe he/she will let you try a few for best fit. My dealer was out of R.R. Uppers. I ordered two Uppers for like $96 one fits REALLY nicely. The other fits better than that. The super precise fit Upper and Lower and a few special parts are seasoning in a Pink shoe box marked "next"
You can thank me later.
My dealer had a stack so I got two consecutive serial numbered lowers.
Both Lowers go on the same 4473 form, so just get it over with one background check. You will be building another one, sooner or later, just admit it.
5.Get serious about triggers. Learn to pronounce Guyz-Lee. (Do not bother to learn how to spell it, you will be in love with just about everything they produce!) Buy one.
6.Buy a lower parts kit, (without a grip) (you will not like the one in the kit) Buy a buffer tube and innards.$40-$50 EACH
7.You tube the assembly then invite that friend over and his tool kit. In a perfect world you have a huge bench vise under a serious light. In no time you will be wiping up the spilled oil and washing the grease off your hands.
8. Bookmark Brownells. (Joe Bob's too) You do not have to buy everything there...but you almost could! The new product videos are well worth the time.
9. Shop stocks, grips, and barrels...It will be easy since you are, after all building a rifle and because a fixed buttstock is less cost than a carbine type adjustable assembly. You can now justify that G-Word trigger. Some suppliers sell the entire stock assembly at a pretty good discount, maybe less than $100.
10.If you get frightened easily... you can buy a complete upper and shortcut the build to get to the range sooner. Or enjoy the huge selection of Barrels, Brakes, Gas blocks LED marker lights and Chrome bumpers!
Talk you friend into another friendly visit. If this is a really good friend, maybe they already have a "reaction bar" If not find a better friend or maybe even look at a G-Word Re-Bar. >>>This is one sweet way to build the Upper.>>> You Tube it, or better yet, buy yourself one! You and your friend only need one maybe split the cost?
See... Joe Bob done saved you 45 bucks!

Once you have this whole thing outlined...do not wait years like I did.
Your kids are crazy for LEGOs this is the same thing...only CHEAPER!
Good Luck with the HUGE AR shooting marketplace we currently enjoy.>>> Make exactly what you want.>>>

I don't know, but as a kid I enjoyed the hell out of tearing stuff apart and putting it back together. However, I'd rather buy an ar lower already put together. Same goes for the upper. Although, to get exactly what you want, you usually always have to take stuff off and replace with what you want. Luckily ars are easy to disassemble and reassemble. When I run across one that is put together just the way I want it, it's hard to pass up. I have my eye on a LWRC with ambi controls, that fits that description to a tee...

'Decided (as much as can be) to...avoid compromises.
M. Thatcher said " a compromise is another word for losing".
"If only the barrel was a little...(fill in the blank)"
Life is too short for many more compromises.
Not many compromises at LWRC, just choices, Friend...Choices!

One thing to learn in the process is the fit upper to lower, matters not unless you are trying to win matches or shoot 1000 yards with the gun and even then it doesn't make much difference.... at 300 yards its under a half inch difference in overall 10 shot group sizes, actually I think it was less than that but I can't seem to recall

Man lowers are so easy... I don't know why everyone doesn't do em. I think I could almost do one in my sleep. Its been a while but there is one aggravating roll pin IIRC that can up your time but overall its not but maybe 15 minutes? I know not very long.

You can always just throw in an acu wedge to tighten things up too.

And it most folks won't even be able to tell the difference but there is that. The most visible thing to 10 shot groups at 300 was they became rounder over all and more shots closer to center, less wild fliers if that makes any sense.

If you can buy/fit upper to lower, do so.
If not that is OK too.
I have a loose fit over the counter Ruger complete rifle that is shooting better than it should.
I think volume and competition has been a real asset to the Tinker-Shooter Clan.

#5 needs explaining. I can get a very good 2-stage for $99. Why would I want to spend 2x for Geissele?

Yep, the RRA 2 stage varmint triggers I buy are $89.99. Once you polish them out, they are almost as good as a geiselle.

LaRue's are $87 and don't need nothing...

"very good" , "almost"...Or buy Geissele. Your choice! That friends is the point. You have choices. These are the good old days. Brownells has the good stuff on sale. $169 and free shipping.

Thats a hell of a good deal, if an SSA-E. The cheapest I've paid was $179.99...

I'll try one next time and be the judge of that.

I have 5 Geissele's but for LaRue's at $87 how could I not?

If they work as good or better than the RRA varmints, I totally agree. That type satisfies for most folks needs period.

I agree rost. I'm half tempted to try one of those triggers... I know you fine tune your RRA's, as do I. Seems most times (these days), the first stage seems gritty and it needs attention. If I didn't have to polish (not stone) a trigger, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Although Geiselle SSA-E triggers come perfect right out of the box, but they are much more expensive... Larue sounds like a great option...

I have a RR 2 stage as well. It's a great trigger for the price.

kwg

I've shot more than a couple RRA varmints out of the bag, grit, creep and all, and have never touched em. 100 rounds or so they kind of get better. But I have some guns where it just doesn't really matter that much to me about a glass rod perfect pull.

I just don't want an 11 pound SKS trigger either.

That price is shocking! A person would be a fool to buy any other 2-stage trigger. I wish I had another AR trigger to upgrade.