Building my first AR15/M4 Rifle

[bkm]

I decided to go ahead and build my own rifle rather than buy one complete. Right now it has never been cheaper to build a rifle with good components for less than a basic mil spec out of the box rifle.

I went with a Palmetto State Armory M4 chrome lined 1.7barrel, Magpul MOE furniture, complete kit for under $500 shipped. The barrels are made by FN right here in the good ole US of A.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-1...rifle-kit.html

I also went with their "blem" stripped lower receiver for another $49. I was going to do the no papers 80% lower, but decided to just go with a registered lower instead for this build. My buddy has built 15 AR's using their blem lowers and he said the worst blem he has been able to find was a little dark spot on the coating or a scratch inside the mag well.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/catal...view/id/10445/

I added the MBUS flip down rear sight and found a great deal on a Vortex Spitfire 3x on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vortex-Spitf...8AAOSwpDdVEv1a

I'm pretty excited for this build and wil update it once I get the kit and lower in my hands.

Without optics, I will have a Chrome lined FN barrel, forged 7075 chrome lined chamber upper rceiver, Magpul furniture, 7075 forged lower M4 for around $570 shipped with FFL transfer.

You can't buy a basic moly barrled, mil spec, out of the box AR for that. The Ruger is one of the least expensive I've found and runs right around $570 to $600 around me here in ST. Louis.

[Scootertrash]

Welcome to the BRC (Black Rifle Club). It's a disease. They are like Lays Potato Chips: Nobody can have just one!!

Nice pick on the kit and lower by the way! PSA is good stuff, Del-Ton is another good choice for kits. Vortex optics are good stuff too. They're CS is great, or it used to be, but I'm pretty sure it hasn't changed.

[ironchop]

Right now I can buy a finished AR lower for $45 from an Anderson distributor whereas the cheapest I can get an 80% lower is from Copes for $45....no brainer but the 80%ers are easy as hell to build with mill access or you can do them on a drill press with a jig and an endmill with satisfactory results.

Apex Gun Parts was having a black Friday sale with DPMS Oracle kits for $325. Everything you need but the stripped lower. I could build one for under $400 with that deal. DPMS is low end for AR stuff but more than good enough in a pinch.

Now Scooter is right. It is VERY addicting. Now you should move up to building an AK47 off a flat, building an HK G3 off a flat, Cetme B, HK 33, AK74, MP5, Uzi, etc etc. The possibilities are numerous.

Argentine Imbel FN FAL on a DSA receiver is next on my list.

When we produced M4 stuff for USDOD and Sabre Defense, we learned that most AR receiver brands are keyhole stamped armalites with someone else's name on them. Same with a lot of internal parts. They just change the box. I used to make gas blocks, charging handles, barrel extensions and machine their flat-top receiver forgings for LWRC. In my experience, LWRC has very good quality control as they individually inspect every single part made by subcontractor shops before they get used in assembly.

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[bkm]

Holy cow you guys are right. The digital ink isn't even dry on my sales reciepts yet and I'm already looking at the next project. lol

Seriously though. If anyone is on the fence about bulding one, jump in the deep end right now. I have a buddy who is huge builder/collector. He said the companies really ramped up production after Sandy Hook and spent Billions on manufacturing and inventory. We are benifiting from a surplus right now.

[ironchop]

That is absolutely right. We do quite a bit of machining for firearm manufacturers and the market is way over saturated with AR stuff right now.

If you wait until the gun control rhetoric reaches a fever pitch again, this surplus and these prices will go away FAST.

I sold a powder coated AR 80% lower for $350 just a month after Newtown. The market was nuts back then with finished receivers going for almost $600

its an investment if nothing else

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[bkm]

People think it might be crazy to stock up on lower receivers right now, but because this is 3ww and if someone told you 10-15 years ago to stock up on oem fenders and tires, how crazy would they look today?

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[ironchop]

My first build was an STG58 on an Imbel receiver my local gun shop kept in stock. This was 1996 or so. I got a mint test fired never issued Austrian STG58 kit all numbers matching with OEM barrel for a paltry $150. I paid Bradis Guns in INDPLS $125 for the Imbel receiver (FFL item then). I couldn't get the barrel torqued right to 12 so I mailed it all off to Springfield Armory to be built so I didn't screw anything up. I only had $275 in it before SA got it and they charged me almost $500 to build, head space, and test fire. That was a lot of money for me back then and I was worried I would end up with more in it than its worth....today it would retail for about $1600 which is down from $2200 I was offered and took shortly after 08.

That was also when I shot 500-1500rds a month from my black rifles but I was getting .308 for .20/rd

Edit to say: $500 is still a lot of money for me its just that in 1996 it took me 8-10 months to save up for that kind of expense


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[Billy Golightly]

I have been looking at the PSA deals the last week and just can't make myself buy one with so many other projects right now, but I sure have been eyeballing/thinking about building (or a few) also lately

[barnett468]

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Holy crap, you guys are scarin me.

I don;t have any gun anymore but my first one was a real Thompson Sub Machine Gun I and three other friends chipped in to buy from a magazine when I was a id . It cost around $50.00 and was set up for single shot because it was illegal to sell them in a magazine in fully auto mode, HOWEVER, the fully auto mechanism was available pretty cheap which was legal to sell but illegal to install unless one had the proper permit.

It was legal to buy, own, and set off dynamite as long as one was 18 and did it in the desert etc.

[bkm]

I have been looking at the PSA deals the last week and just can't make myself buy one with so many other projects right now, but I sure have been eyeballing/thinking about building (or a few) also lately

Once we get past the surplus right now they'll only go up. Buy the main parts and stick it in a closet until you're ready.

[onformula1]

bkm, so I guess this is your new hobby?

[barnett468]

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Perhaps one of these easy access bar mounted gun racks would make a nice Christmas gift for some.

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[Billy Golightly]

Ya'll almost got me talked into it. I have a lower already...

http://www.groundzeroprecision.com/c...ant=1379624961

[atc007]

Ok, Bryan, chop, scooter,anyone else, without spending 4 days on here researching till my eyes hurt. I would like to put a couple "guns in a box" away. What is the best deal going today? The one Billy listed? I didn't know they were this cheap right now. Great thread Bryan. Shoot straight !

[ironchop]

Bill, NIB rifles are still retailing for more than you can assemble one yourself right now with a completed lower or an 80%

but here is an assembled rifle:

http://www.slickguns.com/product/dpm...os-stk-blk-469

Slickguns.com is a price comparing website so just look around awhile and youre sure to find something

these aren't on sale for $325 any more but still an awesome deal for $399

http://www.apexgunparts.com/featured...ess-lower.html


more linkage:

http://daytonatactical.com/