Any Costwise Benefit In Building an AR From Parts?

L

Louca

New member
I searched around and did not find any posts that seem to address this. Is there any benefit costwise in building an AR from parts vs. just buying a complete rifle?

I know if you build one there are benefits other than cost, but I am wondering if it might even be more expensive to build one. I know building your own Ruger 10/22 from parts can be much more expensive. And you also get a much nicer than factory rifle.

In full disclosure, I am not thinking of building an AR (right now anyway), but I am just curious. In my case, I love building things, sometimes even if they cost more.

Lou
 
If you are patient and can buy the parts right, yes it can save money. and doing the work yourself saves on labor costs. If you pay top dollar you'll end up with an expensive rifle.

The last one I did, I taught myself quite a lot, I profiled my own barrel from a rifled blank, threaded for and installed the barrel extension, chambered it..all kinds of other technical stuff, a $79 lower and parts kit, I have a darn good rifle. I had the machine and tooling already but that would add considerable cost.

I was going to do it again but happened upon a complete upper at PSA that was nearly identical to the one I was planning on building for $479, I couldn't resist, it saved me $200 plus I don't have to build it, although I enjoy that sort of thing.
 
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Before the prices went crazy, I could put together a milspec collapseable m4 profile chrome lined one.
For about $500, using EA(Essential Arms from Krotz Springs, La.) lower.

I like EA, I have been dealing with them for years (since before the Clinton ban)

Great people.
I used to live just up the highway from them.

Like it was mentioned, you choose the twist rate for your ammo, you choose the grip, and rail/forearm, fixed handle or flattop.
Flash hider/break, milspec or commercial parts.

You only have to pay for the parts once, not once when you buy the gun, and again to get the parts you want on/in it..
 
Two factors that can make building it yourself cheaper :

1) You can often choose the modifications you want which means that you don't pay for the stock parts on the rifle which you plan to replace and then also pay for the upgrade parts as well.

2) If you order the bulk of the parts on-line you don't pay tax and other related charges which would be applied to the total cost of a complete rifle. You end up only paying tax and related charges on the receiver which you buy through an FFL.

I have been able to make building even cheaper by purchasing receivers at the lower bulk rates, waiting for good deals on parts kits, and simply good timing. The golden age has pretty much passed for FAL's and AK's - although you might pick up a one-of-a kind deal on-line - but AR building still has some benefits.
 
Buying parts and assembling theoretically avoids the Pittman-Robertson tax on complete firearms-11% IIRC. Trouble is that there are lots of folks who're buying complete rifles and cannibalizing them to sell for parts with the expectation of making a profit. That, in itself would indicate that you can't buy parts and assemble a rifle cheaper than you can buy a rifle.
I've bought quite a few lowers and uppers in parts or complete and stuck them together to have complete rifles for around $400-500 but not in the last 3 years.
There aren't likely to be anymore $400 AR's but the average price of an entry level carbine is coming down(unless the government sponsored mass shootings change public opinion again).
 
there used to be a huge advantage, you could buy a decent build kit and lower for a couple hundred under what you could buy them for, then the DPMS sportical, palmetto state PSA15 and S&W MP15 sport ruined that.

now the best advantage is the fact that you are only getting features you want and none of the ones you don't like most cookie cutter ar15s. you get the handuard, pistol grip and stock styles you want, the twist rate you want, the trigger you want and any other part that you don't like on other models can be had from someone else. you get all these from the start rather than buying an entire rifle and upgrading each part accordingly.
 
Keep in mind that the OP's question was about COST not getting customized features(which are most likely to be more expensive anyway). I'll venture that buying a random off the shelf rifle and tossing most of the factory parts in the trash while replacing them with high dollar custom parts is the MOST expensive way to go. On the other hand, there's a ready market for takeoff parts if they aren't buggered up in removal.
There are some ways to save a few bucks if you know enough about the platform to get specific parts w/o buying multiples from different sources. At one time, I could save about $10 over the cost of a lower parts kit by buying springs and pins from one supplier and fire control groups from another and finishing up with odds and ends from Brownells. Since that time, shipping has gone up and this doesn't work anymore.
 
I think the biggest benefit is picking out what you want. After a trip to the gun show, I was really unimpressed with the "cookie cutter" setups. They didn't have what i wanted, unless i spent a lot more money. I was working with a $1000 budget.

I've been patient, regularly checking out PSA. I got a Strikefire sight during the Labor day sale. Not the best, but good entry level from what I've read. I also just ordered a complete upper with a YHM Diamond rail. Again, the rail was something I wanted, but couldn't find ready made. Now, I'm just waiting for the lower I like to get back in stock, and I'll have my first ar-15, that will satisfy my gadget side.

I feel I'm getting a much better setup for the same money I would have spent on something like a M&P15 Sport out other entry level rifle.
 
Keep in mind that the OP's question was about COST not getting customized features(which are most likely to be more expensive anyway).
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I was speaking costwise!. if you buy a cookie cutter AR15 and add a handguard, trigger, stock, pistol grip and upgrade the BCG then you are a lot worse off financially than if you just built it the way you wanted from the beginning.
 
Costwise?

Dunno 'bout now, but when I built mine, everything on the EBR racks were going for $800+ (Colt LE6920 was around $1200) ..... using a locally bought stripped lower and some PSA kits, I put together exactly the rifle I wanted, minus the prancing pony logo, for about $700 ...... then came the 2012 election, and I could have sold mine for $1500, easy ...... still have it. Not sellin' it: I made that, regardless what 0bama said.
 
Guys, I appreciate all the replies. You even answered questions I didn't ask, but should have. I can clearly see I will have to get much more educated on all the variants of the "AR" before I even imagine getting into building or buying one. I went to PSA's web site and holy cow! It's pretty intimidating for the novice.

I guess what I need is a guide that can take me through all the options, what they are for, how they are used, etc. I haven't gone to YouTube yet, but I bet there are lots of videos there trying to explain things. Either that or I need to find a bunch of smart AR guys and hang around with them.:D

The first and only AR I ever shot was an HBAR several years ago. I loved shooting it except for the crapy, long gritty trigger pull. Yech! But I am a huge fan of peep sights and that thing was accurate. Put the front post on something, pull, boom, gone. Loved it.

Lou
 
The problem with hanging out with a bunch of guys is, you get a bunch of different opinions.
Some with deep pockets, some with not so deep..

Since your experience is with only 1 time with the ar platform.
I would suggest buy the best you can afford with in your price range.
And still have money for ammo.


Then shoot it.
If you don't like the trigger, fix it.
Or shoot it is is for a while and then you find they are like lays potato chips.

You can't have just one.....

Before chunking down your cash, go to a larger stocked store, and handle different configurations.
You don't have to buy it there, (it would be nice to especially if the price is right) but it lets you shop and handle them.

Choose one on 2 criteria.
The way it feels to you, and the way it looks to you.

If you don't like the feel, you won't enjoy shooting it.

And the way it looks, because you will be looking at it more often than you shoot it..
(You don't marry a girl that is ugly to you do you?, no, you marry one you like the looks of...)

Just a suggestion.
 
One cost advantage you can build it over time and you are not hit with the cost in one payment.

Pick the lower you want, next month the LPK and the stock, then the upper ETC.

You will have more in it than buying it outright but the cost will be spread out and you will get to build it exactly the way you want.

But be warned they have a tendency to multiply. 16 Carbine, 23 Varmint, 300 whisper, 22LR, you get the idea....

Doug
 
Louca, I'm no authority on the AR ..... but you can make just about anything you want out of the platform- it's modularity is one of it's big draws.

What is it you want it for?
 
you can make just about anything you want out of the platform ... what is it you want it for?
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Well, I don't really even want it yet. I am just thinking about it. At this point, I might use it in 3-gun competition. I have heard it really is a better choice for home defense than a shotgun, although I know there is some debate on that. So, maybe it would take the place of my Defender shotgun for HD.

I didn't mean to jerk chains here, this is all a little new to me and I was really just looking for some thoughts on building vs. buying. I LOVE to build things, especially if no tricky gunsmithing is involved.

My inclination would be to build an AR, just like I want it. But at this point, I am not even sure what I want. I am just in the thinking-about-it stage. I am one who generally likes things to be simple, useful, and reliable. I doubt my AR would ever see real combat use. And it does not have to be a tack driver. (If it did, I would use a bolt action). Of course, it would have to be fun to shoot, and I already know they are.

Lou
 
HD calls for something short, and very light bullets (so as to break up in drywall as opposed to penetrating the neighbor's house) in a slow twist barrel, I would think.....
 
My uneducated guess would be I should select a twist to stabilize an average bullet weight that would be accurate for several applications (let's say accurate at 100 yds). Then, a light bullet for HD would still work fine, especially when the target is max 30 feet away.

Lou
 
Louca, if you like to build and assemble things like some of us, then building your own AR15 can be cheap and fun.

Right now is a great time to buy AR parts again as they are plentiful and cheap. Palmetto State Armory is one of the best places to buy them. If you watch their specials you can get an AR15 for under $700. Here's what you'll need to look for:

Complete uppers receivers for under $500 including the BCG/CH:
- this will come as a complete upper with the barrel, receiver, muzzle device, Bolt Carrier Group (BCG), Charging handle (CH). Sometimes Palmetto will even have deals that already have quadrails installed. Choose the 1:7 Barrel twist and Chrome line barrels for the best quality and usability with most commercial ammo.

Complete Lower for $200.
- lower receiver with all the trigger parts and stock already installed.

Sometimes they will even have special holiday sales for complete Uppers with BCG/CH for $400. Those are the best deals to keep an eye on. So if you are considering an AR build , buy the parts (at least the lower receiver) now. the rest you can decide what you want to have on the rifle and take your time with it.

You also have the option of building everything piece by piece, meaning a stripped (bare) upper and lower receiver then installing the individual parts in them. It all depends on your budget and how fast you want to assemble the rifle.

Good luck!
 
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