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Building an AR
- Thread starter OttoJara
- Start date
Me, I shop around and buy the type/quality of components I'm looking for at the best price.
Natch, I'm not going to buy a handguard from "A" for five bucks less than "B" if I'm buying other components as well from "B".
But there are plenty of deals to be had due to the flooding and over-supply of the AR market. I look for sales...
Shop around. If you have an 03 FFL, some manufacturers will sell you components at dealer pricing (DPMS will do this), in addition to the discounts you can already get at some places like Midway.
Natch, I'm not going to buy a handguard from "A" for five bucks less than "B" if I'm buying other components as well from "B".
But there are plenty of deals to be had due to the flooding and over-supply of the AR market. I look for sales...
Shop around. If you have an 03 FFL, some manufacturers will sell you components at dealer pricing (DPMS will do this), in addition to the discounts you can already get at some places like Midway.
OK, what special tools will I need or will just the Armorers tool be Ok?
You'll want to find some videos online of how to build an AR. I think brownell's has a good series online for free. I watched it and they tell you all the tools you need but it looked to me that the special tools only made it easier but weren't critical with the exception of the stock wrench for the castle nut on the buffer tube. Unless you want to assemble the upper too, then you will need a vice block and wrench for the delta ring plus headspace gauges. If I were going to do a lot of builds then I would invest in all the armorers tools but for one build I think I can make due with what I have on hand plus an castle nut wrench.
http://www.google.com/products/cata...=IRY0T8ylCoHAtgfkye3IAg&sqi=2&ved=0CEcQ8wIwAA
http://www.google.com/products/cata...=VxY0T5GnNMa-twf2sJiYAg&sqi=2&ved=0CEUQ8wIwAw
These two items, a hammer and a few punches and you are set. You don't need any headspace guages. There are no adjustments you can make to headspace on an AR. You buy a barrel and matched bolt and it will already be headspaced. All you do is torque the barrel nut to 30lb/ft and then tighten it enough so the hole lines up for the gas tube.
Don't confuse bolt with Bolt Carrier, you will still need the carrier, firing pin cam pin and retaining pin if you decide to build from scratch. The barrel and bolt is the bolt only not the BCG.
http://www.google.com/products/cata...=VxY0T5GnNMa-twf2sJiYAg&sqi=2&ved=0CEUQ8wIwAw
These two items, a hammer and a few punches and you are set. You don't need any headspace guages. There are no adjustments you can make to headspace on an AR. You buy a barrel and matched bolt and it will already be headspaced. All you do is torque the barrel nut to 30lb/ft and then tighten it enough so the hole lines up for the gas tube.
Don't confuse bolt with Bolt Carrier, you will still need the carrier, firing pin cam pin and retaining pin if you decide to build from scratch. The barrel and bolt is the bolt only not the BCG.
You can simply assemble the main components from BCM (an excellent brand) for about $1,000 without worrying about fitting anything. You can buy a complete lower receiver with stock for about $360 and a M4 upper receiver group for about $450 with barrel, handguards, etc. You'll have to add the bolt carrier group (assembled) for about $130 and charging handle for about $25. That's $965 not counting any shipping or transfer fee for the lower receiver. Doing it this way saves a little money without taxing anyone's shop skills.