How hard is it to build an AR?

[Podman]

I built my first AR15 and it wasn't too difficult. The lower is easy and you don't need special tools but they help and aren't expensive. The upper is more complicated and the special tools cost more. If I was doing it again I would build the lower and then buy the upper already assembled. If you are interested I have a assembled lower I would sell. I was planning on building two AR15's but changed my mind. The lower is CMMG with CMMG LPK and a 6 position
ATI commercial stock. I would sell it for $250.

 

[Honeybee]

remember that a frankenstein ar sells for less than the cost of the parts in case you ever want to sell it. but then again all used guns sell for less than new ones.

 

[reddog1]

remember that a frankenstein ar sells for less than the cost of the parts in case you ever want to sell it. but then again all used guns sell for less than new ones.

Speak fer yerself! haha

 

[Robert871]

franken guns can also have other difficulties. just because the manufacturers claim to be mil-spec, if you use a different brand lower and upper, they may not fit together perfectly and can cause some feed issues. i would recommend going with the same brand upper and lower, or at least researching other guns people have built that work well with two different brands.

 

[Twmaster]

While on the subject of building ARs...

What about swapping uppers with different cartridge types? For example If I had a 'mil-spec' 5.56 rifle and wanted to use an upper in something like 6.5 Grendel or 9MM Luger? Does anything need to be done to the lowers other than magazines?

 

[Robert871]

While on the subject of building ARs...

What about swapping uppers with different cartridge types? For example If I had a 'mil-spec' 5.56 rifle and wanted to use an upper in something like 6.5 Grendel or 9MM Luger? Does anything need to be done to the lowers other than magazines?

not the expert, but i seen these awhile back. http://www.rainierarms.com/?page=shop/detail&product_id=475

might be completely unrelated... but worth a post i guess.

 

[Shootin 4 Fun]

AR's are easy to assemble, Frankenguns aren't worth any less than matching guns, that's more of a personal preference. The typical AR owner will get years of trouble free fun out of a sub $600 gun and if they decide to upgrade they can sell off the parts to help fund the upgrade. Mil-spec is just that, if a mil-spec upper and a mil-spec lower don't fit together, one of them isn't mil-spec.

Coldhand Arms has a complete rifle kit that is a Del-Ton mid-length upper and a Spike's tactical lower for $569, and I think that he has a flat $8 shipping. So for $590 with shipping and FFL fee you're in a reliable, decent quality gun for under $600. There are plenty of people on this board that can vouch for the Del-Ton uppers. You can save $10 if you go with a carbine lenght upper.

http://coldhandarms.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=224

 

[Super Dave]

What S4F said.

 

[reddog1]

What S4F said.

Yep!!

 

[ripnbst]

While on the subject of building ARs...

What about swapping uppers with different cartridge types? For example If I had a 'mil-spec' 5.56 rifle and wanted to use an upper in something like 6.5 Grendel or 9MM Luger? Does anything need to be done to the lowers other than magazines?

To switch btw 5.56 and 6.5 Grendel no change other than the upper needs to be made. The 9mm isn't as easy. I am not sure what all is involved, I just know its not a straight forward upper swap.