Alberta tactical. ar newbie questions, how to etc. sorry.

Ive built 2 SLRs now using all Brownells stuff (the very cheapest I could get) with Dominion Arms Pencil barrels and TNA hand guards.

Could I get a better barrel? yes.

Could I get a better hand guard? yes.

Could I buy more go fast parts? yes.

Does the gun consistently shoot 1.5" or less 3 shot groups at 100 yards? yes.

Does the gun shoot better than I can? yes.

Approx $1700 for each build.

That being said, the IRUNGUNS build kit that someone just posted? Id go after that.
 
Caogelsbu said:
Hey, guys! I'm a big newb to ar rifles. I wasn't super interested in them because of restricted status. now i'm finding out about several NR versions but finding a lot of conflicting and unhelpful info in my research so i was hoping you good folks might be able to help cpear up some questions for me.

1. i've been looking at maccabee and alberta tactical and wonder if these are the only options to getting a real NR AR?
2. are the maccabee and alberta tactical real NR AR's?
3.alberta tactical says it sells a reciever with forward assist but i haven't been able to find pictures of it. is it true? what does it look like?
4. will any old AR 15 parts fit? is there anything special i will have to consider?
5. any brand or store reccomendations? where should i look for parts online? i'm looking for accuraccy but i probably won't be doing competitions as i don't make my own ammo, so i'd like decent parts but not if it is going to cost thousands of dollars.
6. can i follow the instructions on how to build an ar-15 or is it a completepy different kettle of fish?
7. is it worth the money and the hassle or should i just buy a wk180c?

sorry about how much there is to unpack here. just looking for info i had a hard time finding myself. much love to the forum, thanks in advance.

p.s. money is somewhat of an obkect but i just got a new job that pay pretty decently so saving up isnt out of the question.

edit: can i just buy a lower from alberta tactical and get the rest on the cheap? or are they incompatible/ illegal?
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1. i've been looking at maccabee and alberta tactical and wonder if these are the only options to getting a real NR AR? The ATRS offering is closest to an AR you can get but still NR
2. are the maccabee and alberta tactical real NR AR's? Close but not exactly otherwise they would be restricted. Of the 2 the ATRS set is more comaptible with everything AR
3.alberta tactical says it sells a reciever with forward assist but i haven't been able to find pictures of it. is it true? what does it look like? Only ATRS knows as they have not released any CAD files or photos, but I suspect it will look almost identical to their AT15 uppers. At least that is what they have said in person.
4. will any old AR 15 parts fit? is there anything special i will have to consider? ATRS claims about 99% of AR parts will fit, Macabee uses a trigger box that limits the use of some triggers.
5. any brand or store reccomendations? where should i look for parts online? i'm looking for accuraccy but i probably won't be doing competitions as i don't make my own ammo, so i'd like decent parts but not if it is going to cost thousands of dollars. Accuracy is a personal thing. What 1 guy figures is stellar accuracy is crap to another. Barrels are consumables, so don't get too hung up on them. I would recommend purchasing something decent from a reputable maker, there are many to choose from. Same with most other parts. The great thing about modular rifles is that you can and probably will change parts out once you have it built anyway. Steer clear of crap parts, in some cases it is better to spend a few bucks more and get quality rather than cheap crap that will fail in short order.
6. can i follow the instructions on how to build an ar-15 or is it a completepy different kettle of fish? The basic methodolgy is the same but different tooling to hold the upper is required. A torsion bar is your best bet as it will fit either whereas the clam shells won't. Barrel mounting tools will vary depending on what type of barrel retainer you use, same with hand guards. I would not buy any tooling until you settle on the handguard.
7. is it worth the money and the hassle or should i just buy a wk180c? The 180 is simialar to an AR but at the same time very different and not as flexible in the use of parts

sorry about how much there is to unpack here. just looking for info i had a hard time finding myself. much love to the forum, thanks in advance. If you spent too much time researching stuff on the net you will go nuts, there is so much contradictory info on the net.

p.s. money is somewhat of an obkect but i just got a new job that pay pretty decently so saving up isnt out of the question. I have never found anyone who regretted buying quality, I have encountered many who bought cheapest junk available and DID regret it. That does not mean only Gucci, but there is a ton of reaaly good middle of the road kit available that is marginally more expensive than the crap.
 
Duncan71 said:
Ive built 2 SLRs now using all Brownells stuff (the very cheapest I could get) with Dominion Arms Pencil barrels and TNA hand guards.

Could I get a better barrel? yes.

Could I get a better hand guard? yes.

Could I buy more go fast parts? yes.

Does the gun consistently shoot 1.5" or less 3 shot groups at 100 yards? yes.

Does the gun shoot better than I can? yes.

Approx $1700 for each build.

That being said, the IRUNGUNS build kit that someone just posted? Id go after that.
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I think it's a good kit for someone who is just beginning and learning the ins and outs of AR building. It comes with everything needed to complete one of our NR receiver sets and allows you to learn without breaking your wallet.

$373.61 + $25 US shipping X an additional 35% (approx) for exchange rate and CC conversion charges = $538.12 Canadian dollars.

Not a bad price to to get you into the game.

Once someone becomes confident in their abilities and wishes to keep playing they can always upgrade to a better quality barrel (or anything else they want) down the road.
 
Dietz said:
Trigger is non-essential. 99% of this forum can't shoot well enough to have significant accuracy differences between a mil-spec trigger and a match one. Same thing for the barrel.

Many guys here shoot basic 700$ AR's more accurately than those with 4000$ AR's.

Money doesn't = skill. And shooting is all about skill.
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I realize your intention here, but that wasn't what I asked. Maybe you think accuracy and precision are the only things shooting is about, but not everyone feels that way. I didn't put a $4k suspension on my heavy BMW highway car so I could turn better times on a racetrack - I did it for the feel and enjoyment of driving. Just like a $20 quartz watch keeps much better time than a $5k Swiss timepiece, so why does anyone buy the latter? I think you get my point. Even on a gun where I don't give a crap about its accuracy - like my FX-9 - I'd pay $200 for a trigger that feels smooth and I enjoy using.

I'd like to hear where people like to prioritize their money, and why they make those choices, when building a nice AR. It's just for opinions from people with several builds under their belts, which will help us guys starting out (on our first builds) make more informed decisions.
 
There are many ways to build these style of rifles. As other have said $1800-$2000 is about the low end. From what's Ive seen on the various FB groups I bet the average person spends about $2500 without an optic. Don't be afraid to buy stuff used as well, things like handguards, pistol grips, buttstocks, etc can often be found barely used or unused on the EE for a cheaper price. Brownells is also a good place to buy stuff, their brownells branded stuff is usually decent and cheap. The TNA unbranded stuff is cheap junk for the most part, others have called it 'airsoft' quality, stay away from it.

For a budget build I'd do the following

Go with the ATRS MS receiver set. I don't like my early MDI set, it has issues. My ATRS lower (still waiting on the upper) is much better quality than my MDI.

Upper Parts:
barrel: Ballistic Advantage 20" $230-$350 (Saskatoon Gunwerks)
Flash hider: A2 flash hider $8USD Brownells (a lot of guys will just give you one)
crush washer: Brownells $3USD
gas block: Brownells 0.75" $20USD
gas tube: Brownells: $11USD
gas tube roll pin: $1.29 (Nordicmarksman)
barrel nut: Colt $11 (Nordic Marksman)
Port Door Kit: DPMS $13 (Nordicmarksman)
Charging Handle: Brownells $15USD
Bolt Carrier Group: Brownells Nickel Boron $94USD
Handguard: Midwest industries G3 M-Lok 15" $170USD (Brownells)
$1182 CAD for the above, including $500 for the ATRS upper.

Lower Parts:
LPK without trigger or pistol grip: Brownells $25USD
Trigger: ALG Combat Trigger $110 (CTCS)
Pistol Grip: Something Magpul $25-$40 (Nordic Marksman)
Buffer tube Assembly: Brownells includes castle nut, receiver endplate, carbine spring & buffer $40USD
Buttstock: Magpul CTR $77 (Nordic Marksman)
$798 CAD for the above, including $500 for a ATRS lower.


I don't think I forgot anything. That comes to a total of $1980 CAD for everything. You will of course have to pay taxes & shipping on that stuff. Try and keep your buying to as few places as possible so you don't end up paying shipping more than a few times. Keep Brownells purchases to under $500USD, the paperwork (End User Statement) takes 20 minutes to fill out and email back. If ordering from brownells make sure you select US Postal for shipping.


That should be all you need to get started.
 
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cr5 said:
Most of us would be way better off spending the extra money on ammo and professional training and in some cases a gym membership.
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I got those 3 things covered, But Professional training actually is the reason I buy top end stuff! The more you train the more you realise cheap #### isn't worth owning !
 
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