Build or buy? my AR15 dilema

kjparks

kjparks

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So I decided I need a AR15 (patrol carbine, lol). Should I build one or buy an entry level and trick it out? Id like to hear from the fanatics.
I'm thinking about building one as its easier to sneak the $ here and there rather than one lump sum. On the other hand it would be awesome to have a range ready rifle. I was really tempted to buy the STI rifle but missed out on the sale. I've also been looking at entry level Windham. If I buy the Windham can I upgrade the barrel, trigger, stock, rail ect as time goes? Are AR15s really part interchangeable as I think?

The STI matched upper and lower seems like a good buy. Should I buy it and slowing piece it together with good quality parts. This is what keeps me up at night... first world problems

Thanks for your input
 
kjparks said:
So I decided I need a AR15 (patrol carbine, lol). Should I build one or buy an entry level and trick it out? Id like to hear from the fanatics.
I'm thinking about building one as its easier to sneak the $ here and there rather than one lump sum. On the other hand it would be awesome to have a range ready rifle. I was really tempted to buy the STI rifle but missed out on the sale. I've also been looking at entry level Windham. If I buy the Windham can I upgrade the barrel, trigger, stock, rail ect as time goes? Are AR15s really part interchangeable as I think?

The STI matched upper and lower seems like a good buy. Should I buy it and slowing piece it together with good quality parts. This is what keeps me up at night... first world problems

Thanks for your input
Click to expand...
Think big-boy lego. Just need a couple specific tools and you have yourself the ability to mix and match pretty well anything on them.
Builds are fun, but tend to be more expensive than an outright purchase unless you do your shopping around and grab the deals while theyre hot.
 
Given the prices of quality "M4gery" ARs these days compared to the cost of the tools, parts and shipping required to assemble a comparable rifle it isn't cost effective to go the build route. Unless you can borrow the tools, plan on assembling multiple rifles and can source all required parts from a single source it just isn't worth it for your average M4 style carbine. If you're looking at building something a little more esoteric that can't be so easily sourced from a suppliers sales rack or is prohibitively expensive, the financial can change.
 
Unless you already own an AR and use one for awhile, I would recommend buying a rifle, without a baseline to compare what you like or don't like, people always ends up with a rifle that cost almost the same as high end rifle, but performs no better than an average one.

if you really want to save money I would look on EE for a used one or separate upper and lower, with enough patience you will find one that will have all the features you like at a price that is a steal.
 
What's your budget? It'll cost more to build than buy.
Parts interchangeability doesn't always mean 'drop in'. Most will require fitting.
 
There are advantages and disadvantages to going both directions. If you decide to buy a complete rifle you are off to the range the day you get it and then you take your time replacing parts as you decide what works and what doesn't work for you. The problem is that built into the price of your complete rifle is the cost of all the parts that end up sitting in a box when you're finished upgrading which you never get back.

Building from scratch will cost you more as you're less likely to just pick parts that are good enough for now. The problem with building them is that besides being very addictive you also need some tools which is an added expense. If you plan to swap barrels I prefer a torque rod as opposed to the vice blocks available. I use a tool similar to this http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...-barrel-extension-torque-tools-prod27452.aspx there are a few different ones available and any will do. The advantage of these over the vice blocks is that there is zero torque transmitted to the upper when tightening the barrel nut making it pretty much impossible to damage your upper. Other than that you'll need a good punch set, a small hammer, and an armourer's wrench.
Before you buy a rifle or start buying parts I suggest you shoot a few AR's of different lengths, with different styles of handguards and of different levels of quality so you have a good idea of what you really want.

Personally I wouldn't go any shorter than a 10 inch barrel and I would avoid quadrail forends. My personal preference is a 12 inch barrel with a slim forend with a continuous top rail and short rail sections you can move around if you want to hang some mall ninja tacticool crap off of it. I like to keep my rifles light and functional and not weigh them down with lights, lasers and other useless crap.
Shorter than 10 inch barrels look cool but provide no real practical advantages over a 10-12 inch and are extremely loud. I also find them awkward to hold as you're really bunched up with your hands so close together.

If you decide to do a build I also suggest you have someone with some experience sitting next to you for the first one. It isn't complicated but I hate reading the threads where someone tried it themselves and ended up damaging their upper. Other than the barrel nut there shouldn't be anything that requires a lot of force to get it to fit. If you need to force it something probably isn't lined up right.

If you're anywhere near Edmonton PM me and we can try to line up a day you can come over and I'll give you a hand. Will save you from having to buy the tools for your first build.

Good luck
 
I'm in the process of building a mid to high quality AR right now, and even though I'm shopping used for whatever I can, I'm already in it for 1600 just for the upper. Spikes upper, DD barrel, BCM kmr, AAC BCG and muzzle device, and an aimpoint comp m3 on top.
It's fun shopping for the parts and getting everything you want in a rifle, but it'll cost you.
All said and done including the lower It'll be near the 2 grand mark.

That being said I probably would have been just as happy with a DD mk 18 off the EE for 1200-1400.
 
sunray said:
What's your budget? It'll cost more to build than buy.
Parts interchangeability doesn't always mean 'drop in'. Most will require fitting.
Click to expand...

Another gem from sunray.

Unless you're modding a Norinco there should be no fitting required. Stick to brand name US built parts and everything should fit perfectly.
 
sunray said:
What's your budget? It'll cost more to build than buy.
Parts interchangeability doesn't always mean 'drop in'. Most will require fitting.
Click to expand...

Not my experience, I built my first AR a few weeks ago, I collected all the parts I wanted and the tools I needed to assemble them. I have only had my Rpal for a year, but I am a hands on kind of person, so for me assembling an AR was pretty simple and easy once I had the correct parts and tools

It all went together fine, even with a pretty wide mix of parts and brands

Its my 2nd rifle, my first was a DD MK18 that I bought complete and modded out...For me assembling the rifle myself was a lot more fun, and working on guns is just as much fun for me as shooting them. I prefer assembling, but in my case assembling cost way more then buying a complete rifle, but its got all the parts I wanted on it...

Parts
IMG_2706_zpsoca3x5jf.jpg

About 2 hours later
IMG_2712_zpsqrd2g6wd.jpg


And it works just fine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPfE7j3BR18
 
Thank you all for the input. I think i'm going to buy a complete rifle and play with it. Get familiar with it and the platform before i start assembling rifles. Im sure i'll turn into a AR junkie and start shopping for all the parts and eventually start assembling. thanks again
 
I built three... between $1200-1400 with bargain parts. The mark-up on small parts is criminal, as is the shipping on small parts. A $10 gas tube is $30 to your door!! BS

I bought a nice Stag rifle for $859 USD on IRG (around $1K CAN), complete! With good parts...

You can't get near this quality at this price point with a DIY build.. It IS fun though :)
check out Stag arms on IRG.. on SALE
 
I recently decided to give the AR thing a try, to see what all the fuss is about.

I decided to go with a pre-built Windham, which are quite reasonably priced.

My thinking was to get something with a decent quality reputation, start using it, and figure what I wanted to tweak and customize as I went along. These are pretty much "lego" guns, so any individual part I'm not fond of, I can replace. And do it one part at a time as I use/get used to/understand the rifle, and what I like/don't like about it.

I should probably start getting some "progress" pics of that up, seeing as the original thread I kicked off about it spawned a fairly decent conversation about old school meets new school.
 
I was in your exact same predicament 3 weeks ago. Do I build or do I buy. Do I buy cheap and modify or buy high end and be happy with it. In the end I bought a Daniel Defense DDM4V5 off the EE new in box. (Still waiting for the damn transfer. 4 week back log from the Ontario CFO) I know it's going to run FLAWLESSLY and its great quality.

I also bought a Windham Weaponry Carbon 16" off of Firearms Outlet Canada in AJAX when they had their grand opening sale. That is the one I will play with and upgrade as time goes on. Also waiting for the transfer on this one too. I can upgrade and swap out and don't have to worry about playing and tinkering. It was cheap (@$599.00) enough that I don't have to cringe if I knock it around a little.

I would say having gone through the same thing buy a decent quality (Windham, Colt, DD) off the bat. Learn the platform, strip it down, play with it. This will give you an idea of what you do and don't like. To build your first one right off the bat could be expensive but also even more expensive when you realize you don't like that Raptor handle and want a Gunfighter instead. Once you get 2000 rounds through and break some stuff you'll know what you need and want.

My $0.02.

You can read through my thought and those on here, here:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1258043-First-Big-Budget-AR-15-Project


Cheers.
 
KJ, I was in the same boat as you. Lots of good advice here already. I ended up buying a bone stock Windham. It really was nice to have something ready to shoot. I got some trigger time in with the rifle as is, and then started to pick and choose the things I wanted to change....and then you get hooked on the Koolaid.
 
johnnyp636 said:
not my experience, i built my first ar a few weeks ago, i collected all the parts i wanted and the tools i needed to assemble them. I have only had my rpal for a year, but i am a hands on kind of person, so for me assembling an ar was pretty simple and easy once i had the correct parts and tools

it all went together fine, even with a pretty wide mix of parts and brands

its my 2nd rifle, my first was a dd mk18 that i bought complete and modded out...for me assembling the rifle myself was a lot more fun, and working on guns is just as much fun for me as shooting them. I prefer assembling, but in my case assembling cost way more then buying a complete rifle, but its got all the parts i wanted on it...

Parts
img_2706_zpsoca3x5jf.jpg

about 2 hours later
img_2712_zpsqrd2g6wd.jpg


and it works just fine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipfe7j3br18
Click to expand...

yessssss
 
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