How inexpensively can an AR15 be built for?

I have one Sitting at 380$ right now but I did have all the furniture laying around. All I Have left to get is a LPK and a buffer spring, should be completed for about that 460$ mark.
 
Mine came in at 397$ The only thing that was new was a NEA ZZ lower, and buffer tube. The rest came off EE or the US

Edit 397 and change exactly. It took me 3 years though.
 
It's not worth the time and effort to try and piece together a budget AR these days given the prices of entry level rifles from established AR manufacturers like DPMS, Bushmaster, S&W, etc. Not to mention Norinco. Unless you get really lucky or can source the majority of parts from a single seller/vendor multiple shipping charges will kill your budget. Having to purchase the required tools will also have to be factored into the equation. Even then, you're left with a frankenrifle that has little resale value, whereas a factory named rifle will still retain much of its value and will be far more salable. However, if you're very patient and snap up key EE deals the moment they are posted you can build a high end AR for a third the cost of a factory rifle from a top tier manufacturer.
 
X-man said:
It's not worth the time and effort to try and piece together a budget AR these days given the prices of entry level rifles from established AR manufacturers like DPMS, Bushmaster, S&W, etc. Not to mention Norinco. Unless you get really lucky or can source the majority of parts from a single seller/vendor multiple shipping charges will kill your budget. Having to purchase the required tools will also have to be factored into the equation. Even then, you're left with a frankenrifle that has little resale value, whereas a factory named rifle will still retain much of its value and will be far more salable. However, if you're very patient and snap up key EE deals the moment they are posted you can build a high end AR for a third the cost of a factory rifle from a top tier manufacturer.
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Totally agree. I've helped buddies assemble rifles piecemeal and patience and having the knack for finding deals is key....and yes, in the end, you will have a Frankenrifle as X-man has stated.

Not saying don't do it, I've built a few ARs myself, but not budget builds. If I were to do a budget build from scratch, I'd just get a used Norinco for about $500.

But since you've already started with a stripped lower and trigger group, may as well finish it. Others have said about $400-500 to finish your build and have your rifle up and running (no optics), I agree with this figure if you're not in a hurry.

If this is your first AR however, you will soon find out you will probably not be satisfied with "budget". ARs are like Barbie dolls for men and they can be bottomless money pits :)
 
I think every guy into AR's tries this experiment... It cost me about $800, all in for a decent quality 16 inch flat top carbine with a carry handle.

It could have been cheaper, but I didn't have the patients to wait out for the "steal of a deal" items. Really, buying out of the box is a far easier way to go. But then again, who wants easy?
 
X-man said:
It's not worth the time and effort to try and piece together a budget AR these days given the prices of entry level rifles from established AR manufacturers like DPMS, Bushmaster, S&W, etc. Not to mention Norinco. Unless you get really lucky or can source the majority of parts from a single seller/vendor multiple shipping charges will kill your budget. Having to purchase the required tools will also have to be factored into the equation. Even then, you're left with a frankenrifle that has little resale value, whereas a factory named rifle will still retain much of its value and will be far more salable. However, if you're very patient and snap up key EE deals the moment they are posted you can build a high end AR for a third the cost of a factory rifle from a top tier manufacturer.
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Nailed it, particularly regarding re-sale and that even with a low price the sale might prove difficult.

Cheers D
 
Let's not forget the box of spare parts you amass over time. I've built two 870s and two ARs strictly from spare parts I somehow accumulated over the years.

This started off as something I slapped together from my spare parts bin:

https://4.bp.########.com/-8syON6sDKR8/V8XSmTLMJLI/AAAAAAAAjto/QGKcVRak0tYfDG5fXblW4NIy07s5igX-QCPcB/s320/P8300160.JPG
 
Under $400 using "suspect" stuff (think Omni and cheapy off-shore parts...which I haven't done but know I could)...otherwise I've managed around $550ish using Spikes, DD, etc...(but hunting can be time consuming)...but it can go pretty expensive if you don't pay attention.
 
A few years back I purchased a brand new complete DPMS lower here for $300. Found a Cardinal forged complete upper (sold as a Bushmaster) for $450. Now a days and a few bucks more I could get a Colt & have a lot more resale value than my Lego AR... It's still a great gun & it was a learning curve. Building them is fun & if your going to keep it you can personalize the hell out of it. Just won't necessarily have a strong resale here on the EE...
 
4-500$ mark is with patience if u ask me.
I built around an nea in about 3 1/2 weeks for $780.

Quality parts on the inside but looks like a frankenstien on the outside
 
There are a couple decent quality rifles on the EE for $700-$800, I'd go that route rather than buying random parts waiting for a great deal and waiting over a year to get everything together. Then you need to buy the tools to put it together correctly.
If you really want the experience of building one I'd just buy a quality rifle and strip it down and put it back together. It isn't hard and it's not really going to make you better at servicing it. The only part that's mildly tricky is the trigger group and all you need is a picture to do that.


reddog9x19 said:
I'm at $400 so far & still need quad rail and buffer tube assy.
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No one needs a quadrail these days. You need a nice smooth forend with M-Lok or Keymod ;)
So you're going to be at around $700 when done.
ALG has a nice forend for under $200, well it was under $200 when I bought mine. Seems like prices have been rising in the last year
 
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