AR-15.com article: "Village Bicycle" $400 AR build

[MatthewVanitas]

Reposted from ARF w/ permission of original poster Willow_Drifter.

His build rocks socks:

I always like building something that you don't see every day. This one is pretty darn different but was a heck of a lot of fun.

I originally bought the upper to refinish but the more I looked at it the more I loved that beautiful gold patina. The anodizing is just great, I just couldn't refinish it. I was trying to think of a build I could do with an upper like that so I decided on a parts bin sort of build.

The build went like this:

Upper - Surplus M16A1 Colt Proofed upper with a SAK Chrome Lined Barrel with a beautiful bore. The ejection port cover that came with it and was void of any finish and well pitted. It is now spotless and a nice steel color. The handguards were the crappiest chipped up pair I had in my box. The flat slip ring I got off of another upper and had a similar gold finish. I was going to refinish that one too but now it found its true home. The charging handle I bought for $5 (thanks machinehead) and is totally silver, really different.

Lower - Older Bushmaster Lower. Well worn and abused but still in good shape. The trigger group is new but most of the other lower parts came from ragged parts bins at the local shows for pennies.

Buttstock - Older brown fiberlite with partial green paint. I know you guys would hate to see that type of stock on this build...but I got it for $16.

Light - Older 6V Surefire Gunsite special. Cool huh!? I had to redo the tape switch and tape up the cable since there were a ton of nicks in the wire. Check out that old flip switch.

Red Dot Sight - Well it had a light so I figured it needed an Aimpoint. I found an amazing condition Aimpoint 1000 that works fantastic and takes some pretty good abuse. It has a fantasticly clear little red dot and for $32.00 I thought it would be just right.

Magazine - Older Adventureline mags have a beautiful gold anodizing under their gray finish as seen here. I found this one in a box of about 100 other mags. I had to have it once I saw it. It does have a new spring and Magpul follower. I had to splurge somewhere.

Upper Markings - There was a rack number or something electro-penciled on the back of the upper, 692. I carried that elseware just for fun. I figured it just added character and I will never sell anything anyways.

Sling - An older Nylon sling I found at the last show for $4. I couldn't pass it up.

TOTAL PRICE $402.00.

I love this build. The more I shoot it, abuse it, and clean it, the better it will get.

Check it out:

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Wow... an AR15 for $402 w/Aimpoint and light. That has to be some kind of record.

 

[SnakeEater]

That's a great bargain build. Personally I'd have to add $10 for a can of Alumahyde II.

 

[JTW Jr.]

I love the bargain build ups.... I have one as well , most of the $$ went in the lower that I scored from a bud for $250 , its a brand new Fulton Armory lower , has a 2 stage RRA trigger and had a VLTOR adjustable clubfoot stock ( that I sold and recouped $120 ) , bought a exc condition 20" GI bll , charging handle and did some horse trading for the rest of the parts , A2 stock was a spare dad had laying around , my total out of pocket $$ was $385... and it runs great and shoots nice as well , even though the rear sight is all the way to the right...its a keeper.

 

[Dienekes]

Looks like a *fine* weapon and with that kind of sweat equity, character to burn.

Any darned fool can put a tacticool AR with bells and whistles on his credit card and walk out the store to dazzle the other mall ninjas.

Well done.

 

[10-Ring]

Very nice...I thought I did okay w/ my build but I spent ALOT more! (I mean ALOT!)

 

[soul_rapier]

:banghead: i built M4 about 3 weeks ago and it cost me around $700 man that $400 and 3 something range makes me wanna cry

 

[MatthewVanitas]

Personally I'd have to add $10 for a can of Alumahyde II.

That would defeat the purpose! Some folks on ARF suggested he go the other way and toss the BM lower around in a sackfull of steel wool until it matches.

i built M4 about 3 weeks ago and it cost me around $700 man that $400 and 3 something range makes me wanna cry

Considering how many hours he probably put into this project, I'd say you came out ahead. I'm sure he spent ridiculous amounts of time watching the Equipment Exchange like a hawk to get the good deals.

If yours was built from decent gear, $700 is a pretty solid deal. Bushmaster is MSRPing their gear at, what, $1100? Friends don't let friends pay retail...

-MV

 

[soul_rapier]

mine is a RRA complete lower with a stripped upper and parts mostly from knob creek gun show

 

[Rob1035]

here I was thinking I'd done good with a $666 build, but I guess thats not much more and for all new stuff (CMT upper, wilson barrel, Stag lower, A2 furniture, DMPS lpk).


Man, $400 and it works, hard to argue with that....

 

[White Horseradish]

Hmmm... Finally, and AR I could love...

 

[swingset]

I found a new condition M16A1 upper for $250 at a local show with BC/CH, and put it on a Stag lower I bought for $89 shipped a while back. Traded a $39 Turk Mauser for a lower parts kit, and a buddy gave me an A1 buttstock and grip.

Total bill? $380.00.

Shoots GREAT, my favorite AR it turns out.

 

[JTW Jr.]

my bargain build was my 1st AR , after being happy with how economic this one was done , I bought a buds decked out AR for $1400 to keep it company. One is a tack driver and the other is my plinker.

Now to do a eco SBR build up