Got the AR15 bug.....

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firme67

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I have never been an AR guy but I needed to branch out from bolt guns to try something new. My brother has AR's so I have shot them on occasion but never felt the urge to own one.....until now. We (my brother) has 2 ar's: an older Bushmaster and a M&P Sport. We are both pretty handy so we would like to build (assemble) one together for my first AR15.

I just want a somewhat basic setup with the possibility of adding a few accessories later. I looked through the entire picture thread here on THR and came up with a setup pretty much how I would like. This rifle I just want open sights on with the ability to put an optic on it at a later date. It will be used just for plinking around the ranch and for fun.

Here is a picture pretty close to how I want to build mine (I borrowed from the picture thread);
ar12.jpg

Anyway, I was thinking of getting a PSA stripped lower, a PSA lower build kit, and a JSE complete upper, and just putting it together for my first time.

Budget $750-$800. I don't want to buy a factory rifle, I want to build (assemble) one as a project to spend time with my brother.

Am I going about this the correct way? Not sure I want to buy the upper piece by piece the first go round. But maybe the next time!:)

Here are links to what I am looking at. Is this all a guy needs or am I missing something (other than sights) to get a basic rifle put together? Any special tools? Thanks in advance for any advice and help.

Lower Build Kit:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/2344/

Stripped Lower:
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/catalog/product/view/id/1996/category/4282/

Complete Upper (with chrome lined upgrade):
http://www.jsesurplus.com/jse16wilsonarms1x9midmolymoefderhgb.aspx
 
Thats pretty much the way I did it. Most uppers come with the front sight so you just need to add a rear sight and mag. I went with all PSA and am happy with it. Depending on what you want you can get down to $5-$600 range.
 
Yeah I just threw a 10" 300 blackout pistol together for around 450 minus some bling I threw on it(magpul). You can get down around 500-600 pretty easy. Do a search for Blem receivers. Most are minor cosmetics, or not blems at all just production over run. I do cerakoting so I don't care too much about a little coating blemish.

If your cool with buying an armorers tool piecing out the upper will save money for mags and ammo.. There isn't much to know about putting one together! you can do it! I made my own vice block to hold the receiver while tightening it on. If you own a saw it takes ten minutes. Pm me for a pic.

Don't pay extra for chrome lining. If a barrel is good quality, a melonite or similar treatment is better. Think about it why are none of your precision bolt actions chrome lined. It's merely to prevent barrel wear on full auto firing and rusting in swamps in Vietnam.. your not taking your gun there and not firing ten thousand rounds full auto. Just my .02
 
Palmetto has some incomplete and complete uppers similar to whet you are looking at. Some of them are in stock and some not, but they come in and out pretty quick. Here's one in stainless. I built a similar one in the stainless freedom line and I think it looks pretty good. Kind of like the silver/black contrast. I've actually heard mixed things on the benefit of a chrome lined bore.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/inde...s-moe-fde-without-bcg-or-charging-handle.html
 
If you're building the lower and slapping a complete upper onto it, about the only special tools you might need are a lower vice block to make it easier to assemble the lower, and a bolt catch punch which has a relief on one side to allow a straighter shot to the bolt catch pin. Neither are actually required though, just makes the job easier, and the vice block can be made from a piece of 2x4 if you really want to be frugal.
 
You've got a lot of room to work with $800. That upper is not one I would pick... My opinion is that if you're going to build, build right.

Your parts are $660, plus $120 for a set of DD sights... so $780.

For not not a whole lot more, you could go for the following and get some better parts:
- BCM 16" Mid-Length with the free BCG and $40 extended charging handle for $555... Better barrel, likely better build quality, and it has the A2 front sight. That's a hard deal to beat right now.
- ALG QMS trigger for $45... great milspec trigger.
- JP LPK (sans trigger) for $40
- BCM stock kit for $67
- Daniel Defense or LaRue rear sight for $70
- Handguards of your choice... MOE Mid-Length should run about $27
- Anderson stripped lower for $58

That puts you at $862... So $82 more. You could save another $20 if you ditched the extended charging handle from BCM and just got any old $18 one online.... but I think the upgrade is worth it.

EDIT - save another $10 by going with thefish's link. And ignore the ALG/JP combo, just buy an ALG LPK with the QMS from Brownell's for $75... Saves you another $30.
 
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thanks guys, I guess I have a lot to think about.

If you go with a barreled upper that does not have the BCG or CH what additional parts do I need to complete the upper?

As far as the Blemished Lowers.....I just plan on leaving it black like I get it, how bad are the blemishes on average?

Is the A2 front sight better than one that goes on a rail like the one in my first post?

Out of curiosity can you tell me what you dislike about the JSE upper? I just picked one that looked similar to what I kind of wanted. My knowledge is virtually zero. Thanks again.
 
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BCG and CH are all you would need.

Blemished parts are usually only lightly blemished... as in, only having a scratch or two. I wouldn't even worry about it.

And the A2 FSB is easily the toughest front sight you could get for an AR.
 
"Don't pay extra for chrome lining. If a barrel is good quality, a melonite or similar treatment is better." -- suzukisam

Excellent advice...especially considering the likelihood that accuracy will be marginally better.
 
If you are going with iron sights, my preference is the BCM carry handle sight. Best carry handle sight around, IMHO.
 
I'm just waiting for someone to show up and say, "forget it and buy a Colt" and derail the thread (maybe I just did that)

I think you're on the right track. Palmetto State Armory is the best for building your own. DelTon and JSE also have build kits, but the consensus is PSA has the best (I agree).

I like Spikes lowers, I think they are good for the money and you can get cool logos since it is a custom build after all.

Just make sure the upper (if you buy complete which is what I like best) has a BCG or if not, add a BCG into the price. PSA sells some uppers with or without a Bolt Carrier Group.

But I think I'm just repeating what alot of people already said. Good Luck!!!
 
I think you're on the right track. Palmetto State Armory is the best for building your own. DelTon and JSE also have build kits, but the consensus is PSA has the best (I agree).
Click to expand...

Depends on what you're trying to build. PSA's focus is carbine and pistol/SBR; they have all of 1 offering over 18". I just finished a bull barrel build, and it was mostly JSE:

Wilson 22" 1:8 moly bull barrel: $160
DPMS .936 gas block: $17
Gas tube: $10
Forward assist kit: $10
Dust cover kit: $6
CMMG LPK: $60
UTG "Sniper" grip: $15
A2 buffer: $12
A2 extension: $15
Buffer spring: $4
Young 15" vented FF Tube: $65
Shipping: $10

Then I went to DSA for the BCG, $79 shipped

Had the Nib charging handle, think that was $25 when I bought it

Upper (stripped) and lower (80% anodized) came from tactical machining, $92 shipped

Stock was an eBay seller, $127 shipped for a Luth-AR MBS.

All-in, $707. Will be another $210 on a 3 lb Timney drop-in trigger here soon.

But yeah, if you want the best value on a carbine upper or rifle kit, PSA is it.
 
I built mine with stripped Aero Precision upper and lower receivers. PSA standard lower parts kit, and finished the pistol build for under $500.

My Rifle is a DPMS complete upper and an ATI Omni polymer complete lower and still came in right at $500.

My next build will either be a 9mm or a .450 Bushmaster, and I wouldn't hesitate to use PSA parts. I do prefer to source my stripped lowers locally if possible, to avoid FFL transfer fees and shipping (and the wait).

Assembling an upper was surprisingly simply, took half an hour or less, compare to the hour my lower built took.

Best video I've seen on Youtube is from MidwayUSA.
 
Don't know if you know or if it even matters, but the photo of the rifle you provided is a gas piston system with a A2 like front sight attached to the gas regulator on the piston system. It's a totally different system than the standard direct impingement system, so with a standard A2 front sight, it will look a little different than the photo you provided.

Other than that, it looks like a pretty standard Magpul accessoried 16" barreled AR with an ambidextrous safety. Be happier with the best barrel you can afford...it matters for longevity and accuracy.
 
I'd check out Bravo Company. They are a high quality manufacturer. They are also running a sale where you get a free ($170) BCG with a complete upper purchase.
 
Get a PSA premium upper...much better value
Add a $50 stripped lower and a rear sight and you have a nice rifle:
Click to expand...

OK. Pretend I don't have a clue what I need to build my own AR. What would be needed to go with the upper mentioned on the PSA page you linked? Can someone give me a walkthrough on what to do or link to a place that tells me what to do? I will be getting my first AR before too long. I haven't been in a big hurry because of the weather but at some point I'm going to go for it. My plans have been to get an M&P Sport. What would the advantages be of going with PSA setup?
 
My plans have been to get an M&P Sport. What would the advantages be of going with PSA setup?
Click to expand...

You're not paying the FET on a rifle you assemble, and you're not stuck paying for components you didn't want when you change them out later.

PSA offers all manner of uppers, from bare bones basic to premium free float tubes and brakes, and everything in between.

Same with their lowers; you can get a basic assembled lower with crappy A2 grip and M4 stock, or you can upgrade to one furniture from Magpul, Bravo Company and others.

My suggestion is don't go as cheap as you can; you'll end up spending more in the long run. Go with the parts you want the first time around.

For example, can't beat this:

http://palmettostatearmory.com/inde...wer-magpul-str-edition-black-no-magazine.html

The STR stock by itself runs ~$95. If you decided you wanted that stock and MOE grip after having bought the standard lower on sale at $129, you'd drop another $120 on the Magpul bits, ending up spending $60 more than you would have if you'd just bought it that in the first place.

Same thing with uppers; much more cost effective to order it with the hand guard/ quad rail you like than to cheap out initially and wind up paying a lot more when you upgrade.
 
Cee Zee,

- The PSA upper has a chrome-lined/1:7/4150 barrel, vs. the melonite-treated/1:9/4140 barrel on the Sport... 4140 vs. 4150 matters more if you are going full auto, 1:7 vs. 1:9 matters depending on what you plan to shoot, and chrome-lined vs. melonite-treated is its own debate. But if you can get a 4150 barrel for the same or similar price, that's good.
- The bolt carriers are both chrome lined, though the Sport has an AR15 profile carrier where the PSA has an M16 profile.
- The bolts are both 158 Carpenter steel, both are individually MP inspected, but S&W batch HP tests their bolts, the PSA bolts are individually HP tested. Again, that's good.
- Both have M4 feed ramps, the PSA has the forward assist and dust cover.
- PSA receiver extension is a preferable 7075 vs. an unknown material of the Sport (S&W doesn't say if it's 7075 or 6061).
- You get an MOE SL grip and stock with the PSA.

The PSA would need a stripped lower (at least $50) and rear sight (at least $40), as well as whatever tools you may not have already in order to build it.
 
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