Pricing franken-build ARs

[rrschooter]

So I'm contemplating clearing out a little space in the safe to focus on some of the guns that I actually shoot regularly. The couple that I'm looking to clear out are "built" ARs, with basic lowers and various LPKs, and pre-built uppers. None of them are anything special, and frankly I don't even know what I actually have into them as they were pieced together over time. They're certainly not "high end", and I'm not expecting to fetch any kind of serious money with them, but with the AR market coming back down to earth lately, I'm kind of at a loss on how to value them if I were to sell/trade them in, so I figured I'd ask if anyone has any experience in the matter.

 

[KG1]

There has'nt typically been a market for "franken" built AR's. No one really wants to buy an AR that someone else has assembled from various parts. Especially parts that are nothing special. That's just been the way it is. They are a hard sell.

 

[cg21]

There is not really a market for "franken" built AR's. No one really wants to buy an AR that someone else has assembled from various parts. Especially parts that are nothing special. That's just been the way it is. They are a hard sell.

Agree very tough sale. Unless at a drastic discount

 

[skydelta34]

You might consider selling them as parts. If you have a complete factory upper or lower, I wouldn't disassemble that, sell as is.

 

[KG1]

Agree very tough sale. Unless at a drastic discount

Yeah. That's typically been the prevalent opinion in past discussions here. Might be able to part it out and have better luck.

 

[DadSmith]

You might consider selling them as parts. If you have a complete factory upper or lower, I wouldn't disassemble that, sell as is.

This is the way to go.
Can try to sell uppers and lowers separately.
You can also give them away as gifts to family and friends on birthdays and or Christmas.

 

[Refrigerator27]

if you are on reddit, check out r/GunAccessoriesForSale/

Frankenstein uppers sell pretty easily on there. Anywhere from a PSA build, Aero, etc. I've seen uppers as cheap as $200 and upwards of $1000 sell.

As for the lower, you can put the parts up on GAFS (another name for r/GunAccessoriesForSale/) and then sell the stripped lower to a local FFL, most will buy.

 

[223 Gunner]

I would split them apart, sell the factory uppers (this is where you will recoup the most money).
Then sell the built lowers with a list of the parts used for the build.
Such as:
Grip
Buffer tube and stock used
Fire control group
I think is the best way to get most of your money back.
It will be an easier way than selling as a complete build.

This way will take a little longer, but you will get most of your money back this way in my opinion.

 

[ed1838]

From what i been seeing striped anderson lowers around 50 and up and a unbranded parts kit 35 plus budget buffer kit and stock 50 , budget complete uppers are around 220 and up

 

[ed1838]

Also as for trading some shops wont take home builds. I have been happy with my elcheapos builds even been thinking I need another now that prices are reasonable again

 

[rrschooter]

I kind of figured that was the case, although I was honestly planning on selling at a pretty steep discount. I may post them up in the forum in a few weeks to see if there's any takers (one's actually been a solid deer rifle for me, so I figured someone else might be able to put it to work in the fall).

 

[jd4320t]

Keep them.

 

[cg21]

I kind of figured that was the case, although I was honestly planning on selling at a pretty steep discount. I may post them up in the forum in a few weeks to see if there's any takers (one's actually been a solid deer rifle for me, so I figured someone else might be able to put it to work in the fall).

A deer rifle makes it sound like more fun

 

[rrschooter]

A deer rifle makes it sound like more fun

300 blk is a solid option for private ground. With the right bullets, it's devastating on whitetail, but tame enough for for kids to shoot.

 

[bwframe]

300 blk is a solid option for private ground. With the right bullets, it's devastating on whitetail, but tame enough for for kids to shoot.

Specs on the barrel, gas block and tube?

 

[Dante1983]

Some of us would be interested. Some want to get into the ar world, but moneys tight with the wonderful inflation. Just a thought

 

[snorko]

Some of us would be interested. Some want to get into the ar world, but moneys tight with the wonderful inflation. Just a thought

The advice about separating is good. Another approach may be look at what the cheapest upper and lower from PSA is (often $450-550) and discount that for yours being used.

 

[shootersix]

A question would be how would anyone know it’s a franken ar vs a custom ar?
I have a Anderson lower I assembled, with a drop in trigger (which anyone can swap out) with a upper that I just happened to find at Anderson? Could you tell I assembled it?
Now in some instances it’s an easy tell! But not always!
I have a friend who won a contest, it was a Wilson combat upper, with a coda evolution barrel, coda carbon fiber hand guard, coda muzzle break, and more…so basically a customized Wilson combat upper, I told him, I’d buy a Wilson combat lower, he did, he also bought a palmetto lower kit, with mag pul stock and grip and a cmc trigger…I told him that at the range, people will see “Wilson combat” on the lower and think it’s a “Wilson combat” ar15…not a franken ar, so I ask again how will anyone know it’s not a “factory ar?”

 

[rrschooter]

Specs on the barrel, gas block and tube?

16" 1:7 nitride finished barrel (currently has a Griffin titanium mini paladin brake on it, could swap out for a standard aw birdcage), low pro gas block with pistol length gas system under a 15" keymod free float rail with a no name afg. PSA M16 bcg, Magpul Moe grip, Anderson lower with PSA lpk, PSA ept fcg, a Magpul acs stock on a milspec buffer tube with a carbine spring and buffer, and a gen 3 pmag (it'll be a new one still in packaging so I don't have to unload one of the open ones) Currently has a Bushnell 1-4 ar optics ffp scope in a monstrum cantilever mount on it that could stay on it for the right price; also has a set of MFT flip up buis, although I'm not really a fan of them and would probably recommend replacing them if you're not running a scope/red dot.

 

[rrschooter]

Some of us would be interested. Some want to get into the ar world, but moneys tight with the wonderful inflation. Just a thought

Just working on the post count and it will probably end up in the marketplace forum...