Which is cheaper

[TJSaltdog]

Building an AR or buying it already all together? I was talking to someone at Applied Ballistics and he said it was cheaper to build your own AR. If you were to build, what would it be, an AR15 or AR10?

 

[42769vette]

You might save a little by building, but not much. The benifit of building is mainly having your gun the way you want it, not the way a factory sends it. It allows you to build over time (in theory, in reality you buy 1 spring and you will buy the rest within a couple weeks).

 

[TJSaltdog]

Thanks. Now tell me this please. What is the most expensive part if I was to build.

 

[Bikerdad61]

Thanks. Now tell me this please. What is the most expensive part if I was to build.

Since the Panic Crazyness......it's all expensive.
The most expensive part is usually buying a completed upper.

 

[TJSaltdog]

Since the Panic Crazyness......it's all expensive.
The most expensive part is usually buying a completed upper.

Some one here on INGO has a Palmetto complete upper for trade for a Ruger Sr9c. Is that a good deal?

 

[42769vette]

Some one here on INGO has a Palmetto complete upper for trade for a Ruger Sr9c. Is that a good deal?

NO, you can buy the same exact same model from psa for 420 after shipping.

You dont have to buy a complete upper, you can build one.

 

[TJSaltdog]

NO, you can buy the same exact same model from psa for 420 after shipping.

You dont have to buy a complete upper, you can build one.

Thank you.

 

[gregkl]

You might save a little by building, but not much. The benifit of building is mainly having your gun the way you want it, not the way a factory sends it. It allows you to build over time (in theory, in reality you buy 1 spring and you will buy the rest within a couple weeks).

This. I saved about $300 building my own. I jumped on great deals, passed on all others and built it last Summer. It was supposed to be a Winter project but the deals came in faster than I anticipated so I put it together and had it sold before Winter!

I had it nice....just the way I wanted it. Nothing like it from a factory. I may build one again depending on what happens to the market.

 

[42769vette]

Thank you.

No problem, if you notice he has a forsale add for 500. I posted the link to it new, and in stock for 389. some folks fail to realize demand is going down.

 

[6mm Shoot]

The thing about building one is that it depends on what you want it to do. If you just want a cheap AR to plunk with then you will more or less just hunt for the cheapest stuff you can find and put it together.

If you want some thing that is accurate and to fill a niche you are going to spend a lot more. The one I am building at this time will cost around $2000.

I have built the lower. It has cost $300 so far and I don't have the stock or pistol grip that I want yet. They will cost around $200.

The barrel is just under $300. It is a 6mm x 45, 24" long and middle weight 1 in 9 twist.

The upper Is a Grizzly, the side cocker. That is $300 more.

Then the piston system is $300.

Add iron sights to that for $200 and $100 more for a bi-pod. $100 for odds and ends.

Then if the trigger don't work out, to replace it will cost another $200.

It all just depends on what you want it to do. I am building for shooting a 6mm 100gr bullet out to 300 yards and still have enough power to take down a deer.

You can buy a working upper for $450 new in 223. The lower you can buy for $300 with stock and pistol grip. That is $750.

You can buy an AR for $700. The thing about building one is you get to put the money on what you want.

The crazy prices are not as bad as they were but still you are going to pay more now than you will in a couple of months down the road. If the ban passes then it is an other story. The feeling now is that there isn't a way to get it passed. Some have said that if he can't get it passed he will issue an order to get it dun. Who knows. It is also said that the courts will over turn an order.

If it was me and I was wanting to get an AR before there was a problem I would at least get my hands on a lower. That is the part that the feds control.

Good luck with what ever you decide.

 

[Faine]

My two cents is thus. Neither is cheaper or more expensive. You will save a heck of a lot of time and shipping fees buying a complete AR. Those would make up for the perceived savings of building your own. I am in the middle of my first build and will say if you have patience, building is more fun, getting parts one at a time, it's like Christmas every 30 days. Buy complete if you are in a hurry or don't have the patience to wait for good prices. Build your own if you want to know every pin and part.

 

[gregkl]

My two cents is thus. Neither is cheaper or more expensive. You will save a heck of a lot of time and shipping fees buying a complete AR. Those would make up for the perceived savings of building your own. I am in the middle of my first build and will say if you have patience, building is more fun, getting parts one at a time, it's like Christmas every 30 days. Buy complete if you are in a hurry or don't have the patience to wait for good prices. Build your own if you want to know every pin and part.

I agree with this. It is fun to come home from work and have a package waiting for you!

If you don't include the shipping fees in your cost of building an AR you are just being deceitful to others and lying to yourself.

The price to build an AR is the price to build an AR. Parts, shipping, tools.

 

[thegunshow]

Buiding your own is the only way to do it...its really enjoyable

 

[tradertator]

I really don't think you save any money. I bought 2 ARs last summer; Sig M400 Enhanced and a Troy. It would have cost me more money to build them than it did completed on a store shelf. Plus they're backed by the manufacturer, and will have a better resale than a home build.

 

[Shoots4Fun]

I really don't think you save any money. I bought 2 ARs last summer; Sig M400 Enhanced and a Troy. It would have cost me more money to build them than it did completed on a store shelf. Plus they're backed by the manufacturer, and will have a better resale than a home build.

I agree with Traderator on this one...well said.

 

[gregkl]

I really don't think you save any money. I bought 2 ARs last summer; Sig M400 Enhanced and a Troy. It would have cost me more money to build them than it did completed on a store shelf. Plus they're backed by the manufacturer, and will have a better resale than a home build.

I would agree that most can't/won't save money because they are either impatient or won't put in the effort to search for the deals...or both.

The same logic applies to bicycles and like building my AR, I saved money building a bicycle.

You need to be diligent in finding the deals and you have to be accurate in your accounting. Sure I could have bought a rifle for less than what I spent building mine, but it would not have had the same features and quality of parts. On top of that if you consider that many owners will change parts out, now you have an additional expense of the replacement parts. And selling your OE parts won't offset the investment in the new parts.

Of course if you count your time, then this all goes out the window and you are way ahead to buy a complete rifle!

 

[indygunguy]

Building it yourself will give you a much better understanding of the rifle and how it works... and it is a LOT of fun.

 

[LarryC]

You might save a little by building, but not much. The benifit of building is mainly having your gun the way you want it, not the way a factory sends it. It allows you to build over time (in theory, in reality you buy 1 spring and you will buy the rest within a couple weeks).

Your right! I decided last summer I wanted to build a .308 AR style rifle. So I brought home a Stripped lower and lower kit home from the GS. At the time I told the better half, "probably take me a few months to finish this, going to buy a little at a time". She actually laughed at me and said YEAH, I'll bet.

(Did take about 3 1/2 weeks)

 

[trex75]

I'm in the same boat and I decided to build my own. I think it will be more rewarding and fun.

 

[Pale Rider]

I really don't think you save any money. I bought 2 ARs last summer; Sig M400 Enhanced and a Troy. It would have cost me more money to build them than it did completed on a store shelf. Plus they're backed by the manufacturer, and will have a better resale than a home build.

Agreed. The other thing most don't consider is accuracy and dependability. If you're like me you're not a gun smith, and you don't manufacturer fire arms for a living either. When you buy a purpose built AR from a reputable company, you're getting the company backing as well as a finely tuned rifle. (Yes you can 'tune' a rifle.) When you build it yourself with parts from here and there you're tolerances will be larger and your margin for error will be greater as well. I love tinkering, and swapping out a collapsable stock and some rail guards isn't going to affect the way my gun internally functions, but why would I put a random bolt carrier in a random upper when I could buy a pair that was designed and built as a pair?