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AR - Why build?

11K views 62 replies 14 participants last post by  TURTLE 
#1 ·
I classify myself as a hunter vs being a shooter, and definitely not a blackgun guy. However, I do own an AR and thinking about picking up another one.

I see a lot of talk about building one vs buying one. My question is why build when the prices seem so good right now?

I know some will say they can build better for less. Can your really build cheaper and better at these prices?


$1097 at Walmart – Colt 6920
Walmart in Niceville has this Windham one for under 800.00
http://www.windhamweaponry.com/images/rifles/SRC-L.jpg
http://www.windhamweaponry.com/
Bushmaster – starting at $699.00
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/36_60
DPMS AR 15 UNDER $600
 
#2 ·
Building you get better quality for less/same money
Building you get what you want, you are gonna change it anyway
Building you can do for less
Building you get the barrel, twist and weight you want
Building you get the satisfaction of the finished product more than just buying one
Building you know more what you are doing to make changes, tearing down to clean

The price you see at the store includes the price of the build, the inflated parts cost and TAX

I can help anyone with sites and parts to order if you are not sure. People like Dixie can order your parts for you and put the gun together with or without you there to learn. Good luck!
 
#3 ·
I hear what you are saying. However, for example;
I have the Bushmast XM15-E2S, 223-5.56mm, it does everything I want it to do. I'm sure I could go buy one of Walmarts $600.00 guns and it would also do the same thing.

All I care about is it shoots straight, does not jam etc.

Other than having the satisfaction, what can the average guy build a rifle for?

Keep in mind I'm not being a smart @ss, just curious.





Building you get better quality for less/same money
Building you get what you want, you are gonna change it anyway
Building you can do for less
Building you get the barrel, twist and weight you want
Building you get the satisfaction of the finished product more than just buying one
Building you know more what you are doing to make changes, tearing down to clean

The price you see at the store includes the price of the build, the inflated parts cost and TAX

I can help anyone with sites and parts to order if you are not sure. People like Dixie can order your parts for you and put the gun together with or without you there to learn. Good luck!
 
#4 ·
Well a .223 about $500 for a basic gun with a much better barrel, dust cover and forward assist. For cheap plinking ammo and a better hunter than the .223 consider the 7.62x39 $6-700. A better hunting caliber like the 6.8 would be $600-800 but the savings would still be there from an already built one. When I am building one for ME the cost is more, but then I know what I want/need for a particular use.

For shooting rocks and paper, you will still improve your accuracy with a built weapon, if that does not matter to you then it probably does not matter. Built right the re-sale will be higher than the walmart gun.

These are my opinions only not to be substituted for yours or to cause an argument.
 
#6 ·
I would not call a 223 a hunting gun, it is better with more expensive ammo, but not my cup of tea. I know, I know people kill animals and people with it, a 22 or a pellet gun will kill...LOL Just not my preference as a hunting round, a SHTF semi auto with cheap ammo for home defense or plinking, yotes, ***** and such is is a good caliber.

AGAIN: These are my opinions only not to be substituted for yours or to cause an argument.
 
#10 ·
In an AR? My limit is the 18" and they are getting some great lightweight builds now, as light as 8lb w/o the optics. I would love one but don't need it as I run a 6.8 now which is 70% of a 308 and for FL with our small animals it is fine.

Now in TX where you can use suppressors for all game animals now I would be all over a sub-sonic build of some kind maybe even the 300BO!
 
#14 ·
$400 for the lower and around $600-700 for the upper, could come in less but I want the particular barrel listed below.
This is the barrel I would get: AR Performance http://www.ar15performance.com/308_barrel
18" 308 Barrel
Price: $220.00

18" lightweight, mid gas, 4150 CMV melonite treated, 10 twist 5/8-24 muzzle thread--Black 2lbs -0.4 oz
A 7.5lb 308 is possible by using a carbon ff tube, DPMS lightweight receiver and MOE stock. Maybe less if we make a lightweight carrier.
If you are tired of lugging a heavy 308 around through the woods this barrel is the solution, 18" to keep the velocity up
threaded muzzle if you want to use a muzzle device to tame the recoil and muzzle rise.
May also be a good choice for those shooting "heavy metal" division 3 gun.
 
#19 ·
308 ARs are not as easy to build as a normal AR15. There are lots of cross-compatibility issues with the 30 cal guns as far as what brands play nice with others.

IMHO: AR15 pattern rifles - Build em
308 caliber AR style rifles - Buy em

Even if you understood the discrepancies between brands of 308 ARs, its tough to build one on the cheap like it is an AR15. You can look real hard and find an AR15 lower for ~$70, but the 308 version is easily 3 times that. A receiver group can typically go for $350-400 for cheapo ones when an AR15 group is maybe $170. If you really wanna stay cheap (i.e. build your own AR15 platform) and have something that can shoot at distance and still hit hard look into either 6.8 SPC II or 6.5 Grendel. Both are excellent rounds. The 6.8 will be cheaper to shoot and good at range. The Grendel will be more expensive but in a longer barrel you can easily take it past 800 yards. Both of these calibers will only require a different barrel and bolt (and preferably magazines) from a standard 223 AR15.
 
#20 ·
here is my take on it...why build one and put all the high speed stuff on it to go shoot some cans and paper, and occasionally an animal....if you maintain a box gun(factory built) and shoot good ammo you wont have any problems. Im willing to bet you can get a factory mass produced AR to shoot just as well as one that is custom built!!! Hell at work i shoot a wore out M4 that has who knows how many rds through it and all we get is reloads and i have never had it jam on me....i make sure its spotless inside and out and take care of my mags....
 
#22 ·
I purchased a DPMS Oracle LR-308 from Buds last year for $950 to my door when they had them in stock. I went back and forth on what to do for a hunting AR platform and I realized that for this price, I couldn't go wrong. I did not need some precision shooting AR platform that could hit sub MOA at 1000 yards. Just needed to be accurate out to 300 yards or so. This DPMS goes bang and it is darn accurate. I had to find an ammo it liked though. Went through about 5 different ammo brands before I found that it likes the Federal Fusion ammo.

Some people knock the DPMS rifles. I have enjoyed mine so far in the .308 variety.
 
#24 · (Edited)
TP, nothing wrong w that at all, excellent rifle and will serve you well. What does it weight as you have it set up?
Just over 9lbs empty. I don't load a full mag just becuase it's a heavy sucker fully loaded. I purchase some composite MagPul PMAGs for it and that helped with a few oz versus the steel magazines. But it's a heavy beast fully loaded. With the 4 round hunting magazine, it's not bad though.

I purchased this one because it did have a dust cover and forward assist at such a bargin price. I know you don't need those things for a decent AR. But I do like the forward assist so that I don't have to release/slam the bolt closed for hunting purposes.
 
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