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What does it take to build an AR?

mstrblaster
A guy at work was told that you can simply buy a "lower" and an "upper" and put them together for $500 to $600. I know that I've seen parts kits, but didn't know if it was to put lowers and uppers together or not. Also not sure if a trigger is included in there. Are there worries about clearances or 'fitting' it together? I told him to be weary of laying his money down, I'd check it out and get back to him.

Thanks for any insight!!!!!
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • ruger41
    You can buy both but the lower(the part with the serial number) is the part that has to go through an FFL--there's no getting around that if you are buying brand new. I would believe in states that allow it you could do a face to face from a private party on a used unit though. There are a ton of different manufacturers out there so do your homework before you buy as some are good and some not so good.
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  • dcs shooters
    You can buy a complete "lower" or "upper" or bare ones. A complete upper and lower, as long as they are "mil-spec" will fit together with no problems.
    A "bare" lower comes with no trigger group, stock, or pins.
    A "bare" upper comes with no barrel, sights, handguard, gas tube or bolt carrier group.
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  • shootuadeal
    most complete uppers cost around $500-600. complete lowers with grip and stocks around $200+. if you buy a complete lower and complete upper seperately most of the time you will end up paying more than a complete rifle.
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  • aap2
    A complete lower mated to a complete upper should work fine; but even the cheapest ones are going to cost more than 5-600. I would pay a few hundred more and just buy the complete gun; no worries about function and if you ever want to trade it or sell it, the factory gun will sell for more. A local gunshop has on consignment a unfired RRA complete lower that the customer assembled on a new RRA M4 upper and it's a virtually new RRA M4. But it won't sell for anywhere near the price of a factory RRA M4 because it's assembled from parts. The consignee needs to sell it and will probably take my offer of less than he paid for the upper.
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  • Mobuck
    In some cases, you can avoid the tax applied to a "complete" firearm by buying the separate upper and lower and pushing in two pins. I would say the tax should still be paid on a "complete" lower since it is the numbered part. The big question is resale value. If you ever decide to sell the AR, a rifle purchased as a unit should be worth more than a socalled FrankenAR assembled from parts. Useability differences are minor as most combinations of parts will fit and operate fine.
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  • Mark G
    You can buy complete or stripped uppers and lowers. A stripped lower and lower parts kit can be assembled easily with no special tools. The upper is more involved and requires special tools to complete the work. They are not that expensive. Check out www.ar15.com. They have step by step instructions for assembling the components. Heres a link to the instructions.
    http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782
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  • walther86
    Building and customizing can be a good hobby and it's especially nice to build your own if you can't afford to drop $700(probably more) on the rifle you want right away. That way you can buy one or two components at a time and get exactly what you want instead of a package that you have to deck out later to feel happy about. But yes, it can be done very easily. Join the army, they'll teach you how to break one down and put it back together with your eyes closed up-side down...[:D]
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  • shootuadeal
    quote:Originally posted by walther86
    Building and customizing can be a good hobby and it's especially nice to build your own if you can't afford to drop $700(probably more) on the rifle you want right away. That way you can buy one or two components at a time and get exactly what you want instead of a package that you have to deck out later to feel happy about. But yes, it can be done very easily. Join the army, they'll teach you how to break one down and put it back together with your eyes closed up-side down...[:D]


    you are right that it is a good way to not plop down a big chunk of change at once, however it is similar to getting a loan in that the product cost the same but you end up paying more[;)]
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