Lowest priced AR 223/556 build possible?

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  • Mr.Culper

    Active Member
    Jan 16, 2021
    858
    Talking Low budget build,, but goes bang with the trigger pull,, minute of barn.

    Seriously,,
    Have a couple folks that are interested in building AR 15s,,
    These are novice shooters, that want to put one together so they can say they built it. They will in reality shoot them once or twice a month at the "women's group" get together at the range. They typ shoot 50 yards.
    Just need them to go bang and be ~ 2-3 MOA,, and MD compliant.

    80% lower?
    upper
    Barrel?
    figured a toolcraft phosphate blem BCG ($79)

    How low can we go ??

    Sleepy Joe wants to mess with my ammo?? I will get 10 new people involved in shooting and AR builds.
     

    slsc98

    Ultimate Member
    May 24, 2012
    6,746
    Escaped MD-stan to WNC Smokies
    I put two together for $440 each:

    $120 for complete blem lower from PSA
    $320 for complete DelTon upper from MidSouth

    There’s a thread (or two) titled something along lines of “PSA Complete blem lowers” and / or “DelTon Complete uppers” but, the time you spend looking for those would likely be better spent perusing PSA’s website ….


    ETA: oops, just read MD compliant. Well, that nixes the uppers I went with but, there are HBAR uppers out there.


    Best o’ Success!
     

    gwchem

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 18, 2014
    3,434
    SoMD
    Anderson lower. Cmmg lower parts kit, milspec trigger.

    Lowest upper is probably bear creek arsenal, but be prepared to send it back a few times before it's reliable.
     

    Mr.Culper

    Active Member
    Jan 16, 2021
    858
    Reliable? as in accuracy or wont go bang?
    They have some heavy barrels in the $97 range,, but I was going to stay away from their uppers/BCG,,,


    Anderson lower. Cmmg lower parts kit, milspec trigger.

    Lowest upper is probably bear creek arsenal, but be prepared to send it back a few times before it's reliable.
     

    SkiPatrolDude

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 24, 2017
    3,331
    Timonium-Lutherville
    Inexperienced at building + cheap parts is a recipe for failure. If you can at least guide them and ensure they have the right tools, then go for it.

    If they want cheap, I'd recommend they "dip a toe in" and buy a Delton or PSA complete HBAR upper and have them assemble the lower. Less to mess up and they can at least feel like they built something. A PSA lower plus their MOE build kit runs around $200 total. Pair that to a $300 or less upper and you've got an arguably gun for $500 or less. Delton gives the option to have the barrel chrome lined for something like $30, which I think is well worth it.

    In today's market there is absolutely no good reason not have a chrome lined or nitride treated barrel.

    Headspace the bolt and go shoot. Just make sure your trigger springs are oriented correctly.
     

    Mr.Culper

    Active Member
    Jan 16, 2021
    858
    Thanks for all the suggestions.
    I did have another thought,, I had planned on them doing 80% lowers, I have access to mills and the jigs and 2 experienced 80% folks.
    BUT,, that may complicate things f they decided they wanted to sell it a year down the road?
     

    Mr.Culper

    Active Member
    Jan 16, 2021
    858
    I think that is a damn good idea to buy a completed upper.
    I and 2 others would be hands on assisting on "build day"
    Thought was,, If they built it (with our help) they would be more likely to continue to enjoy it at the range.

    Of all my firearms I lost in the canoe accident,, My favorite bar none is a ML I built with/for my daughter many years ago. It is one rough ugly gun,, but it brings me more joy than all my other guns put together.

    Inexperienced at building + cheap parts is a recipe for failure. If you can at least guide them and ensure they have the right tools, then go for it.

    If they want cheap, I'd recommend they "dip a toe in" and buy a Delton or PSA complete HBAR upper and have them assemble the lower. Less to mess up and they can at least feel like they built something. A PSA lower plus their MOE build kit runs around $200 total. Pair that to a $300 or less upper and you've got an arguably gun for $500 or less. Delton gives the option to have the barrel chrome lined for something like $30, which I think is well worth it.

    In today's market there is absolutely no good reason not have a chrome lined or nitride treated barrel.

    Headspace the bolt and go shoot. Just make sure your trigger springs are oriented correctly.
     

    slsc98

    Ultimate Member
    May 24, 2012
    6,746
    Escaped MD-stan to WNC Smokies
    Thanks for all the suggestions.
    I did have another thought,, I had planned on them doing 80% lowers, I have access to mills and the jigs and 2 experienced 80% folks.
    BUT,, that may complicate things f they decided they wanted to sell it a year down the road?

    It will complicate things no matter how you shake it out … unless complication is an enticement (I do know souls who delight in complication; many of them have fabulous collections … which they cannot shoot … )
     

    slsc98

    Ultimate Member
    May 24, 2012
    6,746
    Escaped MD-stan to WNC Smokies
    I think that is a damn good idea to buy a completed upper.
    I and 2 others would be hands on assisting on "build day"
    Thought was,, If they built it (with our help) they would be more likely to continue to enjoy it at the range….

    I think that is a damn good idea to buy a completed upper.
    I and 2 others would be hands on assisting on "build day"
    Thought was,, If they built it (with our help) they would be more likely to continue to enjoy it at the range….

    Might I suggest buying either a complete - Quality - upper AND lower or a complete - Quality - gun and then simply showing them how first field- and then detail- strip and properly reassemble them?

    I mean, given your audience, in reality, what’s the difference between “building” an AR vs disassembling a lower down to nothingness and then reassembling it?

    They’re gonna get to use all the same nifty punches, etc., right?

    That’d be my route, oh sh*t wait, it’s been my route … there was this thing called Basic Training … :lol2:
     

    omegared24

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 23, 2011
    4,747
    Ijamsville, MD
    I think it always makes sense to assemble a reasonably priced lower with quality parts. SOLGW sells an LPK kit with grip and trigger for under $100. You can get a BCM buffer kit for under $60. Stripped lower for another $120 and you're there.

    With that you can get a cheap upper for now and give yourself room to upgrade. Upper prices can range dramatically due to barrel, bcg and handguard prices.
     

    slsc98

    Ultimate Member
    May 24, 2012
    6,746
    Escaped MD-stan to WNC Smokies
    Some of the MD compliant AR’s are approaching reasonable prices, almost pre-COVID/riotous time.

    ^This^ is true and I’ll add - and we all know -

    IT COULD ALL CHANGE / revert back to stupinsane prices, IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE … it could be anything unforeseen … CONUS, on the World Stage, a natural or man made disaster …

    MD compliant AR’s are approaching reasonable prices and thus any reasonable person not already owning “too many” should be approaching a purchase! :lol:


    Personally, I spent March and April of this year buying for my grandkids’ kids’ (kids). They’ll probably need a map and shovels but, by golly, the purchase part is done! :party29:
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    Gym Ratz had great deals ......... As long as you purchased merchandise that was already physically in front of you in the shop at the time you made payment .
     

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