Build Ideas

outrider58 · Jun 24, 2019

Speed3 said:
As a first AR, I would still recommend buying complete upper. Schmuck or not. Once you move past your first, then you can play around....but who wants to spend $800 on an upper and have to trouble shoot it?

WildWeasel said:
Not sure why anyone interested in doing anything related to firearms (aside from banning, seizing, or sawing them in half...) would be a schmuck.

Can any one of you point out where I called the OP a schmuck? Holy crap sandwich.

When you set out to take Vienna, TAKE VIENNA!

OP, if you want to BUILD an AR, build it. That's how you'll learn. You won't do any permanent damage. There's a world of information out there. Use it. There are plenty of good people here who are more than willing to help you along the way. Use them.

calicojack · Jun 24, 2019

I am not a skilled artisan, yet I have built 2 uppers from parts. (I proudly wear the schmuck badge). So if I can do it, you can do it. You do need a couple specialized tools. I used an Odin works barrel and gas block (sold as a set) which has marks to get the gas block and port line up perfectly. Lots of info around here.

[EDIT] Anyways - to answer your question; I would built a 16 or 18" barreled rifle with a free-floated hand guard. Some of them come with a wrench that will fit and most don't require to be "keyed" for the gas tube. Read some of the threads around here and all of this will make sense.

If you want to go the route of a pistol, then 300 blackout with a 10" barrel is hard to beat.

K-43 · Jun 24, 2019

outrider58 said:
When you set out to take Vienna, TAKE VIENNA!

Beware of Poles in the afternoon.

smokey · Jun 25, 2019

https://palmettostatearmory.com/sb-tactical-adjustable-4-position-arm-brace-black-sba3-01-sb.html

Hot price on a sba3....$100. Do ittttt you know you want to. You can still put a 16"+ upper on it, but it frees you up for shorter lengths for your....ah hem...pistol build

Steve_Zissou · Jun 25, 2019

Ask yourself a handful of honest questions:
1: What do I like?
2: What do I want to use it for?
3: Is what I like appropriate for what I want to use it for? (i.e. "is the JP-tastic fine-tuned race gun of my dreams really the best thing for an SHTF bug-out piece?"; "is the 'here they come to snuff the rooster' A1 clone that I lust over really the best thing to get into 3-gun with?"; or "is my PDW-braced 8" barreled honey badger wannabe really the best thing to get into long distance shooting with?")
and 4: Are my mechanical abilities up to building what I want?

Don't ask yourself what the best 1st AR build is until you've asked yourself those questions, as there's really no such thing as a "perfect 1st AR build" because for one guy, it's a quad-railed ~2004-era M4 clone, for another guy, it's a free-floated operator piece with Geisselle everything, for another guy it's an Arnie-tastic A2 clone, and for another guy it's a 24" bull-barreled varmint gun in 6.5 Grendel, etc, etc, etc.

Find what speaks to you, and go for it! If you've never turned a wrench in your life and aren't adventurous, then buy a pre-built or barreled upper! If you can gap your own spark plugs and change your own ball joints, or if you don't, but think you could after watching enough YouTube tutorials, then build it from scratch!

Bob A · Jun 25, 2019

Be aware that a new AR lower can be built into a pistol format as well as a rifle, BUT if it is first built as a rifle, it cannot ever be turned into a pistol. However, if it is built as a pistol first, it can go back and forth as you may desire.

Chad has AR Armorer's classes as well as build classes. My first class with him was the Armorer's class. I brought a new Colt AR to that class, stripped it down and had every aspect of it gauged to specifications. As it turned out, it was well within recommended parameters. Had I bought an El Cheapo $399.99 special, Chad would have helped me raise it to the peak of AR perfection.

Subsequently I took his Build class, and made a nice 300BLK pistol. A second build class turned another one of my 2013 lowers into a rifle, but once the lower was built, I first popped my 300BLK upper on it, along with a pistol brace, thus making it legally hermaphroditic.

Ammo Jon · Jun 25, 2019

jstolz said:
Just bought a lower from Gym Rats. Any ideas on what to build? This is my first build so easier the better. I was thinking of getting a complete upper.

I honestly think for a first build buy something that is inexpensive to shoot. Something along the lines of 223/556.

omegared24 · Jun 25, 2019

Buy or build the first one...doesn't matter. Everyone should own multiple uppers anyway so you'll have your chance to build.

clandestine · Jun 25, 2019

Trust no parts or something that is already built.

AR Build Junkie Question: Speaking of not understanding the weapon…You’ll hear certain folks talk about the AR as “Legos for adults”, which I know causes some to cringe. Can you explain why that is, and why it’s NOT the proper way to look at the AR platform?

William Larson, Semper Paratus Arms Answer: The best example I can give is if I give you a Lego set that contains all of the pieces to build the Death Star, and I provide you no instructions, guidance or information…I’m fairly certain you are not going to end up with the Death Star. You’re going to end up with something else.

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