How long does it usually take to build your AR?

KnotRight

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When I am asking how long, not physically but deciding on what you want to build and when to order the parts.
I just finished one lower and I have the receiver in hand (ordered about 2 months ago) but not sure where I want to go from here. Been looking at different rails, barrels, gas blocks and etc. When I order the lower, receiver and trigger I had all the springs, pins and detents on hand.
Now, I have 2 more lowers and was thinking about buying sections/parts over time. Maybe the next 12 months. That is killing my OCD! All of these are the AR-15 platform. Have not started thinking about an AR-10 platform.

I would guess anybody that has built a couple ARs would have a bunch of different spare parts that you did not like and swapped them out for something different laying around. I know that I must have 3 different triggers somewhere in the shop.
 
Do you build to sell? I have thought about starting a AR-10 build but for my use, I can justify the cost compared to buying retail.
Of course the reward in a build has its benefits.
 
David, no I do not build to sell. You can get yourself into some trouble doing that. I enjoy putting (trying to put) things together. When some AR-15 lowers came up for sell at a good price, I bought a them. The only AR-10 that I might be interested in is a 6.5 CM.
 
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it's usually based on my budget, whats on sale at the time, and what role it's gonna fulfill in my arsenal of freedom. I would say from the time I get a lower to the end result, maybe a month or less of getting parts I want.
But then again, I am always upgrading. I built a cheap arse .300BLK using mostly PSA parts and ended up replacing just about every piece on it except the barrel and the receivers. And I used the take off pieces to upgrade a
7.5" 5.56 pistol that I got for next to nothing. Those 2 have been a work in progress for a few months now and I have them almost to where I want them.

I opted not to build a .308AR out of parts since there's really not a set specification for really any of it. DMPS and Armalite are the 2 big patterns but there's stuff out there just won't work with other brands' parts.
The PA10 gen 2 upper and lower than I purchased in 2017 does everything I need a .308 to do...
shoots better than a HK91 clone with similar weight, the mags are cheap, has an accurate stainless barrel and optics....and cost less than I expected.

Less than the cost of a DMPS LR-308 in this one including optics, ADM QD mount, fully adjustable target stock from Luth, and a 3.5lb rise trigger :

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I watch for deals to keep my parts bin stocked. It's been about a year since I built one but it's about time.
 
I wasn’t sure if you were a business with a license.
You can get into trouble trying a build if you don’t know what your doing. I have a couple friends that build and have done a great job. I’m torn between spending the extra money to do it or just buy one as is. I enjoy working on the older firearms.
 
it's usually based on my budget, whats on sale at the time, and what role it's gonna fulfill in my arsenal of freedom. I would say from the time I get a lower to the end result, maybe a month or less of getting parts I want.
But then again, I am always upgrading. I built a cheap arse .300BLK using mostly PSA parts and ended up replacing just about every piece on it except the barrel and the receivers. And I used the take off pieces to upgrade a
7.5" 5.56 pistol that I got for next to nothing. Those 2 have been a work in progress for a few months now and I have them almost to where I want them.
Ilarus1, that is what I am trying to do with my current build. I am thinking a 18" 223 with a A2 stock. Waiting to find the right barrel and rail at the right price before my next step. When I see complete lower part kits on sell I will buy a couple of them. I went to PSA and was buying springs, detents and other stuff separate and it became a PIA.
As a side benefit of doing it this way, I keep the wife off my ass for buying a on of stuff at one time.
 
If you haven't yet joined gun.deals website and mobile app, do it before you buy any more parts. I built an 18" lightweight SPR from parts last year extremely cheap using a deal from gun.deals and alpha shooting sports. Stripped Upper, nitride BCG, and forward assist for $99. I got a Faxon 18" 1:8 twist Gunner and the .625 gas block from Brownells for $145 shipped. The rest was PSA, and a MFT minimalist stock. Optic is a Leupold "American rifleman " Cabelas special with BDC in a ADM mount I traded for. Gun shoots great and cost less than a basic carbine from many brands.
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I wasn’t sure if you were a business with a license.
You can get into trouble trying a build if you don’t know what your doing. I have a couple friends that build and have done a great job. I’m torn between spending the extra money to do it or just buy one as is. I enjoy working on the older firearms.

If you can watch a YouTube video, have a minimal level of dexterity, and can be patient then its pretty darn difficult to get into trouble building an AR. The >only< thing I have ever seen that has a level of precision would possibly be putting a barrel on and making sure it is torqued properly. But most people I know just opt for partially built uppers to begin with so that isn't an issue at all.
 
Man I live on YouTube and viewed several already. I consider myself mechanically incline (jack of all trades master at none), so I’m comfortable with such an indevor.
 
If you can watch a YouTube video, have a minimal level of dexterity, and can be patient then its pretty darn difficult to get into trouble building an AR. The >only< thing I have ever seen that has a level of precision would possibly be putting a barrel on and making sure it is torqued properly. But most people I know just opt for partially built uppers to begin with so that isn't an issue at all.

B00ger you are 100% correct but you should have a few tools that make the build a lot easier. Mainly the tool to put the front take-down pin in, lower vise block, upper vise holder, AR multi-tool and torque wrench.
 
B00ger you are 100% correct but you should have a few tools that make the build a lot easier. Mainly the tool to put the front take-down pin in, lower vise block, upper vise holder, AR multi-tool and torque wrench.

No doubt, the tools are important. What I mean is that it isn't rocket science. Do a little research, watch a few videos, take your time, and put a sheet over you while installing the detent pins and you will be fine. The main danger is that it gets addicting and before you know it you have built 5 of them because PSA keeps having killer deals on kits...
 
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