Started pricing out a custom build

[Darkpriest667]

No, you don’t need the FA. They sell a plug that will fill it.

Well I already have the assist and the dust cover. I'll leave the dust cover off.. but I was having a hell of a time getting the pin into the assist and I want to leave it out if I can, but if I HAVE to plug it I'll just put the assist in.

 

[Big Green]

Well I already have the assist and the dust cover. I'll leave the dust cover off.. but I was having a hell of a time getting the pin into the assist and I want to leave it out if I can, but if I HAVE to plug it I'll just put the assist in.

You don’t have to fill it. It’s fine the way it is.

 

[Byrd666]

For later perusal

 

[zackmars]

Not having the FA or the plug can allow dirt/debris in the action, and if you ever find yourself shooting left handed, gas you in short order.

If you already have the barrel nut installed, and cant get the dust cover on normally, just remove the C-clip on the rod, and install it from the rear end of the reciever, vs the front

 

[Mike_from_Texas]

Well its not like its going to change color to black, it'll still look the same

Then what would it look like?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[zackmars]

Then what would it look like?


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It'll look like the natural color of metal, which looks a lot like the color of NiB coatings

We are not talking about hard chrome here, due to the way NiB "sits" it creates less surface area that will contact the upper, this also means it wears extremely fast.

 

[zackmars]

 

[lightflyer1]

You need to watch for stuff on sale or used. Just bought two receivers and 2 BCG's from the thread on here.

M16 Bolt Carrier Group – 5.56 Nickel Boron Carrier – C158 Bolt – Inventory Close Out $69.95
ATI AR15 Milsport Forged Lower Receiver with Parts Kit Installed - Special Purchase - Limited Quantity $79.95

I keep buying when I find good deals. I saved $60 just on those two items over your first post prices. But I don't need a lot of that name brand stuff with extremely high costs. I built two rifles for $300 each this time.

 

[zackmars]

Nvm

 

[lightflyer1]

I haven't found that to be exactly true. I have tried some of the name brand stuff and wasn't any happier with it than the cheap stuff. There are exceptions but for the most part a lot of the high dollar stuff is for the name only. Some of the cheaper stuff does extremely well but can be a hit or miss on trying it out the first time. I have bought both the ATI and Anderson products and they are about the same to me. I bet the BCG are perfectly fine as well. No way I am going to pay $200+ for a name brand front handguard new. There are perfectly good triggers out there as well that aren't $200. The ALG ACT is a great trigger for $70. Used almost new stuff can also be had rather cheap when others are upgrading. I am not an operator though and just want to shoot and hit what I aim at out to 400 yards or so. I did it easily in the military and still do. I have shot $1500 AR's and haven't found them to be much better for me than the cheaper ones I have built. I have about 12 now and only one has high dollar stuff on it. The first one I built. Since then I haven't found the need for another expensive AR.

 

[zackmars]

I haven't found that to be exactly true. I have tried some of the name brand stuff and wasn't any happier with it than the cheap stuff. There are exceptions but for the most part a lot of the high dollar stuff is for the name only. Some of the cheaper stuff does extremely well but can be a hit or miss on trying it out the first time. I have bought both the ATI and Anderson products and they are about the same to me. I bet the BCG are perfectly fine as well. No way I am going to pay $200+ for a name brand front handguard new. There are perfectly good triggers out there as well that aren't $200. The ALG ACT is a great trigger for $70. Used almost new stuff can also be had rather cheap when others are upgrading. I am not an operator though and just want to shoot and hit what I aim at out to 400 yards or so. I did it easily in the military and still do. I have shot $1500 AR's and haven't found them to be much better for me than the cheaper ones I have built. I have about 12 now and only one has high dollar stuff on it. The first one I built. Since then I haven't found the need for another expensive AR.

A lot of the cheap stuff is cheap because either the design was from another company, using components or materials from China, Taiwan, etc, have little to no quality control, and more.

Ati and anderson have bad habits of improperly cut parts, lowers that aren't properly finished, and magwells that range from a gaping black hole to tighter than a nuns a**

You mention the ALG ACT, which tends to feel the same as their cheaper QMS trigger, and is only 10$ cheaper than a larue mbt2s

Your cheap BCG might work, but is the gas key properly sealed? Did they use the proper screws? Are they properly torqued? What spring and insert are used in the extractor? What material is the bolt? Proper C158? HPT/MPI?

QC costs.

Sure it'll work for awhile, and it'll get you hits at 400 yards, but there's a reason why LaRue, BCM, Giessele, SOLGW, DD, KAC, Radian, LMT are still doing well despite the dozens of companies offering mich cheaper alternatives.

Sorry, but your $400 build will not compare to higher end options

 

[lightflyer1]

Not all inexpensive stuff is cheap cr@p. Not everything from somewhere else is inferior or stolen ideas or of poor QC. He listed Anderson in his list so mine is as good or better than his, according to you, but mine was cheaper. I also have no issues with them (Anderson or ATI). Over the last 10 or 12 years I have put these together I have had no failures or issues with the stuff I have bought and am using. I bought one or two things I wasn't happy with and gave away or disposed of, but the vast majority is working just fine. My gunsmith hasn't had any issues with the stuff I have when I have questioned him about it.

I am not saying my $400 gun compares with a high dollar AR, just that there is really no need to spend that kind of money to have a very nice rifle. How much it costs isn't a good indicator of the quality in most things anyway. Just because it costs a bazillion dollars doesn't necessarily make it great. There is an IPhone that costs $36,120 but it isn't any better at doing its job than the one that costs $1k. Some will buy the $36k one and others will be happy with the $1k one. Both will do the job just fine.

https://caviar.global/caviar-iphone-x-en/russia-imperatorskaya-korona/

 

[zackmars]

Not all inexpensive stuff is cheap cr@p. Not everything from somewhere else is inferior or stolen ideas or of poor QC. He listed Anderson in his list so mine is as good or better than his, according to you, but mine was cheaper. I also have no issues with them (Anderson or ATI). Over the last 10 or 12 years I have put these together I have had no failures or issues with the stuff I have bought and am using. I bought one or two things I wasn't happy with and gave away or disposed of, but the vast majority is working just fine. My gunsmith hasn't had any issues with the stuff I have when I have questioned him about it.

I am not saying my $400 gun compares with a high dollar AR, just that there is really no need to spend that kind of money to have a very nice rifle. How much it costs isn't a good indicator of the quality in most things anyway. Just because it costs a bazillion dollars doesn't necessarily make it great. There is an IPhone that costs $36,120 but it isn't any better at doing its job than the one that costs $1k. Some will buy the $36k one and others will be happy with the $1k one. Both will do the job just fine.

https://caviar.global/caviar-iphone-x-en/russia-imperatorskaya-korona/

Not everything cheap is crap, just a good amount of it is.

Amd i never said just because a part comes from "somewhere else" means it's crap. But it's no secret that one country above all others has Its entire national identity based on IP theft, and also makes a ton of cheap gun parts. Lots of these parts make their way into cheap guns, and when you buy 5-6 lower parts kits and have to toss 1/3rd of the takedown and pivot pin detents and springs because they are out of spec, and nearly all the bolt catches, you start to understand why the same kit from BCM or SOLGW costs more, because they do quality control.


Your iphone example is extremely flawed.


If you are happy with your ar's, thats great, but if your critera is getting hits at 400 yards, you aren't exactly demanding much from your rifle.


And yes, if you do want a *nice* rifle, you aren't going to get there with a $300 budget, unless you get some crazy deals.

 

[lightflyer1]

Plenty of the working parts can be found here and made here for a decent price and are good quality. $200+ front handguards and such I think is outrageous. Not much proprietary there. Just a tube basically with cutouts and some screws. Stocks fall in here too and can be very expensive as well. I seldom get a chance to shoot out past 400 yards anyway since leaving the military long ago. Kind of like having a sports car that will go 160 mph but you can't drive it half that fast unless you are on a track (almost never) or a law breaker. Hitting an 8" plate at 400 yards is okay with me. Some people can afford the expense and/or like to throw around the names of the products they have or just want a dress rifle and cool looks. If it gives you any better accuracy I am probably no longer capable of it any more anyway. It isn't like I am carrying it everyday for life and death battles. It is just a tool to me, and I don't have SnapOn either I have Craftsmen tools for the most part. They do the job and cost significantly less money.

But if you like spending $1500+ on an AR go ahead. I will stick with my lower cost builds. They are custom just not exorbitantly expensive.

 

[zackmars]

Plenty of the working parts can be found here and made here for a decent price and are good quality. $200+ front handguards and such I think is outrageous. Not much proprietary there. Just a tube basically with cutouts and some screws. Stocks fall in here too and can be very expensive as well. I seldom get a chance to shoot out past 400 yards anyway since leaving the military long ago. Kind of like having a sports car that will go 160 mph but you can't drive it half that fast unless you are on a track (almost never) or a law breaker. Hitting an 8" plate at 400 yards is okay with me. Some people can afford the expense and/or like to throw around the names of the products they have or just want a dress rifle and cool looks. If it gives you any better accuracy I am probably no longer capable of it any more anyway. It isn't like I am carrying it everyday for life and death battles. It is just a tool to me, and I don't have SnapOn either I have Craftsmen tools for the most part. They do the job and cost significantly less money.

But if you like spending $1500+ on an AR go ahead. I will stick with my lower cost builds. They are custom just not exorbitantly expensive.

Currently, my most expensive AR is at $1100, before optics and lights.

That $200 handguard costs $200 because it's not some rebranded Chinese part, actually has picatinny rails/keymod/mlok slots that are in spec, and won't just be some friction fit thing that comes loose after a few mags.

You don't need to be a crazy long distance shooter to see the difference in quality. When you slam down on a barricade and your rail falls off, or have half your stuff fall off because the aluminum used is soft as cheese, be unable to zero BUIS because the rail is as straight as the letter Q...

If it was truly a "tool" to you, I'd think you'd be trying to get something nicer than a $300 ar. What barrels do you even use?

 

[lightflyer1]

Done here. I don't slam down on anything now days. I am not in the military any more and treat my tools with more respect today as their use is different from then. As I said I have not had any issues you speak of. You buy and use yours and I will too. Both of us will be happy.

 

[Pistol Pete]

Brownells sells an XBRN16E1 that's light weight, copy of what we took to Vietnam in 1967. It's not really an M16 but looks like one. It's too pricey for me but I'd like to have it.

 

[Mohawk600]

I bought a SWAT LE turn in RRA that was $1200 brand new retail........I paid $500. That gun sat in an arms room and went out on qualifications every year for most of it's life. It may have been taken out on raids but I bet was never if hardly fired at a perp. Expensive rifle on the cheap.

 

[lightflyer1]

That is what I am talking about! Great deal!

 

[Dead Roman]

Use a toolcraft BCG and swap the anderson for an aero m4e1