Building an affordable mid grade AR 15

[jb28]

I've been on the hunt for an affordable mid grade AR15. I've searched everywhere for kits which I think is the way that I wanna go, just to learn the rifle from the ground up so to speak. I've looked at kits from DPMS, M&A, and more. I really don't wanna spend more than $650 or so. I know I can have one built for around that from ACME in Seymour, but would prefer the joy of building it myself. Where is the the best place to find a DPMS or like, kit and lower, I cant seem to find them in stock anywhere? And yes I have read the "So you wanna build an AR", thread, but I'm looking for up to date info on the kits and stripped lowers. Thanks.

 

[Bubbajms]

Just finished mine!

Stripped lower, IMO, is the hardest part. I ended up finding one as a trade, but lots of shops carry the lowers at halfway decent prices. Then you just build it up as you want, looking for the best price on the individual parts you're looking for at the time. IIRC my LPK is a Stag, but I've had the chance to play with several and they've all been workable. You've got enough posts to work the classified ads here, so just go at your own pace and build it how you want it!

 

[InfraRed]

I just purchased a stripped lower at ORION ARMS in Jeffersonville. Great shop, great staff. My friend bought a Ft Knox (F-T Canowax) safe off of them at a killer deal. Anyway the lowers are from Surplus Arms (Made in the USA) out of Washington state. Good quality work and only $62 !!!!!! So I have been researching also.... Best deal I can find is Delton. They have a custom order sheet, you pick the parts you want in the kit and don't pay for parts that you don't want. they Start at 400 for uppers.

 

[InfraRed]

What ever you don't go cheap on the trigger... Minimum- Rock River 2 Stage Match but if you can afford it get a Geissle (I like the SSA-E).

 

[jonny4523]

M4 Rifle Kits, AR 15 Kits, Gun Kits | Del Ton Rifles from Del-Ton, Inc.

I agree on the statement about the trigger. I love the Rock River 2-stage NM triggers and will be buying a Geissele Service Rifle trigger in about a month.

 

[ghuns]

A little out of the price range but...

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...o_special_ar15_complete_kits_minus_lower.html

Or just pick up one of these to get things started...
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/orion_arms_corp/193230-ar15_stripped_lowers_62_95_a.html

I bought a complete upper in .458 socom a couple weeks ago. Picking up two of these stripped lowers this week. Next week and the week after that, whatever extra cash I have, I just keep picking up parts here and there. Spread it out, makes the wifey just shake her head instead of screaming loudly. The only deadline I have self-imposed is to have the .458 up and running by the last weekend of September for youth deer season.

 

[InfraRed]

M4 Rifle Kits, AR 15 Kits, Gun Kits | Del Ton Rifles from Del-Ton, Inc.

I agree on the statement about the trigger. I love the Rock River 2-stage NM triggers and will be buying a Geissele Service Rifle trigger in about a month.

Good Call on the Del-Ton link.... Thanks

 

[Bubbajms]

I'd say trigger choice is a "How are you going to use this AR" issue. As a fighting carbine, I think the standard mil-spec trigger is pretty good. Many of those "better" triggers are going to blow the OP's intended $650 budget.. If you're going to do more precision shooting at distance, then the better triggers are going to come more into play. Me personally, I know my AR is capable of better shooting than I am, so I don't worry about it - and if I'm going to be shooting that precisely, I'm (personally) grabbing a bolt action rifle with a heck of a scope on it. My .02 of course

 

[netsecurity]

If I was gonna built an affordable custom AR, not necessarily from scratch, I'd probably look at Spike's Tactial first.

 

[HICKMAN]

Acme has several stripped lowers in stock

Drove over from Bedford on Saturday to pick one up.

It was cheaper to get one there than drive down to Jeffersonville or buy one online and pay the FLL shipping.


Everything else you can get online.

I already have an LPK and Daniel Defense barrel coming in from the classifieds on AR15.com

Mine is not so much a budget AR but more a jigsaw puzzle of pieces I collect over time

 

[HICKMAN]

I did notice that Orion did have Rock River rifle kits you might want to look at.

I'd say you could get everything you want and put it together yourself.

Also check out Palmetto State Armory online.

 

[jb28]

Spikes is a little too expensive for my budget, the Delton kits are cool. I like the ability to customize them when you order but none of them are in stock. This is the trouble I was running into.

 

[jb28]

I did notice that Orion did have Rock River rifle kits you might want to look at.

I'd say you could get everything you want and put it together yourself.

Also check out Palmetto State Armory online.

How's the quality of PSA compared to DPMS or Del Ton?

 

[Bubbajms]

That's why I built mine - I could never find the stuff I wanted, so I just spread it out and went piece by piece. I feel like it kept my costs down too..

Edit to add - my upper is a PSA. Nice enough for me, I made mine to be a patrol-style carbine and it fits the bill for that with no trouble..

 

[jb28]

That's why I built mine - I could never find the stuff I wanted, so I just spread it out and went piece by piece. I feel like it kept my costs down too..

Edit to add - my upper is a PSA. Nice enough for me, I made mine to be a patrol-style carbine and it fits the bill for that with no trouble..

How long is your barrel, and what is the minimum length if there is such a thing?

 

[ottoclicker]

Spikes is a little too expensive for my budget, the Delton kits are cool. I like the ability to customize them when you order but none of them are in stock. This is the trouble I was running into.

AR-15 M4 COMPLETE Rifle Kit

Here's a site that has kits in stock, if you can't find anything local. I know a person that ordered one a these kits recently. It came with a Spikes lower and Del-ton upper. Shipping was $8, and prompt. It was delivered to the FFL with in a week of ordering.

 

[Bubbajms]

My barrel is 16''. The way I understand it, the overall length of the barrel (assuming you don't want a pistol, of course) has to be 16'' - you can do a 14'' barrel with a permanently attached 2'' flash suppressor, a 10'' barrel with a permanently attached 6'' flash suppressor, etc - the barrel has to be 16'' at the minimum.

 

[SideArmed]

I just purchased a stripped lower at ORION ARMS in Jeffersonville. Great shop, great staff. My friend bought a Ft Knox (F-T Canowax) safe off of them at a killer deal. Anyway the lowers are from Surplus Arms (Made in the USA) out of Washington state. Good quality work and only $62 !!!!!! So I have been researching also.... Best deal I can find is Delton. They have a custom order sheet, you pick the parts you want in the kit and don't pay for parts that you don't want. they Start at 400 for uppers.

Hey, I resemble that statement.

I too am in this same boat as the others here. I need to find 2 of everything though. I was looking at the Deltons earlier today and think I am going to be going that route for the first one. Then maybe, just maybe gonna SBR the other lower I picked up.

 

[jonny4523]

If you really want to piece everything together yourself, take a look at White Oak for the small pieces and for the barrels. They are very well known in the Highpower world for their quality. And I amazed at how lower their prices are, especially with the high regards that everyone speaks of them.

White Oak Armament

 

[jb28]

Stopped in today at a local shop and they owner told me he could build me a nice Stag for a really good price. Probably gonna go with that. From what I've found out they are on about the same grade level as like a Rock River.