First AR build (looking for tips)

[AtomicTango]

Honestly, you won't save much (or any) money buying new piece parts and assembling them vs buying a complete rifle. So if your goal is cost savings, just pick up a used AR from the classifieds or something. I've done plenty of PSA builds, and they are just ok. I recommend moving up to something like Aero.

If your goal is the experience of building and being able to tailor every component, then invest in some tools, fire up youtube, and go for it. Its fun and rewarding and you'll never stop thinking about further customizations.

The middle ground between these is going with the barreled upper, and doing the rest yourself. You'll save on tools up front and still have some input on what the final product will be. Then, if you like, you can go for upper assembly later when you feel the itch to change everything up.

JEVapa has some great advice above.

 

[Letfreedomring]

If you do decide to build, it is mandatory to get an oops kit because detents and springs WILL go flying into oblivion guarandamnteed!

 

[LongDDan]

PSA Daily Deals is a great start

Danny

 

[Valhallajack]

Honestly, you won't save much (or any) money buying new piece parts and assembling them vs buying a complete rifle. So if your goal is cost savings, just pick up a used AR from the classifieds or something. I've done plenty of PSA builds, and they are just ok. I recommend moving up to something like Aero.

If your goal is the experience of building and being able to tailor every component, then invest in some tools, fire up youtube, and go for it. Its fun and rewarding and you'll never stop thinking about further customizations.

The middle ground between these is going with the barreled upper, and doing the rest yourself. You'll save on tools up front and still have some input on what the final product will be. Then, if you like, you can go for upper assembly later when you feel the itch to change everything up.

JEVapa has some great advice above.

know nada, but aren't several models made in the same places, they just put aero on it but PSA comes out of the same factory? again not saying I know because I don't just asking.....

 

[Duncandl]

I second the tools, I got lucky years ago and scored a nice reaction rod from Geisselle on this site for next to nothing and it has been loaned out for years without a scratch on it.

As for quality, don’t spend more than you can afford to take a loss on if you don’t like it. Too many posters come on this site talking bad about equipment only to turn around and try to sell it as the next greatest thing. It’s difficult but get what works and upgrade from there, sell the common everyday stuff to buy the high speed stuff.

Don’t buy the $8k AR for sale on here. I have one that is way better and I would let it go for $7500.

 

[Valhallajack]

I second the tools, I got lucky years ago and scored a nice reaction rod from Geisselle on this site for next to nothing and it has been loaned out for years without a scratch on it.

As for quality, don’t spend more than you can afford to take a loss on if you don’t like it. Too many posters come on this site talking bad about equipment only to turn around and try to sell it as the next greatest thing. It’s difficult but get what works and upgrade from there, sell the common everyday stuff to buy the high speed stuff.

Don’t buy the $8k AR for sale on here. I have one that is way better and I would let it go for $7500.

shoot, lucky us, I almost have the $7,500 saved. I will let you know as soon as I'm ready.

 

[JokerofDeath]

The only reason to really build an AR (outside of it being fun) is customization and to slap on the parts you really want on a bare frame. I ordered parts from all over to piece mine together, PSA was great, Stag Arms, Midway, you’ll have to search for the parts you want and the best prices. I have 2 uppers one 20” with a scope and an 11.5” with a red dot. All in all I spent $1200 on my build with the 20” upper and that was back in 2017 not including the scope.

 

[Foxfire5]

The only reason to really build an AR (outside of it being fun) is customization and to slap on the parts you really want on a bare frame. I ordered parts from all over to piece mine together, PSA was great, Stag Arms, Midway, you’ll have to search for the parts you want and the best prices. I have 2 uppers one 20” with a scope and an 11.5” with a red dot. All in all I spent $1200 on my build with the 20” upper and that was back in 2017 not including the scope.

Really can't beat a Adams Arms gas piston upper.

 

[JEVapa]

know nada, but aren't several models made in the same places, they just put aero on it but PSA comes out of the same factory? again not saying I know because I don't just asking.....

No, not necessarily. Most all AR receivers (upper and lower) are forgings. There are a bunch of forges that provide these to manufacturers (see list below). What matters is who does the machining to these forgings for a final product. Some places do their own machining and some use Contract Manufacturers (CM). LMT makes their own forgings and mills them themselves as well as provides forgings. Anderson uses various forgings and mills them. Aero, being in Tacoma, and PSA, being in SC, probably don't use the same CM and probably machine their own. They may use the same forgings, but they aren't made by the same people.

Companies that make billet receivers, either machine themselves or use CMs. For example, LaRue machines almost everything inhouse minus some small parts. JP does too for the most part as does Geissele. Some companies have CMs make their parts to their specs and then assemble/finish them or some combination thereof.

All these forgings are good. It's the end product which is good or bad or mediocre depending on the machining done. I've seen "good" forge marked uppers that suck hind *** and "bad" forge marked uppers that are awesome. It's not the forge but the end maker.
You can find out what forges are good and bad on AR15.com...they know everything, you'll know this because they say so.

AR receiver forge marks. Most Common you'll see.
A (Splintered) = Anchor Harvey Aluminum
AF = Alcoa Forge
C AF = Colt Alco Forge
C MB = Colt / Mueller Brass
Cardinal (Stylized) = Cardinal Forge
CH = Colt Harvey Aluminum
Circle/Crosshairs w/ “AR” = ArmaLite
CK = Colt / Kaiser Aluminum
CM = Colt / Martin Marietta
D (Stylized) = Diemaco
DK = Diemaco / Kaiser Aluminum
E = Emco
EK = EMCO / Kaiser
E MB = EMCO / Mueller Brass
F Keyhole = FNMI / Cerro Forge
FA = FNMI / Anchor Harvey
FK = FNMI / Kaiser Aluminum
FM = FN/Martin Marietta
FMB = FNMI / Mueller Brass
Keyhole = Cerro Forge
L = Lewis Machine & Tool
LK = LAR / Kaiser Aluminum
LM = LAR / Martin Marietta
M (Under Diamond) = Mueller Industries
PA = Capco / Anchor Harvey
PM = Capco / Martin Marietta
Square = Brass Aluminum Forging Enterprises

 

[Duncandl]

To add to what was just shared I was building my SBR and wanted to hide my silencer inside the forward grip. The silencer Outside Diameter was 1.5" and it was tough to find a "fancy" guard to hide most of the long silencer. Long story short, I called a few of the manufacturers of the pieces I wanted but it had to be RAW, it was already headed for some Bazooka Green makeup. I called Seekins and a young lady answered the phone in what sounded like a small shop. I told her what I was looking for and she yelled across the room to pull one of the hand guards off the line it doesn't need to be finished for this guy. She asked for my credit card info and address and it was on my doorstep less than a week later.

True story, I still have that hand guard as Geisselle tempted me too much.