Just picked up the custom AR build I've been waiting on for over a year and a half...

[68mustang]

Just a thought, but I've heard a lot of good reviews for the primary arms red dot sights. You could get the reddot and 3x or 6x magnifier for under 200.

http://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_M3_Style_Red_Dot_p/primary arms m3.htm

 

[RedRiverRifleman]

Great looking gun. Do you find it easier to order accessories online or pick them up in a store?

 

[wylekyote]

Thanks. My "friend" (he's actually trying to make things right now, I'm going out to his place this evening to get the rest of the stuff he owes me and some cash back) who has his FFL and I just sat down and started ordering accessories online. I had shot and/or handled several AR's so I had a decent idea of what I wanted. I knew I wanted pop-up iron sights to co-sight with, and I got a good deal on that aimpoint with 3x flip over magnification (which I'm getting tonight and using in place of the trijicon reflex). I knew I wanted quad rails and I liked the feel of the bravo company free floating handguards, so I ordered those too. It was also nice to order online when I was getting things like my .22 kit, because all of the accessories are available at the same time (like the drum mag, which I haven't seen in any local gun shops).

The only things that I've bought from a local store (vs online) are:
Ergo grips ($28?)
Single-point sling mount ($12?)
Single-point sling ($35?)
6-24/50 scope (cheapy, but sure gets the job done) ($115)
Scope rings/mount for picatinny rails ($40)

I did find out that my upper is in fact a 16" BCM with chrome lined barrel and it was ordered with the handguards already installed I believe. We're going to check receipts tonight to see what lower and LPK I originally ordered (and paid for) and then he'll either give me the cash difference between my DPMS lower and the nicer one I actually bought, or I'll give him the DPMS back and have him order me the correct lower. Since I haven't had to mess with FFL transfers (I just assume that the guy I got the gun from is filling out the appropriate paperwork...) I can't remember for sure, is it the upper that requires an FFL transfer?

Actually. . .It must be the lower that requires an FFL transfer, since it's stamped with all identifying info. . .so I guess I'll either get him to have the new lower shipped to his house or I'll have him send it to my local range/gun shop and just pay the transfer fee. He lives way the hell out in Hominy, and I'm from Tulsa, so it would probably be cheaper to pay the transfer fee at the range than drive to Hominy and back.

Since it's looking like I'm going to be getting a new lower, and I'm not 100% on what brand I would like to replace it with (I'll find the receipt from the one I ordered and then I can add/subtract money as needed for the new lower), could anyone give me a good recommendation on brand? Noveske is bad ass, and there's the always tacti-cool Larue, POF, RRA, DD, etc. I just don't know which to pick. I mean the DD is only $25 more than my dpms (assuming I can reuse the LPK that was installed in my DPMS lower?...). For about $40 more (more than what the DPMS cost, at least. Maybe not $40 more than what I originally paid) I can get a Noveske.

Opinions?

 

[wylekyote]

I just found a post saying that this single manufacturer makes a ton of lowers for a bunch of different companies. Here's a quote of it:

Lewis Machine & Tool makes
•LMT
•Lauer
•DS Arms
•PWA
•Eagle
•Armalite
•Knights Armament
•Barrett
Continental Machine Tool "CMT" makes
•Stag
•Rock River Arms
•High Standard
•Noveske
•Century (New)
•Global Tactical
•CLE
•S&W
•MGI
•Wilson Tactical
•Grenadier Precision
•Colt
LAR Manufacturing makes
•LAR
•Bushmaster
•Ameetec
•DPMS
•CMMG
•Double Star
•Fulton Armory
•Spike's Tactical

It's kinda looking like switching lowers would primarily be a cosmetic thing. While I have to admit I like the engraving on the Noveskes, DD's, and Spike's, will switching to one of those brand lowers make much, if any, difference? If going through the hassle of ordering a new lower and then swapping it out for my dpms isn't worth any potential benefits, then maybe I'll just leave it be and buy a new trigger or something . . .

Oh, and for whoever asked about whether the grip pod has the metal strips running down the inside (in other words, whether it's real), and I was going to let you know that mine DOES have a metal piece in each leg of the bipod running up perpendicular to the main plastic piece of the leg (kind of forming a "T" shaped joint for strength). Like I said, I got that before a lot of people even knew they existed, so I was 99% sure it was real before but now I'm 100%. The Trijicon reflex is also 100% real, if I didn't clarify that earlier.

 

[Glocktogo]

The lower makes the least difference of any part on the whole gun. So long as it goes together ok and the fire control group pin holes are square and to spec, not much else matters.

 

[jakerz]

Here's one I put together myself with no AR building experience prior. And it is an amazing piece of equipment. $1,600 should get you a nice build.

http://www.okshooters.com/showthread.php?131871-18-quot-SPR-AR-build-**Pic-Heavy**

Good luck!

 

[wylekyote]

Here's one I put together myself with no AR building experience prior. And it is an amazing piece of equipment. $1,600 should get you a nice build.

http://www.okshooters.com/showthread.php?131871-18-quot-SPR-AR-build-**Pic-Heavy**

Good luck!

Nice AR! I couldn't tell real well from the pics because I'm posting from my phone, but did you use any special paint or finishing technique? Since my rifle is two tone (well, just my pmags and mbus are tan) so I've thought about getting out my airbrush and ordering some cerakote or something so I can do a bit more.

Supposedly going to get the rest of my gun stuff today, if it works out I'm gonna be excited! All 14 of my pmags are already full but another 2200 rounds would be nice.

 

[jakerz]

I bought a laundry bag from wal-mart and cut it up and laid it on the gun. Then painged it with alumahyde by brownells. their coyote color is a VERY close match to magpul dark earth. Good luck!

 

[wylekyote]

I bought a laundry bag from wal-mart and cut it up and laid it on the gun. Then painged it with alumahyde by brownells. their coyote color is a VERY close match to magpul dark earth. Good luck!

Awesome, thanks. The pattern is nice, would almost look if you did an entire rifle in OD first and then put the dark earth texture on top. I couldn't remember the name of the color of my pmags and mbus, but I'd like to take the 2-tone look a little further, especially knowing the color now. Might hit the grip pod, part of the stock and maybe the lower, just depends.

Picked up a pretty old really solid 4x scope with great eye relief at a garage sale for $5. Brand markings are nowhere to be found but it will be fun to play with for now and the price was right (also landed a broken Penn sea fishing reel for $3 that I found out goes for up to near $90, so I've already rebuilt the whole thing haha).