Reputable (Mil-Spec Or Better) Manufacturer vs. Home Build AR-15

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

So I just recently came across this video while reading up on .300 BLK here at PF. An interesting comment was made in it, that you shouldn't home build an AR-15 for various reasons (which were not discussed) and that you should buy Mil-Spec from quality makers.



I find this interesting in that I know for a fact that many of the better known AR-15 builders are not only outsourcing their parts to a large degree and/or competing heavily enough on price as to be suspect of minimizing QC costs into their production.

That being said, I know there are a lot of things that go into 'putting together' an AR-15 that your average person either doesn't know the 'correct' way or just plain messes up and doesn't care. Anybody care to share their thoughts on this matter?

[Unobtanium]

I personally feel that I am capable of producing and equal or better AR, given quality parts, vs. "the factory", after owning multiple Daniel Defense and Colt rifles.

[mtnbkr]

I'm far from an expert in ARs, but have assembled 2 complete guns from a pile of parts (including installing barrels into uppers) and have assembled 3 lowers that were mated with vendor-assembled uppers. All of them would be considered "budget" or "cheap" builds by the standards of this crowd.

All of the guns have been 100% reliable. My current gun only fell below 100% when I started mucking about with adjustable gas blocks and lightweight BCGs. That doesn't count in my opinion because I'm experimenting and understand the cause of the failures (all related to not enough gas to properly drive the gun with a given load). This gun was the only one to get a scope, and then only for a limited time, but it would hold better than 1" at 50yds with Prvi Partizan 75gr "match" ammo. I didn't have the scope on it for long, so I don't know if other loads would do better or if other tweaks could have gotten it down into the MOA range. I shoot it with a red dot or BUIS and can't do better than 1"@50 un-magnified.

I haven't kept precise records on how much I've shot it, but based on purchases, I'm somewhere in the 700-1200 range. Much of that is cheap steel cased stuff, though I have 400-odd brass cases that went through this gun.

My point to all this is that building an AR isn't exactly challenging and you can come out with a usable weapon without dropping a grand into it. It's also a fun project and helps you understand how the platform operates.

Chris

[RevolverRob]

Depends on what you need. Custom guns are obviously very capable given time, fitting, and quality parts. My current favorite little 9mm AR is a complete home-built project.

But my next AR will probably be a quality factory gun for two reasons. 1) I want my next setup to be suppressor ready. 2) I want my next setup to be sub-MOA capable. While I'm confident I could build such a gun, it is easier to purchase a more specialized setup from the folks who have done the R&D and to get everything working right.

[HCM]

You can have the best parts in the world but proper assembly is still critical.

There is a difference between assembly and proper assembly to proper specs. This is where many home builders fail.

No one I'm aware of makes an AR 100% in house. Most mil spec or better builders are using parts from the same places, things like micro best BCG and Schmidt Tool LPK.

In some instances like barrels, the question is not who made it but what or whose specs they made it to.

With factory Colts selling in the $700 to $800 range is it worth buying the tools necessary to build an AR for a casual user ?

With AR-15s, particularly in 5.56 there is a baseline standard most parts are built to. With AR-10's there is no standard and compatibility is a real issue. There are multiple "patterns" and no guarantee parts from one manufacturer will work with another's parts even if they are the same "pattern."

[HCM]

I personally feel that I am capable of producing and equal or better AR, given quality parts, vs. "the factory", after owning multiple Daniel Defense and Colt rifles.

You probably can but how much time and effort did it take you to get there ? For the average joe? maybe not so much.

[HCM]

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[37th Mass]

I think it depends on what you want the AR-15 for.

On one hand, building AR-15's can be fun and educational. I just built my first, a 6.8, for hog and deer hunting. I used (mostly) milspec parts, and it seems to function fine. Accuracy is sufficient for ethical hunting out to 300 yards. I had fun and learned a lot. But my life won't depend on that weapon.

If you need an AR-15 that your life might depend on, you would probably be better off spending more money and buying a proven rifle from a respected manufacturer.

[olstyn]

With factory Colts selling in the $700 to $800 range is it worth buying the tools necessary to build an AR for a casual user?

That probably depends on how many ARs said "casual user" expects to build, much like decisions about whether to start loading your own ammo tend to revolve around where the "break even" point is and how long you expect it to take you to get there, along with how much free time you have. How much do the tools needed for AR building cost, and how much do you [typically] save by building your own vs buying "off the shelf" options?

[HCM]

That probably depends on how many ARs said "casual user" expects to build, much like decisions about whether to start loading your own ammo tend to revolve around where the "break even" point is and how long you expect it to take you to get there, along with how much free time you have. How much do the tools needed for AR building cost, and how much do you [typically] save by building your own vs buying "off the shelf" options?

Someone with more than a couple AR's is likely not a casual user. The cost / benefit varies but at current pricing it is not worth it for most.

When I got back in the AR market in 2007 factory Colts weee $1500 ish and hard to come by. BCM and DD were not yet or just starting to make complete guns. At the time buying LMT uppers and lowers was the way to go but now? It's hard to beat a Colt OEM.