Building an AR questions!

[twitchyfinger]

Hello all I'm another from the "other" side here. I am looking at building an AR-15 of some sort. CDNN has a factory Colt SP1 pre ban upper for sale in new cond for $400 (you will have to download there PDF catalog to view ad). It is a 20" chrome lined barrel w/ flash hider, tear drop forward assist, and triangular handguards. No bolt, charge handle etc. My question: is this a good deal or is it a better investment to go with a J&T complete kit for $450? My intention was hoping to build some sort of AR for a little less than buying a complete rifle. Any help on what to buy for a good quality econo AR would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks, Twitchy

[Circuits]

The SP1 upper will be chrome lined barrel and of very high quality. But the bolt, carrier and charging handle will run you close to another $150, and you're stuck welding, soldering or pinning on a post-ban legal brake, and grinding off the bayonet lug to comply with the 94 assault weapons ban.

Path of least resistance would be J&T, unless you've just GOTTA have that authentic SP1 look.

[twitchyfinger]

So the flash hider currently on there is not legal and you would have to replace it with a post ban break? Yeah they are cool looking but I don't HAVE to have the SP1 look and your right the bolt and everything would be more and add to the $400 price tag really quick. I am leaning towards a JT kit for the price comes with everything but the reciever. Now just have to figure out which reciever. Wish a was rich and could afford a $500 stainless but there are others that will work just as well. Any recommendations for a good reciever for a JT kit? I was reading DavidB's thread about his experiences with different recievers. Too many choices guess that's a good thing!!! Thanks for the imput!!

[Circuits]

A $75 Eagle Arms lower (Armalite) from Quantico Arms is probably the very best bang for the buck.

Rock River, CMT, Olympic Arms and DPMS are all also fine choices, but get progressively more expensive.

The absolute top of the heap would be a Bushmaster or Colt, but they're also the most expensive.

[twitchyfinger]

Yeah I have looked at those and was also interested in the mega lower receiver have you ever worked with one of those? In the reading in the ar.com thread there is a guy (carricozarmory) who is selling them and sounds like a great product for $89.http://www.carricozarmory.com Any thoughts on those?

[twitchyfinger]

I have decided to get the J&T complete kit for my first build just for ease of headaches. I am still deciding if I should pay extra for a chrome lined barrel or just go with the standard chrome moly steel barrel. The chrome moly barrel is an ER shaw who makes the colt barrels and the chrome lined barrels are Wilson and cost more, tough decision there: accuracy/longevity. My other question is how hard is it to actually assemble the a parts lit in a lower? I am a factory Harley mechanic by trade and can alomst dis an reassemble an ak FCG blindfolded. I know there are alot more parts to an AR but is it really that hard or should I buy an assembeled lower. To me that would be taking most the fun out of building but on the other hand I dont want to mess it up either!!!

[Circuits]

The mega and stinger lowers are also OK, but more expensive than the eagle. I've never worked with mega or stinger myself, but can vouch for the quality of the eagle.


Putting a lower together is not hard, but it does require special patience or special tools for the bolt hold-open roll pin, sometimes for the pivot pin detent spring and pin, and requires special care when installing the trigger guard roll pin so you don't break off one of the wings. These operations can be done without the special tools made for 'em, but requires a lot of care and patience, especially your first time - the tools just make it a lot easier.

[droog]

I got myself some of that magnetic sign material the kind that they make those signs that go on Pickup doors. I turn it magnetic side up and it keeps all those little PITA parts from rolling away.