Keep and upgrade or sell and start over?

[FALrunner]

Before the ban I bought a complete bm lower and assembled an A1 style parts upper with a 16" barrel. This "rifle" throws a 4" group at 50 yards, so the barrel is not serviceable for any purpose I have.

I have recently assembled a 16" mid length carbine from good parts, so my need for a tack driver rifle has been met. This rifle will wear an acog TA-31hg when I find one I can afford.

The question I have is about whether to rebarrel the bm, or sell it into a pre ban state and start anew. My intent is to build an sbr at some point, so this could be the time to start that project.

Q1: is the quality of a bm lower built in 1993 suitable for a sbr?

I am also looking for opinions about selling into pre ban states. It seems like a good idea to me.

[TCBA_Joe]

Lower is a lower, and you'd be just as fine with that BM lower as any brand new Noveske or Mega.

That being said, it's worth more sold to a ban state. While you can pick up a lower for next to nothing, you could get 2-3x that selling it, putting more money towards your SBR build from the stripped lower alone.

I'd personally sell it, and buy any number of inexpensive lowers out there. Once you put your own markings on there, there's no resale value anyways, so who cares if it's a $250 LaRue lower or an $80 Palmetto?

[FALrunner]

Thank you for your reply I have been eyeing the Noveske flared lower for a while. An sbr starting with that would also be eligible for the Noveske sbr program too.

That said, I really like centurion barrels and I like the look of their rail too. decisions decisions. :-)

[TehLlama]

I'd consider just building a lightweight 16" Centurion midlength upper for now (make it handy, Title 1, light, and accurate) then start saving for a shorter SBR to build off an FFL lower. Should you decide to sell that lower, it'll retain value as a preban since you haven't sunk a bunch of money into SBR-ing it.

Your remaining upper might be a candidate for a .22 conversion kit

[FALrunner]

I'd consider just building a lightweight 16" Centurion midlength upper for now (make it handy, Title 1, light, and accurate) then start saving for a shorter SBR to build off an FFL lower.

This is what I have just built that the acog is going on... :D I built a complete rifle though, instead of just an upper.

I've pretty well decided to go sbr for the next effort.

[Dos Cylindros]

The BM lower will be fine. Their lowers are good, it is just some of their other major components (the ones that matter) which are sub par. I have a BCM 16" middy with Centurion C4 9" rail on a BM lower that is my HD and all around gun. I feel 100% confident that it is a solid, durable package and feel no real need other than name recognitions sake to change out the lower. Make sure you castle nut is properly staked and perhaps change out the receiver extention tube for a better mil spec tube (I went with the LMT extention) and you are good to go. The rest of the parts in the lower will be fine.

[Durham68]

If it is a pre-ban Bushamaster lower, you should definitely sell, at least the lower, to CT, MA or NY where there are bans in place to this day. You could sell the stripped lower for $500 in a couple hours on most forums or for as much as $750 if you were willing to shop it around a bit. That would pay for any brand of lower you want and take a chunk out of that ACOG you are looking to be able to afford.

[rsxr22]

those noveske lowers are sweet!! If i was building an SBR, I would definitely use the exact lower that i wanted.

[FALrunner]

It seems as if you all have provided the insight I needed.

I'll start from scratch with the SBR project and move the BM into a ban state if/when it goes on the market.

Thank you all for your thoughtful and considered comments.

Now I'm off to find an acog TA31-HG that i can afford :)

[munch520]

Now I'm off to find an acog TA31-HG that i can afford :)

I'll pray for you :sarcastic: