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Thread: buy or build my first AR?

  1. #21
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    Is this going to be primarily a range shooter? Will you be relying on this for HD? I assume that you're not intending to use it for competition/hunting and what not, right?


    If you plan on using it as your primary HD/SD gun, or don't really have any other firearms that you can rely on to fill that role. I'd go with that BCM you've been eyeing, she's a looker fer sure.


    If you already have firearms for HD/SD, build it. I would probably get an upper with the barrel and gas block/tube already installed. It requires experience and some special tools to do so. I believe BCM sells them as such. But you can have all the fun installing a rail or handguards all to yourself. Installing the lower parts kits is not all that difficult nor is installing the buffer. You'll probably save a few bucks too. The only problem is that you may catch BRD. I know I did. Just shooting an AR sure is sweet. But building will just make you fall real hard for em.

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Long Tom Coffin View Post
    ...If I were to buy, the one I'd be picking up would be a BCM m4 mod 2...I
    If a complete rifle is available in the configuration you want, there is no practical reason to build one.

    If you wish to build one anyway and have no practical experience, I would suggest finding somebody knowledgeable to help guide you over the potential rough spots. However, the ideal thing to do would be to buy a complete rifle and a kit so you can have something to shoot and can tinker in small doses.

    I find I understand a firearm better if I can shoot and tinker, instead of just tinkering
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  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by militarymoron View Post
    if you're going to buy your first computer (and you have the same level of expertise that you have with ARs), would you buy one already assembled, or purchase the individual components and put them together yourself?
    This is the exact analogy I think of whenever this issue has come up and exactly why I decided to buy and NOT build for my first AR. If you can find a rifle close to your desired end-configuration than buy it. It may be a few dollars more but you're getting a out-of-the-box firing, warrantied, and fully functional rifle...no fuss no muss.

    After you learn what you like and what you don't, the process of building a rifle, collect the tools and skills necessary to do it properly...then build one if you like.

  4. #24
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    Sigline.

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by fixit69 View Post
    Jesus. Easy, guys. Look OP, do like I did.
    I have thick skin. If people want to be derogatory on the internet...well, whatever makes their lives worthwhile.

    ETA: markm, dammit, that's the second time in two days you've made me spit beer. That's alcohol abuse. Doushe nozzle?, really funny shit.


    You guys need to get out more. "Douche Nozzle" has been the en vogue replacement for "douche bag" for at least the last year now.

  6. #26
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    Buy...once you become addicted like the rest of us. You'll inevitably be back here using the equipment exhchange to build your next...Muhahahaha
    You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood for something, sometime in your life.----Sir Winston Churchill

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by markm View Post
    AMEN! My ass boils every time some Douche Nozzle posts a ****ing retarded thread about how he ****ed something basic up on his "build".
    Exactly right!

    We have to define what we mean by "build."

    I don't see an issue with buying a decent lower (Colt/LMT/Daniel Defense/BCM) with an upper and a bolt carrier group.

    Beyond that, you start to run into issues--especially from people who have no experience in this regard.

    I think the first matter of business should be to get a reliable, running quality carbine, even if it takes a bit longer to get to that point. If you don't have money for a whole gun, start with a quality lower, then buy an upper and bolt carrier group when you get more money.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by BCmJUnKie View Post
    It has nothing to do with being "Mechanically inclined". What about diagnosing problems or being able to tell the difference in whether or not it runs correctly. That comes with EXPERIENCE.
    Not to mention that half of the youtube video bubba gun "Builds" can give wrong information in the first place and before you know it we have...you guessed it, MORE stupid threads

    In which case we have stupid posts that have been discussed to the point of members getting irritated from failure to take advice after the first thread was started.
    There are a lot of bubba-Smith videos. There are also some very good videos.

    Mechanically inclined = experience. Not with any particular thing but with many different things enough that you're able to figure chit out for yourself.

    <--- Had no trouble at all figuring out the AR platform all by myself.

    "Know thyself." That's all I'm saying.

  9. #29
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    Any grease monkey that can do a proper brake job should be able to comprehend how to assemble one.
    But response to this has not that it is to hard [ its not assembling a M-1 match Grade Garand] to assemble its its more less all bolt together. The problem arises in picking quality parts , being able to diagnose problems and assessing improvements if any. It is not like you can not rebuild you factory rifle at a later date. If you feel after you have experience with it and what might work best for you.

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by militarymoron View Post
    if you're going to buy your first computer (and you have the same level of expertise that you have with ARs), would you buy one already assembled, or purchase the individual components and put them together yourself?
    As someone who has built both rifles and computers I really like this analogy (though to be fair, computers are a little more complicated than rifles). In both cases I started off with off the shelf units then built my own stuff when I really knew what I was doing and what I needed/wanted if it wasn't available off the shelf or I could have significant cost savings.

    I am definitely in the buy your first rifle complete camp, that or push the pins on an upper/lower combo you like. Change things if/when you identify a need to. Once you really know your shit regarding the platform then maybe go down the build your own path.
    Last edited by Dutchy556; 08-27-11 at 03:57.

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