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Thread: Building it worth it?

  1. #11
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    I started off building my rifles, 6 in total, and I have yet to buy a factory AR. I learned the hard way about buying and using quality parts, and I dropped a few hundred dollars for tools and a vice. Don’t get me wrong; building is fun and you can end up with a quality custom rifle, or you can end up with a pile of shit and out more money than you would have paid for a 6920 and a new rail. One of my rifles was a flop and I dropped $1300 before making it a worthwhile platform. Plus the Colt will be a solid investment.

    My opinion is; If you are just buying one rifle and you want to hold onto it and shoot the piss out of it, buy the 6920 and add quality accessories to your liking………that’ll be my next rifle.

  2. #12
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    Back when prices were sky high for good quality ARs, I built my own. It was fun, and I made sure to buy good parts. Now you can get a new 6520 (my preference) for $899, which makes it hard to build something using like-quality parts for less coin.

    I'm not sure what a new 6920 goes for, but I'm thinking you'd be hard pressed to build something similar cheaper, after you factor-in tools cost.

    Like the others said, get a new 6920 (if that's your preferred platform) and modify.
    Last edited by Whytep38; 12-15-11 at 21:08.

  3. #13
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    Building you get exactly what you want. I also find huge pleasure in the whole process, from planning to final assembly.

    I do how ever feel it is more expensive to build a gun. It seems a much better deal to buy something like an assembled BCM. Or especially a SR-15. You can spend all the time you want trying to put together the best of the best. At the end of the day the SR15 is an amazing value.

    I would never recommend a 6920, everybody here loves them. I will never get past the barrel profile, I think it is the most pointless one out there. Also on 16" barrel I prefer a mid gas system.

    I think the best deal is to buy a complete lower and complete upper of your choice and mate them up. You can just about exactly build what you want, with same quality or better than the colt for the same value.


    All that said I have an obsession with doing builds from scratch.

  4. #14
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    The barrel profile is a small drawback on a 6920 for the other benefits that the rifle offers. It's as good or better barrel than most people will ever need.
    Ken Bloxton
    Skill > Gear

  5. #15
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    We have to define, building vs. putting together.

    I don't see a problem with putting together a complete quality upper and a complete quality lower and a quality bolt carrier group--because it is very hard to mess up.

    I recently helped a friend put together one because he didn't have the cash at hand to pick up a completed gun and he didn't want to run up a credit card bill that he couldn't pay at the end of the month. I fererred him to G&R where he bought an BCM blemished lower, BCM bolt carrier group, and a BCM upper.

    I roll my eyes when I read about someone who tried to "build" an AR using inferior parts or inadequate skills to make a tricky build work--especially when they often could have bought a Colt or BCM for the money they have in their unreliable gun.

    Now, once you have a good working AR that you can rely on, I think it is fine to try to expand your skills. But a lot of times it seems people without the skills or experience try to build an AR from the smallest components up.
    Last edited by Ed L.; 12-15-11 at 22:10.

  6. #16
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    I've built like 20+ ARs, but with the variety of configurations available from Bravo and Daniels it just doesn't make sense to build your own. If you go with the cheapest stuff out there and you get a dealer discount you can save some cash, but if you want to match the quality of the top tier, the prices wind up so close that there is no point.

  7. #17
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    Building yields savings if you have some patience. It's all about buying everything at the right time.

  8. #18
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    Wow!

    This are awesome replies here, thank you guys for taking your time to help me on this. I definitely see I have a long way to go to learn about all this parts and stuff

    As for the rifle, it will be for personal (target) use and its not going to be for work since we only are allowed 9mm except if you are in the tactical team were you are able to use it (wish I could have it on patrol) but I that colt you recommend doesnt look bad at all , although I would like to have a real m4 :P price is not an issue, but wanted your input on that if it was better to build it than to buy it. Also I do know there is plenty of knowledge over here, is just I need to get more into this as you already know about me but thank you again and any more comments are welcome!

  9. #19
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    Welcome to the boards! Build or buy...
    You really can't go wrong with the Colt 6920. It's the standard by which other carbines tend to be judged. If this is your first AR I recommend buying the 6920. You'll get a known quantity with a very, very low dud rate.

    You can also, as other have suggested go with BCM. Order yourself a lower (G&R Tactical has great prices and absolutely THE best customer service I have come across), then select and upper with the features you want. This might save a few dollars in the long run in that you are only paying for one set of handguards (if you decide to go with a rail system), one grip, one set of sights...

    Building has its own rewards if you're a "tinkerer" and also allows you to collect parts as your budget permits. However the added cost of a few specialized tools (more if you need things like a hammer, punches, bench vise, a bench) may put off the first time AR owner; but buy quality and you should only have to buy once.

    My advice (for what it's worth) do A LOT of reading on these boards (the Search button REALLY IS your friend), THEN buy a known good rifle; BCM, Colt, Daniel Defense. After you become familiar with ARs, then build one!

    Good luck.

    Rob

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by товарищ View Post
    Building yields savings if you have some patience. It's all about buying everything at the right time.
    Its amazing how much you can save if you keep track of prices and do your research and buy when the time is right. I think you learn a lot about your rifle if you research each part and put it together yourself. I have built 3 and have learned quite a bit. be careful. i only wanted to build one, building them gets very addicting. im already trying to talk myself out of building another.

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