I go with POF, only company I know with a genius designer who went over every part of the firearm and looked into what it did and why and made it better for the purpose it was needed amd tested it beyond anything you can put it through, p415 most reliable robust accurate feature rich rifle ever made, roller cam, e squared extractor, barrel nutt for heat dispersion, simplicylf gas piston system realibility longevity of it, barrel fluted and 5r rifling, sub moa and better, BCG materials and coating lasts longer with less oil, one piece rail system, most robust rigid long lasting. Drop in trigger top tier single and double stages, flat curved double curved choices. Muzzle device makes very low recoil, very loud and powerful blast thou. Only thing might change is the MFT grip and stock, lightest weight but no storage if you want, or different grip angel.
I took a cheap PSA 18" rifle and added some aftermarket parts to it just to see how good I could get it. I like the 18" stainless barrels with rifle length gas. I've had really great luck out of them and they're super inexpensive. I put a JP Silent Captured Spring, CMC 3.5lb trigger, and a Wilson Combat Low Mass Carrier in it. It shoots better than a lot of the more expensive rifles I own. I go shooting with friends and they all prefer mine to theirs. I also dig the FN cold hammer forged 18" heavy barrels from PSA.
I like your videos; they're informative for guys like me on the low ends of the experience & knowledge scales, and you seem to save the adolescent male, 'pack of yammering baboons' silliness for the end, where it doesn't disrupt the message and can be enjoyed properly. Thanks!
Very valid points! I wish i had this info before i built my first! "You gotta have realistic expectations". Also built vs bought can go really well but it can also be incredibly frustrating!
Very interesting video, thank you! I intended to listen in and skip stuff that isn't interresting to me and here I am, 1:23 into it and I still haven't skipped a minute. 😆
Tiggers are definitely worth upgrading to. Larue makes a sweet one for under $90. You can get single stage or two stage. Or, you can spend a heck of a lot more on other name brands.
I agree. Everyone should want a good trigger. There are great mil spec style triggers, as well as drop in. Most of everything else is personal preference and dependent on the intended use. A good scope or other optic for your intended purpose is high on the list too. Way too many people seem to overscope ARs. Also even “cheap” barrels seem to produce great accuracy with their preferred loads. Personally, in general, mine are tools and as such I don’t want them costing an arm and a leg to buy.
Gents if ya havent touched the Blackout Defense Zero trigger then your life is not complete... FIND ONE, TRY IT... Just once. Imagine Zero creep, breaks LITERALLY like a glass rod at either 3.5 or 4.5lbs (your choice) with a 2mm reset... You will ruin your shorts the first time and everytime after that... You're welcome
@@phild9813 Speaking of scopes, I am really satisfied with a 1x8 LPVO scope made by Atibal Optics. Good glass and lighted reticle. It has served me well. I feel like over scoping is a common mistake. I've been guilty of that in the past and have moved away from high magnification scopes. Just my thoughts.
I'm just an AR enthusiast basically and I don't know half of what these guys know about these rifles but one thing I do know is that these rifles are awesome. Low budget guns to high end novesky rifles, they're all so cool to mess with. I'm 46 years old and I've been messing with these rifles for about 10 years now and the thing I find interesting is how much division there is in this "community" for lack of a better term. I just love guns even though I don't shoot much, and I like other people that love guns, if you don't then we probably can't be friends.
These guys know very little..Go to the School of the American Rifle if you want real instruction..The reality of the AR world is the endless amount of drivel being spewed as knowledge..There is a TDP spec for the AR platform and few people know or even understand it..
@@hairydogstailIf I didn't already know about SOTAR, I would've been very dissuaded to check him out cause of your statement. Glad I found him first before your comment.
@@georgewhitworth9742 My statement would have dissuaded you from checking out SOTAR because why?? What part of my statement did you find un-true, false or discouraging??
La la la la la..... clears throat... la la la la laaaaa 🎶 All tuned up bro, you're good to go. Seriously though, you have to handload and find the bullet/powder/OAL that matches up with your specific setup. Just my opinion.
When I became interested in shooting an AR15, I made a decision to purchase instead of building one. I bought an inexpensive $850 Bushmaster with rail for scope. While attempting to enjoy shooting it, I learned a bunch about the AR15s. When I decided to build an AR, I had a good idea what to and not to purchase. I also went cheap but built most of the problems out of the Bushmaster. As far as barrels are concerned, I have four ARs in .223 and one in Sharps .25 cal. and none of the .223 cal. barrels cost me more than $150. Two of them have $99 barrels. All have floating handguards that cost me under $40. I never planned to grow soybeans on my handguards. All I wanted was for it to be floating and to not get burned by the barrel. All of them shoot better than 1 MOA with a single load developed for good shooting in all rifles. At least two shoot .5 MOA or better and that same ammo gives me under .5 MOA in my bolt Thompson Center compass. Many of my AR's were built in a little more time that the duration of this show. I buy all the parts before I start building. Lastly, I once took a target to show my local parts store because when I saw a barrel costing $99, he told me that it would not be accurate. Of course, I bought it anyway. He asked me how I made that rifle shoot that well, I replied that I bedded the action. I had to explain that each rifle was shimmed to accomplish what bedding accomplishes. I learned that from improving the Bushmaster that had a problem hitting a ten-inch bullseye at 300 yards. Now it shoots just over 1 MOA. Optics follow the same philosophy. The first good scope was a SWFA 10X FFP. Following that I purchased two Primary Arms 4-24 x 44 FFP. I also have two Athlon Argos 6-24 x 50 FFP. All triggers were eventually replaced with $100 triggers (3.5 lbs.) from Delta Team Tactical. Keep in mind that these rifles were not meant to shoot out to 1000 yards when purchasing parts.
I’ve been building my own ARs since the early 1980s. Usually not problem unless you change cartridges. If you turn and chamber your own barrels there are some things particular to AR gas guns that you need to keep in mind. I’ve seen factory guns in non-standard configuration that were half baked. Now a days there’s much more options. Regarding barrel life, my Krieger match barrels started to lose 600 yard accuracy at about 6,000 rounds. They would continue to shoot good at close range 100-300 for another 15,000 rounds. With cheaper barrels I would get about 40% less barrel life in terms of 600 yard accuracy. So yes changing .223 barrels every year for a competitor is not uncommon and often necessary if you want to win competitions. Cheap 2 stage triggers are fine. You can mig build up the tail in the disconnector and then fit it so that the second stage is clean a crisp just like a high dollar trigger. This is the beauty of ARs. Anyone can be a gun plumber!
Great video and advise. Wish I had seen this a year ago, would have saved me a lot of money. We learn by our mistakes. I've found each piece I've assembled on my ARs are personal, comfort and shooting ability are crucial. As stated by the hosts its not always about throwing rounds down range, its the shooting experience.
You guys are definitely right about the touch points on the rifle. I’ve only ever swapped out 1 barrel because I didn’t like it, and that was just a weight thing, but I’ll go through 3 or 4 grips and/or stocks trying to get it to feel just right when I shoot it.
I would have benefitted from this video 6-7 years ago. I jumped into the deep end on my first build... based on Mega Arms MATEN stripped upper and lower. EVERY component "hand" picked. In the end, there's no such thing as a free lunch. several redundant purchases $$ = lessons learned. The rifle is a beast. Biggest challenge was matching a the rifle length adjustable gas system to buffer. Ejector smear on case heads ended up being too much gas and too much mass on JP SCS buffer. Got that sorted, but didn't shoot the rifle for near a year while I researched. I didn't know what questions to ask the inter web. In contrast, my first ever AR, a Sig 516 Patrol...super reliable but handgaurd, buttstock, trigger and charging handle all changed out. Now I enjoy shooting both.
How did you have set up issues with a rifle length gas system and adjustable gas block? I mean lol those two combined are quite literally the "easy button".
@@nateburns5933 One would think, right. In retrospect the variables; barrel gas port size and alignment, the variable gas block itself, buffer and spring, lubrication. My inexperience being critical nexus. These few years later I've yet to tear it down and rebuild with new knowledge and some new tools. It's a journey. 🤓
Something that wasn't covered here is that some of the best parts aren't all that expensive. Take Barrels; you can buy a Ballistic advantage for under $300 that will be more accurate than most people are even capable of achieving. Just because something isn't expensive doesn't mean it isn't high quality.
@@CL-ty6wp not ALWAYS the case but normally you do get what you pay for. PSA is fine for what most shooters do with a carbine, 1-200 rds a month at the range with a buddy, but for duty use type carbines there are better options out there.
@C L facts..I was looking for a FN barrel for one of my builds and got a complete upper with the FN barrel I wanted for $40 more than the places selling the same barrel by itself
I get .5 MOA @ 100 yards from my barrel using irons in prone sling supported position which is enough accuracy for me to complete in High Master Class of NRA Long Range Competition and score in 94% arena. This is achieved only from a match grade button rifled 1/7 twist barrel and this sort of barrel costs about $600 these days. What’s worse is this sort of barrel only is X-Ring capable at long range inside 2500 rounds.
%100 I slapped a BA .223 wilde 16" hanson premium barrel in my ar for $230. Shoots around 3/4MOA with premium or better and 1.5 moa or better with pmc xtac 55 grain.
Love the content 👍🏽very informative wondering if it’s possible to bookmark each area of discussion so we can find a section and go back to it later. It would make the video more user friendly
Most important parts are bolt and barrel. The most important thing to know while building is the specs like tourque of barrel nut Castle nut hand guard gas block and so on. Also where to/not to add grease, thread lock, anti seize. Having the tools is a rifle price all in itself. The rest of the items depend on the builders likes. Hand guard, pistol grip, butt stock, trigger, that's all preference.
Exactly, I'm just going to get a PSA, maybe even a blem because 90%+ people can't even find the blem and half of those who do say it's basically nothing or unnoticed by them. Something to be said about getting something already properly fit together imo.
I was lucky enough to buy 3 to 4 uppers and lowers at a time so I can mix and match parts to my fitment needs...I normally get parts in bunches because of stacking issues 👍🤠⚔🗽
In my humble opinion, a lot of people sleep on relatively "basic" triggers, my first build has a CMMG parts kit "mil-spec" trigger (I'm assuming it was like maybe a "mil-spec enhanced" trigger) it has 0 creep and 0 pre-travel, it's mil spec heavy (a hair over 5 pounds) but it's very clean, and I am able to get very fast with it. I don't consider myself a trigger snob, as long as the trigger isn't god-awful I'm pretty happy, but my favorite trigger has to be a binary trigger, because I still have the ability to take single carefully-aimed shots, or I can get stupid fast. I do really like flat-bow triggers for speed, it's just very easy to get very fast with a flat trigger.
I have several AR's and I bought one from Tombstone about 3-4 years ago for 500 and it was a 300 blackout caliber with a great setup for the money and I was planning on changing out the trigger, but I just could not do it! The trigger is so good for this rifle it falls into the if it's not broke don't fix it. I just tested it again with my Lyman gauge and it is between 3-4 lbs. which is perfectly fine for a range/hunting/home protection type rifle. I don't know if I got lucky or if they were standard issue from Bushmaster but being a competitive shooter from the Army way back in the 80's I know what to look for when shooting an AR rifle or M-16 which I shot competitive for 2 years in the Army. It was the only AR that I did not change the trigger on and it is now part of a 6MM ARC AR that I just had to the range and it shot very good at both 100 and 200 yds. Love the AR rifles and every time an idiot goes on a shooting rampage I cringe because the anti-gun fanatics will keep trying to find justification to take away our rights to shoot and enjoy our hobby of target shooting and hunting.
I just got hand me down firearms from my grandma she had a 20 Guage single shot and a few .22's with 2 wicker baskets full of various ammo and two ammo empty boxes you gotta love the wicker baskets grandma approved
Personally, I think the places to spend money are the barrel, the optics, the BCG, and maybe the trigger. Out of those, the barrel and the optics are the most important. I can buy cheap lowers, grips, foregrip, stock, and use a mil-spec trigger. Not a problem for me. What makes the biggest difference is the barrel and optic. Those things will help you so much. A quality BCG is also super important but you don't need to spend an arm and a leg for it. Simply get one that is capable and call it a day.
I would have agreed about the mil-spec trigger until I got a LaRue Tactical MBT. It has a straight bow trigger which I LOVE and the action is so smooth. It comes with a few different weights of trigger springs (I like the 2.5). But I never knew a component would make that much of a difference. Maybe not in accuracy but just functionality.
Interesting to listen to this one year later and find that our friendly ATF went through with making sure everyone became a felon with the pistol brace. Hahahah.
I built a retro A2 because I wanted an AR that was similar to 4 look like the M16 A2 I carried when I was in the army the upper receiver with integral carry handle and I already had the round handguards from a previous build
Bought mine a few years ago. Going to build a 6.5 grendel upper for it. I am currently building a whole rifle for a friend who wants to get into the ar game
Good luck I went through that awhile back and for some reason I really broke my brain over thinking it. In my mind I was thinking intermediate range precision and got WAY too hung up on it. I ended up with a really nice shooting rifle but man my tiny lizard brain can't go through that again.
Only time I ever needed to use a forward assist was on my m16 in the army. I'm sure there was something else causing the malfunction but I was able to smack it, shoot a few times before I had to smack it again. (This was during qualifications, nothing crazy) Never needed it on any of my personal Ars but I can't seem to stomach not having it. 🤷🏻♂️
First I want to thank you for these videos. I learn a lot from them. Now with that said, I want to get my 2 cents in on this topic. Please forgive me. I am only 14 minutes into this video. I will watch the entire video, but I have some place I need to be right now and I wanted to get my comments in while they are fresh on my mind. The 1st thing I want to comment on was Jim's comment about how a factory built gun felt better than one that he "hobbled together." If you are "hobbling together" guns, STOP!! Please STOP!! I have personally witnessed the results of a "hobbled together" gun. It is amazing how important a properly installed roll pin can be. Since you don't like the feel of a gun you build anyway, please let me recommend that you buy, not "hobble together" your guns. Now, let me tell you why I build most of my guns and all of my ARs. The primary reason(s) I build my own guns are so that I know exactly what is in the gun and how it was put together. I know that the barrel nut has anti-seize on it and it won't be a nightmare to get off when I need to change the barrel. I know that all the torque specs are correct. I know my headspace is correct and I know that the castle nut and gas block are properly staked. Building from the ground up saves me from having a bunch of left-over parts that I will never use, because I had to upgrade that off-the-shelf gun. What started me building my own ARs was my experience with a Sig MCX. I hated the trigger, so I put a Geissele SSA in it. Then it had to go back to Sig twice for recalls. I changed out the handguard because I really didn't like the feel of the stock aluminum handguard. I put on a buffer tube with a Magpul stock because I hated the skeleton stock, and there have been many other necessary modifications. After doing all that, it seemed to make more since to [research] the type of gun I wanted, [research] the best parts for the gun I wanted and then [learn] how to properly assemble the gun. To date, my system has not failed. Bottom line. If you are willing to [research] and [learn] what to use and how to put it together, you can build a better gun than you can ever buy.
I don't try to build something I already have. I have 6 ARs and they all serve a purpose 1 16" 223 wylde 1 16" 762x39 side charging 1 16" 458 Socom 1 10.5" 300 ACC blackout 1 7.5" 9mm 1 11.85" 223 wylde long stroke piston driven I'm working on a an AR-45, an AR-10mm, and a AR-6.5 grendel. I find it hard to truly finish the projects I already have. I'm still needing the triggers I truly want in 2 rifles, some CQB and PDW stocks and braces on 2, maybe a radian Raptor in all 6 with 3 already sporting them, having extra buffers in different weights, side folding adapters, buffers and grips in different colors and textures, like I have a list of all the parts I want and it comes to like $8,000 and that's no uppers or lowers just parts... this hobby sucks at blowing $ Oh and don't get me on optics. I spend $500-$1,500 on optics on each rifle with LPVO being the new fashion for your AR. My Swampfox 1-10, Aimpoint T2 and Trijicon RMR were like $2,000 by themselves. God hates my wallet.
As a lefty who has shot right handed guns most my life, the only thing I NEED to be ambi is my charging handle. Aside from that, I run my lower basically the same way you guys were saying why righties like ambi controls. I hit my mag release with my off hand thumb and hit my bolt release with my trigger finger
When I saw the BCG, I immediately asked myself “Why?” Unless you have a lot of experience and know exactly what you’re doing, there is ONE reason to stick with standard gas tube length, gas port size, buffer tube, buffer spring buffer weight and bolt carrier: *DEPENDABILITY* In the early AR-10 prototypes the buffer and the bolt carrier were one part. If you take weight off the bolt carrier, you have to compensate for that loss of reciprocating mass *somewhere else*. If that’s a heavier buffer, you have accomplished exactly nothing. Otherwise, be prepared to experiment with springs, adjustable gas blocks, etc. but ask yourself “Why?” Before you go down that rabbit hole. All of those parts make up a system and you don’t need to reinvent it. Just use known good parts and move on. There’s an old saying that “if I t’s not accurate, it’s not interesting.” Here we need an adage along the lines of “If it’s not 100% reliable, it’s not a rifle.”
I build mine basically to pass them down to my son one day. I want him to have thing's that I put my thought and blood into. It's different when a company mass produces them, in my opinion.
Very informative. I've owned so many guns in my life, only recently started down the AR rabbit hole. I have some that have more in accessories than the original halves. I love love FAB gradus grips & MFT minimalist stocks and have too many Surefire muzzle devices. Just tried my 1st 2-stage trigger. Not sold on Magpul.
The PSA setups are more accurate and reliable than anyone whos buying them needs them to be, they are moa or better and always reliable, My PSA dagger is one hole accurate at 15 yards and hit a 2x4 at 100 yards with one hand, my POF revolution is 1/4 moa or better also and both been 100% reliable so far, i had a double feed twice with me trying to release mag and rack it with one already in chamber, it fell right out when i pulled mag out and pulled charging handle back, but neither have failed to feed or jammed or missed what I aimed at. I think you can get a top tier trigger for 70-140 dollars. POF makes top tier drop in triggers, you can get them for 140 on sale on some sites.
@@Lovenlife139 I concur that taking a PLA lower into the Arizona desert is a bad move, but if you are in a colder/milder climate Plastic is just as good and a lot simpler than milling out a lower from aluminum. But yes, if you want your lower to be just as good as what you get through the FFL, yes aluminum.
This is true. I imagine that it's a combination of machining tolerances within the tunnel that the bolt carrier travels in and the self-limiting polishing action of the bolt carrier on the aluminum (irregularities are worn away with use). Wild guess though :)
Your building and you start with a 80% because you are building. Spend the extra money on high end parts to get a great gun. JP Enterprises bolt, Proof Research barrel, JP buffer, Timney trigger, Timber Creek carbon handguard, A2 gas block. Some of my favorite parts! But building requirements would include lapping the upper lapping the scope mount using the proper lubricants torque of the barrel alignment of the glass block and tune a gas block. Stake the buffer tube ring and.viber tite anything with a bolt.
I was going to build an ar. Through the shopping process I found the ruger ar 556 mpr. Essentially this is the rifle I would have built for myself so I took the lazy way out and just bought it. Im sure the factory fit and finish surpasses what I could have built and for my first rifle, I probably ended up with a more reliable end product. To each their own I guess.
That's the best AR for the money in the market today. But I would spend the $800 for the version with the cold hammer forged, chrome lined barrel and carrier.
First you start with a barrel. It is what you need to decide what you want to do. Even in the video when he grabs for everything he grabbed for the barrel first. It matters the most for accuracy or bore size needed for that lower receiver. I did enjoy the show.
The best part of a build is the research. The worst experience is if you ask too many people for their opinion. My first build I started with an Armalite lower and I ran into some frustration as the buffer tube for example was commercial size and other areas were milspec. IT has been 14 yrs so I may misremember it but I don't recall any issues other than the buffer tube but it did make me doubt stuff.
I'm in IT and always say the same thing about building your own computer, at the end of the day you can't match the resources of a factory that produces 1000s of this one model and there will always be things you miss, like optimal airflow, combination of parts, drivers, etc
Your build should start, where it starts. The organic build just means more, and suites me well. Stop all the fancy talk, and relate to the guy that has to budget, barter, grind, and build around his vision. I'll take that build any day.
This may have been said already but in my opinion, and I may be wrong, but as long as a lower is mill spec and functions as it should, place a decent drop-in trigger...it should have zero impact on how accurate or well the rifle runs. To me the most important items are the trigger and the barrel and thirdly would be the bcg. You can have the cheapest free float handguard, cheap grip, 80% finished out lower and cheap stock.. but decent trigger and decent one MOA barrel with a good compensator and you should be shooting as well as any high-end rifle. Again, this is my opinion, somewhat backed up by building one like this. Am I missing something or totally wrong?
Most manufacturers parts will not meet the mill spec TDP tolerances..The chamber is one of the most poorly manufactured part that escapes peoples radar..There are expensive function gauges that most so called experts don't even know exist that is needed to check chambers..Then you have the 3 bores in the bolt carrier that most so called experts have no clue about..Go to the School of the American Rifle if you want to watch a real expert..
lol i just bought a reliable full upper. and simple lower. so i had a working gun to begin with and replaced the most important parts, over time. i went trigger first. then watched a video where a guy tested over 200 muzzle breaks/comps. and picked the one with the best performance. i still need get a buffer and spring. and a stock, lol i can manage with the cheapo airsoft stock they gave me with the lower. but otherwise gun still has never had 1 malfunction while chugging all the wolf steel i put thru it. also chose to get a cmmg .22 converter bolt over a ruger 10/22. just so i can use the AR im dropping all this gucci gear in.
the portion about "is it a model?".... if you don't really have enough experience to know what parts you want, then buy a model because it is a commodity and can be resold most easily because other people can know a lot about it by knowing which model it is. if you want to try a specific part (s) or want an uncommon configuration or like parts of different models, then you kind of have to do a build. it will be harder to resale, but presumably, if for some reason you don't like a part, you can replace it with a different part without changing a "model" into a "Frankengun" because it already is a "Frankengun". most guns, that are not collectable, you will sell as a loss (unless it is discontinued or something) because the store buys wholesale and you buy retail, so you are unlikely to get back what you put in. as a result buying something new with an idea of resale value requires specific knowledge of what parts/firearms are worth or will potentially worth (i.e. you are investing, not using) it is not as economically sound to build from parts in a lot of cases, so unless you have a specific need, it is less financially risky to buy a pre configured model. but if you want something specific, it might be hard to find what you want pre-made by a reputable company.
A bit late, but I look at it as proportions So, my barrel, BCG, and trigger will make up the largest bulk of the cost That said, for as nice as a Geissele trigger is.. I tend to go for the LaRue MBT For the lower receiver, I really only look at feel, look, and the magwell flare Small things like mag release buttons can also make a big difference in the feel of operation.. BUT, kits like B. Kings "Combat Control" LPK cover that for just a bit more than "standard" LPKs (they ship fast too and have good buffer tube kits with 8 pos tubes & sprinco springs)
I ordered every part I needed from classic firearms and Optics Planet they came all everything came to my house within 2 days for classic firearms and a week for Optics Planet I have every part required to build the AR I am currently in another state as soon as I get home I'm building it
Experts?? Go to the School of the American Rifle if you want to watch an expert..Even expensive high end AR rifles will not even meet TDP tolerances..SOLGW, Colt, BCM, DD are better than most, but poor QC can escape any manufacturer..
From what I understand, the reason magpul didn't go with keymod was because their polymer accessories didn't interface well with the way keymod attached
I’ve heard from 3 large manufacturers now (my own inquiries) that nickle boron BCGs are just not as good and typically cause failures more often than not. Can you guys do a podcast just on BCGs or is there one out there right now?
Had to comment on “you can get anything but a lower shipped to your door.. .” Depends on seller and what state you live in. Some sellers like OpticsPlanet wouldn’t send me flipping UPPER saying it was restricted item :(
Great video men 👍, enjoyed it much better point of view than most channels , but that word failed came up all guns have their moments but a malfunction at a match is crazy stuff to me. I love ARS but you can get to farr away from what it was intended to do, with specs one change may be just enough to make it less reliable than a hammer.
I'm also a boomer. Sometimes they forget who wiped their asses and noses (in that order) They will only understand humility when the f'up generation below them rules. :)
Just recently built a lower that I've been holding onto for about 10 years for a factory upper I ordered. I watched a couple videos, skimmed through a bench manual and ordered some roll pin punches. Cobbled it together and it shoots beautifully. I dodged the Wuhan Plague, but caught the build bug bad and now awaiting delivery of more parts and tools to build on my three remaining receivers.
POF lower, best im business, they also make best uppers so no real need to put their lower on someone elses upper. P415 for gas piston and renegade for DI.
Question: A quality made expensive upper receiver like a DD, what is so much better on them than a budget Anderson upper receiver? Is a budget Anderson upper receiver as good as like a PSA upper receiver, and if not what not? Is the PSA on par with like an Aero Precision, If not why not?
It’s hilarious that I came here with a plan to build and left with a plan to buy a complete AR. Aim has changed from custom to finding the company with the best QC and pull the trigger on the cheapest they got. Change out the touch points and a $300ish LPVO/Red dot + magnifier and be done with it.
@@alexgrinage dang bro.. that must be upsetting to say the least! I hope you’re able to source the issue and get it changed out asap! I’m actually looking at other peoples builds that work on both forums, yt vids and comments as I still have hopes in building mine. Difference is less one off and more reliable. That said, I doubt any custom build will ever have the tolerances and reliability of a reputable company with extraordinary QC. In that regard, three companies come to mind from my research. Sons of Liberty, Q and Radical Firearms. I’m sure there’s more but those are the ones I’ve done extensive research on, regarding QC protocols.
So he replaced his barrel after 34k rounds. That's like $17,000 figuring $500 per 1000 bullets. I don't know about you but not many people have 17k to blow down the range. The cost to changing that barrel is a fraction of the cost of those bullets.
Question: Regarding 5.56 barrels, if it’s not chrome lined or maybe nitride treated, if it’s just a plain button rifled barrel like a budget Anderson AM-15 if I were to shoot like 200 rounds a month how many rounds will that barrel be able to keep up with before it loses accuracy?
In response to the last call gunsmith/chef analogy; why is it that actual gunsmiths, employed as a gunsmith, usually have zero idea what they are doing with ar15’s? I started doing all my own work, installing barrels, gas blocks, timing muzzle devices…etc because not only have I come across completely incompetent gunsmiffs, but I’ve also seen many stupid mistakes done by gunsmiffs posted online. Yeah, putting a complete upper on a lower and adding sights/optics is comparable to making pop tarts, but gas block dimpling, fsb removal/install, barrel nut removal/installation, requires some skill/experience to be done properly.
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I go with POF, only company I know with a genius designer who went over every part of the firearm and looked into what it did and why and made it better for the purpose it was needed amd tested it beyond anything you can put it through, p415 most reliable robust accurate feature rich rifle ever made, roller cam, e squared extractor, barrel nutt for heat dispersion, simplicylf gas piston system realibility longevity of it, barrel fluted and 5r rifling, sub moa and better, BCG materials and coating lasts longer with less oil, one piece rail system, most robust rigid long lasting. Drop in trigger top tier single and double stages, flat curved double curved choices. Muzzle device makes very low recoil, very loud and powerful blast thou. Only thing might change is the MFT grip and stock, lightest weight but no storage if you want, or different grip angel.
I took a cheap PSA 18" rifle and added some aftermarket parts to it just to see how good I could get it. I like the 18" stainless barrels with rifle length gas. I've had really great luck out of them and they're super inexpensive. I put a JP Silent Captured Spring, CMC 3.5lb trigger, and a Wilson Combat Low Mass Carrier in it. It shoots better than a lot of the more expensive rifles I own. I go shooting with friends and they all prefer mine to theirs. I also dig the FN cold hammer forged 18" heavy barrels from PSA.
Did a similar thing to a 16inch Anderson.
AT3 also has good items for your tool enhancement ..I live only hour away From Greenville SC PSA . True adult toy store
I like your videos; they're informative for guys like me on the low ends of the experience & knowledge scales, and you seem to save the adolescent male, 'pack of yammering baboons' silliness for the end, where it doesn't disrupt the message and can be enjoyed properly. Thanks!
Very valid points! I wish i had this info before i built my first! "You gotta have realistic expectations".
Also built vs bought can go really well but it can also be incredibly frustrating!
Very interesting video, thank you! I intended to listen in and skip stuff that isn't interresting to me and here I am, 1:23 into it and I still haven't skipped a minute. 😆
Guys…. Watch until the end. The podcast comes completely off the rails and it’s hilarious!!!
😂
Tiggers are definitely worth upgrading to. Larue makes a sweet one for under $90. You can get single stage or two stage. Or, you can spend a heck of a lot more on other name brands.
I agree. Everyone should want a good trigger. There are great mil spec style triggers, as well as drop in. Most of everything else is personal preference and dependent on the intended use. A good scope or other optic for your intended purpose is high on the list too. Way too many people seem to overscope ARs. Also even “cheap” barrels seem to produce great accuracy with their preferred loads. Personally, in general, mine are tools and as such I don’t want them costing an arm and a leg to buy.
I concur. The ALG's are nice too, but I've been spoiled by the MBT2S.
Yes, Larue triggers are a great value.
Gents if ya havent touched the Blackout Defense Zero trigger then your life is not complete... FIND ONE, TRY IT... Just once. Imagine Zero creep, breaks LITERALLY like a glass rod at either 3.5 or 4.5lbs (your choice) with a 2mm reset... You will ruin your shorts the first time and everytime after that...
You're welcome
@@phild9813 Speaking of scopes, I am really satisfied with a 1x8 LPVO scope made by Atibal Optics. Good glass and lighted reticle. It has served me well. I feel like over scoping is a common mistake. I've been guilty of that in the past and have moved away from high magnification scopes. Just my thoughts.
I'm just an AR enthusiast basically and I don't know half of what these guys know about these rifles but one thing I do know is that these rifles are awesome. Low budget guns to high end novesky rifles, they're all so cool to mess with. I'm 46 years old and I've been messing with these rifles for about 10 years now and the thing I find interesting is how much division there is in this "community" for lack of a better term. I just love guns even though I don't shoot much, and I like other people that love guns, if you don't then we probably can't be friends.
These guys know very little..Go to the School of the American Rifle if you want real instruction..The reality of the AR world is the endless amount of drivel being spewed as knowledge..There is a TDP spec for the AR platform and few people know or even understand it..
@@hairydogstailIf I didn't already know about SOTAR, I would've been very dissuaded to check him out cause of your statement. Glad I found him first before your comment.
@@georgewhitworth9742 My statement would have dissuaded you from checking out SOTAR because why?? What part of my statement did you find un-true, false or discouraging??
@@georgewhitworth9742 That's what I thought lol..
I'd like to see a podcast on rifle tuning.
La la la la la..... clears throat... la la la la laaaaa 🎶
All tuned up bro, you're good to go.
Seriously though, you have to handload and find the bullet/powder/OAL that matches up with your specific setup. Just my opinion.
Good suggestion
What do you want tuned?
@@jimklemens5018 gas
@@randomchannel4886 Buy an adjustable gas block.
When I became interested in shooting an AR15, I made a decision to purchase instead of building one. I bought an inexpensive $850 Bushmaster with rail for scope. While attempting to enjoy shooting it, I learned a bunch about the AR15s. When I decided to build an AR, I had a good idea what to and not to purchase. I also went cheap but built most of the problems out of the Bushmaster.
As far as barrels are concerned, I have four ARs in .223 and one in Sharps .25 cal. and none of the .223 cal. barrels cost me more than $150. Two of them have $99 barrels. All have floating handguards that cost me under $40. I never planned to grow soybeans on my handguards. All I wanted was for it to be floating and to not get burned by the barrel. All of them shoot better than 1 MOA with a single load developed for good shooting in all rifles. At least two shoot .5 MOA or better and that same ammo gives me under .5 MOA in my bolt Thompson Center compass. Many of my AR's were built in a little more time that the duration of this show. I buy all the parts before I start building. Lastly, I once took a target to show my local parts store because when I saw a barrel costing $99, he told me that it would not be accurate. Of course, I bought it anyway. He asked me how I made that rifle shoot that well, I replied that I bedded the action. I had to explain that each rifle was shimmed to accomplish what bedding accomplishes. I learned that from improving the Bushmaster that had a problem hitting a ten-inch bullseye at 300 yards. Now it shoots just over 1 MOA. Optics follow the same philosophy. The first good scope was a SWFA 10X FFP. Following that I purchased two Primary Arms 4-24 x 44 FFP. I also have two Athlon Argos 6-24 x 50 FFP. All triggers were eventually replaced with $100 triggers (3.5 lbs.) from Delta Team Tactical. Keep in mind that these rifles were not meant to shoot out to 1000 yards when purchasing parts.
cool
I’ve been building my own ARs since the early 1980s. Usually not problem unless you change cartridges. If you turn and chamber your own barrels there are some things particular to AR gas guns that you need to keep in mind. I’ve seen factory guns in non-standard configuration that were half baked. Now a days there’s much more options. Regarding barrel life, my Krieger match barrels started to lose 600 yard accuracy at about 6,000 rounds. They would continue to shoot good at close range 100-300 for another 15,000 rounds. With cheaper barrels
I would get about 40% less barrel life in terms of 600 yard accuracy. So yes changing .223 barrels every year for a competitor is not uncommon and often necessary if you want to win competitions. Cheap 2 stage triggers are fine. You can mig build up the tail in the disconnector and then fit it so that the second stage is clean a crisp just like a high dollar trigger. This is the beauty of ARs. Anyone can be a gun plumber!
Here’s where to spend money:
1. Barrel
2. BCG
3. Trigger
4. Ammo
But the guys on Reddit said I shouldn't even shoot my rifle because it has an Anderson lower...
@@CompetitionChris pOVeRTy pOnY
They work just fine 😂
Step one. Make up your mind honestly. What are you doing with it?
@Michael VanGundy Good one!
I personally would put ammo over trigger. Just get good with a mil spec unless you are trying to create some DMR type rifle.
Great video and advise. Wish I had seen this a year ago, would have saved me a lot of money. We learn by our mistakes. I've found each piece I've assembled on my ARs are personal, comfort and shooting ability are crucial. As stated by the hosts its not always about throwing rounds down range, its the shooting experience.
You guys are definitely right about the touch points on the rifle. I’ve only ever swapped out 1 barrel because I didn’t like it, and that was just a weight thing, but I’ll go through 3 or 4 grips and/or stocks trying to get it to feel just right when I shoot it.
Rifles, bows, pool cues, hell even pens. It's just gotta feel right.
Charging handle makes a difference in overall feel as well
I didn't know that Brownells had all that. THANK YOU, MARK. 34:08
I would have benefitted from this video 6-7 years ago. I jumped into the deep end on my first build... based on Mega Arms MATEN stripped upper and lower. EVERY component "hand" picked. In the end, there's no such thing as a free lunch. several redundant purchases $$ = lessons learned. The rifle is a beast. Biggest challenge was matching a the rifle length adjustable gas system to buffer. Ejector smear on case heads ended up being too much gas and too much mass on JP SCS buffer. Got that sorted, but didn't shoot the rifle for near a year while I researched. I didn't know what questions to ask the inter web. In contrast, my first ever AR, a Sig 516 Patrol...super reliable but handgaurd, buttstock, trigger and charging handle all changed out. Now I enjoy shooting both.
How did you have set up issues with a rifle length gas system and adjustable gas block? I mean lol those two combined are quite literally the "easy button".
@@nateburns5933 One would think, right. In retrospect the variables; barrel gas port size and alignment, the variable gas block itself, buffer and spring, lubrication. My inexperience being critical nexus. These few years later I've yet to tear it down and rebuild with new knowledge and some new tools. It's a journey. 🤓
Something that wasn't covered here is that some of the best parts aren't all that expensive. Take Barrels; you can buy a Ballistic advantage for under $300 that will be more accurate than most people are even capable of achieving. Just because something isn't expensive doesn't mean it isn't high quality.
Dmn, can get a complete upper with bcg for less from psa.
@@CL-ty6wp not ALWAYS the case but normally you do get what you pay for. PSA is fine for what most shooters do with a carbine, 1-200 rds a month at the range with a buddy, but for duty use type carbines there are better options out there.
@C L facts..I was looking for a FN barrel for one of my builds and got a complete upper with the FN barrel I wanted for $40 more than the places selling the same barrel by itself
I get .5 MOA @ 100 yards from my barrel using irons in prone sling supported position which is enough accuracy for me to complete in High Master Class of NRA Long Range Competition and score in 94% arena. This is achieved only from a match grade button rifled 1/7 twist barrel and this sort of barrel costs about $600 these days. What’s worse is this sort of barrel only is X-Ring capable at long range inside 2500 rounds.
%100 I slapped a BA .223 wilde 16" hanson premium barrel in my ar for $230. Shoots around 3/4MOA with premium or better and 1.5 moa or better with pmc xtac 55 grain.
Love the content 👍🏽very informative wondering if it’s possible to bookmark each area of discussion so we can find a section and go back to it later. It would make the video more user friendly
Most important parts are bolt and barrel. The most important thing to know while building is the specs like tourque of barrel nut Castle nut hand guard gas block and so on. Also where to/not to add grease, thread lock, anti seize.
Having the tools is a rifle price all in itself.
The rest of the items depend on the builders likes. Hand guard, pistol grip, butt stock, trigger, that's all preference.
Was looking into doing my first build and this video is exactly what I needed to see to point me in the right direction, appreciate it!
Exactly, I'm just going to get a PSA, maybe even a blem because 90%+ people can't even find the blem and half of those who do say it's basically nothing or unnoticed by them. Something to be said about getting something already properly fit together imo.
I was lucky enough to buy 3 to 4 uppers and lowers at a time so I can mix and match parts to my fitment needs...I normally get parts in bunches because of stacking issues 👍🤠⚔🗽
In my humble opinion, a lot of people sleep on relatively "basic" triggers, my first build has a CMMG parts kit "mil-spec" trigger (I'm assuming it was like maybe a "mil-spec enhanced" trigger) it has 0 creep and 0 pre-travel, it's mil spec heavy (a hair over 5 pounds) but it's very clean, and I am able to get very fast with it.
I don't consider myself a trigger snob, as long as the trigger isn't god-awful I'm pretty happy, but my favorite trigger has to be a binary trigger, because I still have the ability to take single carefully-aimed shots, or I can get stupid fast. I do really like flat-bow triggers for speed, it's just very easy to get very fast with a flat trigger.
Straight bow triggers are awsome, esp on a pistol or AR.
I have several AR's and I bought one from Tombstone about 3-4 years ago for 500 and it was a 300 blackout caliber with a great setup for the money and I was planning on changing out the trigger, but I just could not do it! The trigger is so good for this rifle it falls into the if it's not broke don't fix it. I just tested it again with my Lyman gauge and it is between 3-4 lbs. which is perfectly fine for a range/hunting/home protection type rifle. I don't know if I got lucky or if they were standard issue from Bushmaster but being a competitive shooter from the Army way back in the 80's I know what to look for when shooting an AR rifle or M-16 which I shot competitive for 2 years in the Army. It was the only AR that I did not change the trigger on and it is now part of a 6MM ARC AR that I just had to the range and it shot very good at both 100 and 200 yds. Love the AR rifles and every time an idiot goes on a shooting rampage I cringe because the anti-gun fanatics will keep trying to find justification to take away our rights to shoot and enjoy our hobby of target shooting and hunting.
Thanks Mark for mentioning a resource like Brownell.....some us don't even know where to start or what type of options are available.
I just got hand me down firearms from my grandma she had a 20 Guage single shot and a few .22's with 2 wicker baskets full of various ammo and two ammo empty boxes you gotta love the wicker baskets grandma approved
Personally, I think the places to spend money are the barrel, the optics, the BCG, and maybe the trigger. Out of those, the barrel and the optics are the most important. I can buy cheap lowers, grips, foregrip, stock, and use a mil-spec trigger. Not a problem for me. What makes the biggest difference is the barrel and optic. Those things will help you so much. A quality BCG is also super important but you don't need to spend an arm and a leg for it. Simply get one that is capable and call it a day.
"Maybe" a trigger 🤔
@@Lovenlife139 I use the mil-spec trigger to great effect. It's not as important as the other parts I talked about.
I would have agreed about the mil-spec trigger until I got a LaRue Tactical MBT. It has a straight bow trigger which I LOVE and the action is so smooth. It comes with a few different weights of trigger springs (I like the 2.5). But I never knew a component would make that much of a difference. Maybe not in accuracy but just functionality.
Interesting to listen to this one year later and find that our friendly ATF went through with making sure everyone became a felon with the pistol brace. Hahahah.
🥴
I was thinking the same thing
Aaaaaand they ultimately failed
That was good, thanks all of you!
"It'll be a while before that comes back." It's a week later, wanna run that pistol brace thing past me again?
Loved the gunsmith analogy. Very true statement.
🤜🤛
Wish you guys would have posted a parts list of what’s in the basket/box. Great podcast as usual. Thanks
I built a retro A2 because I wanted an AR that was similar to 4 look like the M16 A2 I carried when I was in the army the upper receiver with integral carry handle and I already had the round handguards from a previous build
Bought mine a few years ago. Going to build a 6.5 grendel upper for it. I am currently building a whole rifle for a friend who wants to get into the ar game
Good luck I went through that awhile back and for some reason I really broke my brain over thinking it. In my mind I was thinking intermediate range precision and got WAY too hung up on it. I ended up with a really nice shooting rifle but man my tiny lizard brain can't go through that again.
I must say i have had my lower just waiting for almost 8 years now... finally im getting to it
Only time I ever needed to use a forward assist was on my m16 in the army.
I'm sure there was something else causing the malfunction but I was able to smack it, shoot a few times before I had to smack it again. (This was during qualifications, nothing crazy)
Never needed it on any of my personal Ars but I can't seem to stomach not having it. 🤷🏻♂️
First I want to thank you for these videos. I learn a lot from them. Now with that said, I want to get my 2 cents in on this topic. Please forgive me. I am only 14 minutes into this video. I will watch the entire video, but I have some place I need to be right now and I wanted to get my comments in while they are fresh on my mind.
The 1st thing I want to comment on was Jim's comment about how a factory built gun felt better than one that he "hobbled together." If you are "hobbling together" guns, STOP!! Please STOP!! I have personally witnessed the results of a "hobbled together" gun. It is amazing how important a properly installed roll pin can be. Since you don't like the feel of a gun you build anyway, please let me recommend that you buy, not "hobble together" your guns. Now, let me tell you why I build most of my guns and all of my ARs.
The primary reason(s) I build my own guns are so that I know exactly what is in the gun and how it was put together. I know that the barrel nut has anti-seize on it and it won't be a nightmare to get off when I need to change the barrel. I know that all the torque specs are correct. I know my headspace is correct and I know that the castle nut and gas block are properly staked. Building from the ground up saves me from having a bunch of left-over parts that I will never use, because I had to upgrade that off-the-shelf gun. What started me building my own ARs was my experience with a Sig MCX. I hated the trigger, so I put a Geissele SSA in it. Then it had to go back to Sig twice for recalls. I changed out the handguard because I really didn't like the feel of the stock aluminum handguard. I put on a buffer tube with a Magpul stock because I hated the skeleton stock, and there have been many other necessary modifications. After doing all that, it seemed to make more since to [research] the type of gun I wanted, [research] the best parts for the gun I wanted and then [learn] how to properly assemble the gun. To date, my system has not failed. Bottom line. If you are willing to [research] and [learn] what to use and how to put it together, you can build a better gun than you can ever buy.
Love y'all!!! Except the grips. Long live the A2!! Thank God for Hogue and the rubberized A2.
I don't try to build something I already have. I have 6 ARs and they all serve a purpose
1 16" 223 wylde
1 16" 762x39 side charging
1 16" 458 Socom
1 10.5" 300 ACC blackout
1 7.5" 9mm
1 11.85" 223 wylde long stroke piston driven
I'm working on a an AR-45, an AR-10mm, and a AR-6.5 grendel.
I find it hard to truly finish the projects I already have. I'm still needing the triggers I truly want in 2 rifles, some CQB and PDW stocks and braces on 2, maybe a radian Raptor in all 6 with 3 already sporting them, having extra buffers in different weights, side folding adapters, buffers and grips in different colors and textures, like I have a list of all the parts I want and it comes to like $8,000 and that's no uppers or lowers just parts... this hobby sucks at blowing $
Oh and don't get me on optics. I spend $500-$1,500 on optics on each rifle with LPVO being the new fashion for your AR. My Swampfox 1-10, Aimpoint T2 and Trijicon RMR were like $2,000 by themselves. God hates my wallet.
Of course I have a bunch of vortex stuff too. Love my strike Eagle, Venom, viper, and optics planet exclusive Sparc AR in fde.
I like your style… also test positive for BRD
As a lefty who has shot right handed guns most my life, the only thing I NEED to be ambi is my charging handle. Aside from that, I run my lower basically the same way you guys were saying why righties like ambi controls. I hit my mag release with my off hand thumb and hit my bolt release with my trigger finger
With a FRT trigger you can fire faster than full auto and more controlled, firing fast and stopping wjen needed.
When I saw the BCG, I immediately asked myself “Why?” Unless you have a lot of experience and know exactly what you’re doing, there is ONE reason to stick with standard gas tube length, gas port size, buffer tube, buffer spring buffer weight and bolt carrier: *DEPENDABILITY*
In the early AR-10 prototypes the buffer and the bolt carrier were one part. If you take weight off the bolt carrier, you have to compensate for that loss of reciprocating mass *somewhere else*. If that’s a heavier buffer, you have accomplished exactly nothing. Otherwise, be prepared to experiment with springs, adjustable gas blocks, etc. but ask yourself “Why?” Before you go down that rabbit hole. All of those parts make up a system and you don’t need to reinvent it. Just use known good parts and move on.
There’s an old saying that “if I t’s not accurate, it’s not interesting.” Here we need an adage along the lines of “If it’s not 100% reliable, it’s not a rifle.”
Jp ent. braided spring is awesome! Especially suppressed!
A flashlight, a laser, a chainsaw.....where do I buy that? This is a great podcast, keep them coming, great information thank you
I build mine basically to pass them down to my son one day. I want him to have thing's that I put my thought and blood into. It's different when a company mass produces them, in my opinion.
Very informative. I've owned so many guns in my life, only recently started down the AR rabbit hole. I have some that have more in accessories than the original halves. I love love FAB gradus grips & MFT minimalist stocks and have too many Surefire muzzle devices. Just tried my 1st 2-stage trigger. Not sold on Magpul.
The PSA setups are more accurate and reliable than anyone whos buying them needs them to be, they are moa or better and always reliable, My PSA dagger is one hole accurate at 15 yards and hit a 2x4 at 100 yards with one hand, my POF revolution is 1/4 moa or better also and both been 100% reliable so far, i had a double feed twice with me trying to release mag and rack it with one already in chamber, it fell right out when i pulled mag out and pulled charging handle back, but neither have failed to feed or jammed or missed what I aimed at. I think you can get a top tier trigger for 70-140 dollars. POF makes top tier drop in triggers, you can get them for 140 on sale on some sites.
8:00 - regarding limited availability for lower receivers, 3D printing is a very viable option. Hoffman or Wildfire are two great options.
3-D is plastic.. grab your nut and get a jig and a router and cut your own 80% lowers.
@@Lovenlife139 I concur that taking a PLA lower into the Arizona desert is a bad move, but if you are in a colder/milder climate Plastic is just as good and a lot simpler than milling out a lower from aluminum. But yes, if you want your lower to be just as good as what you get through the FFL, yes aluminum.
I’ve always wondered how the aluminum upper receiver doesn’t wear with the steel bolt carrier running along inside it.
Magic and Eugene Stoner spit. Just stating facts.
@@BadazzShovelhead Lol. Of course. I should have guessed.
This is true. I imagine that it's a combination of machining tolerances within the tunnel that the bolt carrier travels in and the self-limiting polishing action of the bolt carrier on the aluminum (irregularities are worn away with use).
Wild guess though :)
Your building and you start with a 80% because you are building. Spend the extra money on high end parts to get a great gun. JP Enterprises bolt, Proof Research barrel, JP buffer, Timney trigger, Timber Creek carbon handguard, A2 gas block. Some of my favorite parts! But building requirements would include lapping the upper lapping the scope mount using the proper lubricants torque of the barrel alignment of the glass block and tune a gas block. Stake the buffer tube ring and.viber tite anything with a bolt.
I was going to build an ar. Through the shopping process I found the ruger ar 556 mpr. Essentially this is the rifle I would have built for myself so I took the lazy way out and just bought it. Im sure the factory fit and finish surpasses what I could have built and for my first rifle, I probably ended up with a more reliable end product. To each their own I guess.
That's the best AR for the money in the market today. But I would spend the $800 for the version with the cold hammer forged, chrome lined barrel and carrier.
Yes I agree podcast on tuning. One ambi control every one should have is the safety selector
First you start with a barrel. It is what you need to decide what you want to do. Even in the video when he grabs for everything he grabbed for the barrel first. It matters the most for accuracy or bore size needed for that lower receiver. I did enjoy the show.
3 gun rifle VS a duty rifle is much different. Duty grade is to punch through adverse conditions and keep trucking.
Magpul Miad w bottle of G96, "G" triggers, Vortex Optics. Try a CROSSFIRE SCOUT 3x9 on it. 9" eye relief is wonderful for brush hunting hogs.
Sticky Velcro soft side inside edge of the inner upper stock get rid of all wobble.
The best part of a build is the research. The worst experience is if you ask too many people for their opinion. My first build I started with an Armalite lower and I ran into some frustration as the buffer tube for example was commercial size and other areas were milspec. IT has been 14 yrs so I may misremember it but I don't recall any issues other than the buffer tube but it did make me doubt stuff.
Love that you start off with non-“ amby” releases, learn basics first with muscle memory, then move on. 🤔
I'm in IT and always say the same thing about building your own computer, at the end of the day you can't match the resources of a factory that produces 1000s of this one model and there will always be things you miss, like optimal airflow, combination of parts, drivers, etc
The brn-180 has my attention. I've seen a bullpup configuration that uses 3d printed parts..
I hooked. My next build I want a 7.62 in the AR platform
Did you get to the 7.62 hopefully 7.62 * 39
Your build should start, where it starts. The organic build just means more, and suites me well. Stop all the fancy talk, and relate to the guy that has to budget, barter, grind, and build around his vision. I'll take that build any day.
This may have been said already but in my opinion, and I may be wrong, but as long as a lower is mill spec and functions as it should, place a decent drop-in trigger...it should have zero impact on how accurate or well the rifle runs. To me the most important items are the trigger and the barrel and thirdly would be the bcg. You can have the cheapest free float handguard, cheap grip, 80% finished out lower and cheap stock.. but decent trigger and decent one MOA barrel with a good compensator and you should be shooting as well as any high-end rifle. Again, this is my opinion, somewhat backed up by building one like this. Am I missing something or totally wrong?
Most manufacturers parts will not meet the mill spec TDP tolerances..The chamber is one of the most poorly manufactured part that escapes peoples radar..There are expensive function gauges that most so called experts don't even know exist that is needed to check chambers..Then you have the 3 bores in the bolt carrier that most so called experts have no clue about..Go to the School of the American Rifle if you want to watch a real expert..
Ambidextrous stuff makes me laugh because it’s only for lefty shooters yet a lot of people need to have it
Nice discussion!
12.5” middy FTW!!!
lol i just bought a reliable full upper. and simple lower. so i had a working gun to begin with and replaced the most important parts, over time. i went trigger first. then watched a video where a guy tested over 200 muzzle breaks/comps. and picked the one with the best performance. i still need get a buffer and spring. and a stock, lol i can manage with the cheapo airsoft stock they gave me with the lower. but otherwise gun still has never had 1 malfunction while chugging all the wolf steel i put thru it. also chose to get a cmmg .22 converter bolt over a ruger 10/22. just so i can use the AR im dropping all this gucci gear in.
I'm glad I got the premium detent... 😂🤣😂
"Let's go to hand guards"
"Let's go fishing"
Lol. That go a chuckle out of me
I really wanna see a segment on this subject but in accurizing an ar. Making an ar a precision shooter..
Step 1. Git gud. List over.
the portion about "is it a model?"....
if you don't really have enough experience to know what parts you want, then buy a model because it is a commodity and can be resold most easily because other people can know a lot about it by knowing which model it is.
if you want to try a specific part (s) or want an uncommon configuration or like parts of different models, then you kind of have to do a build. it will be harder to resale, but presumably, if for some reason you don't like a part, you can replace it with a different part without changing a "model" into a "Frankengun" because it already is a "Frankengun". most guns, that are not collectable, you will sell as a loss (unless it is discontinued or something) because the store buys wholesale and you buy retail, so you are unlikely to get back what you put in. as a result buying something new with an idea of resale value requires specific knowledge of what parts/firearms are worth or will potentially worth (i.e. you are investing, not using)
it is not as economically sound to build from parts in a lot of cases, so unless you have a specific need, it is less financially risky to buy a pre configured model. but if you want something specific, it might be hard to find what you want pre-made by a reputable company.
Good video thanks dudes
Priceless! Great discussion.
*I want a squre wheel" hilarious
A bit late, but I look at it as proportions
So, my barrel, BCG, and trigger will make up the largest bulk of the cost
That said, for as nice as a Geissele trigger is.. I tend to go for the LaRue MBT
For the lower receiver, I really only look at feel, look, and the magwell flare
Small things like mag release buttons can also make a big difference in the feel of operation.. BUT, kits like B. Kings "Combat Control" LPK cover that for just a bit more than "standard" LPKs (they ship fast too and have good buffer tube kits with 8 pos tubes & sprinco springs)
I ordered every part I needed from classic firearms and Optics Planet they came all everything came to my house within 2 days for classic firearms and a week for Optics Planet I have every part required to build the AR I am currently in another state as soon as I get home I'm building it
Very informative
Experts?? Go to the School of the American Rifle if you want to watch an expert..Even expensive high end AR rifles will not even meet TDP tolerances..SOLGW, Colt, BCM, DD are better than most, but poor QC can escape any manufacturer..
I ordered the receiver from classic firearms and it was at the ffl in 2 days
“Let’s get into hand guards”
“Let’s go fishing”
Haha, yeah boi!
🍻
I really love mark's operator beard
ARs are grown ups Lego sets
Th last 5 minutes are the most hilarious part 🤣😂🤣😂
I laughed when he said over $150 on a trigger. The Larue MBT-2 is 89 bucks and is literally a better version of an SSA-E
I know some of these tools think you need a Timney Gold or Tom Brady's wife(Gisele sp) trigger
Got the same myself, feels just as good if not better than my buddy's stuff who wastes money on guissele and timney nonsense.
Geissele’s can be had for 145.00
I bought a Geissle trigger for a little over 200, so so nice I'm glad I spent the money 👍🏼
I have giessele and larue 2 stage and they are so close it's a deal where you just pick which one you like better
From what I understand, the reason magpul didn't go with keymod was because their polymer accessories didn't interface well with the way keymod attached
"if it's over 150 dollars, it's probably a good trigger"
Mark Larue has entered the chat
I’ve heard from 3 large manufacturers now (my own inquiries) that nickle boron BCGs are just not as good and typically cause failures more often than not. Can you guys do a podcast just on BCGs or is there one out there right now?
Nickle boron is terrible..Go to the School of the American Rifle if you want a real expert opinion..
@@hairydogstail I’ll check it out. Thank you!
You know I Got that ADM with the catch and release 😂
Had to comment on “you can get anything but a lower shipped to your door.. .”
Depends on seller and what state you live in. Some sellers like OpticsPlanet wouldn’t send me flipping UPPER saying it was restricted item :(
Great video men 👍, enjoyed it much better point of view than most channels , but that word failed came up all guns have their moments but a malfunction at a match is crazy stuff to me. I love ARS but you can get to farr away from what it was intended to do, with specs one change may be just enough to make it less reliable than a hammer.
Daaaang. I’m a Boomer and I listen to your podcast! 24:14 Ouch!
I'm also a boomer. Sometimes they forget who wiped their asses and noses (in that order) They will only understand humility when the f'up generation below them rules. :)
Great content👍🇺🇸
Just recently built a lower that I've been holding onto for about 10 years for a factory upper I ordered. I watched a couple videos, skimmed through a bench manual and ordered some roll pin punches. Cobbled it together and it shoots beautifully. I dodged the Wuhan Plague, but caught the build bug bad and now awaiting delivery of more parts and tools to build on my three remaining receivers.
Fun fact I hung onto one lower for 12 years before I decided what to do with it.
POF lower, best im business, they also make best uppers so no real need to put their lower on someone elses upper. P415 for gas piston and renegade for DI.
Question:
A quality made expensive upper receiver like a DD, what is so much better on them than a budget Anderson upper receiver?
Is a budget Anderson upper receiver as good as like a PSA upper receiver, and if not what not?
Is the PSA on par with like an Aero Precision, If not why not?
It’s hilarious that I came here with a plan to build and left with a plan to buy a complete AR. Aim has changed from custom to finding the company with the best QC and pull the trigger on the cheapest they got. Change out the touch points and a $300ish LPVO/Red dot + magnifier and be done with it.
Same now, I know why my Ar9 had some hiccups in the build. And I've been looking at shops that build them for u but those price.
I say don't do it.
@@alexgrinage dang bro.. that must be upsetting to say the least! I hope you’re able to source the issue and get it changed out asap! I’m actually looking at other peoples builds that work on both forums, yt vids and comments as I still have hopes in building mine. Difference is less one off and more reliable. That said, I doubt any custom build will ever have the tolerances and reliability of a reputable company with extraordinary QC. In that regard, three companies come to mind from my research. Sons of Liberty, Q and Radical Firearms. I’m sure there’s more but those are the ones I’ve done extensive research on, regarding QC protocols.
For an accurate hunting AR I think the 4 B’z… quality barrel, quality bolt, quality brass, & quality bullets to reload.
Bolt definitely
So he replaced his barrel after 34k rounds. That's like $17,000 figuring $500 per 1000 bullets. I don't know about you but not many people have 17k to blow down the range. The cost to changing that barrel is a fraction of the cost of those bullets.
Question:
Regarding 5.56 barrels, if it’s not chrome lined or maybe nitride treated, if it’s just a plain button rifled barrel like a budget Anderson AM-15 if I were to shoot like 200 rounds a month how many rounds will that barrel be able to keep up with before it loses accuracy?
In response to the last call gunsmith/chef analogy; why is it that actual gunsmiths, employed as a gunsmith, usually have zero idea what they are doing with ar15’s? I started doing all my own work, installing barrels, gas blocks, timing muzzle devices…etc because not only have I come across completely incompetent gunsmiffs, but I’ve also seen many stupid mistakes done by gunsmiffs posted online. Yeah, putting a complete upper on a lower and adding sights/optics is comparable to making pop tarts, but gas block dimpling, fsb removal/install, barrel nut removal/installation, requires some skill/experience to be done properly.