Build Or Buy Your Next AR ?

When I first started shooting AR’s I was more than satisfied to buy one off the shelf. In the last few years I was leaning more and more toward building my own. What I really wanted was an AR that I built using parts I thought to be some of the best on the market. I also wanted the satisfaction of building it with my own hands and the feeling of accomplishment that goes with it.

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Many shooters I’ve spoken with about this subject have been leery about taking a project like this on. I can understand that but if there was ever a rifle that begged to be built by a shooter it’s the AR-15. You can look at an AR much like a large lego set. If the parts are manufactured of quality materials with the proper tolerances, as they should be, it’s just not terribly difficult. Of course before you take on the task of building an AR you need to do your homework.

If you have a friend who has built several AR’s they can help you get started and ensure you avoid some of the common mistakes first time builders encounter. Another source of knowledge can be found in some videos that feature well known gunsmiths. You can watch them through then go back and reference the parts you’re working on. AGI (American Gunsmithing Institute) has an especially good selection of videos on building an AR as well as other relevant topics concerning the AR.