Want to build my own AR15, where to go?

[nfafan]

Hello all,

Given the recent threads on rolling your own AR, was wondering if any builders have some info collected to help get me jump started... (Googling "AR15" gets more hits than there are Chins in China), so if anyone knows of a good source for a:

1. Barrelled "XM177 look-alike" A1/A2 upper
2. telestock
3. LPK
or "complete kit of the above", and, a local-to-Pittsburgh source for a stripped AR-lower.

Thanks TONS in advance!

[Kaos]

there is pretty much no local to pgh source for stripped lowers. Order one and have it sent to your ffl.

[Karys]

If you're looking to buy new you're pretty much going to have to order everything on your list.

Fully assembled uppers can be ordered from any of the manufacturers. I prefer Rock River Arms or Bushmaster. The same goes for your stock.

It looks like Rock River Arms is back in the LPK business again. I just got mine after being backordered for about 30 days. Other dealers have them too and you may be able to order an LPK from the same place you get your lower.

I like Stag for stripped lowers. They're about the cheapest around. Anyone that has them can ship to your FFL. I ordered mine from Mooney's Guns in Round Rock Texas. I had my dealer fax his FFL to Mooney's and I had my lower in three days. Mooney's also has LPK's.

Check out gun shows too. I don't know about the Pittsburg area but you can usually find someone at a show in the eastern half of the state that has uppers, stripped lowers, LPK's and stocks. It might be worth it for you to drive out to the Harrisburg show on the 14th and 15th.

[nfafan]

Thanks for the info...

Does anyone know of a source for a good clone of the "XM177 look" in a barrelled upper?

Maybe a "complete" kit of an "XM177" less the lower?

Thanks!

[Karys]

Does anyone know of a source for a good clone of the "XM177 look" in a barrelled upper?

Maybe a "complete" kit of an "XM177" less the lower?

What do you mean by "XM177 look"? Are you talking about barrel length or features like flash supressors and bayo lugs?

[Cheeseybacon]

Thanks for the info...

Does anyone know of a source for a good clone of the "XM177 look" in a barrelled upper?

Maybe a "complete" kit of an "XM177" less the lower?

Thanks!

The XM177 has a 10-11" barrel, doesn't it? I don't know how you're gonna get the true look of a such a setup without actually running through the ATF's hoops to register an honest to goodness short barreled rifle. I'd think the best you could otherwise get is an upper with a 10-11" barrel with a 6"-ish permenantly-attached flash hider on it to meet the 16" minimum length for rifle barrels. Such a route is is pointless if you ask me, as you would get all the length of a 16" barrel but still have the accuracy of a 10" barrel.

[arrrrgh15]

Try Bushmaster. I believe they have one that has the XM177 features. 11.5 inch barrel with pinned on flash hider. It'll have an A2 upper though and not an A1 upper like the old XM177, but might be close enough.

Otherwise if you want a truly authentic XM build, you can build one up from parts and go the NFA route as indicated below.

[nfafan]

I'm just after that XM177 "look" - yinz all know the look; telestock and short bbl with long flashider.

A bayo lug is irrelevent, but I guess since it was a part of the front-sight assbly, maybe it "should be there".

I have heard of a flashhider that is internally threaded, so as to enclose a 16" bbl and make it look like a 10.5"-11" bbl with "long flashhider".

Anyway - for you AR builders - did you buy the "less-recvr kits"? Or did you buy parts and pieces here and there, such as a barreled upper here, stock there, LPK from here and so on??

I'm thinking a "less-recvr kit" is the more economical choice - and will make color-matching less an issue.

Thanks all - I really appreciate the brainstorming!

[Kaos]

I did as close to a %100 build as I could get.

I think the only part I didn't put together myself was attaching/staking the carrier key and the charging handle latch.

[Karys]

Anyway - for you AR builders - did you buy the "less-recvr kits"? Or did you buy parts and pieces here and there, such as a barreled upper here, stock there, LPK from here and so on??

I'm thinking a "less-recvr kit" is the more economical choice - and will make color-matching less an issue.

Thanks all - I really appreciate the brainstorming!

That's pretty much the way I built my two AR's. I bought a stripped lower and a lower parts kit and put the lower together. Then I bought a fully assembled upper.

I had no issues with color matching. I have a CMMG upper on a DPMS lower and an RRA upper on a Stag lower. The color of both guns match perfectly.

For my next build the upper and lower will be built completely from parts. I have a stripped AR-10 lower that's been sitting around a for a few years. I figure I better get it built before the election if I really want one. AR-10's are expensive though even if you build one completely from parts.