Should You Build or Buy Your Next AR-15?
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- Опубліковано 16 лип 2024
- You can choose to either build or buy your next AR-15. Both are very popular and while there isn't a "right" option, there are some things to consider when deciding.
I'm using my Bravo Company USA M16A4-inspired clone to illustrate my points. It has performed well after 5,000 rounds of both brass and steel cased 5.56mm NATO.
This rifle is an "inspired" clone, meaning doesn't have any Colt or FN/FNH parts, but it does include things like the Trijicon ACOG TA31RCO-A4CP (not shown in this video), MaTech BUIS, and Knight's Armament M5 RAS non-free floated rail. It also has various Bravo Company USA, Aero Precision, and Toolcraft parts.
00:00 - 00:55: Intro
00:55 - 02:12: Considerations
02:12 - 07:28: Why You Should Build
07:28 - 08:45: Why You Should Buy
08:45 - 09:23: Hybrid Approach
09:23 - 10:53: Price: Building is More Expensive
10:53 - 12:16: Price: Building is Cheaper
12:16 - 14:20: Conclusion
I ALWAYS build my ar-15s, not only because of the initial sticker shock of buying a complete rifle but there's always at least a couple things on them that i'm going to change out anyway.
Plus, like a PC, building it is wayyy more fun😊😊😊
Hahaha dude that is a VERY good analogy! Just like PC building!
As a beginner, buying is more appealing at the moment but eventually I would love to build and customize my own!
i bought a completed upper from BCM but built my own lower. no tools needed and it was super easy.
I’ve done this before too! It’s a good approach
Both. Start off buying, take it apart, modifying slowly over time as you become familiar with it. Then with enough experience and familiarity build the rifle you need and want.
VERY good approach!
Crazy high quality channel, keep up the good work dude
Thank you!!
personally, I would recommend buying a completed upper (BCM, PSA, etc) and then building your own lower.
This as well is good advice
Damn dude, freakin' great production quality on this vid! Also thanks for the input. It can seem like a toss up sometimes on which way to go.
Thanks man!!
"Because 1 the M16 is awesome" YES! yes it is!! The MK12 is my next build im going to buy a Colt built lower, Stripped Colt upper and put the daniel defense barrel and quad rail on it, unless I can find a colt 10.3 barrel. Love the videos James keep them coming! and im waiting on your MK12 build haha
Hahaha oh man the pressure is on, a MK12 would be pretty sick 😂 that next build you have sounds pretty damn solid, would love to get some Colt parts in my life too
Always build, it’s fun and cheaper
Much appreciated
To be honest, if you’re on a budget you’re only saving $50 to 100 building your own AR-15 over buying PSA (not even factoring in tools). However, if you got a budget of about $1000 then you can really start saving money assembling your own rifle by investing in a quality barrel, rifle speed adjustable gas block, thermal fit upper, quality BCG.
Did you just say saving money and rifle speed adjustable gas block in the same sentence?
@@jeffpraterJSF Try paying for a rifle with that already that installed 🤯. Also, the superlative arms bleed off kit exists as an $89 alternative.
I bought my Colt AR15A4 with no plan to upgrade ($1100). Later randomly found the Non-KAC contract M5 rail (Prudent American aka P&S) for a little over a hundred bucks new from Primary Arms, so that definitely was an impulse buy. My brother ordered a Trijicon TA-02 ACOG for his Radian and was impatient so he ordered from another place because the other shop didn't reply for for over a week until the product actually shipped. He ended up with two, so I just bought one off him for half price. Only rifle I built would be my Geissele URG-I "near clone". I got the Geissele lower, trigger, and parts kit for it (don't care for "clone" correct) cause I wanted it to be a complete Geissele rifle although I have a new BCM complete lower just hanging around that I could've used. The URG-i came with the buffer and spring and I had a spare SSA-E trigger laying around, so I just decided to build out a lower and save the BCM lower for whenever BCM has a 9" 300 BLK upper in stock. The URG-i is my favorite gun. Just got a tan Eotech for it as well. You should build one. It's awesome and it will make forget about your DD M4. The guys at 9-hole reviews are in love with it cause it shoots like an SPR.
The best way, in my opinion for most is buy an upper and either build a lower via Aero Precision with what you want or buy a complete lower via Aero Precision. Then you upgrade as you go. I love buying BCM uppers, and I buy complete lowers. Then I upgrade parts as I go. Occasionally, I have bought a few AR15s. DD M4A1 RISIII, Noveske Recon Gen4, KAC SR-15 LPR MOD2, SOLGW M489, DD MK18 RIII pistol, DD MK18 pistol, BCM EAG, and BCM MK12 MOD0-A5. My first 2 rifles were complete AR15s, and both were sold years ago BCM MID16 and BCM RECCE-16 KMR-A Bronze. I do have 2 rifles that are just for decoration, and it's what you have in this video. The FN Collectors M4 and M16 that are AR15s I have few other Rifles for decorative purposes. Fulton Armory M1 Garand, Springfield Armory Model 1861 from 1863, Enfield 1853 Pattern from 1863, Jacob Dickertt 1771 Long Rifle.
Man I’m super jealous of your collection lol. How do you like the Fulton Armory Garand? I have a CMP Special Field Grade that I got in 2017. It’s definitely more of a safe queen but I absolutely love that rifle
@jamesshoots it being for decoration in my armory, it doesn't have many rounds through it. I love it, but I love historical guns. I think I've put 88 or 96 rounds down range with it. It's a beautiful piece to remember what our grandfathers fought for. He may be gone, but I remember him every time I see it.
Man this is such a difficult dilemma. I went the route of building since I had a small 1200 budget when I started my build. Overtime I changed a lot out into the rifle I truly wanted as I learned more and more/ ATF got all dumb with pistols. My 11.5” build evolved into a 6k plus build over 7 years and this is including optics.
If I had 2500 I would have bought an LMT MARS L and I would have gotten the rifle of my now dreams along with a manufacturer warranty. It would have been the correct way to go. But given it was 2017 and the world was nuts and I wanted a means of protection I did what I could to have what I wanted at the time. Buy once cry once is a real thing and I wouldn’t have made dumb mistakes on things like BCM MCMR rails (quadrail is king for heat mitigation trust me), I would have saved a lot of time and money.
I bought my first one, sold it for another then slowly turned that one into something else to fit my needs, and have built every other one since then.
I always but my upper and then build a lower out with the parts i want being that the lower is where all the user interface happens. Always the A5 buffer system and only high quality uppers ie BCM, Colt and Geiselle
In my opinion which is just my thoughts and ramblings but starting off someone should buy starting off and as someone upgrades small parts here and there and amass a parts bin then they should build. I build because I want specific pieces and I enjoy the fun of finding sales. But it is lengthy, some builds took 3 years.
I buy the upper half... half the time, really dictated by the purpose, but the rest is built.
I say build and here is why. If you build, you can spread the cost of the rifle over time. You also have the flexibility to go budget where you can so you can go premium where it does the most good. Here is an example. An Anderson receiver set (budget teer) with a Krieger Barrel (arguably the best) will shoot way better than a BCM receiver set( premium teer) with a Bear Creek Arsenal (ultra budget) barrel. (I'm not hate'n on BCA, but there barrels are a long way from a Krieger)
After building quite a few, I think you go down a rabbit hole when building and you just keep trying to min/max parts instead of actually shooting your rifle.
For a first rifle I’d say build the lower and buy a complete 16 inch lightish weight midlength barrel with a free float handguard upper.
M16A4 ✊✊✊✊🇺🇸
YES!!
But the first one. Build the rest with bliss. After you build your first you will never buy a complete rifle ever again.
$395 for a lower?! Fair enough it’s a very impressive build. When I built my A1 replica, I admit I wasn’t so selective, so an Anderson $60 lower was enough for me
I knowingly screwed myself over for that BCM rollmark 😭😭 TBH a $60 lower I think is perfect! An A1 replica sounds awesome man, great choice!
Anderson receivers are made to the proper spec. There is nothing wrong with them. The money you save with the Poverty pony can be put toward a top notch trigger and barrel.
i can build an ar15 that shooters better then a 5k dollar ar15 for 180 dollars its not hard to figure it out
no you can’t
@@milesm978 already have
@@popinmo drop the parts list ain’t no way it’s $180
@@milesm978 black friday sales + 3d printed lower and yea it was 180 for a free floated mlok ar15 crmov barrel and printed magpul moe grip and stock and flared magwell to