Building vs. Buying. Demystifying the AR-15.

I want to talk about something that has turned out to be eye-opening. Coming from a world where we primarily used hunting rifles, I admit there was some mystery to the AR-15 platform. Then I bought my first one at a local pawn shop.

The Ruger AR 556 was my first dive into the world of AR rifles. Like many, I immediately started looking for ways to make it more than it already was. More tactical. More usable. And ultimately more ammunition being shot than I could afford!

Pay close attention to your gear.

There’s one thing you’ll notice when you start really paying attention. If you take away the logo and fancy “furniture” like Magpul grips, and stocks, you wouldn’t be able to tell one AR-15 from another.

They are called “Mil-Spec” for a reason. Imagine being in a situation where your rifle isn’t functioning. In a military situation, many parts are kept on hand just for this reason. What fits on one AR-15 will likely fit on another. It is good to keep something like the Whoops! Kit on hand for those lost springs.

To simplify it further, take note of how the “upper” detaches from the “lower” completely. It isn’t uncommon to have multiple upper and lowers that you mix and match to find what works best. This doesn’t require any knowledge of “building” an AR-15.

It’s as complicated as you want to make it.

It’s completely possible to create an AR-15 from scratch by buying all the components and then putting them together. There’s more than enough resources to help you on your journey. You just need the desire, confidence, and aptitude to get the job done.

For those that like to be able to tailor what is put in their build, they may look for kits that don’t include the firing control group (FCG). With the many “drop-in” triggers available, some prefer these versus the Mil-Spec triggers that come in a full kit.

One of the most common upgrades people do to their first AR-15 is the grip. The Anderson Manufacturing AR-15 Lower Parts Kit w/Magpul MOE Grip addresses this by including that instead of the regular one that comes with the standard kit.

SAFO (Shop Around & Find Out)

You may be planning to go to a gun show this weekend. While gun shows seem to be a haven for someone looking for an affordable firearm, too often you’re seeing over-inflated pricing. With high booth and travel costs, getting a deal from a dealer is almost a thing of the past.

You can still find good deals if you know where to look. Rather than buying a full firearm, look for AR-15 upper receivers. More often than not, these are made by a few major manufacturers and re-branded as they are distributed.

Similar to lower receivers, you can build an upper receiver from scratch. However, buying a complete upper means you don’t need special tooling that is usually required to complete the build.

From there, select the option that’s best for you. The DPMS Panther Arms AR-15 Magpul MOE Lower is a great option for anyone wanting a solid, reliable, American made completed lower.

We understand not everybody feels like building their own. For you, the OK Armorers Custom AR-15. A simple, solid, Oklahoma made AR-15 with Mil-Spec parts.

If you can find a better price or need a custom build, click the chat button and let us know. We will do our best to beat it!