My first AR build

[WHSmithIV]

My deal with the 7.62 x39 is that ammo is available for less than $.25 a round shipped to your door. I don't feel bad at all going to the range and cranking through several mags worth of ammo. We have a range on a state wildlife area not too far from me. $24.00 for an annual pass. Usually when I go to shoot, I take a couple .223/5.56 ARs and the 7.62 x 39 upper. I even let the range guys who work for the state blast through a few mags. They enjoy trying different stuff like the 7.62 x 39. My whole point is, why build a gun if you can't afford to shoot it?

I agree that 7.62 isn't a bad choice - I'm building my AR pistol in 7.62 for a few different reasons of my own. You have an actual range around and it costs you something to go to shoot? I go one mile to the lava rock fall that we use as a backstop around here in the mountains. The nearest actual 'range' has to be at least 80 miles from here. To test a gun, I test it in my front yard. My counterpoint would be "why build a gun just to go blast through ammo for the fun of it?" My guns are tools, not some toys for having fun. I practice most with my .45, I do practice with my other guns but less than with the .45. A couple times a year to make sure they are still sighted in. When I take one to use it, I need it to be on target. I never go blasting through ammo 'for the fun of it'. That's not what the military taught me that ammo was for. Besides, some of us just can't afford to take 300 rounds of ammo and go blast away with it for no useful purpose.

[FortTom]

Rob, shoot as much ammo as you can budget for. You stated that this is your first AR. How are you going to become proficient, without proper training, even if you have to buy a video and train yourself. This is an AR shooting forum, first and foremost. Yes, we all have different budgets, and have to take that into account, but throwing a box or a can out in the yard and shooting a few rounds will not make you proficient, any more than shooting 300 rounds makes your weapon a "toy", and not a serious tool. Actually that weapon can be both, used for hunting/training for self-defense, and HELL no, just because you want to run a couple of mags through it for the hell of it, doesn't make you a non-serious hobbyist of some sort.

If you ever do plan and get to take a carbine class, count on shooting up to 1000+ rounds in a 2 day course.

Many of us, who own multiple AR's, and you already seem to be heading in that direction, with your mentioning you want to build multiple uppers for variation, would be hard pressed to do any meaningful training with 4 or 5 weapons in the truck, and 1 or 2, 30 round mags loaded for them. And no matter how well you may have been trained, believe me, if you don't keep training, it's like golf, or anything else, it's use it or lose it.

Some here picture WEVO members as folks who are just plinkers, or playing with toys because we like to stay sharp, and knock the rust off of our skills, and themselves as the only folks who are serious about their weapons and only ones to consider their weapons as tools. Part of WEVO is about shooters going to the range and combining training and shooting, and considering it, no matter how physically demanding, fun.

Consider hunting. You need and want some meat, and the buck of a lifetime bursts out, literally under your own feet. (I think we've all had that happen, or those of us that hunt). Lack of training, or little training, will catch you off guard, and see your game bounding away as you fumble for the safety, because you want to save money on ammo and forego training and practice. If ammo is an issue, I believe that a good bolt action rifle would make a better rifle for hunting than an AR that you can't afford to feed. I'm not saying that's an issue for you, but just saying.

The point is, it makes no sense for posters to tell forum members you shouldn't "blast ammo", in a forum that is dedicated to people who are serious AR shooters, and would happily shoot every round of ammo they can get their hands on.

Whether doing serious training/familiarization or just blasting away for fun, it's all o.k., despite anyone's opinions. If it quits being fun for anyone, no matter if they're doing drills, taking a low light carbine class, or just seeing how tight a group they can keep while doing a mag dump, maybe a serious AR forum is not for those folks. Maybe a forum dedicated to hunting would be more suitable.

Have fun, and Happy Shooting, looks like you've got the ingredients to put together a rifle that will serve any function within it's limitations.

[RobSWVA]

Well, as I said before, the BLK upper I'm concentrating on is mainly for hunting. While I can use .223 in VA, I would just prefer a bigger round to make sure its an ethical kill. I wont be pumping alot of rounds out of that upper, but will be shooting it some. Plan is to work on a 5.56 URG after the build is finished, so I can use that for burning up ammo, as it will be a much cheaper option to do so regarding ammo costs. I know it may make more sense to get the 5.56 done first after that explanation, but I just want to make sure I have the core reason for the rifle done and then I can go on to the fun stuff. I understand you cant just shoot 20 rds a month and be a deadeye; I've seen some pretty fair deals on fmj for the BLK, roughly around 35 for 50 rds, give or take a few bucks, so the price of shooting it until I get the 5.56 URG finished wont be too bad, just have to not let myself go crazy and start unloading like Rambo, lol.

Plus in this neck of the woods I'm sure I am surrounded by guys that reload, so I'm fairly confident that I can work out a deal regarding getting some BLK rounds done up for me for even less than online prices; pitch em some extra powder, brass, projectiles etc on top of my own components to make it worth their while

[RobSWVA]

Now here I go contradicting myself. With all the black friday stuff going on, I'm slightly considering going for a 5.56 barrel first due to prices. Having a 16" melonited carbine gas thrown in your face for $99 is hard to pass up. May end up breaking away from my plan if that is still available come friday when my check hits the bank

[WHSmithIV]

Now here I go contradicting myself. With all the black friday stuff going on, I'm slightly considering going for a 5.56 barrel first due to prices. Having a 16" melonited carbine gas thrown in your face for $99 is hard to pass up. May end up breaking away from my plan if that is still available come friday when my check hits the bank

The first one I built was in 5.56 and that is a great price for a barrel. Don't know when hunting season is there but here it's over already for any weapon. There are a couple possibilities left, but I've already filled our tags anyway. Hunting season is likely to be over this year for you too by the time you have it finished. What twist rate is the barrel? With some rounds of more expensive ammo like 77 grain you could easily take down a deer with 5.56 and you have a year to practice with it almost. If it's 1:7 or 1:8 twist, jump on it I'd say.

[FortTom]

Now here I go contradicting myself. With all the black friday stuff going on, I'm slightly considering going for a 5.56 barrel first due to prices. Having a 16" melonited carbine gas thrown in your face for $99 is hard to pass up. May end up breaking away from my plan if that is still available come friday when my check hits the bank

Sounds like a plan. Then you can just take your sweet time, as budget allows, to build other uppers, while having something in your hand that you can actually shoot.

[UWone77]

Get one of these. 4150 Steel 16" barrel, AAC Nitride coated and comes with a gas block. $119

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts...e-_-IR-_-60594

[Pyzik]

The more I see those rails the more I like them.

Looks like you've got a good start going.

[WHSmithIV]

Get one of these. 4150 Steel 16" barrel, AAC Nitride coated and comes with a gas block. $119

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts...e-_-IR-_-60594

He already has a gas block UWone. It came with his win from Gunstruction.

[UWone77]

He already has a gas block UWone. It came with his win from Gunstruction.

Unlike you cheapskates... having extra parts if the price is right, makes no difference to me.

Nothing says you can't sell off your old parts!

[Dstrbdmedic167]

Unlike you cheapskates... having extra parts if the price is right, makes no difference to me.

Nothing says you can't sell off your old parts!

Agreed!! Never have enough extra parts or ammo...

[camomike]

PSA is letting complete 5.56 uppers go on black Friday for a song. Might be worth dropping the dime on one of them. The BCG is swappable between URGs until you can save for a dedicated one for each. Something else to consider...

[Pyzik]

PSA is letting complete 5.56 uppers go on black Friday for a song. Might be worth dropping the dime on one of them. The BCG is swappable between URGs until you can save for a dedicated one for each. Something else to consider...

Crossing my fingers for a 10.5 upper...

[WHSmithIV]

Unlike you cheapskates... having extra parts if the price is right, makes no difference to me.

Nothing says you can't sell off your old parts!

Something "oooh, that's a roll pin, gotta build it into an new gun!" ?

[RobSWVA]

Well, unfortunately the barrel I was eyeballing was that price only until 12pm Tues (36 hr sale), so I missed out on that. I went ahead and ordered a stock/buffer kit that Will posted to my FB page since I've got all my lower parts on the way right now. For under $50, including shipping, and getting everything for the back end that I need, I didn't wanna pass it up; pretty good deal. That way I can go ahead and finish my lower up completely. Hopefully everything will arrive by next week and I can get into finishing it up. Then all I have left is the bolt carrier, barrel, charging handle, gas tube....oh, and muzzle device. I think I have it all covered after those few things.