Philosophical Thread on First AR Build

[rob_s]

Contrary to what the internut will usually tell you, you aren't actually gaining or saving anything by assembling your first AR yourself. Nor are you doing yourself any favors bolting a bunch of nonsense to an AR right out of the gate. I've even been know to ask people "what do you intend to do with it", which also doesn't really matter.

Why do I say all of this? Because you just don't know. Knowing guns and knowing ARs is two different things. I know a fair bit about ARs, and I wouldn't even pretend to think that knowledge is remotely applicable to shotguns. I've made that mistake before.

So what you want to do is buy the highest quality, basic, AR you can afford without too much grief. I wouldn't suggest ordering halves of guns, or parts of guys, or even whole guns (unless you've done it before) from the Internet. I'd march down to Walmart or to your local gunshop and buy a Colt 6920 or 6720 and be done.

Then go shoot the gun.

[WHSmithIV]

Contrary to what the internut will usually tell you, you aren't actually gaining or saving anything by assembling your first AR yourself. Nor are you doing yourself any favors bolting a bunch of nonsense to an AR right out of the gate. I've even been know to ask people "what do you intend to do with it", which also doesn't really matter.

Why do I say all of this? Because you just don't know. Knowing guns and knowing ARs is two different things. I know a fair bit about ARs, and I wouldn't even pretend to think that knowledge is remotely applicable to shotguns. I've made that mistake before.

So what you want to do is buy the highest quality, basic, AR you can afford without too much grief. I wouldn't suggest ordering halves of guns, or parts of guys, or even whole guns (unless you've done it before) from the Internet. I'd march down to Walmart or to your local gunshop and buy a Colt 6920 or 6720 and be done.

Then go shoot the gun.

I'll point out one rather obvious flaw with this logic " (unless you've done it before)" .... Now, just how is someone going to have "done it before" until they do it the first time? That's like saying "don't change a flat tire unless you've done it before".

I built mine because it was the only way I could afford to have one and I do need it and not for 'plinking at a range'. It's the best firearm I have for going out on the pitch black nights when the sheep are agitated because some predator type critter is skulking around them. With the AR I can light up the pasture with the tac light and shoot whatever is trying to kill one of our sheep. There's a first time for everything and if you want to build an AR piece by piece then do it. Not only will you know how it works but you'll also know how to build another one (which is exactly what I am doing - I want an AR 7.62x39 pistol).