What drives your "build"?

[Uffdaphil]

I was in our postal pistol club since we had a range in the basement built for fed LEOs. But hadn't touched an AR since my M-16 in 1969. But then Obama was re-elected and I decided we had passed the turning point where more were taking out than paying in, hence SHTF inevitable at some point. With five sibs with families and only one hunter among them, I made a deal. I will arm us all and they will provide the chow. At least they are stocking up on consumables.

So having researched a bit I first bought a complete DD V7. Did not like the smooth tube hand guard. Slippery when wet. Then bought a couple PSA uppers and misc stripped lowers for serviceable if not top tier guns for the family. Then it hit me -- how can I give loved ones guns I would not bet my own life on? As I live alone and ex-wives can't say no, the build party started. So far I've assembled probably 15 ARs in the last couple years, selling and swapping as I figure out what I prefer. I don't install barrels or rails as two guys I've gotten to know well have an AR/AK custom shop just a few blocks from me and I buy enough parts that they usually give me free labor.

Percentage breakdown: Shooting 30%, Group life insurance 50%, Fiddle-fart 15%, Aesthetics 5%. The last because I don't like the looks of some perfectly good parts. And I did get some sweet WEVO pmags. I just cannot board the Cerakote train. Love the looks, but every time I'm tempted, I upgrade optics instead. Glass is my Kryptonite.

My first pure fiddle-fart project is currently waiting on a barrel. 7.5" uber light weight pistol just for grins.

[Aragorn]

My drive to do an AR build started on the eve of the 2008 presidential election. I was a competitive shooter (pistols USPSA) and at the time also worked retail in a gun shop. Despite that I never really had much love for the platform. However, before Nov. 4th I decided to get crackin' on building one while I knew I still could. I wanted to build instead of buy because it was easier to afford one part at a time and really study the different parts I'd be buying. That first AR was a tank. Vltor MUR upper, DD lower, DD 10" lite rail, centurion 16" barrel, UBR, Failzero BCG, Aimpoint Comp M4. Indestructible but heavy. I loved building it as much as shooting it, and thought I could do better. I loved (still do) getting into the details, the materials IN the materials, perfect optimization on how to make things run as reliably and smoothly as possible. Despite my competitive background though, my builds have always come together with an eye towards the unknown, what if the day comes when it's NOT all fun and games? It's a big driving factor in why I prefer flash surpressors over brakes, and why I doubt I'll ever own a pure race gun. Even in USPSA I use my carry piece.

All that said, it's also become something of my version of garage therapy. At least when I have the time and resources.

The drive (drive as in Why I build) hasn't changed pretty much at all, but the resulting rifle at the end certainly has. I like light, but balanced is even better. I know I don't really need more than a 10-11" forend because I learned first hand. I want my rifle to be a good team player and not be throwing blast or concussion at my buddy. I prefer smaller round forends and don't really need a rail anywhere other than 12:00, and that's just so I can attach a BUIS. On that note I finally came to terms that I really don't need a weapon light attached all the time, or really even at all since it's my M&P that runs nightstand duty. I have a surefire mini scout, I figure that as long as I have provisions to attach it should the S ever really HTF, I'm good.

As for aesthetics, I love looking at pretty guns like so many that adorn this sight, but I don't think any of the ones I've built could be considered beautiful from a purely aesthetic standpoint. I think some vanity parts are cool, but I can count all the vanity parts I've ever bought on one hand and have three fingers left over.

The build I'm working on will be the culmination of all this, whenever I'm finally able to finish it.

[UWone77]

I've gone through the entire journey of buying whatever was available, all AR's are the same, figuring out what was quality components, attaching every whiz bang gadget as I might "need" it, to using just what works.

My first AR was during the AWB. It was a Bushmaster. Back then our department did not issue AR's, but you could buy your own and qualify with it. It was tough finding a non-neutered AR back then. Finally ended up buying someone else's from the department. The Bushmaster had never been fired at the time, and I ran it through a 1200 round class without a hiccup. Looking back on it, it was pretty accurate, even if I don't recall the specs on the barrel.

Over the years I did some more reading, and realized the Bushmaster was lower end, and probably needed to upgrade some components. After spending a ton of money I ended up changing out everything on that gun to the point where the only original part was the lower. Looking back on it, it was a dumb move. I should have either just sold the gun as it was and purchased a new one. I had spent more money on "upgrades" than a new rifle. I should have just shot the gun until it gave me problems, which it never did.

Fast forward, Eric (mod on this board) introduced me to the idea of owning more than 1 AR... what a concept I know. Then Stickman told me to check out Noveske Rifleworks if I was going to buy a premium AR. I had never owned a stripped lower until Noveske was giving out Lowers with a purchase of an upper at the time. That started my "building" from stripped lowers.

My current "builds" are geared towards marketing pictures so now that I have 70+ uppers, most of them are built for aesthetics because that's what sells. I still try to shoot all of them, but it's obvious hard to rotate that many. First world problems I know.

My personal shooters are geared towards duty use. White Light, Sling, Aimpoint Red Dot, and handguards are what all of my duty guns have. Some have some ambi controls as I'm a LH shooter. Less inclined to use the newest gadgets and bolts on when it comes to duty/HD guns. I also moved towards 16" barrels vs 14.5" on them. Remove one muzzle device and destroy it, just to change it out and you'll realize how expensive it is, and not worth the cost.

I also have guns built towards:

Suppressed use (always in the quest for less gas in the face where it be using Switchblocks, LH uppers, Pistons, ect)

NiB Project Guns (are these coatings really affecting reliability)

Loaner Guns

and now SBR's.

That's just a quick summary.

[gatordev]

Speaking strictly of carbines, all but two of my uppers I've built or purchased (and then modifed) have had two primary intents: 1) to experience how that particular setup worked, be it rail, optic, and/or barrel. 2) to have the same basic, simple setup of a rail, optic (usually with BUIS until recently), to be relatively lightweight (could range from "average" weight to light weight, depending on how far I wanted to go), and lately, to have the ability to mount a light if needed, though not necessarily a regular fixture.

It was a little bit of a journey across manufacturers to try what they had (BCM for my first...meh, but I think I just didn't get a great barrel...Noveske...BCM again, with happier results...KAC...Spike's 545 because it's cheap...and then Centurion Arms). I've enjoyed the education and continue to shoot them, rotating them each weekend in some form (plinking, drills, competition). The problem I find is that when I also try to add other weapon systems (WWII guns, pistols, etc) into the rotation, it gets complicated to stay "current" on them all.

The other two carbines that I've built that don't fall into the above categories were clones. And a huge part of that process that I enjoyed was the research to learn about the weapons (M4 Block 2 and the CQBR Block 0). They were just fun to learn about, build up, and then shoot, and initially had nothing to do with utility.

In the end, I've found that very little of the the basic setup of my guns has changed other than using handstops instead of VFGs (in part thanks to getting used to handstops in CA in order to get around, I mean "operate within the law"). What I did find was that I like MIADs, SOPMOD (or ACS/STR style) stocks, and that iron sights become much less useful to me outside of 50m due to age.

[Soisauss]

My builds are mostly influenced by what I intend to do with them (as nutfancy uses, POU's, philosophy of use).

My first ever ar was built by my leo buddy and the intent was merely to have a AR I can call home defense. The whole thing was triggered when our family business was broken into 3 years ago and being I stay late the business (10pm or later) I wanted something to defend with. Not necessary for the business, but in general ( I know what you're thinking, why not pistols, well I have addressed those already).

So I gave my buddy a budget cap of $2,000 for the build that includes optics, the rifle and 5 pmags. Well, let just say he built me a high quality, highly aesthetic ar using CMT lower, bcm bcg and barrel, seekins, mcsr, kns and all that jazz. I have since invested another 200 to make it a complete cmt upper lower.

That build pretty much started the snowball effect. Having now built 3 now, with several more on the list, all of it are function based and less on aesthetics. For example, keymod rail looks exciting, however beautiful it might be, it just needs to have rails for attachment.

Hopefully I'll own as much as uwone there :).

[UWone77]

Hopefully I'll own as much as uwone there :).

Trust me, you don't want this many. If I did it all over again, I would have saved my money or sold things as the industry progressed.

[Ride4frnt]

Trust me, you don't want this many. If I did it all over again, I would have saved my money or sold things as the industry progressed.

The only problem I can see with owning that many is that rifle safes are expensive.

[rob_s]

Trust me, you don't want this many. If I did it all over again, I would have saved my money or sold things as the industry progressed.

I'm no where near that volume, but you're very right. I have two surefiree that were $500+ when new and now I can't give them away. You have to stay on the bleeding edge of you're going to rotate out gear. Otherwise you're on the bleeding wallet program.

[UWone77]

I'm no where near that volume, but you're very right. I have two surefiree that were $500+ when new and now I can't give them away. You have to stay on the bleeding edge of you're going to rotate out gear. Otherwise you're on the bleeding wallet program.

Pretty much spot on here.

There are a ton of items and accessories I should have unloaded, but if you have so much stuff you tend to forget what you have. Now that I think about it I did giveaway some of those same $500 Surefire lights that you can't unload now. Just goes to show you things like lights have come a long way in the last 5 years. Another example is rail systems. Back then a Daniel Defense Lite or M4 Rail was the shit, but now who is going to pay $300+ for one?

I should keep inventory on an Excel sheet, but as often as guns are torn down and rebuilt, I'd spend all my time updating the sheet. Ideally, for me the setups I would keep:

2 Colt 6720's (2 is 1, 1 is none)
1 MK18 type SBR setup
1 DMR/Recce type setup.

[Uffdaphil]

Struth. I had every gun and part logged in a notebook for the longest time. But with the panic passed, prices down and innovative components sprouting all over, the menagerie started interbreeding and I lost track of what went where. Great fun to find forgotten components, esp. a couple of stripped lowers.

Still, some "Dated" guns never lose their appeal and are keepers.
LMT 16" w/DD Lite rail
Colt Socom II (bought for investment-hah) keeps me from regretting selling the plain 6920s.

[rob_s]

2 Colt 6720's (2 is 1, 1 is none)
1 MK18 type SBR setup
1 DMR/Recce type setup.

Pretty good list. Mine would probably be...

6720 x 2
6933
Colt Competition

[rob_s]

[QUOTE=Uffdaphil;58285
Still, some "Dated" guns never lose their appeal and are keepers.
[/QUOTE]

I agree, and would hesitate to call them "dated" just because they aren't "new hotness". My favorite rifle is still one of the one of the 6520s I started with, and it still wears the DD 10.0 M4 rail (the original DD rail design), and I'd prefer if it still had the Vltor stock and Tango Down pistol grip on it. Love the Trijicon TA33 it still wears too.

[browcs]

I agree, and would hesitate to call them "dated" just because they aren't "new hotness". My favorite rifle is still one of the one of the 6520s I started with, and it still wears the DD 10.0 M4 rail (the original DD rail design), and I'd prefer if it still had the Vltor stock and Tango Down pistol grip on it. Love the Trijicon TA33 it still wears too.

Yup. One of my favorite rails still happens to be the Vltor CASV which will see a new home on my Colt 6720. I still run two DD Omegas. Frankly, I don't see the need to get rid of those rails for others.

[Hazzmatt]

My first build was pretty simple I bought a Colt, clamped a flashlight on the barrel, ground off the finger buster on the stock grip and put a sling on it. That was about twenty years ago and they didn't have as many neat toys back then. My recent build was done strictly for work and I wanted it to be as simple, practical and as ambidextrous as possible. I have an ASA 10.5 (suppressor on the way) with a KAC rail/handguard, Magpul AFG, MBUS2 sights, Bad lever, STR stock, ASP plate, an EOTech 512 w/GG&G covers, Condor single/double point sling, ambi selector and mag release and Raptor charging handle. I know, I know, I'm a Magpul whore. I also have a Surefire 6P with a LED conversion and a duel switch w/pressure pad mounted with the absolutely excellent Gear Sector mount and a Gear Sector forward sling ring thing. I am very happy with it. It is fairly simple and very practical. I do a lot of bilateral work and it's set up for that. The gun itself is very accurate and very reliable and in this configuration handles great.

[rob_s]

I went back to my original 6520-flattop-conversion last night at a match. I've been shooting irons-only for the past year on a BCM Dissipator.

It was bad. Re-learning the TA33, didn't do any sort of check of the gun before the match, had no lube and a blue Sprinco spring (which doesn't like my usual Wolf ammo). Bad.

I probably could have gotten by with all of the other issues if I just had the factory spec spring in it. I was reminded of this thread, and why I've been leaning towards replacing the "builds" with factory guns (even if boutique like Noveske or KAC), and the consequences of fiddle-fart. It also struck me as funny that I went from running a gun with irons, fixed stock, and plastic handguard to one with adjustable stock, optic, and free-float and did WORSE with the fancy-pants "build" than I did with the basic "push in two pins" solution.