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The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Mon, 28 Dec 2015 17:13:53
by mmckee1952
The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

By Suzanne Wiley

This is a complete list of everything you need to build an AR-15 rifle. Underneath each component are suggestions of products the Cheaper Than Dirt! experts use or has used in the past on various AR-15 builds. Of course, our recommendations are not exhaustive. There are so many different ways to configure an AR-15 from mass-produced cheap polymer lowers to mom and pop shops machining custom competition, match-grade parts. Each AR-15 build is going to vary—depending on your reason for building the rifle. Be it a 9mm carbine, destroyer of pigs, long-range precision or simply just a fun toy, this guide will lead you in the right direction.

If you have questions, please sign in to CheaperThanDirt.com and click the “Live Chat” button in the upper right corner of the page. Our product specialists will help you with your build.

Read More: http://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/definit ... dinganar15

Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Mon, 28 Dec 2015 20:20:31
by OakRidgeStars
Cheaper Than Dirt, eh? Now I can finally build that $5k AR I've always wanted.

Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:39:04
by MarcSpaz
Anyone doing business with Cheaper Than Dirt is a fool. During shortages cause by ban scares, they were selling $700 ARs for $2,800+. I saw a Bushmaster on their site for $3,200. They sold 500 round boxes for 22LR for $180. I'll never support those guys.

Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Mon, 28 Dec 2015 23:42:31
by dmharvey
MarcSpaz wrote:Anyone doing business with Cheaper Than Dirt is a fool. During shortages cause by ban scares, they were selling $700 ARs for $2,800+. I saw a Bushmaster on their site for $3,200. They sold 500 round boxes for 22LR for $180. I'll never support those guys.
I'll never do business with them again.

Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Tue, 29 Dec 2015 09:29:43
by jdonovan
I think its a bit different situation when you're selling life sustaining goods in an emergency at marked up prices...say bottled water after a hurricane.

What CTD did, is what I call responding to market forces, and capitalism.

Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Tue, 29 Dec 2015 09:57:55
by MarcSpaz
Jd, you know I have a ton of respect for you... but those guys are bums. Honorable resellers froze their prices and when they were out, that was it. And it's because they knew it was a scare or temporary and customers would remember being taken advantage of.

Some people justify it as capitalism the same way they say it's capitalism when they pay a $40k ADM on a $50k car, yet other dealers in the same area are selling the same car at regular retail. In most cases it more money than brains.

Then they get all PO'ed when the car gets wrecked a year later, it's a total loss and the insurance is only willing to pay $24k for the car, because that's the going market price.

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Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Tue, 29 Dec 2015 10:19:24
by jdonovan
I'm not making any statements on the morality, or likeability of pricing policy.. but think about this

Take the .22 shortage of the last few years, had wal-mart stopped selling briks of .22 for $20 to the buddy of the stock clerk who was then taking them to the gun show and selling them for $80. If walmart had put them on their own shelf for $80 there would have been no secondary market, and everyone would have know walmart had 50 cases and you could go down there any day and pay your $80/500 and walked out with a brick.

IMO That would have lessened the feeling of shortage and probably reduced the desire for hording because the product was available. Perhaps not at a desirable price but it was available.

Then the big retailer could have adjusted price down so they were able to meet demand, and keep product on the shelf and I think we would have come out of the panic buying sooner.

so whats the better situation?
a $20 product you can't find on the shelf of any retailer
or a $20 product on the shelf for $80 that you can get any time you want, if you really decide you need it?

Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Tue, 29 Dec 2015 11:43:30
by MarcSpaz
Of course or a $20 product on the shelf for $80 that you can get any time you want is a better deal, but your example is a great example of monstrously underhanded business practices by the employees of Wal-mart. People should have been fired for that.

My problem isn't what the market bares... because the market will stay uniform across the board when its market driven. Market driven means all vendor have roughly the same pricing based on supply and demand. CTD was outright taking advantage of fear and inexperience of new and would-be new gun owners. While they were selling $700 guns for $2,800 and 500rd bricks of 22LR for $180, at local stores I was still buying $1,500 rifles for $1,800 and 1,000rd bricks of 22LR for $80 to $100 depending on the store.

CTD was the exception, and that's why I won't do business with them.

I just checked... CTD prices suck right now, and nothing is going on. I can buy a S&W MP15x Flat Top for $650 at a local dealer right now... but on the CTD site, same rifle is over $1,300 Their price is double local retail right now.

Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Tue, 29 Dec 2015 14:23:35
by Reverenddel
They're the online equivalent to "Bass Pro" for buying weapons.

If you do not research, you get shafted.

Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Tue, 29 Dec 2015 22:04:15
by RO73
MarcSpaz wrote:Anyone doing business with Cheaper Than Dirt is a fool. During shortages cause by ban scares, they were selling $700 ARs for $2,800+. I saw a Bushmaster on their site for $3,200. They sold 500 round boxes for 22LR for $180. I'll never support those guys.
I couldn't agree more. They haven't gotten a dime from me since they pulled that S@*#.


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Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Tue, 29 Dec 2015 22:30:45
by trailrunner
During the last panic, I dropped CTD and Lucky Gunner from my list of places that I do business with.

Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Wed, 30 Dec 2015 00:27:31
by SHMIV
You know, I figure that one who owns a product that he wishes to sell, reserves the right to set the price of that product as he sees fit.

I also figure, that as a consumer, I have the right to buy, or not to buy, as I see fit, and I will base that desire on whatever criteria that I choose. I believe that all consumers have that right.

In other words, I can't get mad at CTD for their behavior . They own the product, after all. But, those who feel that CTD acted inappropriately, and choose to stop doing business with them, well, they are within their rights, too.

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Re: The Definitive Guide to Building an AR-15

Posted: Wed, 30 Dec 2015 00:29:28
by MarcSpaz
Stop thinking all logical and stuff. It doesn't support my position!