AR-15 Parts List

[Hephaestus]

OK I am trying to help a buddy out. He is in the Navy and currently at sea in the gulf with very slow internet access. He asked me if I had a parts list to build an AR-15. I can find all kinds of parts lists on manufacturers site but ideally I am looking for an Excel file that lists everything. I can make the list but I thought that I would see if anyone has already gone through the trouble.

Knowing my buddy he is going to research the heck out of this and create his own little database of sources and prices. it will give him something to do between duties.

Thanks

[Tweaker]

1) AR15.com likely has that. Brownells certainly does on their incredible site. They will sell everything also.

2) There is no economic reason to build your own AR. Unless you are going to create the most unique thing out there (and then it is prolly a bad combination), it can be found and ordered near like that new. The AR market has experienced a bottom falling out much like the housing market (some similarity as to the reason as well-Democrats). I recommend he buy new or used. If he is jonesing for the project aspect, just take apart and put back together the gun you buy that will cost your friend $300 less bought whole until he gets it out of his system.

I assembled 2 ar's around Nov 2008 and while I did not save much $, I did get exactly what I want. Now it is a big time losing proposition, economically. I am far from an expert, but I would be happy to help your semen "friend" with his dream weapon.

[grumpyMSG]

Here is a link for your friend:
http://www.ar15.com/content/manuals/TM9-1005-319-23.pdf
If the internet is that slow, download a copy to disk and mail it to him.
It is for full size M16s and M4 carbines, has all the info he needs. It includes assembly and inspection info. He can probably wheel and deal with the Master at Arms, or whatever the armorer is called, for the ship to get him a printed copy.

[jrswanson1]

1) AR15.com likely has that. Brownells certainly does on their incredible site. They will sell everything also.

2) There is no economic reason to build your own AR. Unless you are going to create the most unique thing out there (and then it is prolly a bad combination), it can be found and ordered near like that new. The AR market has experienced a bottom falling out much like the housing market (some similarity as to the reason as well-Democrats). I recommend he buy new or used. If he is jonesing for the project aspect, just take apart and put back together the gun you buy that will cost your friend $300 less bought whole until he gets it out of his system.

I assembled 2 ar's around Nov 2008 and while I did not save much $, I did get exactly what I want. Now it is a big time losing proposition, economically. I am far from an expert, but I would be happy to help your semen "friend" with his dream weapon.

That depends on what you're building. If you're building a run of the mill M4-style rifle, then no, you are not going to save much. However, if you're building something like an SPR, you'll find significant savings over buying one. Want proof?

Spikes SPR Upper: $1049

Build it yourself:

BCM Upper receiver: $130
DPMS 18" SPR Barrel: $170
Spike's complete BCG with bolt: $130
YHM Rifle length FF rail: $130
BCM Tactical charging handle: $45
PWS FSC556: $100
Total: $705

Add another $350 for parts to build a complete A2 lower with an RRA NM LPK and you are $6 over the cost of the Spike's upper.

Jim

[gunderwood]

1) AR15.com likely has that. Brownells certainly does on their incredible site. They will sell everything also.

2) There is no economic reason to build your own AR. Unless you are going to create the most unique thing out there (and then it is prolly a bad combination), it can be found and ordered near like that new. The AR market has experienced a bottom falling out much like the housing market (some similarity as to the reason as well-Democrats). I recommend he buy new or used. If he is jonesing for the project aspect, just take apart and put back together the gun you buy that will cost your friend $300 less bought whole until he gets it out of his system.

I assembled 2 ar's around Nov 2008 and while I did not save much $, I did get exactly what I want. Now it is a big time losing proposition, economically. I am far from an expert, but I would be happy to help your semen "friend" with his dream weapon.

That depends on what you're building. If you're building a run of the mill M4-style rifle, then no, you are not going to save much. However, if you're building something like an SPR, you'll find significant savings over buying one. Want proof?

Spikes SPR Upper: $1049

Build it yourself:

BCM Upper receiver: $130
DPMS 18" SPR Barrel: $170
Spike's complete BCG with bolt: $130
YHM Rifle length FF rail: $130
BCM Tactical charging handle: $45
PWS FSC556: $100
Total: $705

Add another $350 for parts to build a complete A2 lower with an RRA NM LPK and you are $6 over the cost of the Spike's upper.

Jim

That isn't a fair comparison because you changed some of the parts to lower quality/cheaper ones. Here is what the upper actually is (I've added the prices in red for the items you swapped which are significantly cheaper than the ST upper):

Spike's Tactical 18" SPR upper.

-Spike's Tactical M4 flat top upper receiver, Machined from a 7075 T6 Mil-Spec Forging with Mil-Spec Type III Hardcoat Anodized finish, T-markings, our logo and M4 feed ramps.
-Lothar Walther Barrel, LW-50 Stainless, M4 barrel extention, Polygon Rifling, .223 Wylde Chamber, 1:8 Twist, Natural Stainless finish. $335
-Proprietary Contour with Mid-length gas system.
-The M16 carriers are Chrome lined with a Mil-Spec phosphate finish.
-Forged Mil-Spec carrier key, Chrome lined, attached with Grade 8 hardware and Properly staked.
-MP tested bolt, Each extractor is fitted with a Mil-Spec black insert and Mil-Spec Viton o-ring.
-Low Profile Gas block.
-Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite Rail. $383
-Forged Mil-Spec charging handle.
-A2 Flash Hider. $9.95
-Each upper comes with an ST-T2 buffer.

http://www.spikestactical.com/z/index.p ... cts_id=335

There is approx. $428 of additional cost to build that ST upper which would bring your price to $1133. You could argue that the LW barrel and DD rail are not worth that much to you, but that is a fair comparison.

The OP is generally correct that buying the parts separately costs more than buying it assembled. Building only makes economic sense if you want something you can't find built up elsewhere. However, there is the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

Edit: I didn't notice before, but it appears you used the stripped barrel price. You need at least another $20-$30 for the gas block and gas tube.

[gunderwood]

OP

I think most people are simply buying parts kits. They choose the big things like upper, lower, rail/handguard, stock, etc. but in general people are not hand selecting the small parts. I highly doubt you will find buying individual pins and such cheaper than buying a parts kit.

[wylde007]

I built one from Model-1 Sales earlier this year and if I compared the parts cost (kit parts) to a comparable pre-assembled, off-the-shelf rifle I think the price was about the same, except I got to learn a little bit and understand the mechanics of the weapon better by building it.

I have to say that the AR-15.com instructions were pretty good and comprehensive enough that I was able to put together a pretty decent weapon my first time out without too much trouble.

[jrswanson1]

That isn't a fair comparison because you changed some of the parts to lower quality/cheaper ones. Here is what the upper actually is (I've added the prices in red for the items you swapped which are significantly cheaper than the ST upper):

Spike's Tactical 18" SPR upper.

-Spike's Tactical M4 flat top upper receiver, Machined from a 7075 T6 Mil-Spec Forging with Mil-Spec Type III Hardcoat Anodized finish, T-markings, our logo and M4 feed ramps.
-Lothar Walther Barrel, LW-50 Stainless, M4 barrel extention, Polygon Rifling, .223 Wylde Chamber, 1:8 Twist, Natural Stainless finish. $335
-Proprietary Contour with Mid-length gas system.
-The M16 carriers are Chrome lined with a Mil-Spec phosphate finish.
-Forged Mil-Spec carrier key, Chrome lined, attached with Grade 8 hardware and Properly staked.
-MP tested bolt, Each extractor is fitted with a Mil-Spec black insert and Mil-Spec Viton o-ring.
-Low Profile Gas block.
-Daniel Defense 12.0 Lite Rail. $383
-Forged Mil-Spec charging handle.
-A2 Flash Hider. $9.95
-Each upper comes with an ST-T2 buffer.

http://www.spikestactical.com/z/index.p ... cts_id=335

There is approx. $428 of additional cost to build that ST upper which would bring your price to $1133. You could argue that the LW barrel and DD rail are not worth that much to you, but that is a fair comparison.

The OP is generally correct that buying the parts separately costs more than buying it assembled. Building only makes economic sense if you want something you can't find built up elsewhere. However, there is the satisfaction of doing it yourself.

Edit: I didn't notice before, but it appears you used the stripped barrel price. You need at least another $20-$30 for the gas block and gas tube.

That price includes the railed gas block, forgot to add the gas tube ($12). The barrel has been pre-lapped, rifle length gas system, it's SS, coated black, and a couple of other people on another site have used it and say it's a great barrel. The flash hider/muzzle brake is better than the A2 that's on the Spikes. The bolt and BCG are both mil-spec M-16 parts. And my charging handle has the bigger latch to get around optics and such. Except for possibly the barrel, and maybe the DD versus YHM hand guard, I've got a comparable upper versus the Spikes.

Jim

[gunderwood]

That price includes the railed gas block, forgot to add the gas tube ($12). The barrel has been pre-lapped, rifle length gas system, it's SS, coated black, and a couple of other people on another site have used it and say it's a great barrel. The flash hider/muzzle brake is better than the A2 that's on the Spikes. The bolt and BCG are both mil-spec M-16 parts. And my charging handle has the bigger latch to get around optics and such. Except for possibly the barrel, and maybe the DD versus YHM hand guard, I've got a comparable upper versus the Spikes.

Jim

I wasn't saying your build spec was bad, but simply that it wasn't the same as the upper you posted so the price comparison was skewed. If you don't want those high priced components there are other manufacturers out there who build an upper similar to what you speced. The barrel and rail account for over $400 of additional cost (over the $705) you posted, which raises the cost of building an identical ST SPR upper to over the $1049 price. In fact, the barrel and rail alone cost more than your entire build!

The original comment your price comparison was constructed to oppose is (paraphrasing): "It doesn't make economic sense to build your own." In general it does not, unless you can't find what you want. If you need to purchase the rifle and then replace parts, at some point it becomes cheaper to build it from scratch. However, given how saturated the AR market is, it is unlikely that you can't find something nearly identical to what you want for cheaper than you can build it.

[Tweaker]

Hey, the 'ol Tweaker was right! It had to happen eventually.

[Hephaestus]

To be honest with you guys I think that it is more of a project to keep him busy while he is away from his wife and kids. If I assemble a list he can sit an drool over catalogs and play "what if". Thanks for the input. Its time for me to start typing.

[Tweaker]

I thunk that! Well, whatever keeps him out of the brothels.