OT - EBR's

[Bridger]

Okay, a question for yall. Would it be cheaper and easier to buy a parts kit and lower reciever for an AR-15, or just go place an order and wait out the backlog? We don't have an ebr around the house and now may be the time to get one.

[Sixgun]

It really depends on several things---your patience, financial situation, and your mechanical know-how.

If you have the bucks, they are all over the internet. AR's, M1A's, AK-47's, and SkS's are plentiful where I live. (S.E.Pa.) Colt LE 6920's (Law Enforcement M-4 Carbines) are selling for $1600 around here. Reg. Colt AR's are about 12. AK's (real ones--not parts guns) are 7. A new Colt LE (6940) will be here in several weeks. Several of these have my name on them.

If you like, any of the WW2 guns will suffice very well. M1 Carbines and Garands are all over the place for well under a G. For that matter, there is nothing wrong with a pump shotgun.

If you have patience and mechanical know how, building one is the way to go. This way you can build it to your liking at a much reduced price. Our very own O.S.O.K. builds his own, but he is very knowledable on these things. Leverguns I know. AR's,I buy.-----------Sixgun

[cas]

Right now there's no cheap way to get one. (never was, the stupid things have always been WAY over priced.) Right now it would probably be easier to buy a complete rifle. The price will be $100-$500 more than it was before the election.

In theory, (if you're talking AR's) you could always buy a lower now, and the rest of the parts later when the buying frenzy cools down a bit. Of course most of the suppliers are quoting 3-5 month wait. Individuals selling them are asking scalpers prices, about 3 times what they would normally cost.

[reo]

Their is a Stag Arms Model 1 on gunsamerica right now for 995 http://www.gunsamerica.com/996796455/Gu ... odel_1.htm another dealer has a sale pending on a new one for 779, http://www.gunsamerica.com/922658554/Gu ... 23_AR1.htm You might contact the dealer and see if he has anymore. They have the 16" chrome lined barrel, pretty much set up like an m4.

[Buffboy]

It's a great way to get exactly what you want. Realistically, you are gonna wait almost as long (if not more) for all the parts as for a completed gun if you plan on using all new parts. New carriers/bolts are hard to find right now unless you want to pay a big premium, same with certain barrel options. Your biggest $ advantage putting a kit together is Pitman tax you don't pay on the whole gun, just the receiver. That's a 10% price break right there. There's plenty of places to find tutorials on how it's done. Follow the instructions and take your time.

I recommend that you get the upper assembled and head spaced by your parts supplier. Usually that actually costs less than buying the parts and doing it yourself even before you buy the tools to do it. The upper is more likely to be done correctly if it's done by someone that's done dozens before. Most of the suppliers of kits assemble the upper, some insist as it cuts returns. That said, it's no big trick to do, but you do need a couple of tools that aren't going to be doing you any good afterwords, unless you're building more than one.

Edit: First thing you need to do: KNOW what you want then start shopping.

[Hobie]

I'm building mine. Because I got in late (but got a deal on a stripped lower, pre-run price!), I'm having to wait on the rest of it. I don't care. I've got the lower already.

[mescalero1]

Buffboy,
I just hold on to my Daewoo

[TomF]

I recently bought a S & W M & P 15 Flattop at Gander Mountain. They receive them one or two at a time. I purposely went to the store at 0900 one morning, saw it and bought it. The price had not yet gone up, still 899.00.

Talk to the sales people and see if/when new stock arrives.

TomF

[Buffboy]

Buffboy,
I just hold on to my Daewoo

now you go and remind me of my failings. That's just crew-well.

[MikeS.]

I've never been interested in an AR type rifle.I do like AKs though. I have a few friends that have built several and love them.

[mescalero1]

Was not trying to rub it in ,really.
You did mess up on that one though.

[71fan]

I am such a levergun and classic arms freak, I never dreamed I'd own an EBR. Then November came along.

I finished mine a few weeks ago. I live in CA, so the only way to get what I wanted was to build. It was very educational and I highly recommend doing the build yourself - it was fairly easy to do once I had all the hints, tools, and guides. Most of my education came from AR15.com: I knew NOTHING about ARs in October.

I got my CMMG lower the day before the election, and lowers they were still plentiful then. They had disappeared by about two weeks after the election. I looked all over online for an upper assembly and couldn't find one. I lucked out and found one at a local shop - a Bushmaster A2 carbine HBAR 16". The remaining parts were obtained from three different online sources. I couldn't find a lower parts kit anywhere so I ordered the parts piece by piece using the schematic on Midway's website. I back-ordered a match trigger/hammer group from two locations and cancelled the one that didnt' arrive first. Finally, I put on a Vltor Emod telescoping stock and a Magpul trigger guard and grip.

All-in-all I am into it for about $1,300, but living in CA there wasn't a lot of options and I'm thrilled to death with the rifle. Mine is CA legal right now, but can be converted (with parts I don't own) when/if I leave the state. If I left out the match trigger and got a standard carbine or A2 stock, and a standard trigger guard and grip, I could have knocked off about $300, which still puts it about $200 to $300 higher than a complete rifle in most other states, before the election.

There are complete upper assemblies on Gunbroker right now. It's a lot of time finding the parts, but they're out there waiting to be built. I highly recommend a build.

[mescalero1]

Yes, without a doubt; build now while you still can.

[TedH]

Boy I'm glad I got mine when I did. 'Bout a week before the election.

[Bridger]

Thanks guys, I think I will get a copy of shotgun news as I remember they used to have a lot of AR and EBR parts in general in them.

[Idahoser]

If you can get your hands on a stripped lower for under $200 or a complete lower for $250, especially if it's paperless, BUY IT. I don't care if you already have three, BUY IT. The non-gun parts will be available for a long time.

[O.S.O.K.]

Check this thread out - if you're wanting an AR, I think you may find this of interest: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=13139&p=159065#p159065