AR-15 Basics

I like to build AR-15’s.  These are the civilian equivalent of the M-16 and M-4 Rifles currently in use by the US Government.

To build an AR you need some basic tools.

Punches, Hammer, and a razor blade is what I use as well as a flat head screwdriver.  (some parts require hex keys but nothing too crazy)


The main part of the Rifle is the lower Receiver. It is considered by the BATF (bureau of alcohol tobacco and firearms)as the Firearm.  Lower receivers typically go for anywhere from 50.00 up to 300.00 depending on the manufacturer.  The Lowers I purchase from Palmetto State Armory(www.palmettostatearmory.com) typically go for 89.00 to 120.00 each depending on sales, type, and availability. They look like this generally :

Once you have your lower receiver you need to have the lower parts kit to build it out.  This kit is sold by many retailers  but since we’re right here in Columbia I’m gonna link all from Palmetto State Armory. (besides usually they are the best prices I can find anywhere as well.

The Typical Lower parts kit can be found for around 50-80.00.  Palmetto sells the classic (without a aftermarket pistol grip for 54.95 normally and it looks like this :

Once you’ve gotten that parts kit, and your lower you need to decide what type of stock you want to run with.  There are 2 basic types.  The M -16 full rifle stock, or the M-4 Carbine Stock style and its variants. For simplicity I will only go into detail about the standard stocks and not the variants.

the M-16 rifle stock kit contains, a buffer, a spring, a rifle length buffer tube, a spacer, a screw and the stock itself.  It is sold on PSA’s website for 74.95 usually and looks like this :

The M-4 kit contains much of the similar stuff except is shorter.  It has a 6 position adjustable stock, thus has an adjustable buffer tube, a buffer spring, a carbine buffer, and a M4 standard stock. It is sold on psa’s website for 49.95 currently and looks like this :

Once you h ave all these kits and assembled you have a complete lower, which looks like this  for the M-4

Or like this for the M-16  Rifle Lower :

These you can also buy from PSA for 239.99 fully assembled if memory serves me correctly.


The next step is to buy your upper.  You can either buy a complete upper or you can build them yourselves. For a first time builder I’d buy it complete unless you just like a challenge.  Traditionaly the upper is the most expensive part/s.  PSA sells many uppers complete.  The basics of a upper are the Upper receiver, the barrel, the bolt, and the carrier group.  If you buy a complete upper they come with all that.  There are also three main types of “length” of uppers.  The Carbine which is 16” long, the rifle which is 20” long, and the mid-length which is 16” long but has the gas system in the middle of the barrel.  The Mid length is more complex than the other two and is not found to my knowledge in military applications.

The rifle upper looks like this  in its A3/A4 setup (without fixed sight and with a rail system on the upper receiver)  It can sell for anywhere from 450-650.  It has a fixed front sight post, and a 20 inch barrel as well as 16 inch hand guard.

This Upper below is considered the standard issue A2.  A2 means the sights / carry handle on the upper is the 2nd revision.  You can buy them this way, however Palmetto does not yet offer that upper receiver style.

The M4 style upper, is a carbine (short barrel) upper. It is 16 inches in length as opposed to 20, and believe me it really makes a difference for Close quarter combat situations, while still providing a decent distance weapon.  The uppers use a a3/a4 rail setup however you can get a “detachable” carry handle to make it look similar to the A2 upper previously mentioned/shown. The M4 upper sells for around the same price range as the 20” upper as well usually.

This is a typical standard M4 upper, it is typically called M4A1 in the AR World :

Notice the 6 inch hand guard, and the shorter barrel.  You can purchase a backup iron sight for this that flips up, or you can buy the detachable carry handle. Again, all these are called “complete uppers” and can be bought totally disassembled.  To me assembly is half the fun, but for a beginner I’d start with a complete upper.  I did. If you are a budget minded builder though, buying the parts one at a time over a long period allows you the luxury of having a 1000.00 gun that you built for 600-700 dollars while both saving you money and spreading its cost out over a manageable period of time for those of us who don’t have a lot of spending money.


The wonderful thing about these ar’s is that they are very configurable.  It has been called in the past the “Barbie doll” of guns because of all the accessories.

Here are some basic building links for AR’s.  There is a LOT of information out there, including Youtube videos and diagrams and walk throughs.  There is also a nice web community called www.ar15.com that can show you many variations and how to’s. Like anything, your best friend is to research it. Be it from online sources, or from friends who know how to build them.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/f_3/4_.html

http://www.itstactical.com/warcom/firearms/diy-ar-15-build-introduction-parts-and-tools-required/

http://www.midwayusa.com/General.mvc/Index/how-to-build-ar-15-rifle

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=11004/learn/

http://www.ar15fornoobs.com/