you can almost built a complete gun. Arm or Ally had an 11.5" barrel on sell for $44 ish dollars. I figured I would take a shot.

Total with tax and shipping for the barrel was $62. I get to looking around and I have a complete BCG, buffer, buffer spring, flash hider & washer, and most all parts for the lower. I check with a buddy of mine and he has everything to complete an A2 upper minus the gas tube. He says give me $60 and it's your. The parts are take offs, but I know they are not abused.

All I need is a lower, FCG, pivot and take down pins, buffer tube, brace, and gas tube. All together I think I can stay close to $400 on this build. I plan to do a Colt 733 ish clone. I will eventually SBR this. These dang things are just to easy to build LOL!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: am94pm,

Don't have spare parts. Ever.

A spare AR part eventually turns into another AR.

I bought a spare bolt once just in case.

It turned into another AR.

I bought a new stock. The old stock eventually turned into a new AR.


Black Rifle Disease is real.

A stockpile of parts and the tools is a good hedge against anti gun laws in the future. The ease of working on and stocking parts for the AR-15 actually turned me from an AK guy to an AR guy when Russian imports were banned.

I'm partway through a build and I realized that when I finish it, I'll have nearly everything I need to put together a Basic Betty M4A1, including the RAS, the correct Colt stock, and Colt A2 grip, not aftermarket stuff. I just need to buy a stripped flat top upper and put it all together. Do I want an M4A1? Not really, but among all the other parts I have, I'll have the exact parts it takes to build an M4A1, so I may as well do it.

I know, this is how it starts. It's why I've been careful to sell off stuff like rails and uppers when I'm no longer using them. I had three AR's turn into six last year, and I just don't have the space in my safe for that kind of "and this one here is" nonsense. I know, get a bigger safe and use this one for ammo, but... all things in good time.

quote:

Don't have spare parts. Ever.

That's just silly. I keep spare parts. I just keep them conveniently stored assembled into another complete gun. Keeps me from losing parts.

quote:

Originally posted by Chowser:
Don't have spare parts. Ever.

A spare AR part eventually turns into another AR.

I bought a spare bolt once just in case.

It turned into another AR.

I bought a new stock. The old stock eventually turned into a new AR.


Black Rifle Disease is real.

I completely disagree. Keeping a stock of spare parts is important. The urge is there to build out rifles, but avoid the urge. Keep spares parts, most importantly barrels, bolts, carriers, carrier keys and screws, cam pins, gas rings, firing pins, firing pin retaining pins, lots of recoil springs, buffers, gas tubes and roll pins, etc, etc, etc. The parts to do your own armorer and depot level maintenance and repair.

It's easier for me to just grab another gun or rifle and order the part I need later.

quote:

Originally posted by Chowser:
Don't have spare parts. Ever.

Black Rifle Disease is real.

So true on both points!

I do keep the important parts such as all the springs, pins, firing pin, extractor, gas rings, and bolts. I keep about 3-6 of each at all times.

I have a few AR spare parts, for items that potential wear out or get shot out...
- barrels for my high-volume rifles
- a few gas rings and firing pin extractor pins
- a new bolt, plus a used bolt that's still in good shape -- as it outlasted a barrel that I shot out
- a cam pin, as the one in my oldest AR15 is showing some wear
- a baggie of miscellaneous springs
- a firing pin

None of these items will used in a new AR, as they are truly spares. Like a spare tire.

Should I build or buy another AR, I will plan for it in advance, then accumulate the necessary components. The AR would be purpose built, to fill a gap among current ARs.

I tend to agree for the most part but I do have some small springs/parts just in case for the complete guns I own now.

Two is one, one is none.

Ten is nine, nine is none.

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:

quote:

Don't have spare parts. Ever.

That's just silly. I keep spare parts. I just keep them conveniently stored assembled into another complete gun. Keeps me from losing parts.

I had to chuckle at that one...

I just spent $200 on a part for a shotgun that I don't really like. Doing so, in theory was going to let me used a $175 part I'd already bought. Installing them necessitated removing and abandoning another $225 in parts. Then buying $40-50 worth of parts that didn't work. The new part and the already had part didn't work well together. So that had me buying another $220 worth of parts to go with the original new part, which doesn't work nearly as well as the simple original or even the second one.

So $700 later I still have a gun I don't like, only I like it even less. Smart.

The son is in the military, I was painting his room a few months ago. Under the dresser he had a mostly completed lower. After thinking about it for a while I took it out to inspect closer.

It only needs a grip, trigger, & safety, stock & the rest already on. I had an old trigger I took out years ago, put it in, but didn’t care for it. I ended up ordering a Timney 3 lb, with the other parts.

I see he has a spare upper, once I’m done I’ll test everything out. He may of had plans at some point, but kinda has a full plate now.

No sense having the partial around when it’s so close to being complete.