It's a damn near paradise of bits and bobs, I tell you.

Now, it is still a good idea to find out whether something is shit or not, but that really isn't as critical as it used to be. The market forces mean low prices, and quality/service that is customer focused.

It's a far cry from the bad old days, during the ban and before. When it was a veritable crap shoot as to whether something was reliable or in spec.

The AR really IS America's rifle. Today, now, it is cemented in place, in ownership and market share.

What a time to own one, whether you are just learning, or whether you remember purple anodize Oly lowers, and other oddities, as I do.

Trust, but verify. Buy it cheap, stack it deep. It's a good time to own an AR. Let's keep it that way.

Yeah.

https://www.aimsurplus.com/pro...-320fdc7e12-18887293

https://www.aimsurplus.com/pro...rms+SOCOM+MLOK+Rifle

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
It's a good time to own an AR.

Oh crap, does that mean I need to sell off a few rifles? Are we allowed to own more than one?

I agree there was a time when buying an AR from other than a small group of brands could be a roll of the dice. I saw some of those bargain parts guns choke in training courses, competitions, and on the square range. Posted on the webz a gazillion or so times, I believe "the chart" (cue a Gregorian chant) was an honest attempt to show how some AR assemblers were using second-rate parts.

I like to think much of this is behind us, at least from the standpoint of parts quality. I don't see ARs choke like I did years ago.

Cycling failures that I see more often now are not directly caused to the AR itself -- bad magazines, crappy ammo, lack of lubrication, lack of routine cleaning. Still, there are some issues with items like gas ports, gas tubes, and head spacing -- I suspect many of which are caused by the casual assembler not putting the parts together in the right way.

Some of the AR traditions seem to remain ingrained. Maybe the legacy "chart" is immortal. Like how some shooters consider certain brands inappropriate for serious use rifles (home defense), because they have never been used by the military on a battle field. Regardless that in competition and training such rifle brands have run flawlessly for thousands of rounds of rough use without a hiccup. Even tens of thousands of rounds. And said ARs have been shot enough to wear out parts such barrels, gas tubes, gas blocks, gas rings, and triggers.

I like ARs. Slowly, I'm getting better at shooting them. IMO they are an amazing platform; one that hopefully remains available in the USA for a long, long time.

Well, "an" doesn't necessarily mean "one."

That chart did more damage than it ever hoped to fix, but it grew from the mess that was the commercial market at the time.

I think the new problem, is flash in the pan companies with new products, that bite off more than they can chew.

In 2018, Retro is where it's at. I just built this one for about $650:

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
In 2018, Retro is where it's at. I just built this one for about $650:
[/IMG]

I agree. At some point I'll be doing one.

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
In 2018, Retro is where it's at. I just built this one for about $650:

LOVE IT! I think you are exactly right.

I would have a lot more if it wasn't for the FFL fees. They are climbing here.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
I would have a lot more if it wasn't for the FFL fees. They are climbing here.

OK, but how does a transfer fee add such a significant portion to the cost of an AR that it limits your ability to buy another completely equipped AR? Do your local transfers cost many hundreds of dollars? Thousands of dollars?

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
I would have a lot more if it wasn't for the FFL fees. They are climbing here.

Find someone who stocks reasonably priced lowers


Buy 5.

The rest ships to your door one piece at a time or all at once.

Lowers are becoming such a commodity item that I just bought two stripped Andersons at my local Fleet Farm for $39.99 each.

This thread is timely.

I received a scope in the mail today.

I have had a monolithic upper in my safe for 6 months or more.

Next week I have packages coming from LaRue and JP to finish a PRS gas gun build.

It is going to live on an existing lower even though I have another stripped lower sitting around.

quote:

I received a scope in the mail today.

Whatcha get?

Ever build up that side charger?

In mass that same Anderson lower at 39.99 is 399.99 on the private market.

I just can't buy an Anderson at the hat price. I refuse.

No I'm not gonna move. I'm lucky enough where as I Can horse trade lowers thru this nonsense.

But boy, I got a lot of everything else...

quote:

Originally posted by Zacsquatch:
Ever build up that side charger?

Oh, I mean to. It'll happen.

quote:

Originally posted by bigwagon:
In 2018, Retro is where it's at. I just built this one for about $650:

Old school looking good !

Is that the Brownells furniture ?

quote:

Originally posted by bigmule:
In mass that same Anderson lower at 39.99 is 399.99 on the private market.

That right there should be criminal.

How much do they charge for a transfer?

This is also the ideal time for everyone to read LDD’s - Panic at the Gun Store thread that is at the top of this page.....Great guidance and recommendations from someone who is on the front line (gun store) everyday......Mark

Interesting photos from a gun show, 1/26/13, Travis county Expo Center.

https://nworeport.me/2013/01/2...ide-austin-gun-show/