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TIL that A.R. Wallace took a bet to the equivalent of US$66K to prove that the earth was round. He succeeded, but the flat-earther he bet with refused to accept the result and didn't pay up.
Main Post: TIL that A.R. Wallace took a bet to the equivalent of US$66K to prove that the earth was round. He succeeded, but the flat-earther he bet with refused to accept the result and didn't pay up.
Top Comment:
i learned in artillery school that the horizon is 17 miles
A Bet Among Friends: The Cheapest AR-15 Build Possible
Main Post:
Alright, I know y'all get this quite frequently, but there hasn't been a single one of these in the price range for this bet. I want to build an AR-15, in any non-pistol caliber, in any color, of any length, with a hard cap of $300, not including shipping.
This bet has a lot riding on it for me, as, if I manage to build an entire AR-15 (that actually shoots) for $300 or less, be it a pistol or a rifle, my buddy will pay for every penny spent on it, even shipping and FFL fees. If I fail and go over $300 before it is finished, sans S&H and FFL bribes, he gets every bit of it that I have.
For info, I've never worked with or on an AR-15 and I have next to no tools, but I'm willing to buy whatever tools are needed to make this happen, and we don't need to tell my buddy about those. I'd prefer not to get an 80% lower and have to finish that, because while I'm fine with assembling this gun from scraps and bits, I just can't put enough time in to get the tools, learn the steps, and finish a lower what with work and all. I don't care if this gun comes out in a rainbow mess of colors, I couldn't care less if it is chambered in 6.5, 6.8, .300 blackout, or any other fancy-pants round, and I don't give a damn if it has no visible relation to an M4, an M-16A2, or any other damned thing. I just want the cheapest NON-22LR AR-15 that pinched pennies can buy, and the only time limit is before the heat-death of the universe.
All this being said, anybody got some good recommendations to help make this peasant AR-15 a reality?
I've been asked to make a list of parts I still need, and parts I have, so here it is.
Parts I Still Need:
- Lower, Stripped
- Upper, Stripped
- Lower Parts Kit (and Fire Control Group if not included)
- Barrel, any length
- Buffer & Buffer Accessories (Buffer Tube, Buffer Spring, and whatever else I need for this part)
- BCG
- Charging Handle
- Magazine, any capacity
- Barrel Nut
Optional Parts:
- Stock
- Iron Sights (Ha!)
- Hand guards
- Gas Tube & Block
- Muzzle Device
Total Cash Spent:
$267 spent, $33 remains
I even made an Imgur album of the Poor Man's AR-15.
Top Comment:
It's going to be hard to find an upper cheaper than a PTAC ~189 on sale, plus a cheap BCG ~79-89.. That already puts your dangerously close to 300.
Add a blem lower ~50, LPK ~30-50, Buffer system/stock ~30, magazine ~8 charging handle ~15 and you are ~100 over
An 80% lower is not going to be cheaper in the long run then the bottom barrel priced lowers out there like Anderson Manufacturing.
Buying used is hit or miss, especially at gunshows.. better deals can be found online.
Nor is your idea that it being chambered in something different then .223/5.56 is going to help. Nor the idea of doing it as a pistol build. Those parts are made in less quantity so therefor are more expensive.
Your only saving grace is the no time limit and that Black friday is a couple months away.. It's going to take buying a part here and there from multiple companies over multiple sales to pull this off.
Goodluck!
Is loctite 620 still best bet for barrel/upper mating
Main Post:
I'm trying to build the most accurate AR I can, which includes "bedding" the barrel. Is 620 still the "go-to" bedding agent?
Top Comment:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you want an anti seize lubricant like Aeroshell 64 applied to the barrel extension and threads when installing the barrel. Accuracy should come from the consistency of the mating surfaces between the barrel extension and the receiver as well as ensuring that your barrel is properly torqued to prevent it from loosening.
You can buy a receiver lap to make that bearing surface nice and even from many manufacturers. Here's one, I've heard that lapping is largely unnecessary and has little impact on accuracy.