Any of you folks ever buy an AR 15 from them? Just ordered a mid length 16" kit from them for 4 hundred bucks. It comes with Mag-Pul buis and all you need is a stripped lower to put it together. I have a Rock River predator pursuit with a 20" semi bull barrel and a Nikon 2x10 Monarch scope so looking to go in the other direction a bit. I suppose a trigger upgrade will be in the future, we will see. I have never put together an AR before so this will be fun. Any special tools I should have to do this?
Let us know how the build goes, I've been on the fence about buying one of their kits for a coyote gun and a plinker the wife and I can shoot. Did you get a kit with the Enhanced Polished Trigger (EPT)?
One thing I don't care for is their less expensive kits come with the Magpul backup sights, which I would not need at all since I'd be mounting a scope on it for hunting. I wish they would offer one of those $400 kits without the mbus for $300 and I'd buy it.
My neighbor has one he and his fiance love it. Super lightweight. I haven't built one before so not exactly sure tools you'll need other than an AR wrench
Tlguy, they have a M4 kit with just the front sight for $280. I intend to polish the trigger myself a bit. The Magpul sights fold down so we see how they do, they are not cheap by any means. I intend to put a good red dot on it in the future.
I have ordered a ton of stuff from them but never a kit for an upper build. many lowers and lower kits. The EPT is nice and a few rifles still have them . Most now have a drop in trigger. It's just that much better. Love the Victory triggers for the money. But there are a ton of drop in options. Overall great place to buy AR stuff.
Not bad stuff they make a polished trigger that is a cheaper trigger up grade for it, if you look at the lower parts kit each part has a place and it's hard to get them mixed up really. the take down and pivot pins are the hardest parts to put in but use the pins wisely and it will go together easy. You need any help just PM me!
I got all my lower parts kit and completed upper (16" barrel, midlength gas system, 15" M-LOK rail, MBUS sights) from them. I think I paid something like 275 for the upper. The piccatiny rail on the barrel shroud is shifted ever so slightly to the left from the piccatiny rail on the actual upper receiver, just enough to see that they don't line up. But it still sighted in fine, and shoots pop cans from 25 yards just fine.
This may help Zim. There used to be a really good video out there I referenced so I didn't forget a step but it was deleted in an anti gun you tube purge. I haven't watched this one in its entirety but it looks decent if not a bit long winded.
I have bought ammo from them on several occasions but no AR uppers. The lower is easy to assemble without special tools. Do it in an area that is relatively clear of clutter in case a spring decides to get away I watched YouTube videos to learn how to assemble my first lower. Lots of tips and tricks there. For an economical trigger that is a good improvement over a mil-spec check out the ALG defense ACT trigger. They are a sister company to Geisselle. ALG typically puts on various holiday sales and I picked up an ACT for around $50.
Thanks Zim. I'm really looking for one with a free float handguard with a full length rail on top, and it seems you have to get the mbus sight to get the deal on the build kit. I guess a guy could sell the sights, just seems like extra hassle. I've looked at buying lower and upper separately, just can't seem to get the price as low as the complete build kit with the mbus sights.
Most of mine are made with 80% lowers and the rest is PSA parts. Just get the barrels from other places and have to say, their stuff has not let me down thus far. But it has been weeks since I "built" one. ...... what to build next.
Get an armorers wrench and a thin punch to guide the pickle roll pins the installing them . Thats pretty much all you need. Forget about the torque wrench. I have never used one and all my rifles work just fine. Just pay a bit of attention when you snug things up. After real tight comes real loose
if your kit has a complete upper you shouldn't need a barrel wrench. many of the free float barrel nuts use their own proprietary nut and wrench any way
a buffer tube spanner wrench is handy , you could manage without but they are cheap like 6 dollars
a bolt release pin punch is handy also it is a punch with a hole in the end the pin for the bolt release fits in it about 1/2 way and allows you to have control of the pin to get it in easier but even that isn't needed , do tape the receiver before installing that pin to avoid a slip marring the finish.
you do want a vice block you could make one easy enough but they are also not expensive.8-10 dollars .
if your kit has a complete upper you shouldn't need a barrel wrench. many of the free float barrel nuts use their own proprietary nut and wrench any way
a buffer tube spanner wrench is handy , you could manage without but they are cheap like 6 dollars
a bolt release pin punch is handy also it is a punch with a hole in the end the pin for the bolt release fits in it about 1/2 way and allows you to have control of the pin to get it in easier but even that isn't needed , do tape the receiver before installing that pin to avoid a slip marring the finish.
you do want a vice block you could make one easy enough but they are also not expensive.8-10 dollars .
+1 on above
Nice to haves but not required, especially if you're not building more than 1:
if you go w/ a 16", I would recommend a mid-length gas system over carbine. If carbine, grab 3.8 or 4.0oz buffer depending on which loads you plan on shooting.
Lowers are easy to put together, just watch the youtube vid above and get after it. The upper will come assembled but be sure to tighten down the handguard, mine are always too loose from the factory and will shift when you start shooting. Roll pin punch kit sure is handy but i have done it without one. The buffer castle nut wrench is handy but you can do it without one. Psa stuff functions fine but the barrel accuracy is lacking, you can easily find a premium barrel later and upgrade if its not good enough for you. You can upgrade the trigger later if you want too. The EPT triggers from psa are pretty good for milspec triggers. I like the rock river national match triggers myself, you can get them for about 100 shipped. Good luck.
Also i have had good luck with a dremel polishing kit on triggers. You can polish out any grit in the trigger fairly easy without damaging any hardening on the sear. I do not recommend fooling with any of the reduced power trigger spring kits that reduce the pull weight. I have bobbed the hammers and done everything to make the milspec triggers lighter, and while it will make for a nice trigger, they will eventually fail on you and when you need it to go off it will just go click instead, especially its a little dirty. Buy a better trigger with a full power hammer spring.
I have some shelves covered with AR build kits, LPKs and AR stuff just waiting for the Left to start talking crazy so things will pick up! Business has been bad since Trump got in but I sleep better at night so I'm good with the inventory problems. LOL
Looks like I found my kit. Going to order tomorrow and get it put together asap! I don't need the MBUS, but until I get a scope for it, I guess it will be better than not being able to shoot it. And I can sell them once I get the scope.
Looks good tlguy! My kit arrived yesterday, have not had a chance to do anything with it yet. Our local Gander Outdoors had the Anderson lowers on sale for $39.99 so I picked one up last week. I ordered a punch set, oops kit and a vice block so soon it will be build time.
Make any progress on your build yet Zim? My kit is coming Friday and I can't wait to get started. Did you pick up a castle nut wrench, or do you have something else like a spanner wrench you're going to use? We've got a tactical shop in Green Bay here I'm going to swing by after work and see about the oops kit, roll pin punches and see what they have for castle nut wrenches. I really like the looks of the Real Avid tools, but they're a little pricey.
Do you plan on using it just for target practice and plinking, or will you be hunting with it, too? I'd like to get mine set up for coyote hunting, but I'm sure me and the wife will enjoy just shooting it on the range, too.
I had heard the PSA shipping sometimes takes a while, but I ordered my kit on Saturday and it will likely be here in less than a week. I'm pretty happy with that.
Make sure you post some pictures once you get it put together!
I said I would post pics of my build when I got it done, and here it is. Palmetto State Armory rifle kit on an Anderson Mfg lower receiver. This rifle has an 18" stainless barrel, 15" lightweight M-Lok free float handguard, enhanced polish trigger, Magpul stock and grip, chambered in .223 Wylde with a 20-round pmag.
Took a little longer than I anticipated to put together, but still something I wouldn't hesitate to tackle in the future. Now for the fun part, I get to shoot it a bunch and see what kind of ammo it likes best. Those groups are nothing special, I was shooting free hand at about 50 yards with the Magpul back up sights. I'm not a great shot by any means, and I'm hoping shooting this gun more often will improve my skills.
I watched YouTube videos to learn how to assemble my first lower. Lots of tips and tricks there. For an economical trigger that is a good improvement over a mil-spec check out the ALG defense ACT trigger. They are a sister company to Geisselle. ALG typically puts on various holiday sales and I picked up an ACT for around $50.
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