GorillaTactical Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Let the polling begin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken hebert Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 no clear answer, I've both complete Firebird guns as well as those of my own doing. and i run both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OPENB Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Definitely build it. Buy the top shelf parts to your heart's content, then put it together. I know there is prestige in owning a great builder like a Noveske, or Firebird, but this is really doable at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhearn Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 The more I do myself, the more I love it. Like soap box derby. Where is the fun of competing with someone else's car. My son and I are building an SBR together. He loves it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glock3422 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Purchased upper. BCM Built up lower. I kept a factory receiver and selector. Anyone need parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I'm just the trigger man. Let someone with real skills put these things together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle O Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I'm in the "some of both" section as well. When I started competition, my factory rifle, remained factory for about 1 match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskapopo Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I enjoy assembling my own guns. But as of yet I only do the easy part the lower. I buy custom uppers. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomfab Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I put all my AR's together from parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 If I could do this type of work in my shop... I'd screw these things together too. I can't And I envy those who can. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I've done my own for years, including the barrels from blanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiackid Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Half of the fun of shooting is building the guns myself (for ARs anyway) and I learned a ton about the platform by doing it this way. Granted, there is a warm and fuzzy you get from buying a complete, whether whole rifle or upper/lower, from a reputable company. For 1911s and bolt action I usually pick out parts with my smith and he does most of the work. I did have a harrowing experience using a dremel tool on a 1953 Colt Commander in a couple of spots, flared ejection port, counter sunk and flushed slide stop and fitting an Ed Brown beavertail, but even my gunsmith said I did a great job with it. The AR-15 is truly a drop-in platform as long as you're buying quality parts and understand little nuances like commercial vs milspec receiver extensions if you're using a carbine length tube/stock, colt take-down pins vs virtually everyone else, etc. I don't think I've ever had to custom fit anything. The only down side about building them yourself is buying some of the smith specific tools (action block, good barrel wrench, etc.) A good tip I picked up was borrowing a torque wrench from AutoZone when you need to torque anything on the AR - saves you the cost of $100 for a couple minute task. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SinistralRifleman Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I prefer to build stuff myself, that way when its messed up I know exactly how it happened Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 no clear answer, I've both complete Firebird guns as well as those of my own doing. and i run both. Ditto that. I have two complete Firebirds that Jim built, I built all of the others. Since my "main" match rifle is a Firebird build, I voted custom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I dont know how to answer Yes I do shoot a custom built rifle But I also built it myself I do understand the desire to build your own stuff, its as American as apple pie It seems I just had to take it to the next level Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GorillaTactical Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 sorry guys, didn't think of of all of you guys who work with custom companies.....doh! haha When I put up "built it yourself" I was suggesting it was a gun you bought parts from various manufacturers and assembled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn-rgr Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I put all my AR's together from parts. He does mine too, so I should have voted custom!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Anderson Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I've built 15-20 AR's from parts, My main match rifle is still a JP though. None of the stuff I've assembled can beat it. Maybe it's something I'm doing wrong. My JP shoots 1/3 MOA out to 300 (Haven't tried for groups past that). Best I can do with a rifle built myself is that 3/4 ish MOA range. Then again I haven't put a $400 barrel in anything I build either. I enjoy building AR's but there is a definite level of quality and precision with the JP that I can't match with my stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DyNo! Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Custom - before then was my personal build though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS101 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I have 1 factory rifle (main competition rifle) that I have done a lot of fiddling with (changed lots of parts). My irons' rifle was a Bravo Co upper I converted to piston, and a stripped lower I put together... There should have been a "franken-ar" category Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finch6013 Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I am kinda in between custom and home build. My gun is 99% JP with a different lower and upper that I liked the look of more. If you buy all the high end parts like JP or Firebird and assemble it yourself you will save money and have just as good of a gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vespid_Wasp Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) It's now wearing an ancient (I think Vietnam era), M16A1 stock and I ground off the bayonet lug and the sling swivels from the front sight. I also put some small dimples on the barrel for the set screws on the front sight to gain purchase. Edited March 2, 2011 by Vespid_Wasp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) I'm just the trigger man. Let someone with real skills put these things together. + 1 The worst thing that could happen is you would get lucky with your first build and it would shoot great, -For a Wile- , and thin you would not know what was wrong or ware to look. How many motors have you built? Have you over hauled Scuba regulators? or at least a several dozen Calibrator over hauls? You shoot Way Too good to wast your practice time Edited March 2, 2011 by AlamoShooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 How many motors have you built? About 30 or so. Have you over hauled Scuba regulators? Do Oxygen and flammable gas regulators count? If so, yes. or at least a several dozen Calibrator over hauls? Carburetors? Yes You shoot Way Too good to wast your practice time...There is some amount of confidence that building it myself instills. Might be as good as practice...Dunno. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Tompkins Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I'm running a used DIY Open gun so I marked "build your own" though I did not build it myself. I have had to make a few repairs and I'm getting ready to change out the C-More mount to a Cheely and I'm thinking next winter I may send the slide off for a racker and maybe some weight reduction cuts, possibly replace or stipple the grip - then it would be more of a DIY gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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