Project Plinker

[CoastieRon]

Here we go again. Prices have come down a pretty good amount since I built my (first) last rifle, and deals are ridiculous right now if you are a green member (hint hint), that I've decided to have another go at it. Right now, my brother in law and I are in on the Aero Precision group buy, and I have been getting my build lists together and figuring out what I want to do.

I want to go cheap (read inexpensive), functional plinker style. I already have my "Cadillac" build with the QD build I did, so I'm trying to bare bones this one.

And with the deals going on right now, it doesn't seem like it's going to be too hard.

More to follow. Right now, I have my build under $720 (before shipping/transfer fees), with optics. There will be no iron sights, no red dot, but there will be a scope. Smooth free float hand guard. JP trigger springs. Possibly even a Stark pistol grip (that's up in the air though).

Every purchase has been sourced by groups that are all under $150, and may quite possibly get cheaper if I hit more sales (especially black Friday/cyber Monday). I'd love to get this mf under $700 including the shipping and transfer fees......

Right now, I have hit PSA up for the BCG/Charging handle combo sale ($89!) as well as the BLACKHAWK! lower parts kit ($29.99!), and the upper/lower will be arriving soon as well.......

This isn't going to be the safe queen that the other build may end up as, so it probably isn't going to be pretty...

More to follow.

 

[CoastieRon]

Friggen Buds is messing my plans up with their jacked shipping rates. How is a butt stock 20 pounds? $18 for shipping? EABODs.

The biggest issue is weighing costs + shipping = total. For instance:

Part "A"

Amazon, $49.99, $0 shipping = $49.99

Bud's, $44.00, $8.99 shipping = $52.99

Midway, $46.99, $6.45 shipping, $0.56 NRA Roundup = $53.00

So sometimes the item might be more expensive at one place, but with free shipping, the value is there.....

 

[dropride]

I have almost enough parts to put together a plinker 223. Just need a stock, handgaurd, and gasblock. Hoping to score a few deals over black friday weekend.

 

[retroLS1]

What stock are you looking at getting?

 

[CoastieRon]

What stock are you looking at getting?

A very inexpensive/bare bones one. I'm going to post stuff up as I order it.....

 

[mac1911]

I understand the want to biuld as cheap asxpossible but why settle for the cheapest range beater with cheap parts
My RRA 20" varmint clone came in at 859.00 with shipping and fees. Yes you need to work the deals and most definately need to WATCH shipping cost. Some places minimum shipping cost are in just crazy.

 

[warwickben]

A very inexpensive/bare bones one. I'm going to post stuff up as I order it.....

Ace Skelton .
Go to midway . You can get the stock , buffer extension, spring , and buffer for around 100$.
Think I paid 120$ shipped.

 

[CoastieRon]

Ace Skelton .
Go to midway . You can get the stock , buffer extension, spring , and buffer for around 100$.
Think I paid 120$ shipped.

Model1 has a complete kit for $90.....

I'm going with a regular mil spec adjustable.

The goal isn't to be cheap and skimp, it's to be inexpensive and work the deals. The stock isn't where the quality is going. The optics will be the most expensive part at this point....

 

[CoastieRon]

I understand the want to biuld as cheap asxpossible but why settle for the cheapest range beater with cheap parts
My RRA 20" varmint clone came in at 859.00 with shipping and fees. Yes you need to work the deals and most definately need to WATCH shipping cost. Some places minimum shipping cost are in just crazy.

I already have a "shtf" can depend my life on it AR. I want something else. I want to see what I can do.

Working the shipping into the equation is a bitch. I must have looked at a thousand sites and compared prices with the shipping factored in.

I'm hoping that midway's Black Friday sales beat down some of my stuff too.....

 

[CoastieRon]

Starting to evolve

This project is starting to evolve, and change.

Only 3 things left to order. Barrel, Stock and Stark SE1.

Initially, I was going to go with that Mossberg barrel on AIM/Copes for short money, but have decided against it. It is a carbine length barrel, and I like the versatility of the mid-length barrel, it allows me to go either rifle stock or carbine stock. This is important, because I am still up in the air about the stock, but am starting to lean towards the Ace.

Right now, I'm into this build for less than $500 paid out. Not a substantial savings, but in comparison to my last build, over 66%.

Purchased:

Aero Precision Stripped Lower
Aero Precision Stripped Upper Forward Assist
YHM Low Profile Gas Block
Hogue Free Floating Gnurled Forend
DPMS Ejection Port Cover Assembly AR-15 Matte
DPMS Forward Assist Assembly Round AR-15, LR-308 Matte
DPMS A2 Flash Hider
YHM Crush Washer AR-15
P-TAC M-16 Bolt Carrier Group with Charging Handle
DPMS Gas Tube Roll Pin
Delton Gas Tube Mid Length
Blackhawk lower parts kit
JP Enterprises Trigger Spring Kit AR-15 3-1/2 lb Reduced Power
Nikon P-223 3x32 Mate BDC Carbine
AccuShot Picatinny/Weaver M Profile 2-piece 1-inch Rings


Now, back to the barrel. Because this is going to be a plinker, I'm thinking of going to 1:8/1:9 mid-length gas.

 

[CoastieRon]

Everything is now ordered. The last 3 pieces were the barrel, stock and Stark SE1. Well, I decided against the SE1, and will use the Blackhawk pistol grip that is coming with the lower parts kit. I ordered a regular mil-spec stock kit again, and grabbed a DTI 1:9 midlength barrel. I did purchase an after market trigger guard as well. That said:

Strike Industries Cobra Fang trigger guard
DTI 16" 1:9 twist barrel Mid Length Gas
UTG Pro Black 6 Portion Mil-Spec Stock Assembly

I am into this build for parts only for $668.31. Minus optics: $580.76 Total with shipping costs, transfer fees and optics: $712.12

Not an awesome savings compared to my brother in law, who hadn't ordered anything yet and went with the Palmetto P-TAC $189 upper, but compared to the CG roll marked AR I built during full on re-re prices, I saved a shit load of money.

So now the waiting game starts for all the pieces parts to come in. I'm hoping to pick up my GB stuff on Friday. Once the lower parts kit comes in, I'm going to do a little polishing on the trigger group before installing.

I saved a good amount on shipping this time around by ordering some items on Amazon Prime, a couple of coupon codes and bundling my orders way better than I did on the first build.

 

[CoastieRon]

Shit. Everything is coming in today. All at once it seems like.

Picked up the upper and lower on Friday. Also added one other thing: KNS anti walk pin set Mod 2. very excited to start putting things together.....

 

[CoastieRon]

Everything is in. Now for diabolicalness.

Tomorrow, I start polishing trigger parts.

I couldn't wait. Need to grab some finer paper though.

400

There looks like a shallow spot...

 

[Rotaryrocket]

I am also building a plinker. But it's my first AR.
I will be into it for under 500. Let me double check that math.

Edit: will be around 506 dollars and change. Aero lower. Smith and Wesson barrel and upper with forwards assist. PSA lower parts. And windham weaponry bcg

 

[tysdad115]

Thanks for all you advice! I ordered my upper and lower today from QD.

 

[CoastieRon]

Pictures suck, but the trigger is polished

 

[CoastieRon]

And I'm done for tonight.

I'll finish up the lower tomorrow night perhaps.
As a recap, I installed the JP springs, polished the trigger components and installed trigger group using KNS anti walk pins. The trigger guard is the Strike Fang.

Taking it slow and easy this time around.

 

[CoastieRon]

I was bored.

Lower all done

Added beer

The free float I used is the Hogue knurled tube. I wasn't looking to put on iron sights, and had ordered the P223 glass from Nikon. The directions say something to the effect of "hand tighten, then use strap wrench to get to next gas tube hole". Well, I broke the strap wrench here:

But I made it work with a pipe wrench and some flat black rustoleum

The. I decided to put the vortex strike fire on it instead of the scope

Which I knew was going to happen, as this isn't my SHTF rifle, the CGAR is....

I didn't think I would get it all done tonight, I wanted to wait because I have a "storage" problem, but f it, it's the CHRISTMAS season, why not just roll.

So. Need to get me a safe, like soon.

 

[CoastieRon]

I wish I had used a better camera. You can really see the differences between the QD upper/lower and the Aero upper/lower. The weight difference is noticeable as well.

 

[CoastieRon]

I SBR'd this one too LOL

 

[cockpitbob]

Pics?

 

[CoastieRon]

Pics?

Not yet, waiting for the approval. On day 20 for this one.