So after ordering all the parts (I still need mags), I decided to tally everything up and see what my total damage was. Here is what I dished out so far on my first build:

 

Parts Costs

 

MAG Tactical lower + NICS  =  $197.94

MAG Tactical LPK = $ 95.23

MAG Tactical Viper Muzzle Brake = $69.95

MAG Tactical hammer/trigger pin extras = $2.50

BCM lightweight 16” Mid Length upper = $459.00

Centurion Arms BCG = $159.00

Magpul MOE hand guard = $26.95                    

BCM Gunfighter Ambi Charging handle = $57.35

Daniel Defense A1.5 Fixed rear sight = $58.30

ACE ARFX-E Skeleton Stock Complete stock kit = $117.99

 

Parts Total = $1244.21

 

 

Shipping costs

 

MAG Tactical order = $11.72   

BCM order = $13.95

Exile Machine order = $8.99

 

Shipping Total = $34.66

 

Cost of having the Brake permanently welded to NJ compliance = $40.00

 

Total Costs = $1318.87

 

**I still need Magazines

 

**Possible optic in the future

 

Im curious just how big of a hole our hobby has burnt into each of our wallets so feel free to share your damage totals.

What wallet? Mine burned up long ago.

What wallet? Mine burned up long ago.

Yeah your not kidding, I always keep telling myself that I cant afford a motorcycle cause its too expensive but when I look at how much I spend on this hobby I couldve paid off a Harley already .. smh.

About 1200 minus optic and mags.

My first build was around 1500 with a cheap red dot. They get more expensive as the years go by lol 

The true cost or what I told my wife?

Which one?

The true cost or what I told my wife?

Lol, I refuse to tell the wife haha. Best part is that she really doesnt seem to want to know lol.

Which one?

Lol whichever youd like to share, and i dont think ill be building another for quite some time now.

Ohh... about $500 for a Troy  upper with a wilson arms 20" barrel, $100 for stripped Delton lower, $60 for LPK, $45 for a set of used HK-style sights..$35 or so for a muzzlebrake, $20 for compliance work., something like $20 for a stock (Surplus A2 stock/buffer tube).. So I guess $780 total.

I actually would have preferred either a mini14 or mini30, but building an AR turned out to be far cheaper for me, and 15 round magazine availability is better for ARs. I love my build though.

 

Ohh... about $500 for a Troy upper with a wilson arms 20" barrel, $100 for stripped Delton lower, $60 for LPK, $45 for a set of used HK-style sights..$35 or so for a muzzlebrake, $20 for compliance work., something like $20 for a stock (Surplus A2 stock/buffer tube).. So I guess $780 total.

 

I actually would have preferred either a mini14 or mini30, but building an AR turned out to be far cheaper for me, and 15 round magazine availability is better for ARs. I love my build though.

 

 

Lies!! No actually I am impressed, that is a pretty awesome total price.

Im curious just how big of a hole our hobby has burnt into each of our wallets so feel free to share your damage totals.

I'm sorry. I don't understand the question... 

 

C

Can't remember exactly how much each part was, but in total I dumped just under 1200 into it minus optic.

 

 

 

I guess it depends on what kind of rifle you want to build and how carefully you shop for sales.

 

You can build a kickass carbine with freefloated handguards, BCM upper/barrel/bolt, iron sights, and a ALG trigger for $1000 or so if you shop around and wait for sales.

 

You can spend $2000 in a 3gun rifle before you even look at optics with half that price being the barrel and trigger.

 

You can build a working rifle for $600 if you aren't picky about its features.

 

It is all in what you want and how hard you sale shop.

Lies!! No actually I am impressed, that is a pretty awesome total price.

Thanks, I recently found out I'm both Jewish and Arabian, so I guess that explains me knowing the value of a dollar, and having the haggling skills to get a good price.

 

But yeah, I got some good stuff for a good price, but it took me over 7 months to do the build, plus I built it in May 2012 IIRC, just a few months to all the panic buying. I also benefited from the fact that what I want isn't particularly the most in-demand stuff. I'm not a huge fan of ARs, particularly the more "traditional" ones with the carry handle and forward sight post. So, I wanted a flat-top upper with a free float barrel in a picatinny rail handguard. Not to hard to find, if you want 16.5" barrel, but I wanted a full 20" rifle, and I'll tell you, it took forever to find an upper like this. I was getting to the point I was just going to buy a stripped upper, barrel, rail system, etc. all separately.

 

I also am 5' 7'', so A2 stocks fit me perfectly, so I saved a lot of money getting an old surplus A2 stock. Really the only thing I wasn't super happy with is that my 20" barrel has a 1:9 twist, but I figure someday I'll replace it with a 1:7 or something.

I'm not finished with my build yet, but so far:

 

Lower:

 

New Frontier Armory Lower: 45.00 +S/H & Transfer Fees

PSA LPK: 40.00

Collapsible Stock with Buffer tube, spring and buffer: 60.00

 

Total for the lower with out taxes and shipping: 145.00

 

Upper (still to be completed):

 

Midwest PX barreled receiver: 229.00

BCG: 110.00

YHM Light weight FF hand guard: 118.00

Muzzle Break: 26.00

Set of sights: 80.00

 

Total (including lower): 708 not counting mags, an optic, ammo or tools.

Yeah Vlad I really just wanted a lightweight build using some quality components. I guess that was a result of my lower being MAG tactical and the whole concept of MAG being that it was lightweight.

Thanks, I recently found out I'm both Jewish and Arabian, so I guess that explains me knowing the value of a dollar, and having the haggling skills to get a good price.

 

But yeah, I got some good stuff for a good price, but it took me over 7 months to do the build, plus I built it in May 2012 IIRC, just a few months to all the panic buying. I also benefited from the fact that what I want isn't particularly the most in-demand stuff. I'm not a huge fan of ARs, particularly the more "traditional" ones with the carry handle and forward sight post. So, I wanted a flat-top upper with a free float barrel in a picatinny rail handguard. Not to hard to find, if you want 16.5" barrel, but I wanted a full 20" rifle, and I'll tell you, it took forever to find an upper like this. I was getting to the point I was just going to buy a stripped upper, barrel, rail system, etc. all separately.

 

I also am 5' 7'', so A2 stocks fit me perfectly, so I saved a lot of money getting an old surplus A2 stock. Really the only thing I wasn't super happy with is that my 20" barrel has a 1:9 twist, but I figure someday I'll replace it with a 1:7 or something.

Yeah I bought my lower during the whole Obama scare just to have it. My intebtions were to shop around and get good deals over time BUT I have very little discipline and once I started buying things I couldnt stop myself lol.

With optics? Both of mine are probably well over $1500-1700

same here.  with optics and no mags im well over the $1500 mark

complete upper, lower parts kit, brake $411.94

lower $46.99 + $37.45 transfer+NICS

 

I have a 4x50 scope ($70) I might throw on it, but I also want a rear iron sight.

Yeah I bought my lower during the whole Obama scare just to have it. My intebtions were to shop around and get good deals over time BUT I have very little discipline and once I started buying things I couldnt stop myself lol.

 

Both me and a friend of mine who is far more knowledgeable on the AR platform than I are doing the same thing, get a functional gun, then slowly, over time, replacing it with better parts as we see good prices. I just dropped a light-weight trigger spring in the other day.

complete upper, lower parts kit, brake $411.94

lower $46.99 + $37.45 transfer+NICS

 

I have a 4x50 scope ($70) I might throw on it, but I also want a rear iron sight.

 

Damn, I was hoping to win "cheapest AR build" XD.

Yeah Vlad I really just wanted a lightweight build using some quality components. I guess that was a result of my lower being MAG tactical and the whole concept of MAG being that it was lightweight.

 

Whats the final weight?

And the reason I asked about weight, I have a light weight carbine built that is right under 6lb with iron sights. Assuming today's prices it goes like this:

 

BCM lightweight 14.5 barrel $239

BCM scratch and dent upper $75

BCM bolt group $179

Troy/Vtac 9" free float $129

Spikes lower $70

YHM 2 piece gasblock/sight base $65

Midwest front folding sight $75

Mbus rear $45

Palmeto MOE lower built kit (stock, grip, trigger, everything) $159

Charing Handle, gas tube, etc $50

Dynacomp $89

 

Total would be $1175, plus some shipping.

 

However, that includes no sales, no coupons, no shopping around. I find that a 20% discount from regular prices is not hard to get if you shop around and bide your time.  If you shop around you should be able to get this to about $1000 including transfers, compliance, etc.

 

As an example of savings, the Spikes 14.5 lightweight is in everyway the same as the BCM one, probably made by the same people and it is $199, not on sales.

Whats the final weight?

Ill let you know once everything gets here, and I know the spikes 14.5 is a great deal right now but my buddye just got that so I wanted to get something else lol.

Damn, I was hoping to win "cheapest AR build" XD.

It's a cheap build from PSA. Decided it was a good way to get my "feet wet" with the whole lego gun thing. I'll build it, shoot it for a while, then decide what to do from there.

Personally, I don't really want to know. I'm afraid if I do, I'd stop buying stuff. I think I did attempt to figure out the price tag of one build that I do not shoot much anymore. I was going to sell it but in the end I did not. It is almost $2500 with optics. It's not a crazy build as it is a Spikes 14.5 upper that by itself was $700. I'm not even factoring all the parts that were constantly being swapped on and off.

dont wanna know!

Which one?

I almost finish my first AR15 $2100

 

 

Magpul PRS = $217

hiperfire 24C trigger = $224

2 15rd mags = $44

Unique-AR hand guard = $315

BCM BCG = $180

BCM charging handle = $45

BCM Gas block = $45

Rainier Arms Compensator RAC = $69

Lothar Walter 20 inch Barrel = $385

Aero Precision upper & lower = $190

PSA lower parts kit = $25

Nikonscope p223 4-12x40 = $200

 

The rest went to shipping - nics - tools - welding and other small parts