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How-To: Build Your Own Custom AR-15 Rifle
How-To: Build Your Own Custom AR-15 Rifle
Last summer my son John and I visited Rock River Arms just over the Mississippi River from us in western Illinois. We watched AR-15s being built and got to help test-fire rifles on the range. Having seen it done, we decided to try making our own. This summer we drove an hour the other way to Brownell’s, in Montezuma, Iowa, where, with a little adult supervision, we built an AR of our own.
Honestly, the savings aren’t great if you build your own, but like any do-it-yourself project, it’s rewarding. After putting a rifle together you understand exactly how an AR works and you gain a lot of respect for the clever design of this modular, versatile platform. You do save money in the sense that you get exactly what you want to start with, rather than buying a rifle, then replacing a lot of the parts with the pieces you really wanted in the first place.
You can build whatever you want, from a prairie dog rifle to a carbine set up to defend your home from zombie invasion. As Brownell’s Larry Weeks says, the only rule of thumb is, “Put good parts together to get a good rifle.” John and I chose to go the accurate route and built a target/varmint-type rifle with a heavy barrel, custom trigger and adjustable stock. These photos show how we built ours, starting with a pile of parts and ending with a working rifle.
Here is John, outside Brownell’s, in tiny Montezuma. Now 70 years old, Brownell’s has grown from a small gunsmith shop to the producer of a massive 592-page gunsmithing supply catalog.
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Comments (22)
If I were to get one it would have to be in a much larger caliber,than the mouse killing .223.
I have been contemplating either a 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 Rem SPC II upper for my AR that's in my avatar.
Not being a smart#@@ at all Mr. Bourjaily but was it you or the shotgun guy at the "other" magazine who wrote the article titled "why I will never own an AR15" ? Just curious. Thanks, and great article as well!
Since they make the AR in almost every caliber now, the principle remains the same for most conversions. I find the .223 a pleasure to shoot even in non AR platforms. My TC Contender Bull barrel shoots better than some of my AR's.
Damo450 -- It was me who said I would never own an Ar 15 on the grounds that I couldn't afford ammunition for it. I figure if I put a duck plug in it so it can't hold more than three shots I might be able to stretch my ammo supply.
HAHAH!! Spoken like a true shotgunner! I remembered it was because of ammo, but just had to keep you on your toes. Again, great article, and my wife has a sabre defence M4 with Pink furniture. No hello kitty though.
I think the neatest part of building this AR is the fact that it was a father/son project.
For some odd unknown reason, I can't imagine Phil liking AR's?
Just imagine all the hoopla you would have to go through with a bolt gun to obtain that accuracy and affordability and did it all in a couple of hours to!
Phil, keep the barrel hot and the X-Ring full of holes!
Now Phil, we will be waiting for a further report on the rifle's accuracy.
EXCELLENT ARTICLE !!! I THINK I'M GOING TO MAKE ONE FOR MYSELF, ONLY IN .308. I THINK IT WOULD MAKE A FINE FERAL HOG GUN. THANKS FOR THE STEP BY STEP ARTICLE.
cool!!!
I have mulled putting my toe in the water regarding the so called black rifles. This pictorial on building one is very enticing. Thanks for the primer. I don't miss a posting of The Gun Nuts and enjoy both yours and Petzals musings.
it is fun to build things ,,however when it comes to shooting a rifle that one put together themselves without a clue. I'm thinking that for me I would rather a professonal did the assembly, I would have to save a lot of money doing it myself and have a lot more info than a few photo's with no details.gunsmithing is not childs playtime
Wow, now that is some pretty cool stuff dude. WOw.
Lou
www.real-privacy.at.tc
Moishe you are a retarded clown...seriously.
go troll somewhere else.
I can understand wanting to build your own rifle from cradle to grave, since like you stated the options are there for the picking at the starting point. However, I found that an 'from ground up' AK style in either .223 or .308 will be much more robust and easier to maintain. Plus there as many options for this rifle as for the AR types now on the market. I will admit the 7.62X.39 lacking in the accuracy department. I know the mention of AK will more than likelly give me negative marks, but I don't care. It is what I like.
Building your own AR.15 is a good way to save money and fit everything on the gun to your own style.
thats awsome!
This article is perfect because I just decided to make my own AR from scratch.
.223 is perfect for varmint hunting and target shooting...a self-defense rifle requires nothing smaller than 30 caliber. My AR is chambered in 7.62 X 39. AWESOME!
I wish canada had guns laws allowing us to use ar 15s for hunting i love these guns and i love the caliber
Jere Smith : why would someone need anything bigger ? this cartridge has accounted for thousands of human lives on the battle field 5.56 and thousands of game animals , it's shot placement that kills not the cannon , I have several magnum calibers and they will gut shoot and blow off legs just like the 5.56 and .223 , all it takes is a poor marksman behind the sights , all you gain with bigger is a few hundred yards but if you have a problem with a .223 at 200 yards then all the power in the world will not help you at 400
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Damo450 -- It was me who said I would never own an Ar 15 on the grounds that I couldn't afford ammunition for it. I figure if I put a duck plug in it so it can't hold more than three shots I might be able to stretch my ammo supply.
I think the neatest part of building this AR is the fact that it was a father/son project.
I have been contemplating either a 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 Rem SPC II upper for my AR that's in my avatar.
Not being a smart#@@ at all Mr. Bourjaily but was it you or the shotgun guy at the "other" magazine who wrote the article titled "why I will never own an AR15" ? Just curious. Thanks, and great article as well!
Since they make the AR in almost every caliber now, the principle remains the same for most conversions. I find the .223 a pleasure to shoot even in non AR platforms. My TC Contender Bull barrel shoots better than some of my AR's.
.223 is perfect for varmint hunting and target shooting...a self-defense rifle requires nothing smaller than 30 caliber. My AR is chambered in 7.62 X 39. AWESOME!
cool!!!
I have mulled putting my toe in the water regarding the so called black rifles. This pictorial on building one is very enticing. Thanks for the primer. I don't miss a posting of The Gun Nuts and enjoy both yours and Petzals musings.
it is fun to build things ,,however when it comes to shooting a rifle that one put together themselves without a clue. I'm thinking that for me I would rather a professonal did the assembly, I would have to save a lot of money doing it myself and have a lot more info than a few photo's with no details.gunsmithing is not childs playtime
Wow, now that is some pretty cool stuff dude. WOw.
Lou
www.real-privacy.at.tc
I can understand wanting to build your own rifle from cradle to grave, since like you stated the options are there for the picking at the starting point. However, I found that an 'from ground up' AK style in either .223 or .308 will be much more robust and easier to maintain. Plus there as many options for this rifle as for the AR types now on the market. I will admit the 7.62X.39 lacking in the accuracy department. I know the mention of AK will more than likelly give me negative marks, but I don't care. It is what I like.
Building your own AR.15 is a good way to save money and fit everything on the gun to your own style.
thats awsome!
This article is perfect because I just decided to make my own AR from scratch.
HAHAH!! Spoken like a true shotgunner! I remembered it was because of ammo, but just had to keep you on your toes. Again, great article, and my wife has a sabre defence M4 with Pink furniture. No hello kitty though.
For some odd unknown reason, I can't imagine Phil liking AR's?
Just imagine all the hoopla you would have to go through with a bolt gun to obtain that accuracy and affordability and did it all in a couple of hours to!
Phil, keep the barrel hot and the X-Ring full of holes!
Now Phil, we will be waiting for a further report on the rifle's accuracy.
EXCELLENT ARTICLE !!! I THINK I'M GOING TO MAKE ONE FOR MYSELF, ONLY IN .308. I THINK IT WOULD MAKE A FINE FERAL HOG GUN. THANKS FOR THE STEP BY STEP ARTICLE.
I wish canada had guns laws allowing us to use ar 15s for hunting i love these guns and i love the caliber
Jere Smith : why would someone need anything bigger ? this cartridge has accounted for thousands of human lives on the battle field 5.56 and thousands of game animals , it's shot placement that kills not the cannon , I have several magnum calibers and they will gut shoot and blow off legs just like the 5.56 and .223 , all it takes is a poor marksman behind the sights , all you gain with bigger is a few hundred yards but if you have a problem with a .223 at 200 yards then all the power in the world will not help you at 400
Moishe you are a retarded clown...seriously.
go troll somewhere else.
If I were to get one it would have to be in a much larger caliber,than the mouse killing .223.
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