What is the next step from a cheap home built AR15?

[Elk34]

Why? If it aint broke, don't fix it.

In my experience (20+ years working in the firearms industry) you are only paying for the roll mark. Is an Anderson lower ugly? Maybe. Is an Knights Armament lower inherently better than an Aero Precision. No.

Find an upper/lower combo that you like the looks of...Aero, LMT, BCM, Colt, Daniel Defense, Anderson, Palmetto, whatever...they all accomplish the same thing. Just know that they all do the same thing, and you are only paying for their marketing department. My $400 Anderson/Palmetto build truck gun accomplished the same tasks as my $3,000 Knights SR-15 Mod 0 or my $3,000 Noveske Leonidas.

Don't buy anything plastic/polymer.

Spend your money on the components. Trigger, BCG, barrel, hand guard, recoil system, sights/optics....That is what actually makes a difference.

That's not what he's asking. He has cheap guns. He has money and wants to spend it. Don't buy another cheap gun. The next step would be a gas piston gun. This will keep the majority of the gas from coming back to the carrier and keep the carrier and bolt a little cleaner. That's the next step.
There are better coatings out there. You can find uppers and lowers that are made as a matched set. They fit with very little tolerance. Yes if you have a lot of cheap rifles that work great and now want a higher quality weapon they do make them.

I didn't say "buy another cheap gun". I suggested he continue to build his own using high quality parts. This will not result in a "cheap gun".

Piston guns are a waste of money, IMO. Keeping your gun clean is basically free. I know plenty of people who have evaluated piston driven rifles and experience the same issues as DI guns. Piston guns do not solve any issues experienced with a DI gun. Adding more moving parts does not increase reliability.

You are suggesting that a person with an 18 mile commute to work should only buy a Ferrari, when a Honda Accord will get you there and back.

I'm saying opinions are like as$holes, they are all different. If I had a 18 mile commute to work and my job sucked but I got paid to much money to quite a Ferrari for 18 miles might be nice. If the guy wants to buy a set of billet recievers let him buy them. If he wants to buy a gas piston gun which is better than DI , let him. Your opinion doesn't mean $hit when it's not your money. And yes gas piston guns are a hell of a lot more reliable than a DI gun. I have just as many if not more friends that swear by piston over DI

 

[QuietM4]

I'm saying opinions are like as$holes, they are all different. If I had a 18 mile commute to work and my job sucked but I got paid to much money to quite a Ferrari for 18 miles might be nice. If the guy wants to buy a set of billet recievers let him buy them. If he wants to buy a gas piston gun which is better than DI , let him. Your opinion doesn't mean $hit when it's not your money. And yes gas piston guns are a hell of a lot more reliable than a DI gun. I have just as many if not more friends that swear by piston over DI

 

[Kinked_Chrome]

If they served you well and you enjoyed shooting it, will this new weapon for many hundreds more will be how much better shooting them scale?

I see what you are saying, but did you just decide one day that you don't want any more guns? I have not reached that point in my life yet. I have all kinds of guns in my collection, some are more reliable and shoot better than others, but to me, they are all worth owning for one reason or another. A high quality AR15 is just another branch to explore in this hobby.

What should have happened; Guy spends $800 on a S&W M&P15, $350 on a Holosun/Vortex/Sig red dot, $400 on a case of ammo, and $500 on a 2-day training course. Spends significantly less money, but the knowledge gained is priceless.

Yeah, I need to partake in some of those courses. Before I had kids, I did a good amount of 3 gun and steel challenge type events, but I have not yet invested in any formal training.

Larue Ultimate Upper kit, add a lower and you have a complete Larue for under a grand.
Pick your caliber: https://www.larue.com/products/larue-ultimate-ar-15-upper-kit/

I have a few Larues with one being their UU kit in 6.5 Grendel. It's boring to shoot at 500 yards.

I was just looking at these, seems like a really good deal at the current pricing.

That's not what he's asking. He has cheap guns. He has money and wants to spend it. Don't buy another cheap gun. The next step would be a gas piston gun. This will keep the majority of the gas from coming back to the carrier and keep the carrier and bolt a little cleaner. That's the next step.
There are better coatings out there. You can find uppers and lowers that are made as a matched set. They fit with very little tolerance. Yes if you have a lot of cheap rifles that work great and now want a higher quality weapon they do make them.

I did start looking at piston rifles a bit. I am biased to DI guns for no particular reason though. A matched upper and lower would be nice. I have been lucky that most of mine fit pretty well.

 

[Tim McBride]

Although I don't fall into the "All lowers are the same, you are just paying for a roll mark" camp, I do hold the opinion that for 90% of the users out there, 90% of the lowers will work for what they need.

Most piston ARs do suck, because they are retrofitting a piston into a system that was never designed to use it. Some companies have done great work with their Piston guns, but I think it's a solution looking for a problem.

And I'll agree that the first place to spend money is the BCG, Barrel, and Trigger group. Optics also.

 

[Kinked_Chrome]

Although I don't fall into the "All lowers are the same, you are just paying for a roll mark" camp, I do hold the opinion that for 90% of the users out there, 90% of the lowers will work for what they need.

Most piston ARs do suck, because they are retrofitting a piston into a system that was never designed to use it. Some companies have done great work with their Piston guns, but I think it's a solution looking for a problem.

And I'll agree that the first place to spend money is the BCG, Barrel, and Trigger group. Optics also.

yeah, I don't agree about all lowers being the same either. Maybe in functionality that are all basically the same, but some have a very obviously better fit and finish.

Here is one of my spikes lowers that someone hand finished before letting it leave the machine shop . I don't think that I bought this one as a blem either. It works fine, its just that the mag well is ugly.

Budget optics has always been a part of my life, that is going to change with this new rifle build.

Edit: Yes I know when of the pins in the lower is not all the way in.