First Firearm Thread.

[emopunker2004]

They pick a price.
Call around and ask
http://fflgundealers.net/

and this is probably a dumb question but I'll ask anyway... the FFL dealer has to be in my state, correct? for instance since you and I are buddies I couldn't get you to handle my transfer, could I?

[emopunker2004]

Lol no. Gotta be in ur state. Closer to u the better because u gotta pick it up there. Well legally u can buy a rifle or shotgun out of state and carry it back with u, I would assume transfer would be the same if its not a pistol, but why would u?

just trying to think of someone that won't charge me an arm and a leg... more or less it was just a theoretical question... with FFL being federal I thought it wouldn't matter what state it is purchased in...

[spectrrr]

Originally Posted by Robulous78

ahh... ok.... so do FFL's name their own price or is there a guideline to what they charge?

$25-$35 is the norm, depending on the FFL. I have FFL's near me that charge all of those prices.

Occasionally you'll find one for $20, although that's not so normal.

I worked out a deal with one local FFL for a better rate on a group of items arriving. Some will work with you on that, some won't.

If you live in certain parts of komifornia, apparently it can go as high as $100.

I was about to say I heard it could cost up to 200 dollars... if its 20 to 50 bucks then no problems... i just didn't want to pay more for the FFL then I do for the actual lower...

I am thinking I will go ahead and buy a lower sometime real real soon... and then as the weeks go by I'll save my shuttle tip money and buy the other parts to build it...

what is the most expensive part of an AR? and how difficult are they to build, can a novice complete a build or does it take special tools and know how?

unless you think saving my money and buying an already completed AR would be cheaper? I am just trying to do this more or less the cheapest way possible... thats not saying I want sh!tty parts... just if i am going to spend more for them there had better/will be a reason why...

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by Robulous78

unless you think saving my money and buying an already completed AR would be cheaper? I am just trying to do this more or less the cheapest way possible... thats not saying I want sh!tty parts... just if i am going to spend more for them there had better/will be a reason why...

You picked the wrong time if you're looking to build cheap.

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

You picked the wrong time if you're looking to build cheap.

yea... I know I have... I just wanna get one before anything stupid happens and they make them illegal again... was thinking about buying 30rd mags also incase those disappear as well...

What chances do you actually give them to pass the ban again? I heard they said because the last one wasn't effective they were going to try to work more on capacity bans rather then model bans...

[Chainsaw13]

No real idea. I'm like you, looking to buy, but I'm not willing to pay the inflated prices. Good news is they seem to be subsiding a bit, at least from what I've seen on one site. This is for complete rifles. Now if I could only find the model I want at a decent price.

[spectrrr]

Originally Posted by Robulous78

unless you think saving my money and buying an already completed AR would be cheaper? I am just trying to do this more or less the cheapest way possible... thats not saying I want sh!tty parts... just if i am going to spend more for them there had better/will be a reason why...

If you're worried about a ban, buy the lower now.

For all the other parts, save your money and wait. The parts will only get cheaper, and the options will only go up.

If you're not worried about a gun ban, don't even buy the lower now. The market is going to be FLOODED with private party deals on AR's in 2-6 weeks as everyone who went out and purchased one on panic suddenly realizes that they can't afford to keep it, and are willing to sell it for less than they paid. There's also a lot of people who purchased 5-20 lowers, thinking they would have a precious and pricy commodity when a ban hit. If a ban doesn't hit, then they're going to start liquidating those....

I would lay far better odds of a magazine ban passing than a gun ban, I would probably get a few of those now. $30 is going rate. Still very pricy compared to $10-$12 before.. but if you're only getting a couple, not that bad.

[Chainsaw13]

If I were to buy a complete upper/lower, is there anything else I would need besides mags and ammo?

[spectrrr]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

If I were to buy a complete upper/lower, is there anything else I would need besides mags and ammo?

nope. Just make sure the upper includes the BOLT CARRIER GROUP. (bolt, bolt carrier). The only uppers w/ BCG I've seen at a reasonable price lately was a small batch of 16" middys that Aim Surplus got in last week. Crashed the website so many people were trying to get it.

There's a HUGE shortage of BCGs right now. Supply was getting short BEFORE the panic. Finding a lower is easy, finding a BCG is not.

If you buy a stripped lower (more common than a complete lower) you'll need a parts kit.

Palmetto's got a few right now at a fair price (the stock alone is $100)
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index...build-kit.html
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index...build-kit.html

Shipping will be a little slow from Palmetto, but not terrible. I ordered a parts kit from them on 1/3, UPS just brought it to me today 1/28, so you're looking at about 3-4 weeks.

I paid $500 for my complete upper (plus tax sadly, they're in the same state). If you pay a fair price for a lower and nab one for $130, + $200 for the parts, you'll be looking at about $850 for your basic build. Get a slightly decent stock. Cheap one's rattle and fit loose. They function... but not as well.

[Chainsaw13]

Thanks Francis. RRA has the complete upper in stock (20" Predator) I'm looking at. I may do like you said and buy a lower right now and wait to see if upper prices drop. $675 is a lot for just the upper when you complete guns weren't going for a lot more than that last year.

[spectrrr]

But I really do think prices are going to be falling drastically in a bit. Just like when the stock market and the housing market get overvalued, there's a "market correction" as the pendulum swings the other way. Same thing is going to happen in parts of the gun market. Some things will stay high for a while (ammo in particular, typically if you stockpiled that, you'll keep your stockpile rather than sell it), but private party deals are going to abound for many things....

[spectrrr]

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

Thanks Francis. RRA has the complete upper in stock (20" Predator) I'm looking at. I may do like you said and buy a lower right now and wait to see if upper prices drop. $675 is a lot for just the upper when you complete guns weren't going for a lot more than that last year.

I don't think you're reading the RRA website correctly
http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.c...ategory_ID=452

BCGs are one of the items on "INDEFINITE BACKORDER"


for a 20" stainless free float heavy match barreled upper, $675 sounds about normal. I wasn't very familiar with prices before, but I don't think you'll see that go any lower in the next year...

[spectrrr]

well I'm out, heading out to the barn for a smoke while the weather is holding steady at 46.... No garage and no cigar bar within 90 miles of me, so thats the best I can do in my area!

[big pete]

How much should I pay for a buffer tube kit (tube, spring, buffer)?

[spectrrr]

Originally Posted by big pete

How much should I pay for a buffer tube kit (tube, spring, buffer)?

JUST the buffer, i dont know... i've only ever purchased the full lower parts kit, sorry.

Places like brownels and midway have not raised their prices. Even if you find the parts out of stock, you can check prices there to find out what the normal rate is. i dont think buffer tube kits are in critically short supply, so i imagine that normal rate or something close applies..

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by spectrrr

I don't think you're reading the RRA website correctly
http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.c...ategory_ID=452

BCGs are one of the items on "INDEFINITE BACKORDER"


for a 20" stainless free float heavy match barreled upper, $675 sounds about normal. I wasn't very familiar with prices before, but I don't think you'll see that go any lower in the next year...

Interesting. I guess I can order it and see what happens.