AR-15 Pistol Parts

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  • MetalCutter

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    While no stranger to building pistols or working on the AR platform I’ll have to confess a bit of confusion when it comes to picking parts for an AR pistol build. My son and I would like to build an AR pistol in 5.56 from scratch and could use some advice on which parts to choose. A web search results in hundreds (if not thousands) of a dizzying array of lowers, uppers, barrels, BCG’s, etc. My initial reaction was to just buy a pistol and be done with it, but the kid insists on building one. Sooooo…...any suggestions on where to start?
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    Big Green

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    How much do you want to spend?

    That would be my starting point. Personally they are kind of novelty and I can’t see spending much on something like that. Get what’s cheap and what works.

    Uppers and lowers can be had cheap. Bear Creek, PSA, and Anderson are all good candidates for a pistol build. Honestly, you can get everything you need to build a pistol from PSA.

    Decide on barrel length, hand guard length and what you are doing for receiver extension. Aside from that it gets pretty easy.
     

    gshayd

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    It is the same as building a AR15 Rifle except for pistol buffer tube choice, barrel length, forearm/rail length and the legal brace of your choice. I personally will not build anything shorter than 10 1/2 inches. I built a 71/2" pistol in 223/5.56 didn't like it. In a regular pistol caliber I would have no problem doing a shorter barrel.
     
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    baboon

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    It is the same as building a AR15 Rifle except for pistol buffer tube choice, barrel length, forearm/rail length and the legal brace of your choice. I personally will not build anything shorter than 10 1/2 inches. I built a 71/2" pistol in 223/5.56 didn't like it. In a regular pistol caliber I would have no problem doing a shorter barrel.
    I have a 7.5 inch upper on my X-mas to myself gun. A buddy asked if I tried it on the M-16 to see if it ran. His brother & nephew are wanting a 7.5 in for their M-16. When I told him I was having to much fun with it with an echo II he thought I was loosing it.
     

    Dawico

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    Personally I would buy a pistol kit from your manufacturer of choice and build it.

    ARs are so cheap right now it isn't worth shopping around to piece them together to save a buck unless you really want something custom.

    PSA or GZP have plenty of affordable entry level options if that's what you are going for.
     

    AZ Refugee

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    I recently built a 16” 9mm with an Anderson upper and lower, and a Foxtrot Mike barrel and bcg, really like it so far. Went with the Mean endomags and like them as well. Been contemplating a pustol as well with an ATI polymer lower I inherited.
     

    zackmars

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    Psa is good, just be careful. Their daily deals have a habit of annihilating bank accounts.

    If you want to be as functional as possible, barrels longer than 11" are best.

    The SBA3 is probably the best brace currently avalible, and it uses standard carbine length reciever extensions
     

    TKS597

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    Honestly, I'd just build an M4 clone, but with a pistol brace: 14.5 in barrel. I would just go with whatever parts you're comfortable in building a rifle and build it as normal. Only difference being it would be a carbine length.
     

    deemus

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    Just a caution. When I ordered my pistol spring and tube, I got one with rubber padding on it. Sounds good, right? Except that my brace won't slide over the tube due to the rubber coating on the tube.

    Live and learn.
     

    MetalCutter

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    Well, this is what we ended up with. Lower is an F1 mated with a PSA upper. Next, off to the range and see how it shoots.
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    MetalCutter

    Life is too short for cheap cigars!
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    Yep, SBA4 brace. Came with the upper and lower parts kit from PSA.

    ETA: Went to an indoor range due to all the rain, so limited to 25 yards. But all signs show this thing is a shooter.
     
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    Sublime

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    I like the mag cut out, it is kinda different. I got 2 pistols but they are a his/hers in 300blk. Times change, at first they were range toys but IMHO, the braces make them into serious gun fighting tools. The 5.56 was a bit obnoxious for me out of a short barrel.
     

    45tex

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    Something I learned while reading the Q&A at PSA. When you choose a lower get one that was manufactured as a pistol. Apparently in a serial # record check there is a difference. They say you can make a pistol lower into a rifle but not a rifle lower into a pistol. Just sayin I read this, not I can or will defend this.
     
    Every Day Man
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