Anybody building anything from a kit? I'm even half tempted to buy a black powder kit just for the fun of the build even though the end result is a black powder firearm. What else is available in kit form?
AR's appear to be pretty easy to build yourself. never done it though. i guess you could consider and AK a kit gun as well, it you bought a surplus kit.
Machinisttx, just curious but, did you buy a "kit" for your AR builds or just source all the parts yourself? I've been wanting to build an AR for awhile, though I still have a few months before I can afford to build what I want (I'm really wanting to do an AR10). If you have any advice, I'd love to hear it.
AR lowers are fairly trivial to build without special tools. Just buy the lower receiver (the serialized part), a lower parts kit (includes a few dozen parts and everything you need for the lower such as FCG, safety selector, mag release, bolt catch, pivot/takedown pins/retainers, pistol grip, and buffer retainer), and stock/buffer of your choice and you too can assemble a lower on your kitchen table in about an hour (just don't lose the retainer pins!). AR uppers are more difficult, but some say that you can do it with a few improvised tools. I'd rather leave that task to the professionals given my lack of a proper workbench, vise, go/no-go gauges, etc... I understand that AK building usually implies the use of an "80%" receiver flat requiring the builder to bend the receiver into the final shape and install pins, trunnions, rivets, etc.
I bought a DS4 kit from J&T Distributing, which had a pre-assembled upper included. That was the first and only AR I've built, and it took me less than an hour and a half. I worked pretty slow and read how to's on several different forums to check and doublecheck that I was doing it right. As far as AK building goes, there are several ways to go. 1. You can start with an unbent receiver flat, which requires a hydraulic press and a welder to turn into a 100% receiver. 2. You can start with a bent receiver blank, which will require LOTS of work, preferably done on a milling machine. Also requires a welder. 3. Buy a 100% receiver from various sources. For the rest of teh build, you can get by with not much other than a big hammer and a bench vise....but that's a real PITA.
AK's are cheap enough, I don't see why someone would build there own unless using the best parts available maybe. I overpaid for my Century Arms wasr, though I've seen them as cheap as ~$300 new from some retailers.
I've got a lot less money in my(still incomplete) AK pistol than what a brand new factory built one costs....and probably $50 less than factory built in my rifle. My AMD-65 SBR will cost me several hundred less to build than buy, as will my M92 Krink.
I am in the middle of building 2 HK G3's from de-milled guns, sold as 'kits'. Between sourcing the correct US made parts and receiver and then building up the gun, it's a fair amount of work, but I have to say that I enjoy knowing 'this much' about my guns. Some pics.. Click on the pic for full size.. Prior to these HK's, some FALs (daughter posing with one) I also enjoy rebuilding Mausers. This was a Vz-24 that I bought for $69 and stripped and rebuilt in 308. Not really a kit though.. I built this for my brother, who is left eye dominant but right handed. So, a right hand action in a left hand stock, if you see what I mean.. He was pleased with it. S.
