First Rifle

So let's say 12 dollars shipping, 20 dollars for a cheaper-end transfer fee, then another 30-40 for the parts kit, and THEN another hour of your time to assemble it.

Don't be a faggot.

He's saying you could buy a stripped lower at a lgs and not have to pay shipping or transfer fee. But either way, assuming you could find a full lower parts kit, to include a stock, for less than $55, the money you'd save would be so fucking negligible. Plus then you have to build it, which can be frustrating to someone new to guns.

If you want an AR-15 similar to your M4, buy a 14.5 inch barrel and get your A2 style flash hider pinned and welded to the barrel. Total length will be 16 inches, same as the M4, and you won't have to deal with ATF shit or braces.

Start off by buying a stripped lower receiver from a local gun shop or online. You shouldn't be paying more than $50 for a lower, and usually local gun shops don't sell em that cheap. If you do buy a lower online, check your area for FFL dealers and how much they charge to transfer. A FFL shouldnt charge you more than $20 for a transfer.

PSA upper parts kit shipped to your house
stripped lower from gun store
youtube instructional

I forget the tools you will need. someone else can tell you.

Attached: hejustdidn't.gif (199x197, 155K)

The fun is in the construction, the reward is "your" rifle.
Its not that hard, im telling him to build his first FAL or AK. Im not telling him to start with an 80% lower and get a jig.
Put the parts togeather its easier than a level 3 model kit. Its fun, it takes one night, you learn what shit is so you dont ask things like what is a detent or can i losen or harden my mag release.... its easy and fun

>Don't try to build your own until you understand the platform better.
But the best way to better your understanding of the platform is to build your own.

What's your budget like?
If you have time, wait for the next holiday sale, like suggests.

If you want it now, your cheapest option is:
palmettostatearmory.com/psa-classic-blackhawk-lower-build-kit-black-5165447982.html
palmettostatearmory.com/blem-psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-phosphate-classic-upper-with-bcg-ch-5165448396.html
Barrel's only a couple inches longer than an M4, it'll feel basically the same, but less legal issues. Counting the lower receiver purchased locally, it should be tree fiddy or less.

Don't be afraid of cheaping out on your first gun, if that's what your budget can handle; remember you're gonna spend at least $200 on a flip-up rear sight and budget red-dot, more if you want an ACOG-like optic. Or, I suppose, less if you want no optic.
Then spend time picking out what you do and don't want on your next gun while you're saving up for it.

But if you've got more cash to burn on it, tell us what you want the rifle to do, and we can make better recommendations.

I just paid $40 for my stripped lower, free shipping, $14 transfer fee. $54 total for a stripped lower in my hands. LGS's by me charge at least $80 for a lower, and that's on the low end.

The combination of 14.5" barrel/carbine-length gas system on M4 is really a dumb compromise; carbine-length gas system was developed for 10-11" barrels, and works great there, while 14-16" barrels are better suited to the later mid-length gas system. I feel like the two sane options are:
10.5"/11.5" barrel, carbine-length gas pistol with SBA3 brace -- handguard and front sight are just like an M4, barrel sticks out the front less.
16.x" barrel, intermediate-length gas rifle with carbine stock -- buttstock is like an M4, barrel's a couple inches longer, and handguard's four or five inches longer.
But if you really want that M4 feel, you can have either:
14.5" barrel, carbine-length gas pistol with SBA3 brace -- no legal issues, can use a normal screwed-on flash hider, but brace instead of a stock.
14.5" barrel, carbine-length gas rifle with carbine stock -- muzzle device (brake or flash hider) must be "permanently attached" (pinned and welded) to the barrel, and must be long enough to make the combined barrel+muzzle device length over 16".
Detents are the little spring-loaded plungers that keep the pivot pin and takedown pin in place until you push them through to remove the upper, and keep them captive when you do. They're a pain to install, because the springs want to send them flying to the far corners of the room, and you'll never find them.

There's two dimensions, one about mechanics, one about attachments. You can get various combinations.
Mechanics:
>snap-in handguards
Hook into handguard endcap at the FSB, then lock into the delta ring.
Bad for barrel deflection/vibrations, bad for alignment to bore.
Some have additional locking features to reduce play and improve alignment to bore, but still not great.
>free-float tubes
Clamps rigidly to a standard or custom barrel nut at the back, with no connection to barrel at front.
No effect on barrel, moderately good alignment to bore.
>monolithic
Upper receiver and rail made in one piece; no connection to barrel at front.
No effect on barrel, great alignment to bore. But expensive and can't be added to an existing upper receiver.

(cont)

yeah but what tools will he need?

Attachments:
>none
The milspec round handguards, of course, but there's also various lightweight carbon-fiber handguards and freefloat tubes out there.
Light weight and comfy gripping is their only benefit, but if you're not hanging doodads off your rifle, why not?
>quad-rail
Rails everywhere, a veritable cheese-grater seeking your soft, shreddable flesh.
Put attachments where you want them, put rail covers everywhere else. (Or skip the rail covers and wear gloves.)
Unnecessarily heavy and large circumference (can make it hard for handlets to grip), but it was the best we had at the time.
>m-lok
Often there's still a rail at 12 o'clock, for e.g. backup front sight and PEQ-15. Sometimes this rail is full-length, sometimes just at the front and back (where you'll actually be attaching things), with the middle left out to save weight.
Slots everywhere else. You can attach some accessories (e.g. handstops) directly to the m-lok slots, or you can use the m-lok slots to attach rail sections just the right lengths, and in just the right places, to mount whatever rail-mounted accesories you want.
Saves weight and circumference, much more comfortable to hold, and also works really well to add mounting options to a handguard designed primarily for gripping, e.g. Magpul's current MOE handguards.
>keymod
Same deal as m-lok, but different shaped slots (modeled after modular shelving, or perhaps the male genitalia) and correspondingly different direct-attach accessories and rail sections.
The slot shape is not only widely considered gay as fuck, but also makes the handguard less robust than its m-lok equivalent, so keymod is out, m-lok is in.
Hard though it is to admit, there's really nothing wrong with keymod if you don't abuse your rifle and are secure in your heteromasculinity, so don't rule it out if you find a bargain.

Of course you need normal tools that everyone has, like a few pin punches (or you could even make screwdrivers and allen wrenches work in a pinch).
But assuming he goes with a barreled upper off the shelf, the only AR-specific tool needed is a castle-nut wrench. A magwell vise block is also highly recommended.

Some of you faggots really do think a stripped lower is a complete lower with a stock and buffer and everything? gets my point.

$75? The fuck I pay $39 for psa stealth lowers. Best lowers for the price

palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar15-complete-classic-lower-5165447829.html
palmettostatearmory.com/blem-psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-phosphate-classic-upper-with-bcg-ch-5165448396.html

Here's the cheapest new build you'll find. PSA is good and reliable, nothing gucci but definitely serviceable rifles for poorfag budgets.

I recommend you get parts linked, but if you want to get colors or whatever, they offer green, tan, and gray options for the grip/stock on the lower for the same price. Be sure if you get a rifle lower that the upper assembly is no shorter than a 16" barrel. Pistol lower has no limit, can be as long or short as you want.

Order to a gun shop so you don't double dip on shipping and you're legally required to have a lower receiver shipped to a ffl for transfer, because it is classified as the gun. Call your local shops to ask how much online transfers cost and if they'll receive a shipment from Palmetto State. A good transfer fee is $15-20, less is better but if you start getting to $45-$50 you're getting ripped off. Also ask the gun shop about online purchasing procedure in case your state laws are retarded.

what made you think I was talking about a complete lower? A stripped lower is a stripped lower, nothing in it. You can get stripped lowers for less than $50 with free shipping, and a transfer shouldnt be more than $20. Not many LGS sell stripped lowers for less than that.