Why build from an AR 80% lower?

[Cpt]

Simply Yet Complex Question: Here in CA, what is the draw for purchasing and building off of an 80% AR lower receiver?

I am asking to figure out if there is a possible advantages, without taking into account the amount of work or tools required for the build. I have seen lots of videos and forum posts about home-made AR's, but I haven't ran across why it is better to build at home vs. purchasing through a FFL dealer. So far the only upside to home-building an AR is not have to enter it into a database.

[TAK]

Differnt reasons, the main ones being.

Big brother doesn't know
You don't pay a dros fee
You can order them online and shipped to your house
It's fun actually building a gun (to an extent) as opposed to assembling parts you bought

[shakes88]

There are two reasons I picked up a 80% lower...

1: The primary reason I bought one is I feel there's a certain cool facture behind building a gun from the ground up. I have designs for both side of the mag well to be engraved. I get to pick the color of the receiver. And when it's done, I have the satisfaction of owning a gun that was basically created with my own two hands.

2: If you read through the ATF's FAQ about the laws on 80% lowers, it is 100% legal to build one and not have to register or serialize the lower reciever. The reason I this attracts my attention is the Feds can't know I have one. Now, I'm a law abiding citizen and do not intend on committing crime or using this particular rifle for home defense, so there should never be a reason that the Feds have to look into the rifle. But if the sad, sad day comes where the American government completely forgets the foundation and the reason this country is so great and comes door to door to collect all assault weapons, I will hand them a stripped lower from my other AR and still have my 80% tucked away.

As far as reason #2. Don't take my word for it. Check out the ATF's website and read up on it yourself. I'm not here as a Subject Matter Expert or anything of the sort, just a 2A supporter and gun enthusiast that has done some research and talked to some other knowledgable people.

[mif_slim]

first off, if you want a "sbr" look but cant get it (ex: living in CA) an AR pistol is the next best thing. Since we cannot get AR pistol unless PPT or already built as pistol, the next thing is to make your own from 80%.

I think that to me is the best reason why I would build and have built 80% for.

[dls]

The main reason I have two is I can build 5.56 pistols if I want.

[12voltguy]

?
search function broke?
google?

[stix213]

So you can build a legal AR pistol

[SNCaliber]

yup building it yourself and being able to build an AR pistol

[12voltguy]

So you can build a legal AR pistol

yes
but to be legal
1st it has to have ZERO rd sled with bullet button
& 6" min barrel & 10.5" overall length
after that 10rd max mag

you do not have to prove it had a zero rd mag, but you must 1st build it this way so you are not building a gun not on roaster, single shot exempt

[bender152]

Been asked plenty of times before...

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=640389&highlight=lower

[CBruce]

Simply Yet Complex Question: Here in CA, what is the draw for purchasing and building off of an 80% AR lower receiver?

I am asking to figure out if there is a possible advantages, without taking into account the amount of work or tools required for the build. I have seen lots of videos and forum posts about home-made AR's, but I haven't ran across why it is better to build at home vs. purchasing through a FFL dealer. So far the only upside to home-building an AR is not have to enter it into a database.

Pros:

• Get the experience of building an AR from 'scratch', or as close to scratch as is realistically feasible. I can't overstate this enough, if you've never owned an AR, have no experience with an AR, building one from scratch pretty much forces you to learn about what each piece of metal, spring, and pin are and how they fit together to make a functioning rifle.
• Get to mark the lower with any graphic, serial number, etc. you want (or don't want). Completely personalized rifle.
• Get to finish it anyway you want. You start with raw aluminum and have it anodized, duracoated, nickel-boron coated, etc. etc. Unless you buy a pre-anodized lower of course
• If it's a build party, get to meet and interact with some interesting people who share a common interest. You can collectively kvetch about bullet-buttons and 10/30 magazines. That's always fun.
• No DROS. Less paperwork and fees to deal with.
• Slightly less chance big-brother knows you have onve (if that's important to you). However, in this day of electronic transactions, if you buy any part for an AR, ammo, whatever and don't pick it up face-to-face paid for in cash...there's a record of it somewhere.

[dieselpower]

why fix that old 1969 chevy? Why not buy a new car? Why walk 5 miles to the store? Why not drive? Why assemble that AR15 lower...why not buy it together?

Why build that 80% lower?

And if you think the government can't or doesn't know you have an 80% lower, you are not paying enough attention to technology.

The only way the government doesn't know you have a gun;
1) never post or log into a gun website
2) never buy any gun related part using credit or debit cards
3) never text, talk or e-mail any combinations of words that alludes to gun ownership
4) never post any firearm related material on a social networking site
5) do not join any firearms clubs
6) do not associate with people that do any of the first 5

[-hanko]

?
search function broke?
google?

No, but it's never been required of fng's.

Been asked plenty of times before...

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...ighlight=lower

See above. This is calguns.net.

-hanko

[mif_slim]

^ that means its too late OP. Lol

[TAK]

why fix that old 1969 chevy? Why not buy a new car? Why walk 5 miles to the store? Why not drive? Why assemble that AR15 lower...why not buy it together?

Why build that 80% lower?

And if you think the government can't or doesn't know you have an 80% lower, you are not paying enough attention to technology.

The only way the government doesn't know you have a gun;
1) never post or log into a gun website
2) never buy any gun related part using credit or debit cards
3) never text, talk or e-mail any combinations of words that alludes to gun ownership
4) never post any firearm related material on a social networking site
5) do not join any firearms clubs
6) do not associate with people that do any of the first 5

Take off your tin hat.

The government doesn't waste manpower and computer power keeping tabs on people with guns. Start talking about/buying 100 guns worth of AR parts and you can worry about popping up on a hit list.