Cheap AR build, thoughts? (NPR, please forgive me!)

[AlaskaTRX]

Not as snarky as I thought you'd be...

[Old Grafton]

Don't worry. Mikhail never smiled again after he killed his last German.

[Kommander]

There is nothing really WRONG with the rifle, but it is not without it's shortcomings. First make sure that all of the anodizing is properly done. There have been some reports of thin spots in some PSA parts before. Second make sure that the gas key is properly staked to the carrier. Speaking of staking make sure that when you attach the receiver extension to the receiver you put the castle nut on facing the correct direction and then stake it down as well. The barrel is not chrome lined, which is not a huge issue since you wont be shooting corrosive out of it, but it obviously wont last as long. The bolt, while made of the correct material, is apparently neither high pressure tested or magnetic particle tested. Again this likely won't be an issue. Properly constructed even with the aforementioned shortcomings this rifle should suit your needs just fine, so long as their QC is up to snuff and you don't get a rifle with a incorrectly cut chamber (thank you Bushmaster) or a carrier key with poorly done staking.

[rightisright]

There is nothing really WRONG with the rifle, but it is not without it's shortcomings. First make sure that all of the anodizing is properly done. There have been some reports of thin spots in some PSA parts before. Second make sure that the gas key is properly staked to the carrier. Speaking of staking make sure that when you attach the receiver extension to the receiver you put the castle nut on facing the correct direction and then stake it down as well. The barrel is not chrome lined, which is not a huge issue since you wont be shooting corrosive out of it, but it obviously wont last as long. The bolt, while made of the correct material, is apparently neither high pressure tested or magnetic particle tested. Again this likely won't be an issue. Properly constructed even with the aforementioned shortcomings this rifle should suit your needs just fine, so long as their QC is up to snuff and you don't get a rifle with a incorrectly cut chamber (thank you Bushmaster) or a carrier key with poorly done staking.

To add to that, if you do plan on eventually upgrading the rifle, the BCG would be the first thing I would swap. There used to be a chart at arfcom that showed the specs of most of the popular BCGs out there, but I can't seem to locate it anymore. You can't go wrong w. a Bravo Co., Colt, or Daniel Def. BCG...

[Kommander]

Ahh yes The Chart. It was actually taken down by the author due to people not truly understanding it and some manufactures becoming more worried about checking off boxes in said chart than actually making a quality rifle. That said I think it's existence helped educate a large number of people, including myself, about various facets of the AR, how they are made, what shortcuts are often taken, and how those shortcuts effect the finial product. Anyway the whole BCG should not need to be swapped, just the bolt itself. Also I forgot to mention that the 1/9 barrel wont be able to handle the recent heavy bullets that some are now using like a 1/7 would, but it should be fine for the vast majority of ammunition.

[AlaskaTRX]

Ahh yes The Chart.

Do you have a copy of said chart that I could glance upon???

[Kommander]

Try this.

[oilcrash]

I am on my first FrankenGun Builds.
They are started on an Essential Arms and Rock River Lower.
PSA Mil spec lower receiver extensions
a magpul MOE stock and a B5 systems (out of) mils spec sopmod stock
no name lower parts kits.

The uppers are the only thing to have come out of Northwest Precision Armory's attempt at crowdfunding AR parts.
Forward assists, and ejection port covers from damage industries
I now have the barrels from Red Barn Armory, and will be getting f-height front sight gasblocks from Bravo Company, and will do the drilling, reaming and pinning with a jig from BRDE Engineering. I will likely go back to damage industries for the barrel nuts, delta ring assemblies, gas tubes and gas tube roll pins.

Have to go back and do inventory to see if I have carbine buffers or need to order those as well.

I will second having a quality bolt and carrier. However, many will argue that bolts and barrels should be changed at the same time.

[AlaskaTRX]

I am on my first FrankenGun Builds.
They are started on an Essential Arms and Rock River Lower.
PSA Mil spec lower receiver extensions
a magpul MOE stock and a B5 systems (out of) mils spec sopmod stock
no name lower parts kits.

The uppers are the only thing to have come out of Northwest Precision Armory's attempt at crowdfunding AR parts.
Forward assists, and ejection port covers from damage industries
I now have the barrels from Red Barn Armory, and will be getting f-height front sight gasblocks from Bravo Company, and will do the drilling, reaming and pinning with a jig from BRDE Engineering. I will likely go back to damage industries for the barrel nuts, delta ring assemblies, gas tubes and gas tube roll pins.

Have to go back and do inventory to see if I have carbine buffers or need to order those as well.

I will second having a quality bolt and carrier. However, many will argue that bolts and barrels should be changed at the same time.

Did you end up getting any of the Teflon vice blocks to assist building or did you wing it on a table mat? Trying to decide if I want to make that investment or not...

[Dub_James]

The vise blocks are nice to save the finish on your parts, and also your fingers.