Building your AR rifle can be a rewarding and fun experience, but it can also be confusing and overwhelming if you don't know what parts you need and how to choose them.
There are hundreds of AR parts and accessories on the market; not all are compatible or suitable for your specific build.
In this article, we will explain the essential AR build parts you need to complete your own rifle and give you some tips and recommendations on choosing and buying the right parts for your AR rifle.
Basic AR Build Parts
Regardless of configuration or caliber, the AR rifle can be separated into two major components: the upper receiver assembly and the lower receiver assembly.
Each assembly has several parts that work together to make your rifle function.
Here are the essential AR build parts you need for each assembly:
Upper Receiver Assembly Parts
The upper receiver assembly contains the barrel, bolt carrier group, charging handle, handguard, muzzle device, gas system, and sights or optics.
These parts affect your rifle's accuracy, reliability, performance, and appearance. Here are the upper receiver assembly parts you need:
Stripped Upper Receiver
This metal housing holds all the other upper parts together. It has a rail on top that allows you to mount sights or optics.
You can choose from different materials, finishes, and styles of upper receivers, such as forged, billet, or polymer; black, FDE, or OD green; flat-top, A1, or A2.
Barrel
This is the metal tube that fires the bullet. It has a chamber that holds the cartridge, a bore that guides the bullet, and a muzzle that exits it.
You can choose from different lengths, profiles, materials, twists, calibers, and coatings of barrels, such as 16″, 18″, or 20″; lightweight, government, or heavy; chrome-moly steel or stainless steel; 1:7, 1:8, or 1:9; 5.56 NATO, .300 BLK, or 7.62x39mm; phosphate, nitride, or chrome-lined.
Bolt Carrier Group (BCG)
This is the part that cycles the action of your rifle. It consists of a bolt that locks and unlocks the chamber, a carrier that moves back and forth inside the upper receiver.
A gas key that connects to the gas system, a cam pin that rotates the bolt, a firing pin that strikes the primer, and an extractor and ejector that remove the spent casing.
You can choose from different materials, finishes, and styles of BCGs, such as steel or titanium; phosphate, nitride, or nickel-boron; mil-spec or enhanced.
Charging Handle
This is the part that allows you to manually operate the action of your rifle. It has a latch that you pull back to cock the hammer and load a round into the chamber.
You can choose from different sizes, shapes, and charging handle features, such as standard or oversized, curved or straight, ambidextrous or single-sided.
Handguard
This is the part that covers your rifle's barrel and gas system. It provides a place to grip and mount accessories.
You can choose from different types, lengths, materials, and styles of handguards, such as drop-in or free-float; carbine-length or rifle-length; polymer or aluminum; quad-rail or M-LOK.
Muzzle Device
This is the part that attaches to the end of your barrel. It affects your rifle's recoil, flash, noise, and accuracy.
You can choose from different types and designs of muzzle devices, such as flash hider or muzzle brake, A2 birdcage or three-pronged, linear compensator, or blast diverter.
Gas System
This is the part that uses the gas pressure from firing a round to cycle the action of your rifle.
It consists of a gas port drilled into the barrel, a gas block that regulates the gas flow, a gas tube that connects to the gas key on the BCG, and a gas ring that seals the gas chamber.
You can choose from different lengths and types of gas systems, Sights, or Optics.
These parts allow you to aim and hit your target. They can be iron or optical sights mounted on your upper receiver rail.
You can choose from different types and models of sights or optics such as fixed or flip-up, A2 front sight post or low-profile gas block, red dot sight, or magnified scope.
Lower Receiver Assembly Parts
The lower receiver assembly contains the trigger, hammer, safety selector, magazine release, bolt catch, pistol grip, buffer tube, buffer, buffer spring, and stock or brace.
These parts affect your rifle's trigger pull, ergonomics, comfort, and legality. Here are the lower receiver assembly parts you need:
- Stripped Lower Receiver: This metal frame holds all the other lower parts together. It is the only part of the AR considered a firearm by law, and it requires a serial number and a background check to purchase. You can choose from different materials, finishes, and styles of lower receivers, such as forged, billet, or polymer; black, FDE, or OD green; standard or enhanced.
- Lower Parts Kit (LPK): This is a package of parts that contains all the small components you need to complete your lower receiver. It includes the trigger group, safety selector, magazine release, bolt catch, pins, springs, detents, and more. You can choose from different types and qualities of LPKs, such as mil-spec or enhanced, standard or nickel-boron, single-stage, or two-stage.
- Pistol Grip: This is the part you hold with your firing hand. It affects the comfort and control of your rifle. You can choose from different shapes, sizes, materials, and features of pistol grips, such as A2 or MOE; slim or fat; polymer or rubber; finger groove, or smooth.
- Buffer Tube: This part attaches to the rear of your lower receiver. It houses the buffer and buffer spring that absorb the recoil of your rifle. You can choose from different types and sizes of buffer tubes, such as mil-spec or commercial, carbine-length or rifle-length, standard or enhanced.
- Buffer: This is the part that slides inside the buffer tube. It works with the buffer spring to reduce the recoil and cycle the action of your rifle. You can choose from different weights and materials of buffers, such as standard or heavy, steel or tungsten, H₁, or H₃.
- Buffer Spring: This part pushes the buffer back into position after each shot. It works with the buffer to reduce the recoil and cycle the action of your rifle. You can choose from different lengths and strengths of buffer springs, such as carbine-length or rifle-length, standard or enhanced.
- Stock or Brace: This part attaches to the end of your buffer tube. It provides a place to rest your shoulder and stabilize your rifle. You can choose from different types, sizes, materials, and features of stocks or braces, such as fixed or collapsible; minimalist or full-size; polymer or metal; adjustable or fixed
How to Choose and Buy the Right Parts for Your AR Rifle
Now that you know what parts you need for your AR rifle, how do you choose and buy the right ones for your specific build? Here are some tips and recommendations to help you out:
Determine your purpose and budget
Before shopping for parts, you should clearly know what you want to use your rifle for and how much you will spend on it. This will help you narrow your options and prioritize your needs over your wants.
For example, if you want a general-purpose rifle for plinking and home defense on a tight budget, you might want to stick with standard mil-spec parts in 5.56 NATO caliber.
If you want a specialized rifle for hunting or competition on a generous budget, you might want to splurge on premium parts in .300 BLK or 6.5 Grendel caliber.
Do your research and compare products
Once you have a general idea of what parts you need and want for your rifle, you should research and compare different products.
You can read reviews, watch videos, ask questions, and seek advice from other AR owners and experts.
You should look for parts that have good quality, reliability, performance, compatibility, and customer service.
You should also look for parts that match your preferences and needs in terms of caliber, barrel length, handguard style, trigger type, stock option
color scheme and more.
Shop around and look for deals.
After narrowing your choices to a few products that meet your criteria, you should shop around and look for deals.
You can browse different online stores, check their prices, shipping costs, and availability, and look for discounts, coupons, or sales.
You can also check local gun shops, gun shows, or online forums for used or surplus parts that are in good condition and fit your budget.
You should also check the seller's warranty return policy and customer service before you buy anything.
Building your AR rifle can be a rewarding and fun experience, but it can also be confusing and overwhelming if you don't know what parts you need and how to choose them.
In this article, we explained the essential AR build parts you need to complete your own rifle and gave you some tips and recommendations on choosing and buying the right parts for your AR rifle.
We hope this article has helped you understand an AR build part and how to select and buy the right one for your AR rifle.
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