Question from someone who’s never bought an AR. Will this upper and lower work together for a 5.56 AR? When they say complete, can I just fit them together and its ready to shoot, or do I need to buy any separate parts or do any drilling or milling? If I understand it right, I’d need to buy a bolt carrier group and a charging handle, right? PSA 16" Classic M4 Freedom Upper No BCG & Charging Handle, OD Green | Palmetto State Armory
I’m not buying it at just this moment, so the link could still be helpful if or when they get it back in stock. With Walmart, do you mean making one myself? I don’t know enough about AR’s yet to make my own parts, I’d rather buy a purpose made piece
It’s a Complete charge handle - some Chinese guy is selling them, and Malwart hasn’t yet caught on due to the joke-description.
Virtually any AR-15 charge handle will work, MilSpec - Ambidextrous - Extended style - prices ranging from pocket-change to about $200 for milled billet Expensitanium….
The upper, lower, and BCG you listed will all work together and then add any CH and magazine.
In order to keep this a low cost build your going to have to buy the individual pieces when they offer free shipping. If not shipping can blow the budget.
Like @TheAirHawk said you can get a CH pretty cheap and the same with a magazine almost anywhere.
You end up with a complete rifle with iron sights and an upgraded trigger. You only need to add mags and ammo. You will learn to assemble a lower (lots of videos online) and learn how an AR works by function checking your work.
Here’s my two cents. With a BCG and charging handle, you can assemble an operable rifle with the parts you have linked in your post. As others have pointed out, you will also need some mags. In addition, you will need a rear sight, unless you plan to purchase an optic. Even if you purchase an optic, you may still want an iron rear sight as a backup.
I bought my first AR as a complete upper and complete lower. However, I bought the Magpul MOE versions of both, and and the lower came with the Enhanced Polished Trigger (EPT). The cost differential between the standard mil spec version and the Magpul versionfor the lower was only $25. As for the upper, I opted for the mid length gas block. I read that it works best with 16" barrels. Plus, I like the looks of the mid length uppers with the longer handguard. When you add a BCG, charging handle and rear sight to the upper you posted the link to, you will be at or close to the same price as a complete MOE upper.
Did you purposely want an OD handguard with a black stock? Some folks like the contrast. I prefer them both to be the same color, but I did purchase a Dagger with a black frame and FDE slide.
I have found ordering a stripped lower and a parts kit to cost as much or more than buying a complete lower. While it may be fun build the lower, I personally would not recommend it for your first AR. You may find you need to purchase some special tools to properly complete the build.
@Z2023 This looks like the best bang for your buck if you want a complete, everything included (- mag ) and functional first AR. In my opinion that is.
While I’m sure 95% of AR owners don’t do it, I ALWAYS check headspacing if I’m introducing a BCG to an upper that were not purchased as “assembled” together (which happens to be all of my AR builds). Of the many I’ve checked, there was only 1 instance where the bolt lugs would not engage the lugs in the barrel extension. Easy fix (swapped bolt with another rifle and both passed go/no go) but if that was my only rifle, I’d be stuck.