Can you build a 308 for a grand?

204 AR

Well-known member
I haven't done much shopping for large frame stuff for a while, but a buddy asked me today if we could build him a basic hunting 308 for 1k. I thought so, then I looked online at receiver sets and hand guards, and I'm thinking not.

I did tell him if it were me I'd go with a new G2 hunter for $1150 and call it good, but he wants a custom built gun.

Anyone see any sales? PSA receivers any good?
 
I was eyeing the Howa 1500 barreled actions from Brownells when they were on sale and a KRG Bravo chassis. Could have done it for 700 bucks if I hadn't procrastinated to death. Sale went off and price went up. Also like the Oryx chassis for cheap too. Sorry just realized I was ogling the AR section.
 
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Originally Posted By: yotehunter243Chandler hardwoods has upper,lower and handguard for like $250

Holy cow, have you tried those?
 
M5E1 Upper-Lower-Handguard $450... $10 more gets you a FDE Cerakote set.

Nitride BCG $215

I've been kicking around the idea of an AR10 also, I check prices every once in awhile. This Schuyler website has always had the lowest prices on Aero Precision stuff. Ive been happy enough with their enhanced uppers that they will always be my first choice even though the price is a little higher.

Chandler Hardwood 3 piece Blem $259, that is a heck of a deal.



 
I really like the Aero set, but no way I can get it all together under budget. The Matrix would make it possible but not sure how good it is. Might have to bump to 1200.
 
Black Hole Weaponry 20" barrel $249

BHW .30 cal blanks $35-$65, a few pages of extra blanks at clearance prices. You would have to call around to some gunsmiths to see the prices to finish one.

Some people dont like the BHW barrels, they can be finicky but they can be fantastic.

All those parts adds up getting close $1000 but the last of what's needed is the cheap stuff. If you do enough looking around I think you could use the M5E1 receiver set and be closer to $1000 than $1200.

AR10 Buffer kit $40

Lower Parts Kit $50... $8 more gets you a magpul grip.

Only thing left is a stock.
 
JoeBob's AR10 barrels Cheapest is $218.50, 16" Ballistic Advantage.

JoeBob's BCGs Cheapest is $160, $10 more gets you a nitride finish.

This is a website that shows some of the parts that are interchangeable between AR10s and AR15 https://www.wingtactical.com/blog/what-parts-are-interchangeable-between-ar15-ar10/

According to that you could probably find a lot of the parts if you put up a WTB add here in the classifieds. AR10s can use AR15 stocks and a new MOE stock can be found for $35 so you might find a deal on a used one, or something similar here. Same with a used buffer tube, I like well used buffer tubes, less of the springing, spronging and cheese grater sound that's common with ARs.
 
This is as much to convince myself as convince anyone else...

Basic M5E1 rifle......................Matrix Kit
---------------------------------------------------
M5E1 kit............ $450-------- Matrix...... $259
Phosphate BCG.... $160
BA 16" barrel...... $219
AR10 buffer kit.... $40
LPK.................. $50
MOE stock.......... $35
Gas block.......... $20
Gas tube........... $20
.30 cal Birdcage... $12
=====Total===== $1006 ------Matrix Kit====$815

Add $18 to that for a Magpul grip and Nitrided bolt(they're great) and another $10 if you get the Cerakote M5E1 kit. Subtract what ever you can from that with what ever used parts you can find or deals you can find here on the classifieds.
 
Acme Machine BCG $99.99 free ship
Bear Creek Arsenal 308 Barrel around $80.00 18 inch Fluted
I use a lot of GunTec parts.
Put one together for a friend, going to shoot it next week, will let you know how it shoots.
Tarey
 
Originally Posted By: 204 AROriginally Posted By: yotehunter243Chandler hardwoods has upper,lower and handguard for like $250

Holy cow, have you tried those?

I have some of their lowers and handguards. Zero complaints
 
I've seen them have complete uppers on sale for $400, so it's possible to make a rifle for $600 or so.

Might not be the upper you want, but that's about as cheap as I think it gets for a complete AR10.
 
Yeah I just checked and you could snap an upper and lower together for a total of 6 bills. Amazing. Enough left for a decent trigger and scope mount. Should be deer accurate to normal ranges I'd hope.
 
I can't speak to PSA AR10 stuff, but have a couple of their AR15's including a real cheap Black Friday sale upper. Surprisingly they all shoot VERY well! If I tried to tweak the loads for them I figure they would all be under 1 MOA.
 
well i just went to a gun show here in va. and i almost bought a new upper in 308. there where complete with out the bgm and ch on most of them. bit a 18" barrel upper was $325 and a 16" barrel upper was $265. so if you had a lower and a bgm and a ch you should build one a lot less than a $1000
 
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