M4 Build

[Cru5ader]

I own a few pistols but no rifles and have been thinking about making the M4 Carbine my first rifle purchase.

As much as the stock models I've seen intrigue me (Colt, Bushmaster, S&W, Rock River Arms, etc.) I would probably end up selling a few of the parts and upgrading them (ie: handguard, buttstock, grip, sights, etc.). So I figure I might as well build one and save myself some money (and hassle) if I'm just going to end up selling a lot of what I buy in a stock rifle.

I'm not entirely sold on building it from scratch, though. I would like to find some good base parts and then add some of the upgrades I listed above. I should say that I'm not really too familiar with the M4 so I don't really know which parts I will need, or which are best and why.

Can anyone give me a list of the parts that I will need to build a complete M4 from the ground up (all base parts, but feel free to list optional types as well)?

Also, does anyone have any recommendations on specific parts, or at least where I should go to buy them? Price isn't much of a factor, but I would like to keep it below $2000 with the best base parts (I would rather spend more over a several month period building the gun than buy one right away for a lot less).

Any advice or links are welcome in helping me to decide the direction that I should go in with this build.

Thanks

[at4rxj]

Buy this upper receiver
Rainier Arms™ | Browse | Receivers - Upper | Upper: STAG Tactical M4 Upper Receiver w/ARMS 40L

Buy a stripped lower at the next gun show that comes to your part of town. Don't pay more than $130.

Get yourself a Rock River Arms lower parts kit. Upgrade the grip to your preference. You can find these cheaper than their website if you look around. ($59 right here but I didn't tell you that. )

Decide what stock you want and order it. Make sure to order it in kit form instead of just the stock as this will be disappointing when you open it. lol

Short of optics, this is all you need. It will even have the flip rear sight you can use in the meantime. If you do get optics now, I HIGHLY recommend spending the money on an Aimpoint. Get a nice mount as well. If you can't spend that much, get an Eotech. They're still excellent quality.

[Cru5ader]

Originally Posted by at4rxj

Buy this upper receiver
Rainier Arms™ | Browse | Receivers - Upper | Upper: STAG Tactical M4 Upper Receiver w/ARMS 40L

Buy a stripped lower at the next gun show that comes to your part of town. Don't pay more than $130.

Get yourself a Rock River Arms lower parts kit. Upgrade the grip to your preference. You can find these cheaper than their website if you look around. ($59 right here but I didn't tell you that. )

Decide what stock you want and order it. Make sure to order it in kit form instead of just the stock as this will be disappointing when you open it. lol

Short of optics, this is all you need. It will even have the flip rear sight you can use in the meantime. If you do get optics now, I HIGHLY recommend spending the money on an Aimpoint. Get a nice mount as well. If you can't spend that much, get an Eotech. They're still excellent quality.

Can I ask why you chose those parts? I've heard a lot of brand names being thrown around (Colt, Bushmaster, Stag, Rock River, S&W, etc.) but I'm not sure which are better, or why buyers choose one over the other.

I ask because I would rather pay a little more for something that's better if that something is around. Not saying that what you recommended isn't the best, just asking .

And what's the difference between the stock kit and just the stock? What else comes in the kit? Any stock recommendations? Or any stocks that you know of that people usually like that you would warn against?

Thanks for the recommendations, I appreciate it.

[SpecOpOperator]

Short of spending more money than you need too.. ask yourself this: How much shooting will I be doing with this? And, what kind of terrain will it be exposed too?

Now, if you're not going to the "sandbox" and you'll do occassional target shooting, don't waste your money on Rock River or Stag or Colt..

Go to Welcome to Model 1 Sales' Online Order Center and look at all the kits and accessories that you buy.. From their site, you can pretty much build your M4 any way you like it, and get a firm price right then and their.. If you don't want to buy a whole kit (minus stripped lower receiver) you can also buy each part seperately.. (cost more in the long run)..

As far as parts needed, I would buy a whole lower receiver kit (comes with everything you need to put the lower receiver together minus the buttstock), whatever buttstock you like, same with the pistol grip... The upper receiver is also a personal preference, ie: flattop with removable carry handle (A3) or a forged upper with nonremovable carry handle (A2).. I would personally get the A3 with flip up front and rear sight and add some sort of optics.. Handguards.. another personal preference.. 4-rail or standard, free float or regular with delta ring.. IMO.. go with a free float 4-rail hand guard (YHM) because you can add tac-lights, vertical foregrips, lasers, etc.. I say free float because its much more stable and easier maintainance.. the front sight post, I would discard for a gas block with a rail on top for the flip up sight.. When you order your bolt, make sure you order the complete bolt carrier assembly and sometimes they will come with the charging handle..

Hope this helps, and happy building

[rfc357]

If you build a rifle with a barrel less than 16" of barrel, it must be registered with BATFE before assembly. (The military M4 has a 14" barrel.) The alternative to registering such a gun is jail time. See the BATFE web site for instructions.