-Jason- wrote:Nice guns. Why don't you have the carrying handles on the AR-15s?
Three reasons. The primary reason is that the carrying handle is sub-optimal if you are going to mount a scope on it. With optics, the closer it is to the barrel, the better.
Second reason is, having owned AR's for a while now, I can't honestly remember when I ever carried one by it's carrying handle. They just aren't that useful.
The third reason is, I just don't have the assembled lowers.
[img][img]http://home.comcast.net/~drakich01/Dsc00242.jpg[/img]
I have five uppers with a permanent carrying handle. I have detachable carrying handles for my other uppers. I only have 4 assembled lowers.
Like I said, I'm an AR nut. One of the uppers with the carrying handle is a 6.8mm SPC but I still haven't seen any place where the ammo is available yet.
Captain, the rail system cost of, if I remember correctly, $900. But that was with the complete upper + bolt carrier, assembled, from Bushmaster. I've put a lower together, but don't really have the tools right now to put an upper together. So on that, I'll pay an extra $100 not to have to worry about it.
The Surefire was expensive. If I had to do it over again, I probably wouldn't buy it, and would've gotten an Trijicon ACOG instead. $600 for the light + handle ($950 for the ACOG). It IS an integrated unit, however. A DIY light + handle probably would run in the neighborhood of $200-$300, if you get a light with a pressure switch. Again, lazyness costs money. The lower is a pre-ban Colt, which I bought pre-expiration, so it cost me $1400 itself (the original upper is one of the uppers pictured in the new picture). I also have an Rock River Arms 2-stage trigger in it as well, which was $100 give or take.
If you were doing it from scratch instead of cannibilizing guns I like did, you could get an assembled lower for $250 (throw in another $100 if you want a two stage trigger). Bushmaster is selling the ARMS SIR system for $935 on their website. You could also save $100 on the M900A by not buying from Surefire directly like I did. The ARMS BUIS costs another $100. So, from scratch, all brand new, that rig will cost about $1885. If you are a masochist, you could buy the ARMS SIR, minus anything else for $400 and then put all the upper parts into it, but I don't think you come out ahead any, as an upper receiver costs $90, a barrel assembly $150-200, bolt carrier group $105, so it ends up pretty damn close to the price Bushmaster is charging for an assembled unit.
As you can see significant portion of my disposable income has gone into firearms & accessories the past few years. They call it Black Rifle Disease on AR-15.com, a support group for people similarly afflicted.
The rest has gone into my dogs (one pictured).
