View Full Version : AR Buildfest 2013
clodhopper
10-10-2013, 15:03
I don't know much about this, but thought others might be interested. Basically, you finish an 80% lower on their cnc machine. https://www.facebook.com/events/735754676441480/?ref=22. more info on podcast http://grrc.podomatic.com/ Oct 7 hour 1.
Since the OP didn't mention it, and many here don't want to go to facebook for any reason, this event starts tomorrow at 4:00pm at HighPlains CNC in Brighton and continues Saturday until 6:00pm. I figure you can call them for details and find out if they're all booked up or not... If nothing else, folks might meet some like minded neighbors.
clodhopper
10-10-2013, 15:30
Thanks Sawin. Friday night is AR10s and Saturday is AR15s. I understand they will have an equipment supplier there to outfit the lower to a complete rifle if you choose.
OneGuy67
10-11-2013, 18:07
I am here right now. Just finished my AR-10 lower on their CNC machine. Great people! They have Grass Roots Radio 560 AM live broadcasting right now.
They start AR-15's in the morning. They have a lot of different anodized colors on them.
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ChunkyMonkey
10-11-2013, 18:44
I am here right now. Just finished my AR-10 lower on their CNC machine. Great people! They have Grass Roots Radio 560 AM live broadcasting right now.
They start AR-15's in the morning. They have a lot of different anodized colors on them.
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Do I have to bring cash or do they accept debit?
OneGuy67
10-11-2013, 19:29
The guy selling the lower blanks takes cc or cash, but the guy who owns the CNC only takes cash.
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Is this the place charging $75 to machine the rest of a lower?
wish i was around for the ar10 build today. I am considering going tomorrow for a pink one for my wife. that would be pretty sweet.
OneGuy67
10-11-2013, 21:30
Is this the place charging $75 to machine the rest of a lower?
Yes. It was $78 for me to operate the CNC machine for the AR10. They had a guy who stood at the machine and walked you through it verbally, but never touched the machine or your blank. You did all the set up, clean up and the operating of the machine.
The price is cheaper for the AR15 lower, but I forget exactly how much.
No vendors were there though as they were apparently setting up at the tanner.
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OneGuy67
10-11-2013, 21:32
wish i was around for the ar10 build today. I am considering going tomorrow for a pink one for my wife. that would be pretty sweet.
They sold out of the AR10's tonight, but had a number of different colors for the AR15 available.
All in all, it was a great experience I thought.
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Will this be a weekly event?
Someone keep me posted if they do this again. I'm stuck out of town for work so I can't go or else I'd be all over this.
Will this be a weekly event?
OneGuy67
10-12-2013, 09:08
They mentioned it might become a monthly event, depending upon interest. There were about 40-50 people there last night to include the radio personalities and a state senator they interviewed.
They did mention to a few who were put out to stand in line for the CNC machine for at least an hour or more that they would come during the week and get their blank into the machine. It does take about 15 minutes or so for each blank, so the line was long and slow last night. My buddy and I were the first ones there and got through pretty quickly.
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SamuraiCO
10-12-2013, 09:18
I would be interested as well in the near future. Keep us posted if this happens again :)
strm_trpr
10-12-2013, 15:04
I am interested in this in the future, I had no clue this was going on till today.
I talked with a good friend of mine, he informed me this is his brother-in-law who owns the machine shop. This is the same guy who made a custom tube magazine extention for my Mossberg SA-20 a couple of years back. He does amazing work and I am glad that he is offering this service for people. I'm going to look into an AR-10 lower in the future. My friend Al told me after he finished my tube magazine extention, he dove both feet first into the firearms world. Glad to see I did my part to piss off a ton of liberals. [Beer]
How much do they charge for the AR 15 blanks?
From what I could see on Facebook, $130 in the raw, $140 anodized.
Great-Kazoo
10-12-2013, 19:47
From what I could see on Facebook, $130 in the raw, $140 anodized.
That's more with shop, wait and travel time than a billet unit, ready to go.
OneGuy67
10-13-2013, 10:34
That's more with shop, wait and travel time than a billet unit, ready to go.
That is true for the AR-15 blanks. I bought the AR-10 blank and with the use of the CNC machine, still came out cheaper than buying a ready to go lower receiver, if you factor in shipping, FFL fees and the like.
There were a few people there very vocal about having receivers that the .gov doesn't know about. A lot of talk about the ATF and registration lists. Some guys were a little overboard and their tin hats were a little tight. For me, it was a cheaper alternative for a hard to find lower receiver.
There is a special kind of Coolness Factor in making a gun yourself. To be able to put your own markings on it with no one else's markings there is also part of that Cool Factor. Or not having to any markings on it all.
jerrymrc
10-13-2013, 13:47
There is a special kind of Coolness Factor in making a gun yourself. To be able to put your own markings on it with no one else's markings there is also part of that Cool Factor. Or not having to any markings on it all.
I tend to agree with that.[Flower]
There were a few people there very vocal about having receivers that the .gov doesn't know about. A lot of talk about the ATF and registration lists. Some guys were a little overboard and their tin hats were a little tight. For me, it was a cheaper alternative for a hard to find lower receiver.
LOL! I guess they believe the IRS will never audit him and ask for those signed waivers, er..... I mean tax receipts, they left behind.
Did this out in CA place charged $65 to machine out an 80% AR15/10 lower or a 1911 frame. The ATF shut them down cuz the CNC shop and the store selling the parts kits had to similiar of a name.
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Will there be another build event?
Great-Kazoo
10-16-2013, 07:48
Did this out in CA place charged $65 to machine out an 80% AR15/10 lower or a 1911 frame. The ATF shut them down cuz the CNC shop and the store selling the parts kits had to similiar of a name.
Sent from my PRC 117A in my Batmobile disguised as a sedan.
The ATF ordered a cease and desist to them. reason being the 80% was being machined in the same facility as the 100% / finished group ones were being done. SO they consider that to be manufacturing lower without the correct FFL. Had they done the group buy / AR build elsewhere that would not have been the case.
OneGuy67
10-18-2013, 08:50
And these guys had their facilities separated. They make the blanks a couple of buildings down and the area we were using only had one older CNC machine in it. There were some flooring supplies they had lined up to limit the space people were occupying, but I didn't see anything else in the area.
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funkymonkey1111
03-04-2014, 11:11
anyone that went to this care to chime in on the performance of the highplains CNC lowers? (PM is fine, too)
OneGuy67
03-04-2014, 17:00
I discovered that my AR10 lower doesn't mate to the upper I purchased as well as I'd like. It took me a little bit of correction with a drill bit to clean up the pin holes and there is a small, but visible gap at the back end where the two receivers meet. Also, the fire control area was too tight and needed to be opened up a bit more in order to get the trigger assy parts in there as well as the trigger hole itself needed to be opened up more.
funkymonkey1111
03-04-2014, 20:28
I discovered that my AR10 lower doesn't mate to the upper I purchased as well as I'd like. It took me a little bit of correction with a drill bit to clean up the pin holes and there is a small, but visible gap at the back end where the two receivers meet. Also, the fire control area was too tight and needed to be opened up a bit more in order to get the trigger assy parts in there as well as the trigger hole itself needed to be opened up more.
was that one of the ones they sold, or one that you brought in to be machined at their shop?
OneGuy67
03-05-2014, 09:35
was that one of the ones they sold, or one that you brought in to be machined at their shop?
I bought it from them that night.
Grant H.
04-22-2014, 16:59
I bought it from them that night.
Are they DPMS or Armalite pattern on the .308 lower?
OneGuy67
04-22-2014, 17:27
They are DPMS pattern, but you will need to do some tweaking to get them to work. I had to do a little work on the pin holes, the trigger housing area and the bolt stop area to get them to function properly.
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They are DPMS pattern, but you will need to do some tweaking to get them to work. I had to do a little work on the pin holes, the trigger housing area and the bolt stop area to get them to function properly.
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Not at all related, but when I completed a lower, I also had to go back and rework the trigger area as I had done it too narrow the first time. It's a good idea to have an LPK on hand so you can check your work; however that might not be reasonable if you have a line of people waiting behind you or there are manufacturer issues with having materials on hand to complete lowers.
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