Cheap midway USA upper??

[Blackpony]

Has anyone messed with the cheap ar stoner complete uppers from
Midway USA? I am working on building a cheap throw around beat up gun to take hog hunting the spring. The reviews all seem really good, and it seems like a solid piece for the money. Right now they are $269 plus $10 shipping.. Thoughts or suggestions?

[svauto-erotic855]

Buy quality up front and you will never regret doing so. Cheap is cheap for a reason.

[Blackpony]

I have a nice setup now but wanting something cheap that I don't care if it gets beat up, or what not.

[svauto-erotic855]

Aim for a little bit higher quality even if you are looking for cheap. PSA has uppers on sale daily that are better than average quality. Sign up for their emails and your in box will be full of their 24 hour deals every morning. Be forewarned that you will find yourself owning 30 + ARs in no time; ask me how I know.

[01yz2nv]

I’ve built a few rifles using this upper for friends on a budget. They have been great with plenty of rounds down range. I’ve built plenty of rifles and not one thing jumped out at me of “being cheap”. A budget gun is just that, a budget gun. Throw it in the truck, four wheeler, etc, most all this shit is manufactured by the same people anyways.

[KBScobravert]

PSA or Midway uppers on the cheap are fine for a truck beat-around gun. I've got several cheap kit builds from PSA and several I pieced together through sales and deals on Midway/Brownells and group buys. Some of those are my favorites.

In fact, I am going to buy some nicer Aero lowers to swap them into some guns I have better parts in but built on cheap lowers. Then I'll take the cheaply bought lowers and build more cheap builds on them.

However, I am not a fan of their (Midway) AR Stoner stuff. Seen broken bolts through the cam hole, gas tubes the wrong length, broken trigger parts, barrels with no rifling, etc.

[01yz2nv]

PSA or Midway uppers on the cheap are fine for a truck beat-around gun. I've got several cheap kit builds from PSA and several I pieced together through sales and deals on Midway/Brownells and group buys. Some of those are my favorites.

In fact, I am going to buy some nicer Aero lowers to swap them into some guns I have better parts in but built on cheap lowers. Then I'll take the cheaply bought lowers and build more cheap builds on them.

However, I am not a fan of their (Midway) AR Stoner stuff. Seen broken bolts through the cam hole, gas tubes the wrong length, broken trigger parts, barrels with no rifling, etc.

I haven’t come across that YET, knock on wood.

[Blackpony]

Good info guys, I have an American pride lower I picked up for cheap. Like mentioned it'll be a beat around gun to take in the ranger and what not. Trying to stay under $400 complete. I do plan to build another one for the wife, it'll be just an average setup with mid grade parts. My rifle will be pieced out for hers then better parts in mine. Currently its is a runner runner billet lower, magpul furniture, nickle bcg, etc. I plan to take the trigger out of it along with the complete upper, swap it into a nice basic forged lower for the wife and build a nice upper with a billet receiver, good barrel, etc.

[Roger]

If you decide that you want to piece together an upper from parts and don't AR-15 tools. I've got an upper receiver vise block, armorer's wrench, and field headspace gauge that you can borrow.

[helosailor]

I currently have a "budget" upper from Hardened Arms. It is actually a very nice unit. Fit and finish are outstanding, barrel is a quality piece, and even has a jam nut at the muzzle versus using a crush washer. I've been very pleased with it.

[Blackpony]

If you decide that you want to piece together an upper from parts and don't AR-15 tools. I've got an upper receiver vise block, armorer's wrench, and field headspace gauge that you can borrow.

Awesome I appreciate the offer!! I've never built an upper, I know there are a few things that need to be just right for everything to work. You think a guy could build one for cheaper then $250 ish with bcg? I've not really researched prices on pieces lately. Last time I considered it barrels were in the $100 range and bcg were in the 80-100 range then all the other odds and ends

[KBScobravert]

Awesome I appreciate the offer!! I've never built an upper, I know there are a few things that need to be just right for everything to work. You think a guy could build one for cheaper then $250 ish with bcg? I've not really researched prices on pieces lately. Last time I considered it barrels were in the $100 range and bcg were in the 80-100 range then all the other odds and ends

I think buying retail and catching the right sales, spending 400-450 for a cheap build is about the mark. You can do it cheaper if you catch blowouts or if you already have parts or catch good deals on trades. But 400-450 is about it on retail for something you won't have problems with.

[juiceweezl]

I think buying retail and catching the right sales, spending 400-450 for a cheap build is about the mark. You can do it cheaper if you catch blowouts or if you already have parts or catch good deals on trades. But 400-450 is about it on retail for something you won't have problems with.

This. If you're patient, you can do it. I just bought an assembled upper from PSA for like $280. I had an AP lower from Runner Runner that was $30. I had an LPK from a $39 sale, so I just needed a few other parts to complete it. It'll be right at $415 I'm guessing by the time I stack it. The upper had Magpul handguard and rear BUIS included.

[Blackpony]

I think buying retail and catching the right sales, spending 400-450 for a cheap build is about the mark. You can do it cheaper if you catch blowouts or if you already have parts or catch good deals on trades. But 400-450 is about it on retail for something you won't have problems with.

That's about what I had in mind. I'm currently a tick over $100 for the lower minus a stock which I plan to just buy a basic m4 adjustable nothing fancy. So maybe another 20-30 there. I've been finding complete uppers in the 260 ish range plus about 10 shipping so let's just round to 280. That'll put me in the 400-420 range depending on if I stumble into a sale on an upper setup.

I've started looking at other pieces to put together a nice upper for my current gun and to start another mid grade build for the wife to play with at the range.

[Roger]

Awesome I appreciate the offer!! I've never built an upper, I know there are a few things that need to be just right for everything to work. You think a guy could build one for cheaper then $250 ish with bcg? I've not really researched prices on pieces lately. Last time I considered it barrels were in the $100 range and bcg were in the 80-100 range then all the other odds and ends

I'm not an expert on assembling these things but there doesn't appear to be much to it, as long as you get quality parts, do a little homework, and have some mechanical aptitude. There is a lot of information out there on forums and youtube.

I can't help with budget build advise. I've only assembled one and it was more about getting to pick and choose the parts I wanted.