My AR15 was a last hurrah before parenthood. The gathering and assembly of parts running concurrent with Lisa’s pregnancy. It was an emotionally exhausting time as I worried about Lisa and the baby, worried about money and worried about the future of all three of us. The AR15 project served as an excellent distraction, likely preventing me from developing an ulcer, it kept me busy (perhaps a shade too busy) gathering advice and reading everything I could find about the rifle and it’s history.
Contrary to any impression formed by my readers, I do not have a huge budget for firearms projects. Most of my undertakings are completed over a extended timeline, and a gradual expenditure of funds.
My AR15 build project was to be my last significant firearms acquisition prior to the birth of our daughter Jillian. I recognized that my discretionary firearms spending would in all probability diminish (if not disappear) once we were parents, and I really wanted an AR15 in the cabinet before that happened.
Prices for ARs vary here, but the range is between $600 (Norinco CQ311) and $2400 (Uber-AR space gun type). What I was looking for was a standard style rifle, with a 20″ barrel and a collapsable stock. I’d learn more about the platform as I went along, but that was the rifle I wanted.