There is, however, a tendency from some AR makers to market uppers and all-up carbines with 14.5-inch barrels targeting the M4 upper/home defense arena but with a permanently attached muzzle device or barrel extension to make up the difference and reach that 16-inch threshold. Many manufacturers bill their carbines as having 16.1 or 16.5-inch barrels just to have a skosh of extra insurance to keep ATF and Law Enforcement screeching harmlessly from the trees. To stay legal and in compliance with the National Firearms Act, rifles must have a minimum barrel length of at least 16-inches. Do AR uppers require an FFL or other ATF red tape? Taking it a step further, home builders/assemblers can start simply with a stand-alone lower receiver and add their selected AR-15 complete upper receiver of choice. Likewise, uppers can generally be swapped across several lowers, one of the reasons why ARs are sometimes referred to as вЂњLegos for adults.вЂќ The modularity of the AR platform allows for an AR owner to have a single lowerвЂ“ typically the only serialized and controlled partвЂ“ that will fit an entire shelf of widely different uppers, each with a separate purpose. With that, complete ARs, ready to fire right out of the box once function-checked and loaded, can be bought and used then later easily upgraded by swapping out the upper. Goign from a standard 5.56 NATO to 223 Wylde or. That way, you can try out new capabilities without buying a whole new rifle.ДЄR-style rifles and pistols are truly modular, enabling the user of one to quickly swap out compatible upper and lower receivers in minutes with little or no tools and completely change the traits of the firearm. 300 Blackout for more of a home-defense build. For instance, if the AR you originally bought had a 16вЂќ barrel, you might want to try an upper receiver thatвЂ™s a little longer and, thus, more effective at long range, or shift from 5.56 NATO to. In cases like that, it makes sense for someone to buy an upper to get what they need to get out of their rifle. Second, many folks find themselves in the position of already having either a complete lower or a rifle that they find no longer suits their needs. Starting with an upper of your choice, you can build an AR-15 that perfectly suits your vision and needs. These nuanced decisions make buying an upper receiver a popular option for folks who want control in the final product. Depending on the route you go, you get to choose the barrel, the look of the gun, as well as the type of operating system, and, ultimately, how the gun will handle. Many people buy an AR-15 upper receiver to build a new rifle the exact way they want it.

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