What do you consider a "custom" AR

[Tula47]

I belong to a couple forums and several gun Facebook pages (these are typically a joke) and all the time I see "custom" AR's for sale. I'm personally not a fan of AR's so I don't follow them closely but I don't consider most of these guns I see to be "custom". I consider a custom gun to be built by a reputable builder using parts that you can't buy off the shelf. This is just my opinion and I'm curious to see what other peoples opinions were on this matter.

 

[M67]

Custom, build, custom build; hard to define sometimes. It's like knives anymore. Midtech, production, production midtechs, customs, etc. One giant PITA.

I think custom is just a term that makes it sound better than it actually is, most of the times, they're just built.

 

[JollyMon]

Custom - One made specifically for an individual.....

IMHO, doesnt mean it has to be made with unavailable parts or by a reputable builder. Just needs to be made to to fit the user specifications.

 

[FishnHunt]

Custom - One made specifically for an individual.....

IMHO, doesnt mean it has to be made with unavailable parts or by a reputable builder. Just needs to be made to to fit the user specifications.

In a broad sense, I would agree with this. Having said that, it seems like an awful lot of people think throwing minor parts/accessories at an off-the-shelf item makes a "custom" gun and will price it accordingly. That's customizing a stock gun, which is different than a one-off build.

 

[Jeremy1066]

Calling an AR a "custom" gun is absurd. The reason most of us buy an AR is because it is "customizable". Where would it start being a "custom" gun? Adding a rear sight? Changing the handguard? New pistol grip? New stock? Most AR rifles don't even come with a rear sight (unless its a Magpul) so even adding that makes it a custom gun. It's a really ignorant way to describe an AR. It's just an attempt by the seller to justify his asking price.

 

[Sniper 79]

I agree a custom gun is something built by a smith with parts you can not buy.

Too bad people misuse the term and bolt on a bunch of aftermarket junk calling it "custom". I call it a Frankin build and would personally never buy such an oddity.

 

[ViperJock]

Custom just means it's built to the builders specs. It can be sonethibg very nice or a conglomerate of cheap junk. Imo it's a pointless designation unless it is custom built by a respected smith/armorer.

 

[Tula47]

Calling an AR a "custom" gun is absurd. The reason most of us buy an AR is because it is "customizable". Where would it start being a "custom" gun? Adding a rear sight? Changing the handguard? New pistol grip? New stock? Most AR rifles don't even come with a rear sight (unless its a Magpul) so even adding that makes it a custom gun. It's a really ignorant way to describe an AR. It's just an attempt by the seller to justify his asking price.

This is what I was basically trying to say, I just beat around the bush about. You went straight for the kill haha

 

[Tula47]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only with this opinion and that's why INGO is better!

 

[deanald2pt0]

In my eyes, all ARs are pretty much just parts guns. Very few of the manufactures actually make the parts they are using. I value them according to the quality of components that are used.

 

[Jeremy1066]

This is what I was basically trying to say, I just beat around the bush about. You went straight for the kill haha

I know. I've seen this time and time again. Someone buys a cheap AR for $600, throws on $800 worth of crap, tries to sell it for $1400 because its "custom". It's still a $600 AR with $800 worth of crap. The only time I would consider something more valuable as "custom" is if it was a special order, one-of-a-kind, made to my specifications, rifle from someone like Daniel Defense, LMT, Noveske, LaRue etc., but I still wouldn't pay factory new price (and I would need to see documentation).

 

[Tula47]

Spot on Jeremy either that or its built from a bunch of low end parts to form a Frankenstein gun that someone spray painted green

 

[malern28us]

Spot on Jeremy either that or its built from a bunch of low end parts to form a Frankenstein gun that someone spray painted green

Just throwing it out there...
What if it was a AR in a caliber the end user came up with or made that wasn't available otherwise? To me that is a custom.
Anything else would be customized, even if it came from DD. ...readily available parts to the consumer in a different configuration ...

 

[Jeremy1066]

This is also why I don't sell guns. I never leave a gun in its factory configuration (what fun would that be!?) and I know I will never get back the $$$ I put into it.

 

[Jeremy1066]

Just throwing it out there...
What if it was a AR in a caliber the end user came up with or made that wasn't available otherwise? To me that is a custom.
Anything else would be customized, even if it came from DD. ...readily available parts to the consumer in a different configuration ...

Sure, a wildcat caliber created by the original owner would make it custom (one-of-a-kind) but I would be very hesitant to buy something with zero aftermarket support.
ETA: someone interested enough in a one-off of this type would probably be willing to pay a premium because they would really have to want it.

 

[ctbreitwieser]

"Custom" and "Customized" are two very different things. Many people don't know the difference, and confuse their "customized to their liking" with a real custom, built by a gunsmith, AR. Tapco and NCstar accessories do not make a gun custom.

 

[worddoer]

I think this would qualify as a "Custom" AR...

Turnbull TAR-15

Anything else is just modified.

 

[malern28us]

I think this would qualify as a "Custom" AR...

Turnbull TAR-15

Anything else is just modified.

Yeah, that thing is amazingly expensive though....

 

[malern28us]

Sure, a wildcat caliber created by the original owner would make it custom (one-of-a-kind) but I would be very hesitant to buy something with zero aftermarket support.
ETA: someone interested enough in a one-off of this type would probably be willing to pay a premium because they would really have to want it.

Why would this be? The gas system works the same, the parts ....oh the parts. Gotcha now. I had an epiphany while typing.

 

[Tula47]

I think this would qualify as a "Custom" AR...

Turnbull TAR-15

Anything else is just modified.

I would agree with this lol