Can’t Afford An AR-15 Or Glock Gun? You Can Build One Yourself.

A downside of the record sales in firearms is that the price of said firearms is also at record levels. For many, that could mean that you’re priced out of an AR-15 or a Glock handgun. While there are probably good options in “used” firearms, another option is to build one instead.

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) firearms aren’t new, and actually give you the option to add some customization instead of merely buying “off-the-shelf.” While it takes a little bit of skill and patience, building an AR-15 or Glock handgun is something first-timers should be able to tackle.

The first thing to consider is that under federal law you can build pretty much any standard firearm at home – and by that, it means any gun you can legally buy from a licensed dealer. The catch, however, is what state or local laws may apply – California for one requires that you follow certain restrictions for the state. Likewise, you may still need to file for approval with the ATF for any NFA firearms that include suppressors or short-barreled rifles/shotguns. It is also worth noting that the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 completely bars the production of any new machine gun. Another legality to consider is that while you can build as many firearms as you like, you can’t sell those guns without a federal manufacturer’s license from the ATF.