$265 for a 5.56 upper add @ $110 for a bolt carrier group and charging handle
http://www.dsarms.com/DSA-ZM4-A3-Upper-Receiver-16-Barrel-Mid-Length-HG---DSZM4CBUMID/productinfo/DSZM4CBUMID/
Is the receiver (stripped or not) the only thing that has to be handled through an FFL?
If you spend 1500 or more on an AR in these times you're an idiot!
The market is flooded with them and I don't care what kind of barrel, caliber, hand guards, rails, stocks or triggers they have. You can easily pick up a USED AR which would cost 1500-2000 to build today for 800-1200 with optics. They are a dime a dozen. On the lower end of the scale, these USED AR's can be found for $500-700 all day long.
The build sounded fun and worth the experience for the two of you, but for $630 you didn't save a thing!
Oh man, don't be a buzz kill! I'm real happy with the way it turned out.
I agree, the experience is worth $10K, the point I was attempting to make was that someone could save alot of $$$$ by finding a deal on a used AR in this market and it's really not worth trying to build one yourself in an attempt to save $$$$$. It's not early 2009 when you couldn't touch a used AR for under $1200 and a new one would run you $2K due to our newly elected leader and what everyone thought he was going to try and do with the democrats. I sold all 3 AR's I had since the prices went through the roof in 2009.
Nice looking gun and a great build experience.....
used gun prices are fluctuating like crazy with supply and demand and what is currently in vouge. also the days of finding someone with a nice gun that has no idea of what he realy has, and what it's worth is kind of over due to I believe the internet, anyone can easily do a search to find out true value. true value and what they actualy sell for is subjective due to the economy and how bad the seller really needs cash. it's definately getting tougher but you need to be more patient and keep looking longer and harder to find good deals. for example a few years ago before smart phones they were getting smaller and smaller, now they are getting bigger and bigger.
Is the receiver (stripped or not) the only thing that has to be handled through an FFL?
Yes......the lower receiver has the serial number and is subject to FFL transfers. 
