Tired of the stock AR builds on the rack at your local shop? Want to build a custom platform chambered in something more utilitarian, or more specialized than 5.56?
Get a build kit or an upper and a lower and customize the rifle yourself.
The thing is, you’ll have to make a decision between a stripped upper and a complete upper, unless you buy a complete kit (in which case you will also need either to be a complete lower or a lower blank and machine it yourself).
But for the purpose of this article, we’ll break down the differences between your options in uppers.
Why a Stripped Upper?
A stripped upper is literally just the machined aluminum upper itself, with nothing else attached. If you go this route, you will need to buy the barrel, muzzle device, bolt carrier group, charging handle, ejection port cover, forward assist, gas system, hardware, and all other upper parts piecemeal.
It will give you the most flexibility, but it will also require the most work from you, and you will need to know what you are doing. This might not be a good avenue if you are not particularly well versed in AR-15 parts and compatibility requirements.
With that said, for those that like to tinker and enjoy working with their hands, or who are interested in firearm mechanics and making significant adjustments while building, a stripped upper is the more practical choice.
Ultimately, the stripped upper route is the way you should go if you need to be able to make custom changes along the way with the build. It loses out on convenience and time savings, though.
Why a Complete Upper?
A complete upper, sometimes also referred to as an assembled upper, contains a stripped upper but has all of the other upper parts mated to it. Usually it is a plug-and-play assembly that contains an installed barrel, gas system, BCG, charging handle, forward assist, and all other upper components installed and ready to be used.
In most cases, a complete upper is already prepared to join to a finished lower and will result in a functioning rifle, which means there is theoretically nothing else you would need to do to it.
As a result, a complete upper is preferred if you want to get the project done quickly and you don’t care too much about making customizations along the way, or about picking out all of the upper parts piecemeal.
Complete uppers are more convenient, save time, don’t require you to have extensive technical knowledge of firearm mechanics, and since they are bundled, can potentially even save you money.
Do You Need an FFL Transfer for a Complete Upper?
If you haven’t ever built an AR before this is a reasonable question because most firearm receivers and frames are serialized and regulated by the ATF as the “gun” itself. However, in the case of ARs, which have two receivers, an upper and a lower, there is a slight difference.
It is the lower receiver that is regulated as the actual gun, and not the upper. Therefore, no FFL transfer is required to purchase an upper receiver. You can buy either a stripped or a complete upper without an FFL.Explore Complete Uppers (and Parts) at Gibbz Arms
Whether you’re here for a complete upper or a functioning rifle, visit Gibbz Arms, especially if you are thinking about making your next rifle a side charger. They carry a variety of uppers in numerous chamberings and lead the industry in side charging uppers. For more information visit their website or get in touch with them.
