AR Build, Part 1

Behold my glorious AR! As you can see, I already have a 20-round P-Mag installed. More on that later. Let me explain this build. This AR build has three guiding principles:
1) Build for the Wilderness. This blog is not for "urban hunters". If you want tactical, look elsewhere. There are better blogs than this out there. But if you ever bug out, you might be surprised at how useless your $300 quad rail and $1,200 optics are.

2) Speaking of outrageous sums of money, the second guide for this build is Build on a Budget. I am actually building this AR, as I type (I mean, not literally, but you get the point). And you may be surprised to learn that I am not a millionaire with a gun-fetish. I have to buy groceries and balance a checkbook. The trick will be a reasonable build that doesn't compromise.

3) Build for Beginners. I'm certain that experienced builders and gun nuts will benefit from this blog, but I will do my best to avoid jargon and assumptions that would be unhelpful to new-comers. And if you are a new-comer, may I suggest that you make friends with a reputable gun smith? I know you can tear down and rebuild a WS6 in your sleep, but this isn't an automobile. It's a deadly weapon. Don't screw around.

Ok, so having set the ground rules, let me introduce you to my gun. My build is going to begin with a Bushmaster XM15-E2S. Why am I beginning with this gun? Because I own it, and I suspect that most builds begin with an already-owned AR platform. However, you don't have to start with a complete rifle.

As we go through this build, we will examine each piece with an eye toward wilderness use. We will sort through our options based upon price, and then get to building. We hope you enjoy the ride.