Short answer: building a custom AR-15 yourself is the cheapest route, and the one where you choose every part. In our live AR-15 build cost index the parts for a standard 16-inch 5.56 rifle cost $360.95 if you buy the cheapest part in every slot and $780.54 at typical prices. Paying a shop to put it together adds a fee on top of the parts: $100 at ABIS Arms, which sells custom builds from $550, or $130 at True Aim Tactical, which assembles a rifle from receivers you supply. The shop route buys you someone else's tools and time, and at ABIS a lifetime warranty. You choose the parts either way.
Index figures read in October 2026 and change nightly; shop fees as published on their sites that month.
What a custom AR-15 costs: build it or pay a shop
| Route | What you pay | Who does the work | What it leaves out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build it yourself, cheapest parts | $360.95 (index, October 2026) | You | Tools, optic, sling, tax, shipping and the dealer's transfer fee for the lower |
| Build it yourself, typical parts | $780.54 (index, October 2026) | You | The same items |
| Assembly service (True Aim Tactical) | Parts you supply + $130 for a full rifle; $65 for a lower, $65 for an upper | The shop, from receivers you supply | Parts, shipping both ways, and extras such as $75 gas block pinning |
| Custom build-to-order (ABIS Arms) | Parts + $100 build fee; custom AR-15s listed from $550 | The shop picks and assembles parts to your order | Sales tax; the page does not state turnaround or test fire |
The parts cost is the sum of the cheapest, or the median, price in each slot from our build cost index: a complete lower, a complete upper sold without a bolt carrier group or charging handle, a bolt carrier group, a charging handle and one 30-round magazine. The shop fees are from ABIS Arms and the True Aim Tactical price list. Adding a fee to our typical-parts total is our arithmetic, not a quote: a shop buys its own parts at its own prices.
Build it yourself
You choose every part and pay only for parts. The trade is time and tools: you need the tools to install a barrel and set the right torque on the barrel nut, and a few jobs need special equipment. True Aim's price list shows what some of them cost to hand off: truing or lapping an upper receiver is $50, polishing the feed ramps $30, pinning a gas block $75 and pinning and welding a muzzle device $100. A basic build needs none of them. Our lower assembly guide walks through the part you will do first, and the AR-15 builder checks that the parts fit each other. Want a starting list? Open the budget AR-15 starter build.
Pay a shop to assemble it
True Aim Tactical charges $130 to assemble a full rifle from receivers you supply, or $65 for a lower or an upper on its own, and bills general labor at $40 an hour with a two-hour minimum. You buy the parts and ship them to the shop. That fits a build where you want to choose every part but not install them.
Buy a custom build-to-order rifle
ABIS Arms builds to order: its page says custom AR-15s start at $550, it adds a $100 build fee to the cost of the parts, and its custom-built rifles carry a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser. The page does not say how long a build takes or whether the rifle is test fired, so ask before you order. Whichever shop you choose, ask the same questions:
- Which exact parts, from which brands, and what does each cost?
- What is the build fee, and is it added to the parts total?
- What does the warranty cover, and for whom?
- How long will it take, and is the rifle test fired?
- How does the shop handle the transfer of the lower to you?
Which route should you choose?
- Build it yourself if you want the lowest cost and are comfortable following instructions and using the right tools.
- Pay for assembly if you want to pick the parts yourself and have someone else put them together.
- Buy a custom build if you want one place to order, a warranty, and a rifle assembled to your spec.
Is it legal to build your own AR-15?
Federally, ATF says a person who is not in the business of making firearms for livelihood or profit does not need a license to make one for personal use, and does not have to add a serial number or register it. In practice the complete lower receiver is the part that is legally the firearm, so it ships through a licensed dealer, while the other parts can ship to you. States add their own rules: California, New York and New Jersey, for example, limit which features and magazines an AR-15 can have, covered in our featureless AR-15 guide. See also our guides to 80% lowers and building an AR pistol. Source: ATF, Privately Made Firearms.
Browse lower receivers and upper receivers, then check the accessories checklist for what to add.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to build an AR-15 or pay a shop to build it?
Building it yourself is cheaper by the shop's fee: $100 at ABIS Arms or $130 at True Aim Tactical for assembly, on top of the parts. You also need tools, or you pay a shop for the jobs that need them.
How much does a custom AR-15 build cost?
ABIS Arms lists custom build-to-order AR-15s from $550. In our build cost index, parts for a standard 16-inch 5.56 rifle cost $360.95 at the cheapest and $780.54 at typical prices in October 2026, before an optic.
How much does a shop charge to assemble an AR-15?
True Aim Tactical lists $130 for a full rifle from supplied receivers, $65 for a lower and $65 for an upper. It bills general labor at $40 an hour with a two-hour minimum.
Do I need a license to build my own AR-15?
Federally, ATF says no license is needed to make a firearm for your own use if you are not in the business of making firearms, but the lower receiver ships through a licensed dealer, and state laws add rules.
What do I need to build an AR-15 myself?
A complete lower, a complete upper, a bolt carrier group, a charging handle and a magazine, plus tools. Our starter build and builder show the parts.
Is a custom-built AR-15 better than a factory rifle?
It depends on the parts you pick. A shop assembles what you choose; our index only prices the parts, so it cannot say whether a custom build beats a factory rifle.
