Build Sheets
Gun Build Sheets
Eight platforms, every part it takes, and a ballpark for each line. No affiliate padding, no invented prices, and an honest note on the ones we think most people should not build from scratch.
All eight build sheets
| Build | Est. total | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glock 17 9mm · Full-Size | $410–$560 | Beginner | 1–2 hrs |
| Glock 19 9mm · Compact | $405–$550 | Beginner | 1–2 hrs |
| SIG P320 9mm · Modular | $535–$725 | Beginner | ~1 hr |
| AR-15 5.56 NATO · Carbine | $520–$700 | Beginner | 2–3 hrs |
| AR-10 / .308 7.62 NATO · Rifle | $855–$1,155 | Intermediate | 3–4 hrs |
| AK-47 7.62×39 · AKM | $575–$775 | Advanced | Build service / advanced |
| 1911 .45 ACP · Government | $470–$635 | Advanced | Half day+ |
| Ruger 10/22 .22 LR · Rimfire | $370–$500 | Beginner | 45–90 min |
Totals are the parts list plus a ±15% band. They are planning numbers, not quotes. The live price is always on the retailer's own page, which is where every link on this site sends you.
Where to start
If this is your first build, start with the Ruger 10/22. Nothing on it needs fitting or a press, and .22 LR is cheap enough that you will actually shoot the thing you built.
If you want a centerfire rifle, the AR-15 is the friendliest one there is, since barrels arrive headspaced and the parts market is deep enough that blems and closeouts make a real difference to the total.
For a first handgun build, the Glock 19 or SIG P320. Both are pin-together designs with no hand-fitting.
Two we would steer most people away from as a first project: the AK-47, where real kit-building means rivets and a press, and the 1911, where the sear and barrel need hand-fitting with stones and files. Both pages explain the route we would actually take instead.
One part, one background check
On every build on this list, exactly one part is legally the firearm: a receiver, a frame, or in the SIG's case a small stainless chassis called the Fire Control Unit. That part ships to a licensed dealer and you do the background check there. Everything else ships to your door. Each build sheet says plainly which part it is.
Firearm law varies by state and by city, and some configurations that are legal in one place are not in another. The rules covering partially-complete frames and receivers in particular changed in 2022, were upheld by the Supreme Court in 2025, and are still moving through the courts, so anything you read about them, here or anywhere else, is worth checking against current ATF guidance before you order. Checking your own law is on you.
Price a build out
The deal board tracks the parts on these sheets across the shops builders actually use. Every listing links straight to the retailer's page for the live price.
Browse the gear →Affiliate disclosure: Cold Bore Index earns a commission when you buy through links on this site, at no extra cost to you. We link to real products at retailers you already use; prices and availability are shown live on their pages. We're not a dealer and hold no inventory. Nothing here is legal advice.