JP build or buy

[AngryKoala]

Question for the people that have purchased JP rifles. On average how much money do you save buying all their components and building it yourself (223 or 308) vs. having JP build it?

I am looking at their prices (rifle builder) and it is difficult to justify it but I also do not want an LMT or KAC.
Looking to buy or build a 223 14.5" and a 16" 308. Before someone says 6.5CM, I live in northeast Ohio and ranges are small up here.

The only thing that causes me to hesitate on purchasing a JP rifle is the handguard (no one i know has one to play with).

Appreciate the help in advance.

 

[NavyshooterM40]

I have not shot one of there rifles. But I have built a couple using there barrels, gas system and bolt carrier group with sub moa success. My best friend has a rifle on order but not expected until 1 Qtr next year.

 

[hlee]

Specifying the same rifle in the rifle builder on their site cost $2606.19.

These are all of the prices listed on the JP site. I would probably opt out of the JP trigger and go for a Geissele. That would be enough for me to buy parts and build, though you may be able to get a bit better deal by shopping sales. You have to keep track of shipping, as it will kill you.

 

[BikePilot]

I was looking at ordering an LTC. Cost was basically the same to build or buy, but a really long wait for them to build one, so I am building one myself with JP parts. I really like their rapid configuration hand guard, but if there’s another you prefer I’m sure they swap it or let you add the hand guard later.

 

[davsco]

for well <$200 diff per above, i'd have JP build it. sure they have a little secret sauce (fitment etc) in there. of course looks like a long wait and who knows if biden will EO a ban right off the bat. guessing you could order without their trigger so no waste if you are going to drop in a geissele (like i did).

 

[AngryKoala]

View attachment 7469645

Specifying the same rifle in the rifle builder on their site cost $2606.19.

These are all of the prices listed on the JP site. I would probably opt out of the JP trigger and go for a Geissele. That would be enough for me to buy parts and build, though you may be able to get a bit better deal by shopping sales. You have to keep track of shipping, as it will kill you.

Thank you so much this is the comparison I was looking for.
I was wondering if the JP fire control with the roller trigger vs. Geissele SSA, SSA-E or SD-C if there is a noticeable difference.

I'm also wondering if anyone has tried a different handguard on their upper (mlok or quad).

 

[BikePilot]

Pretty sure they let you pick the tigger, you can use their default or a geissele of your choice. If not for my impatience and the annoyance of trying to get a jp in Colorado I’d have had them build it for sure.

 

[rjacobs]

I built my 6.5 creed using a JP barrel, bolt, light weight carrier and silent captured spring. Then I used an Aero Precision receiver set and an SLR hand guard and gas block with a Geissele trigger.

At the time the full up JP rifles were like 4k... I have about 2k in mine give or take...

 

[hlee]

You could also have them build an upper to your specification, then buy their stripped lower and populate it with the parts of your choice. This may be the best of both worlds. Get JP to work their magic on the upper and build the lower to your desires...

 

[hlee]

I built my 6.5 creed using a JP barrel, bolt, light weight carrier and silent captured spring. Then I used an Aero Precision receiver set and an SLR hand guard and gas block with a Geissele trigger.

At the time the full up JP rifles were like 4k... I have about 2k in mine give or take...

I did something similar with JP components, for the same reason, at about the same cost...

 

[AngryKoala]

Pretty sure they let you pick the tigger, you can use their default or a geissele of your choice. If not for my impatience and the annoyance of trying to get a jp in Colorado I’d have had them build it for sure.

Maybe there is a notes section on rifle builder but option wise they only offered their trigger on rifle builder.

for well <$200 diff per above, i'd have JP build it. sure they have a little secret sauce (fitment etc) in there. of course looks like a long wait and who knows if biden will EO a ban right off the bat. guessing you could order without their trigger so no waste if you are going to drop in a geissele (like i did).

Another worry I have, I'm sure they are at least at 3 months for a build.

I built my 6.5 creed using a JP barrel, bolt, light weight carrier and silent captured spring. Then I used an Aero Precision receiver set and an SLR hand guard and gas block with a Geissele trigger.

At the time the full up JP rifles were like 4k... I have about 2k in mine give or take...

Interesting,
Might be worth a look but parts are becoming very rare and very expensive so going outside what JP makes actually might cost more now.

 

[marketermac]

Thank you so much this is the comparison I was looking for.
I was wondering if the JP fire control with the roller trigger vs. Geissele SSA, SSA-E or SD-C if there is a noticeable difference.

I'm also wondering if anyone has tried a different handguard on their upper (mlok or quad).

I have both triggers on separate JP builds, I prefer the roller trigger but it definitely required some getting used to. They both shoot as well as I can, so no accuracy improvement for me.

 

[rjacobs]

Interesting,
Might be worth a look but parts are becoming very rare and very expensive so going outside what JP makes actually might cost more now.

I built my gun in 2015 so parts availability wasnt an issue back then, but money availability was LOL... plus I enjoy building them. I also think at the time all the JP guns were more gamer guns and I wanted a little more traditional and not something with a tube forend... I think they have changed their stuff up a little bit now.

 

[AngryKoala]

You could also have them build an upper to your specification, then buy their stripped lower and populate it with the parts of your choice. This may be the best of both worlds. Get JP to work their magic on the upper and build the lower to your desires...

That is a really good idea.

I built my gun in 2015 so parts availability wasnt an issue back then, but money availability was LOL... plus I enjoy building them. I also think at the time all the JP guns were more gamer guns and I wanted a little more traditional and not something with a tube forend... I think they have changed their stuff up a little bit now.

Yea. I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and try the tube and see if I like it. Worse case I can sell it on here.

Thanks guys.

 

[rjacobs]

So they still only have tube forends... yea still a hard pass for me then.

 

[gehrm]

@rjacobs - they have a new, more conventional, MLOK forend available now.

 

[BikePilot]

Fwiw regarding buying just a JP upper, quality large frame receivers are generally sold as a matched pair. It might not be ideal to mix and match.

 

[hlee]

Fwiw regarding buying just a JP upper, quality large frame receivers are generally sold as a matched pair. It might not be ideal to mix and match.

Call them up and see if you can buy a matched set to have your upper built from...

 

[Goes-Bang]

A JP built rifle will likely retain its resell value longer/better than a home build (even with the exact same parts).

 

[AngryKoala]

@rjacobs - they have a new, more conventional, MLOK forend available now.

Great info, i hadn't observed that on their site. Well...that makes my decision a lot easier.

 

[AngryKoala]

Fwiw regarding buying just a JP upper, quality large frame receivers are generally sold as a matched pair. It might not be ideal to mix and match.

I'm not really familiar with large frame, assuming the receivers don't always align as well as small frame? I didn't know that so thank you for the info.

 

[TimK]

It’s not easy to change the hand guard on a JP. One piece of it gets glued to the upper with red Loctite, and they thermal fit the barrel. You can take them apart, it just requires a torch to break the loctite and get the barrel loose.

Im not a fan of their barrels, so if it were me I’d get one made on a Bartlien or Krieger blank. WOA barrels are also excellent and relatively affordable.

 

[AngryKoala]

It’s not easy to change the hand guard on a JP. One piece of it gets glued to the upper with red Loctite, and they thermal fit the barrel. You can take them apart, it just requires a torch to break the loctite and get the barrel loose.

Im not a fan of their barrels, so if it were me I’d get one made on a Bartlien or Krieger blank. WOA barrels are also excellent and relatively affordable.

I think only the SCI-20 and LRI-20 are thermal fitted but I could be wrong.
Problem with going with Krieger or Bartlein is i would then have to find a smith I trust to cut the barrel. What is wrong with their barrels (just asking im sort of ignorant on this topic)?
If I go with JP, would they build it with a blank from Krieger (ie perform all the work).

 

[rjacobs]

Im not a fan of their barrels, so if it were me I’d get one made on a Bartlien or Krieger blank. WOA barrels are also excellent and relatively affordable.

My 6.5 creed barrel from them is a hammer...

 

[rjacobs]

What is wrong with their barrels (just asking im sort of ignorant on this topic)?

They are button rifled and a lot of people have this thing against button rifling and will only run cut rifling...

Meh, if it runs well it runs well... My sample size on JP barrels is 1 though.

 

[jevan126]

I have 3 JP Built Rifles and yes while they are expensive there is just something special about a complete JP Rifle build that is hard to explain. I have never had 1 single issue with my JP Rifles, 100% reliable, accurate and Quality is second to none.

 

[AngryKoala]

I have 3 JP Built Rifles and yes while they are expensive there is just something special about a complete JP Rifle build that is hard to explain. I have never had 1 single issue with my JP Rifles, 100% reliable, accurate and Quality is second to none.

Hopefully I get the chance to purchase one.

 

[TimK]

I was referring in part to the fact that a JP handguard is glued to the upper receiver. I just took one apart again over the weekend. It's not terrible, but you have to remove most of the handguard and then heat the part that screws to the receiver to break the locktite bond. Easy enough to do, but atypical of most handguard designs.

I have 4 JP rifles and use lots of their components on guns I build myself. I mentioned this in another thread somewhere, and I don't want to be that guy who is always pushing his pet gripe, but I've had three barrels from them that shot like crap. The last one recently got a Bartlien that I had Compass Lake spin up for me. Much better.

I totally agree with Jevan that there's something special (and a little bit hard to pin down) about a JP assembled rifle. Love 'em.

 

[3GN_Lurker]

I've purchased two full rifles and two additional uppers from JP. At around $200 difference my preference would be to just have it built at the factory and know its perfect out of the box.

The quality of rifle they put out is outstanding.

 

[craigos]

I have a 224v and a 6CM in JP precision semis - i have built a bunch of ar15 and ar10 - none shoot as nice as the JP. So sold all my builds kept the JPs. The 224v shoots .5 inch with 90 gr SMKs, the 6CM shoots .3 inch with factory 108 ELDs. They are incredible rifles.