Make a spreadsheet and list EVERYTHING you've added to the gun.
It's actually an accounting ledger.
Count the things that are present, subtract the things that aren't.
That $400 AR kit and $50 lower sure balloon fast when you start upgrading parts.
People forget that all that Magpul furniture they added later made the gun more expensive. Mirroring the selector? Extra cost. Finger-tip strong hand bolt release? Extra cost.
It adds up. Don't forget shipping and FFL fees! I tend to skip things like optics though...
Since a SCAR 16 is MSRP of $2,995 and can be found on Gunbroker for $2,600 buy it now, even my most expensive AR, Sabrina, at $1,355.08 doesn't touch it, but that one is more expensive by design because of all the collector-expensive vintage parts.
Next most expensive is Dottie at $1,230.53, but she's in 6.8, so not really a good comparison. Add $326 for the optic and $200 for the light.
Kaylee is the closest equivalent to a SCAR 16 here. Just $1,159.66 and that includes a $200 tax-stamp. I could make Kaylee twice for what a SCAR would have run me. Even adding $736 for the optic and $200 for the light I'm still ahead because I would have bought them for a SCAR as well.
But Kaylee is not the $675.37 carbine I first bought either. It also took me nearly 10 years of tinkering, swapping, trading and research to add about $500 to her.
My ARs are mostly pretty spartan because for the most part I like the basic hardware. I'll have to add it all up but I'd doubt I've got more than a grand in any of them.
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