Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Where to start

I feel it is time to go the ar route. No experience. What isa reasonable start? Lower kit snd upper or buy a completed gun. Sights?
Be aware I am 76 and have a severely disabled wife to look after

For a first time AR, I suggest buying a complete rifle. Then if you have time, and want to change parts, you have the platform to work on. Try to find the rifle that best suits your needs from the start. That way, you won't find yourself needing to change too many parts.

I also don't care how mechanically inclined a person is, or how much a person works on guns/rifles. It's always nice to have a good finished example in front of you, when it comes time to build one. Just how I see it, and what I did when I got my first AR.

You can get pretty good shooters for under $500 from either PSA or Del-Ton.

I will go against my normal grain here and suggest a colt that floats your boat. Ready to drive. At your age plus your wife and zero experience I suspect Colt is by far your best bet for the money. If the trigger sucks then have it replaced by something that you like by a smith.

Head over to Palmetto State Armory and pick up one of their complete rifles for under $500 (with front sight gas block). They sell plastic flip-up rear sight for cheap.
Then head over to Gunmagwarehouse and pick up some 30 round pMags - or whatever is on sale.
And if your eyes aren't happy with iron sights, back to PSA and get a Sig Romeo 5 red dot (has motion activated on/off).

Buy/reload ammo and have fun!

https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...ato-1-7-phos-m4-classic-rifle-black.html

https://palmettostatearmory.com/aim...-up-sight-for-ar-15-m-4-rifle-mt201.html

https://palmettostatearmory.com/sig-sauer-romeo5-1x20mm-red-dot-sight-black-r52001.html

https://gunmagwarehouse.com/ets-gen-2-ar-15-223-5-56-30-round-black-magazine.html

I urge you to be careful on what mags you pick. Do a bit of research. We mostly stick with 20 rounders and the "factory" GI ones from Brownells have been flawless.

We have spent more than a few bucks over the last 40 or so years on mags that were cheaper but have all kinds of issues. Junk.

As to the cheaper guns like PSA and BCA. They have good warranties but again, new to the AR and other issues Colt may be the best compromise all around.

Be careful of plastic rear flip up sights. They obviously are not nearly as good as metal.

Tell that to glock.

I just bought a couple $6.49 ETS magazines on impulse. I'll see if they are junk or not.

Mile High Shooters Supply had Colt 6920’s on clearance for less than $1,000 when I stopped a few weeks ago. Can’t think of a better AR for a first time buyer. Good luck in your search!

Tad bit of difference between the sights and exposure etc.