Have been thinking of getting an AR-15 type carbine/rifle and wondering what is a reasonable price to pay. What brands give you the most bang for the buck? Thanks..

It depends on what you want to do with it. The answer will be different for someone wanting a plinking gun for fun and someone wanting a serious defense/SHTF gun.

Plinking, some hunting..I know they have every option imaginable if you choose. Just they basic gun with the ability to mount a scope. Defense at home ..I like the shotgun with #4 buckshot..lol

For an off the shelf all around, RRA. For a top quality off the shelf, Colt 6920 or 6940.
Lots of very good shelf guns out there, I just have had very good luck with Rock River.

Parted guns from CMMG??? around 600 or so, maybe 700... for just kick the tires have not been bad really.... depends on the demands like others say... most days I'd say one of the parts guns would serve most folks forever and most folks would not be able to outshoot the gun....

But as others note... Colt you can't go wrong and retain resale value... beyond that I'm partial to RRA stuff also but have bushy, armalite, EA, Colt and one other in the stable here and there. Kind of hard to keep track of it.. have some double something lowers somewhere too...

The crowd at ar15.com really seems to like Spike's Tactical. They have a rifle that spec's out really well for around $800.

http://www.spikestactical.com/z/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=113&products_id=443

My DPMS 16 Lite Flat Top cost me $709.00 out the door at my local shop. Well worth the money. No complaints.

Ken

Seen lots of S & W MP's for sale around here at decent prices. They look decent to me. Especially with the fully railed uppers going for $600 in some cases.
I've seen a bunch of em fired at PD qualifications and never saw one have a failure.

Theres a gun show here at the end of the month. I mostly see new pistols and used hunting rifles. But sometimes a few AR's. I should hold a few. I have been thinking of an S & W MP but the one I saw had a 16" barrel. Wondering if a 20" might be better? This advise is good.. Thanks.

I just picked up a complete DPMS upper at midwayusa for $535 on sale.. Bought a stripped lower and built it up for a total cost of about $250. Nothing fancy, just a fixed stock and factory trigger, but it will get the job done.. Now it just needs glass and rings...

go look at cdnninvestments.com

they have S&W guns for like $700 or maybe less!

DOWNLOAD THE CATALOG BUT DO NOT PRINT! It is like 150 pages! Also take a look at AIM Surplus and Centerfire Systems. they wil ahve some excellent deals out there

Just got an AD in the mail from Cabelas today. They have DPMS Oricle model AR's for $699.99 for 5.56mm and $999.99 for .308. Both come with 2 magazines, and hard case. They are flat top models and would need some type of optics.

best deal out there by far

Before I put it to the classifieds, let me gauge the interest and what a fair price would be....bear with me....here goes:

+Stag Arms model 8 (gas piston!) .223 (5.56nato)
+12 thirty round mags (ten never used, brand new)
+Hard case
+ 250 rounds of factory ammo
+ Exactly 50 rounds put through the rifle
+ I am the original owner. Bought it new this past spring
...just have gone a different direction. Seriously...50 rounds!

let me know what is a fair price for this...the gas piston system is cleaner and a nice upgrade that usually cost a lot in other rifles.

www.stagarms.com Look at pix there at there site...its all the same!

IMO you are going to pay a lot of money for the name if you go Colt, Remington, Smith and maybe Armalite. Even Bushmasters and some of the more well-known "generic" brands have gotten a lot more into charging for their name.

Stag and CMMG seem to be decent brands that you aren't putting a lot of money just into some letters for.

You should be able to buy a very decent base AR for $700 or less at a big gunshow.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you CY. There are alot of small un-noticed things that Colt does that others don't. Current S&W guns are better than the first ones that came out and those were built by Stag or CMT if you prefer. CMMG cuts a few corners along with Bushmaster, Remington, DPMS and to a lesser degree even LMT.

Right now Colt and BCM are worth the extra if you want one you can depend on. The others you can lump together but there is a standard that the top guns follow and that is worth the extra money.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion. If a person wants to go full-out, there are guns by Wilson and others...

FWIW I've got two Colts. They are fine weapons. I've also got a CMMG. JMO.

Like I said it's the little things I base my opinion on like;
Extractors, compare a current production Colt to another brand.
Extractor spring tension, again compare.
The way the carbine stocks fit.
Colt handguards are almost unbreakable.
MPI testing of bolts after HP testing.
FSB being the proper height instead of using a taller post.
Gas port size.
H buffers with proper weights.
Staked castle nuts.
Correct 5.56 chambers.
Chrome lined barrels that don't throw accuracy out the window.

FWIW, I've sold off all my complete Colts but I build with alot of Colt parts for a reason. I've also seen alot of "other" parts that I base my opinion on.

I learned my lesson and henceforth my plan is to just buy Colts from Specialized Armament. With rail and sights the Operator is $2200 but it is definitely worth it to me.

Care to expand on "learned my lesson"?

Functioning issues and incompatibility of parts in lesser brands.

Colts are fine weapons BUT for 2200.00 I will take the ones I have put together and have a butt load left over for optic's and ammo and I assure you they are tack drivers and function every time the trigger is pulled.

Jimmy, the "operator" is one of Ken Elmore's creations, it has the $600 reliability package that he offers on all Colt carbines and the operator barrel is a reworked 16" barrel I think to 10".

A very reliable SBR is harder to obtain than one you and I are used to putting together. Is it worth it? That depends on the user. Lord knows I've gone over the $2200 price tag on a few of my creations.

I find it funny that some are looking at a whole gun for $600 and some are willing to spend the same $600 on a reliabilty package to a gun costing twice that. All depends on your use.

He takes a 6520 barrel (in my case, other models are 10, 11.5 or 14" versions) does his voodoo and adds a LaRue rail and Troy sights. So 1200 for the rifle, 250 for the rail and 200 for the sights means he gets paid a lot for his labor.

Sounds good to me.

he gets paid a lot for his labor.

Well, that just screwed up my cost factor but I still prefer to build my own,my way with the best parts available. I guess for the guy just wanting to buy a gun ready to go, thats OK.

I just traded for an Armalite National Match lower with an M-4 upper and Magpul furniture. It looks cool, is compact and worked great right out of the store. I also have an Armalite Carbine upper I put a Nikon 3-9 on it. It's just as nice as the M-4 upper and just as accurate. I'm glad I chose Armalite. I hope I feel the same way 10 years from now. I think I will. kwg

Checked with Mark Gale at SAW. On your supplied rifle the Operator package is 695 on a 16" barrel and 795 on a 14.5 with a permanent muzzle device. That presumably includes sights, rail, panel covers and an enhanced magazine. Also the reliability package.

That is a screaming deal.

We're going to get two more.

Wow, including a $250 rail that is a drastic cut from the $600 reliability package. He only does this on Colt guns correct?

I love good stories, tell us more, please. I would like to hear specifics such as brand and even model, event details and usage of the rifle/carbine.

I have no dog in this "fight", I just want to learn from others' experiences; maybe I need to be on the lookout for things.

Presumably that comes with the sights too. I don't know where you heard $600 for the RP, I asked my brother and he told me it was a fraction of that. I can't remember what they used to charge though.

Only Colts. Need some Colt stuff? I'm selling some parts to get this Operator. 6920 upper, unfired?

Ok, the reliabilty package is $150, I've lost my mind.

Where did you find that price? I can't find it on their site.

M4C, somewhere on there, they were talking about the "operator" as a 10" gun. With the reliability package and barrel work (said he started with a 16" barrel) the price was $600. I thought it was way out of line but in another thread the $150 price was mentioned along with things he's thought to do for that amount. I'm guessing the $600 figure included the LaRue rail, barrel work, his own extractor, buffer weights, repinning the FSB and checking everything out along with probably a few things we have no idea about.

I couldn't find the original thread.

I run alot of Colt parts and for as hard as I run them (which isn't as hard as some), I've never seen the need but for $150, it's not a bad deal.

Seems to me it's all just hype to sell more BS to the less informed.

You mean something like a solution to a non-existent problem?

Yes sir, thats what I'm sayin

I don't think Ken Elmore's customer base includes many of the ill informed.

Sure does Just how many rounds do you have to put through an AR for it to meet reliability?

5-10-15 or 20,000 rounds. Not sure if I have any that have seen 20K rounds but have several that have seen 10K without a hitch and I sure did not have to spend 600 + or - for some reliability package, they were just built right from the get go. JMHO

Hell, if rost had know about this just imagine how many more matches he could have won

My apoligies for starting the $600 price thing, as I said I was misinfromed. The reliability package is $150 the best I can tell.

You know carbines and rifles are 2 very different animals. Colt has the knowledge to make a fine gun and does. However, Colt has to build to the TDP defined by the MIL, there are things that can be done to make them better but they cannot deviate from the TDP. Ken Elmore knows these things as he worked with Colt for years. The general user doesn't need these enhancements as a rule but if you want the best why not spend $150 to get them?

Now for the $600 upgrade (or $695) add up a LaRue rail, BUIS and what ever else comes with the operator package and it evens out.

I have visited Spikes a few times, know the folks, and buy their products. Their quality is as good as anyone out there.