On a new AR, what would you buy. Off the shelf or assemble. I saw the thread on assembly and gleaned a lot of good info off that if I decide to go that way. This would be my first AR. what would you buy/ Build. Want it for a Coyote, defense, truck gun. Will put an optic of some sort on it and probably a bipod. Discuss.
I've not seen an AR yet that I'd be happy with for $650 or under.
There are plenty of them that can be bought for cheap but that's what you're buying, cheap. You'll wind up replacing the trigger first, then the barrel, maybe a hand guard, furniture and such. Look around and see what you want then buy it, don't limit yourself. You could do worse than looking at a LaRue kit. https://www.larue.com/products/larue-ultimate-ar-15-upper-kit/
Now there will be plenty of souls along to tell you their best buy is all that and a bag of chips, be careful who you listen to...
Some will give me hell about my recommendation but it worked for me and still is. You should be able to find a new DPMS Oracle for less than $500. It's a flat top so Irons ,scope red dot whatever suits you and the gas block is picatinny to for a laser sight. Shoot fine stock but all AR's benefit from a good trigger. goodluck MB
If that budget includes your optic, I think a free floated PSA kit is your best option. Otherwise, browse gun.deals and reddit r/gundeals, pickup a nice aero handguard, upper, lower, balistic advantage barrel, toolcraft BCG from armorally, and a larue 2 stage trigger.
On a new AR, what would you buy. Off the shelf or assemble. I saw the thread on assembly and gleaned a lot of good info off that if I decide to go that way. This would be my first AR. what would you buy/ Build. Want it for a Coyote, defense, truck gun. Will put an optic of some sort on it and probably a bipod. Discuss.
save up some more money and buy a Daniel Defense, or a Bravo Company gun. You can piss $650 away right now or you can save up $1500 and get a decent gun. Next you need to buy an optic like the trijicon MRO, you can get yourself a reliable gun and an optic for about $2200.00. Don't save money on life jackets, parachutes or firearms.
I recently bought a PSA 6.5 Grendel complete assembled 12" pistol with adjustable brace and I can't tell you how impressed I was with the fit and finish. I've bought RRA, DPMS ect. complete rifles before at much higher cost that didn't come close. I'm sure you can find a complete rifle in your budget from them. They often have sales that are un beatable by the much larger shops. They say they produce rifles for the working man at a price point they can afford and that's an absolutely honest statement . Real quality at a reasonable price! Check them out Good Luck and Good Hunting Lj
The thing about ARs (IMO) is that as long as you don't go bottom shelf junk (psa and up is safe), you're going to be 95% of the way to a $3000 gun.
Yea sure, a PSA. is not "just as good" as a daniel defense, noveske, bcm, etc, but those guns that cost 5x as much defiantly aren't 5x better. This isn't like a smith vs a taurus revolver where spending 40% more gets you twice the gun.
You're certainly not guaranteed any better accuracy out of those high end guns either.
Just be realistic about what your needs are. If you're not kicking down doors or spending time on a two way range, no reason to go top shelf IMO. Just get a decent barrel, bolt carrier group, and that larue trigger, and you'll be set.
Also, if we were truly in TEOTWAWKI kinda deal, I'd much rather spend 3k on 6 PSAs for the homestead and loved ones, than spend that cash on one top shelf gun.
Optics, OTOH, are a bit different story. You get what you pay for (except for with SWFA, then you get way more than what you pay for :)).
Do put it together yourself, or at least buy assembled upper and lowers. That saves the manufacturer on taxes, which translates to money in your pocket.
Also, with very few exceptions, ARs don't hold value like other guns, so don't expect to make an "investment" purchase like you might with a nice bolt gun or revolver. You're not getting your money back if you need to sell it.
I'm no expert but after researching similarly, a simple Ruger AR556 with a Sig Romeo 5 on top will be in your budget and do 95% of what any other AR will. But, I'm not special forces or expecting to be in a prolonged running battle in the streets of some ME poo-hole.
On a new AR, what would you buy. Off the shelf or assemble. I saw the thread on assembly and gleaned a lot of good info off that if I decide to go that way. This would be my first AR. what would you buy/ Build. Want it for a Coyote, defense, truck gun. Will put an optic of some sort on it and probably a bipod. Discuss.
save up some more money and buy a Daniel Defense, or a Bravo Company gun. You can piss $650 away right now or you can save up $1500 and get a decent gun. Next you need to buy an optic like the trijicon MRO, you can get yourself a reliable gun and an optic for about $2200.00. Don't save money on life jackets, parachutes or firearms.
I think the PSA or Ruger 556 is a nice starter/fun gun. Shoot the heck out of it and it something breaks or you need better then upgrade as needed. If you wanted to start higher on the ladder, I'd go for a Stag, RRA or for personal defense the Colt 6920 is always a safe bet.
I wish you guys would clarify what you mean by “it’ll do 95% of a more expensive gun” or “its 95% of the more expensive gun”. AND let everyone know what sample size of high quality and budget guns you’re basing that off of.
95% of the accuracy? Or 95% of the features? Or 95% as reliable?
Let’s put 95% reliability in perspective. In my opinion and experience firing 1,000 trouble free rounds from an AR should be a given. A gun that is 95% as reliable would have had 50 malfunctions in those 1000 rounds. FIFTY. Load up 33 magazines and every single one of them could have a malfunction. 17 of them would have two malfunctions. That’s not worth saving $300. That gun is trash.
Or is it that if BCM builds 100 quality rifles, PSA will build 95 good guns and 5 that are garbage? Which is more likely the case IME.
I understand that if you’ve only got $650 to spend then that’s all you’ve got. And adding $300 to that $650 just isn’t doable. I get it. I’ve been there. The solution is to acknowledge the potential limitations of what you’re buying and accepting that you might need to cross “and defensive use” off your list of uses.
I have 2 builds on Anderson lower. I used CBC industries Rifle kits. I have one in 556 and 76239. No problems so far. They are not the most accurate ARs out there. As in Moa, I am sure if I spent more time and better ammo and maybe higher magnification scopes. I could be better, but I don’t care about sub moa on plinking AR. For the price they are money. I put a refurbished Nikon M 1-4.5 and their rings on and still under 600$ https://www.cbcindustries.com/collections/rifle-kit/
Dre, would you stake a contest hunt or trust your life on it?
I see guys shoot pistol competitions with high dollar custom guns and others who choose fake Chinese C-More red dots. How serious are you about it? Maybe that's a better question.
I would watch proxibid.com I’ve bought a lot of guns there recently including this Aero Precision 6.5 Grendel cerekoted in burnt bronze brand new for $650
I recently bought a PSA 6.5 Grendel complete assembled 12" pistol with adjustable brace and I can't tell you how impressed I was with the fit and finish. I've bought RRA, DPMS ect. complete rifles before at much higher cost that didn't come close. I'm sure you can find a complete rifle in your budget from them. They often have sales that are un beatable by the much larger shops. They say they produce rifles for the working man at a price point they can afford and that's an absolutely honest statement . Real quality at a reasonable price! Check them out Good Luck and Good Hunting Lj
Which one did you go with. That’s what I’m looking to buy or build next for a handy little hog gun to carry on the 4-wheeler around the Ranch. How was the accuracy?
Funny how guys say ok for everything but defense. I get the "Buy the best, you are worth it" idea.
But chit breaks or fails, good gun or cheap, guns CAN fail.
Sure, some are built better, and will be more reliable over A big enough sample to be statically accurate. The issue is, you only have one. So, is it good or bad? Can you be absophuckinglutly sure.
Anyway, I have two PSA's Bought because they are...AR15s.
I'm in bed right now, several guns are within a few feet of the bed, including a PSA gun. Circumstances would dictate what may be grabbed. The G19 has been the most grabbed. (Thankfully, never needed) When there have been noises at night.
Given an extra moment. I would get that AR. The fact that it's not "Premium" wouldn't make me choose a handgun over it.
Aero lower, Aero no fcg lower parts kit with included Magpul MOE trigger guard and grip, and Aero carbine buffer kit; Magpul MOE stock; Rise Armament drop in trigger; Spikes Tactical gas block and tube; Ballistic Advantage or Faxon 16" 7 or 8 twist barrel, whichever is on sale the cheapest; AT3 Tactical Spear upper and handguard combo; Combat Armory generic charging handle; KM Tactical bcg.
Should be right at 650 bucks. Spend an extra 25 and get a possibly better quality bcg at Right to Bear. Should be a good solid rifle either way. Save up for optic of your choice and mount, and an ASC stainless steel mag. Add a cheap flash hider or thread protector from whoever has them for ten bucks or less.
Dre, would you stake a contest hunt or trust your life on it?
I see guys shoot pistol competitions with high dollar custom guns and others who choose fake Chinese C-More red dots. How serious are you about it? Maybe that's a better question.
I’m under 600 dollars serious. Was the question About building the best money can buy or budget AR?
The thing about ARs (IMO) is that as long as you don't go bottom shelf junk (psa and up is safe), you're going to be 95% of the way to a $3000 gun.
Yea sure, a PSA. is not "just as good" as a daniel defense, noveske, bcm, etc, but those guns that cost 5x as much defiantly aren't 5x better. This isn't like a smith vs a taurus revolver where spending 40% more gets you twice the gun.
You're certainly not guaranteed any better accuracy out of those high end guns either.
Just be realistic about what your needs are. If you're not kicking down doors or spending time on a two way range, no reason to go top shelf IMO. Just get a decent barrel, bolt carrier group, and that larue trigger, and you'll be set.
Also, if we were truly in TEOTWAWKI kinda deal, I'd much rather spend 3k on 6 PSAs for the homestead and loved ones, than spend that cash on one top shelf gun.
Optics, OTOH, are a bit different story. You get what you pay for (except for with SWFA, then you get way more than what you pay for :)).
Do put it together yourself, or at least buy assembled upper and lowers. That saves the manufacturer on taxes, which translates to money in your pocket.
Dre, would you stake a contest hunt or trust your life on it?
I see guys shoot pistol competitions with high dollar custom guns and others who choose fake Chinese C-More red dots. How serious are you about it? Maybe that's a better question.
I’m under 600 dollars serious. Was the question About building the best money can buy or budget AR?
I’m a believer in PSA. I’ve read bad reviews about they’re customer service but personally never experienced anything bad. Fast shipping and good products. I’ve owned three of they’re rifles, still have two of them. For the price of buying an upper and lower separately and just pinning it together they’re hard to beat. And if you went the lower parts kit way it’s even cheaper. And they have good sales on items every day. It’s all the accessories you’ll want for it that get expensive. The two I still have were both under $530 out the door. And you can get cheaper models than mine. Problem is now I have around $1200 wrapped up in each rifle, not complaining just saying it gets out of hand. Lol
My previous comment is a good option but you also have to consider the pride and fun factor. Building your own AR is a blast plus if anything ever fails you know how to take it apart and fix it. You can very easily build for under $650. My local gun shop sells stripped mil-spec lowers for $50.
I wish you guys would clarify what you mean by “it’ll do 95% of a more expensive gun” or “its 95% of the more expensive gun”. AND let everyone know what sample size of high quality and budget guns you’re basing that off of.
95% of the accuracy? Or 95% of the features? Or 95% as reliable?
Let’s put 95% reliability in perspective. In my opinion and experience firing 1,000 trouble free rounds from an AR should be a given. A gun that is 95% as reliable would have had 50 malfunctions in those 1000 rounds. FIFTY. Load up 33 magazines and every single one of them could have a malfunction. 17 of them would have two malfunctions. That’s not worth saving $300. That gun is trash.
Or is it that if BCM builds 100 quality rifles, PSA will build 95 good guns and 5 that are garbage? Which is more likely the case IME.
I understand that if you’ve only got $650 to spend then that’s all you’ve got. And adding $300 to that $650 just isn’t doable. I get it. I’ve been there. The solution is to acknowledge the potential limitations of what you’re buying and accepting that you might need to cross “and defensive use” off your list of uses.
I am not an expert nor do I pretend to be one on the internet. Since 1974 or 75 starting with an SP-1 I have fired these weapons. In all that time I can remember 1 failure which was from a cartridge I loaded without a primer. I had a bushmaster where they put the barrel on wrong but it fired fine, I dumped it. Had an Anderson lower that had to have KNS pins as they had probably drilled the holes .002 or so over. Where I spend money is barrel, bcg, trigger, forearm, stock, lower parts kit. I am not sure the actual lower matters that much, but the parts you use do. There is some range in Las Vegas that discusses how long their weapons last. I don’t think 5000 rounds is considered adequate. Secondly if you buy a gun that has the components built to last 10,000 rounds your a lot more likely to get 2000 trouble free rounds out of it than one built to last 5000.
In my experience, my lower priced stuff does work fine. The finishes on the metal (nitride) doesn't seem as nice as my Colt/ BCM/Bushy/FN products with phosphate exterior, and chrome-lined bore and bolt carriers.
I've never had any of the true high-end custom stuff like Noveske, etc. So no comparisons there.
I believe if you get a budget gun, most times, it will work just fine. But the rate of factory returns is likely to be higher due to less attention to detail in QC. A place like PSA is churning out thousands of units per month, so it stands to reason there are more units being returned.
I'd buy a basic no frills machine from a reputable company that's been around awhile. Concentrate on barrel & bolt carrier quality. A good trigger if money is left over. Windham, Rock River come to mind unless news is they have really started screwing up. Companies like these built 10's of thousands of AR's before 90% of most all the other companies were ever started..
Ruger? Really? hope they're getting better, but still just a small sideline for them, not the main course like with some companies. Lots of startup probs. with their gas gun in the beginning, like, how do screw up an AR. Ruger did.
All the forearms, grips, whizbang stocks, etc. might be helpful, but when you get right down to it, that stuff in just streamers, reflectors & baseball cards in the spokes.
For a built rifle, Ruger has made improvements to their AR line with the AR-556 MPR (#8514). It has the 18" barrel, two stage trigger and is a good entry AR. Available now for $550-$600+, it's considered a bargain for what you get. Don't wait til Bloomberg or Bernie gets the Dem nomination, buy now.
Aero lower, Aero no fcg lower parts kit with included Magpul MOE trigger guard and grip, and Aero carbine buffer kit; Magpul MOE stock; Rise Armament drop in trigger; Spikes Tactical gas block and tube; Ballistic Advantage or Faxon 16" 7 or 8 twist barrel, whichever is on sale the cheapest; AT3 Tactical Spear upper and handguard combo; Combat Armory generic charging handle; KM Tactical bcg.
Should be right at 650 bucks. Spend an extra 25 and get a possibly better quality bcg at Right to Bear. Should be a good solid rifle either way. Save up for optic of your choice and mount, and an ASC stainless steel mag. Add a cheap flash hider or thread protector from whoever has them for ten bucks or less.
A properly built budget gun is just as good as a high dollar piece.
What constitutes “properly built”?
Depends on what you are building for. Doorkicking vs precision for instance.
What you are paying for with the high $$ guns is good parts, inspection and warranty. If you build a gun with good parts and it works, you have a good gun. Period.
I'll put my home-assembled competition guns up against smith-built guns any day and in fact I do all the time. They've been good for match wins, the P-100 and Distinguished. If I put them in the hands of someone like Brandon Green I'm sure he'd win just like he does with his AMU-built guns.
Dre, would you stake a contest hunt or trust your life on it?
I see guys shoot pistol competitions with high dollar custom guns and others who choose fake Chinese C-More red dots. How serious are you about it? Maybe that's a better question.
I’m under 600 dollars serious. Was the question About building the best money can buy or budget AR?
For a built rifle, Ruger has made improvements to their AR line with the AR-556 MPR (#8514). It has the 18" barrel, two stage trigger and is a good entry AR. Available now for $550-$600+, it's considered a bargain for what you get. Don't wait til Bloomberg or Bernie gets the Dem nomination, buy now.
I’m going to pick one of these up soon. I like the extra 2” of barrel for hunting, and it’s nothing I’d worry about for defensive purposes either. This has a 5R barrel, and the trigger is supposed to be really nice. I love PSA, but the trigger you’ll get with that kit gun is just a stock mil-spec trigger.
Plus, you don’t have to build it! That nice trigger will work with any upper you buy - or build.
I had to send my upper back to PSA twice requested money back but nope. 60 rounds the handrail walked forward while shooting. They sent it back with minor damage on barrel. Wont be buying an upper again from them. I know several who have had luck with them, but not me.
I would put it toward a Brownells A1. Light, remember light? Skinny, 20 inch slow twist barrel, high velocity barely stable bullet. Soft shooting, seems to want you to hit. No scope.
A castle nut that wasn’t staked came loose, trigger springs were installed incorrectly, and one of those stupid exposed gas blocks that hold on a fore end came loose (they always do).
It all happened within about 500 rounds with us, but I don’t know what the round count was before that. I suspect not many.
I recently bought a PSA 6.5 Grendel complete assembled 12" pistol with adjustable brace and I can't tell you how impressed I was with the fit and finish. I've bought RRA, DPMS ect. complete rifles before at much higher cost that didn't come close. I'm sure you can find a complete rifle in your budget from them. They often have sales that are un beatable by the much larger shops. They say they produce rifles for the working man at a price point they can afford and that's an absolutely honest statement . Real quality at a reasonable price! Check them out Good Luck and Good Hunting Lj
I did something similar a few weeks ago...same PSA build but a 5.56 and I was also impressed with the fit and finish. I had never considered an AR pistol before but I wanted something that I could carry with me on the snowmobile and figured I'd try out the pistol. It's loud, but shockingly accurate (I'm running a Romeo 5 on it) and it'll eat every type of ammo I throw at it.
If you eliminate the "defense" part a lot of inexpensive options open up.
But if you're serious about defensive use for it you won't be able to get it done for $650.
Horse shixt.
Ummm, no.
If you buy or build a POS, it is a POS.
And a POS with POS internals & parts MAY run 1,000 rounds & just when when you think it's all good & you need to count on it, it breaks. And you be fooked.
With known, proven parts from a known, proven & reliable source, it will be good when you need it to be good.
A castle nut that wasn’t staked came loose, trigger springs were installed incorrectly, and one of those stupid exposed gas blocks that hold on a fore end came loose (they always do).
It all happened within about 500 rounds with us, but I don’t know what the round count was before that. I suspect not many.
I thought you were a proponent of the M&P series of AR's from S&W...to be specific, within the OP's parameters of both defense and price.
No. The only one I’d recommend might be the Magpul Edition that has a nitrided 5R barrel with mid-length gas. It seems to be gassed reasonably, and with a blue or red spring and H buffer or the A5 system is very smooth.
If you want resale value, forget about a "build". Get a $550 S&W or Ruger and shoot the snot out of it. There are "builds" all over Armslist that no one will buy because they don't know what parts went into them or what a possibly inexperienced builder did or didn't do properly when putting it all together.
For one of the best values in red dot sights, check out the Holosun on Youtube (although I have a Romeo 1 on my Sig M400 and like it very much). You'll want backup iron sights if the gun is for self-defense because anything electronic can and eventually will fail - make sure they are metal and not plastic. You'll probably eventually want to replace the trigger with something better, and you can buy a good one for under $100 from a number of suppliers - they're very easy to install.
That's all the advice I have: buy a complete gun with a warranty (so you know what you're starting with), get good sights and a good trigger - and shoot a LOT.
Well, I ended up buying that Seekins upper and Seekins BCG and Bolt with the Seekins rail and a 16" Wilson tactical 1/7 twist Barrel And Noveske flash can from KLM on here. Putting it on an Aero Precision M4E1 SLR DTOM special edition Lower. Seekins Red lower build kit with ambi safety and extended bolt release. RRA 3.5 lb 2 stage varmint trigger Putting a FAB DEFENSE M4 Rifle Survival Butt stock with Built-In 10 rnd Mag Carrier and Fab Defense grip. Burris 3-9x40 scope on Warne mounts So much for spending $650, Be into it for about $1,200 by the time i'm done
This thread has raised several questions pertaining to a no frills, basic well built or higher quality AR.
If a person wanted a good one how to find what is really good?
Ask on internet forums ?
Pay a really high price?
Read books on the subject ? Writers like Zediker, Reaser, Kuleck & others? I've got one of Kulecks books & while it educated me to a point, much of it is out dated. Followed Zidikers writings on a higher budget personal build, but that was some time ago, & maybe dated as well.
I've read this thread in it's entirety & portions more than once, & if there is a consensus, I didn't catch it. Are there recent & thorough test, studies that separate the bad from the good to the very good?
I agree tat there are some very knowledgeable, experienced AR shooters here & why I ask.
My criteria has been stated as, a no frills , basic, well built or higher quality Ar. Not specified further I guess would be if it was for home defense, competition of some sort or varmint hunting. Though the term basic would cover it but maybe not... how about your basic, personal everyday 16-18" collapsible sock flat top or sighted house defender.
Workable solutions? What is right for me? Sorry, my questions are sometimes vague, but I don't get it. Not asking what is right for me, as I should decide, right or wrong, that. But who makes best quality parts..... or a complete basic AR carbine out there, &, maybe the next brand & so on.
Is there a way to learn that without buying 10 rifles & 100K of ammo? It would be fun, but out of my price range.
Some people have a different measurement of "well built" than others do. I think that's what makes it such an interesting topic.
No matter who you are, well built starts with a good barrel. I prefer light weight pencil barrels while others like heavier barrels. Neither is wrong as long as they serve the users purpose and are gassed right. I have had good service with Sioncs and Colt for pencil barrels. They are not sub MOA but are chrome lined and will scare 1.5 MOA usually with the 4 samples I have on hand. All have been mildly gassed with the edge going to Sionics but it's a mid-length. My Colt carbine gassed barrels are smoother shooting than mid-length Faxon, PSA and the LaRue barrels I've tried. The LaRue barrel is pretty accurate and still has a place in my safe.
Gas blocks need to be steel not aluminum, pinned or at least a divot drilled for the set screws. Adjustable blocks can cure an over gassed barrel but I'd rather start right if possible. If you're using a suppressor, they would make great sense.
Muzzle devices, I have seen one occasion where an A1 flash hider caused a match grade barrel to shoot patterns. Barely torqued or heavily torqued. Stuck a Vortex on there at the range and the barrel settled right down and shot great. I've played with a few brakes and really favor the Vortex but it's not the only solution.
Next you need a good BCG. I like Colt, BCM, LaRue and Sionics but I suspect they are made my other companies and sold by several. The difference is probably going to be QC specs but if you get a good one, it's a good one.
Uppers and lowers as long as they are in spec, are not going to matter much. I loctite my barrels into the upper and don't worry about truing them, maybe I'm just not that grade of shooter.
Triggers are subjective but I prefer Geissele 2 stage triggers for the most part though I have a couple of their single stages that I like on purpose built guns.
Rails, I have Troy, BCM, Midwest Ind and even a MagPul SL hand guard. They have all served their purpose well but If I had to pick one it would be the Troy Alpha rail (it's really a tube not a 4 way rail most think of). It's solid and robust and I never worry about it. My BCM is the magnesium/aluminum hybrid that works fine but would bend easily, it's greatest attribute is it's light.
Grips, I prefer K2+'s and stocks I like LMT SOPMOD's over all others.
The only factory built gun I have is a Colt and I've made changes to it. BCM, DD, Sionics and probably a few others would be a good choice too but I prefer to build with good parts to suit my tastes.
The best advice I can give is to start with a great barrel for your uses, everything else is subjective.
I've used, owned, worked on other guns like PSA and for the most part they will serve one well but I've yet to see one shoot out of it's price range.
I ended up spending the money for this build because that quality built upper became available for a price I could afford at the time. I then worked a chit load and squirreled away a few extra bucks to buy quality parts for the rest of the build. I PMed guys on this thread and asked questions about "should I buy this", or "what would fit with that" etc.. they all helped me put this build together. I appreciate their advice and counsel. I think in the end I will have a hell of a nice rifle that will do whatever I ask of it, and a sense of pride for putting it all together. It's a personal choice of how much you are willing to spend and what you want the gun to do. The cool thing is with these modular rifles, you can buy parts when you can afford them and spread the cost out over a period of time and end up with what you really want. I'm already planning my next 2-3 builds. A 45 pistol, a 350 Legend, and a 6.5 CM or 308. Ordered another lower today, found the Aero Precision M4E1 on sale for $75.00. I'm Hooked. Now if I can just find some damn ammo to shoot out of it. Hoarding bastards!
I don't know crap about AR's, do know I've shot the hell out of my PSA mid-lengths without a hitch, they being the 700 dollar rifles they are, I guess they could break and lay down on a man, a Barrett Rec-7 most likely would not, same with my REPR's, barring a massive part failure, I think a man would about have to fill one of those with cement to get it to fail ; ] "faith" in a weapon is a damn good thing.
I agree tat there are some very knowledgeable, experienced AR shooters here & why I ask.
My criteria has been stated as, a no frills , basic, well built or higher quality Ar. Not specified further I guess would be if it was for home defense, competition of some sort or varmint hunting. Though the term basic would cover it but maybe not... how about your basic, personal everyday 16-18" collapsible sock flat top or sighted house defender.
Workable solutions? What is right for me? Sorry, my questions are sometimes vague, but I don't get it. Not asking what is right for me, as I should decide, right or wrong, that. But who makes best quality parts..... or a complete basic AR carbine out there, &, maybe the next brand & so on.
Is there a way to learn that without buying 10 rifles & 100K of ammo? It would be fun, but out of my price range.
Gonzo,
I suggest you take a hard look at kit one below:
Originally Posted by nksmfamjp
Something like this checks a lot of boxes for me. PSA1
This is probably a dumb question but it might save me some time to ask. I have always looked at lower kits and upper kits, even assembled uppers. I have a couple Spikes lowers from back when Obama was going to be elected president. I have a read a lot of advice about getting good triggers and good barrels and the rest doesnt really matter etc. Lots of good, similar advice here as well. So when you choose a good barrel, do you then have to order ever little pin spring screw and gas tube/block etc to complete the build?
This is probably a dumb question but it might save me some time to ask. I have always looked at lower kits and upper kits, even assembled uppers. I have a couple Spikes lowers from back when Obama was going to be elected president. I have a read a lot of advice about getting good triggers and good barrels and the rest doesnt really matter etc. Lots of good, similar advice here as well. So when you choose a good barrel, do you then have to order ever little pin spring screw and gas tube/block etc to complete the build?
I won't deny that a barrel is important. But, I think the bolt and carrier are more important. If you are building your own, start with Toolcraft.
For a built rifle, Ruger has made improvements to their AR line with the AR-556 MPR (#8514). It has the 18" barrel, two stage trigger and is a good entry AR. Available now for $550-$600+, it's considered a bargain for what you get. Don't wait til Bloomberg or Bernie gets the Dem nomination, buy now.
On a new AR, what would you buy. Off the shelf or assemble. Want it for a Coyote, defense, truck gun.
I got a PM asking me to honestly answer this question, so here goes....
For a coyote / ride around in the truck gun, my answer would be different. But if you add "defense" what I hear is "if this gun ever doesn't work perfectly, ever, then people I love will die". And when I hear that, I don't see an AR for $650 that I'd buy or build.
But I could get reasonably close. Here's my "budget" build list. By "budget" I mean a gun that I would trust my life to and be very content with, but doesn't have every little feature that I'd prefer on my ideal gun. And I wouldn't build this gun, either, because for another $200 I could have the exact gun I wanted. But here's my budget list.
(Also, I sourced nearly all of this from Primary Arms because they regularly have 12% off sales, so you can knock $100 off the price tag quickly. If you're willing to wait on sales (Memorial Day, July 4th, and then Black Friday) you can get this stuff a good bit cheaper.)
That comes out to $913. 12% off makes it $803, which I consider within spitting distance of $650.
If I wanted to save money on this list I'd: Shop for a used MOE stock, or get a Magpul fixed stock a little cheaper. Send me $5 and I'll scrounge around and mail you a random grip if I can find one. Get a little cheaper rail. These go on sale a lot. ALG rails are good and can be had for 20% off several times a year. Don't get some stupid off brand one. Get a regular charging handle from a reputable maker for $20ish. That would probably all get you down to about $725, for a really high quality, dependable AR without gassing problems and with a decent trigger.
If I were to upgrade I'd do this: B5 stock or similar for about $15 more. A different rail because the Aero rails seem too slim for me. That would add about $45ish. I'd probably get an ambi charging handle for another $40ish. That would put me at about $903 for a rifle that I'd really enjoy.
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