USED AR?

[theRU 33]

Is it much cheaper to go the used route to get an AR? I dont really have the $$ to drop on a new one. Whats the cheapest way to get in on the action?

[TonyJ 17]

Check for consignment guns for sale at your local gun shop.

And do a search on Gunbroker you might get lucky.

good luck in your search.

[bbk 188]

Depends really, if you want to get right into the action or if you're willing to take the time.

I'm not a big fan of used anything-- that's just my preference. Though, I suppose you could get one for a decent price.

I would recommend assembling one, piece by piece. Buy an upper for now from BCM or another reputable dealer. Have it sent to a place like ADCO or PK90 to have any compliance work done (shaving the lug, attaching a compliant muzzle device, etc). Then buy a complete or stripped lower, and have those catered to what you want as well. This way you might spend a bit more, but it's over time and it's to your exact liking (and you can get all of the quality parts that you would probably end up buyig anyway to replace stock parts).

Good luck.

[Shane45 807]

Used can be fine. I have bought many used guns for BIG dollar figures. Ive yet to be let down. An advantage to buying used from a board like this is you may actually be able to try it out first. With that being said, its impertant that you know the market and know what you are buying. For example I would buy that S&W M&P AR in the other thread bare all day long over say an Olympic Arms plinker with all kinds of bells and whistles. As with most things, you get what you pay for. What would be helpfull would be to know what your budget is.

 

Shane

[LibertyOrDeath 3]

Build you own! Its Cheaper and you can customize as you go. The only component you need FID for is the stripped reciever. Everything else can be shipped to your door and theres plenty of how to vids out there on YouTube. Piece by piece my AR cost close to $600 and took me about 6 months with the regular monthly bills. I would estimate the value to be significantly more when it was complete. Somewhere around $1000, especially with all the mods. So far a little over 2000 rounds and not a problem yet! If you can change a car tire you can build an AR.

[sirsloop 1]

Used is great! Look at milsurplus stuff. You definitely need to look it over, but you can typically get a fine weapon on the cheap. How about things like shotguns? The action on a used pump shotty will be MUCH smoother than a brand new one. My new one was so f-in tight I thought it was broke! It wasn't till I got like 100rds through it did the thing start cycling smoothly.

[Shane45 807]

sirsloop, Im going to save you some money! Next time just cycle the action 100 times!

 

Building your own is fairly easy. With that being said, again you need to kinda know whats good and whats not. As an adder most trainers note that the #1 failing AR's in the classes are home brews :shock: AR's and components are in a serious glut right now. If you are somewhat new to AR's I'd recomend just picking up a complete lower, and wait for a good deal on an upper. But with deals like that S&W out there, how much are you really saving??? Some AR's will hold their value better but you will pay more even now(Noveske, LMT, Colt).

[sirsloop 1]

HAHAHAH.... After shooting it like 100 times I read the instruction manual which says to cycle it 100 times before shooting :text-lol:

[Shane45 807]

Get outta here! Now thats funny!

[Maksim 1,504]

Absolutely. =) I love used. Let someone else take the depreciation. Buying new is a price you pay for mental assurance that no one touched the thing before you, or abused it... for the most part. =) unless you are buying at a range/shop.

 

That Smith deal though is really good. lol. Actually, the only firearms I bought new were smiths.... and soon a sig.

[Caine 147]

Buying used can be ok, but you need to know what you're looking for and what you're buying. All ARs are not equal. Neither are all AR components. Personally, I wouldn't buy someone else's frankengun. But, I would buy someone else's BCM, Noveske, Colt, etc.

 

A Glock, for example, is a Glock - you don't need to know too much to pick one. An AR however has many more "moving parts" and the quality can vary quite a bit between various manufacturers. To make matters worse, everyone has a different opinion on what's good and what isn't. So, the best advice I can give is to do research.. lots and lots of research. And THEN decide what's best for YOU based on your needs.

 

But, like a couple people have said, that S&W from CDDN is a good deal and not a bad way to get your feet wet.

[Shane45 807]

And to add to Cains good advice, if the S&W price is more than you want to spend, this is not the route for you unless you have a buddy that is willing to take a hit to sell you one of his. That S&W is the most for the least that I have seen. The AR I'm picking up tommorow was $1400 by comparison. And its a stock gun!

[JC_68Westy 1,024]

Buying used can be ok, but you need to know what you're looking for and what you're buying. All ARs are not equal. Neither are all AR components. Personally, I wouldn't buy someone else's frankengun. But, I would buy someone else's BCM, Noveske, Colt, etc.

 

A Glock, for example, is a Glock - you don't need to know too much to pick one. An AR however has many more "moving parts" and the quality can vary quite a bit between various manufacturers. To make matters worse, everyone has a different opinion on what's good and what isn't. So, the best advice I can give is to do research.. lots and lots of research. And THEN decide what's best for YOU based on your needs.

 

But, like a couple people have said, that S&W from CDDN is a good deal and not a bad way to get your feet wet.

 

I have to disagree with this a bit. If you can get a used AR for a very good price, then you can rebuild it with a new lower parts kit. The lower kit is very cheap right now ($60 or less for a DPMS kit). If the price is right, buy it and rebuild it.

[Caine 147]

I have to disagree with this a bit. If you can get a used AR for a very good price, then you can rebuild it with a new lower parts kit. The lower kit is very cheap right now ($60 or less for a DPMS kit). If the price is right, buy it and rebuild it.

I don't disagree with that (altho DPMS wouldn't be my choice). That said, it's the upper I'm mostly concerned with. The BCG and barrel are generally what make or break an AR, IMHO.

[bbk 188]

The general problem with frankenguns, as Caine mentioned previously, is that, generally speaking, lowers and uppers from differing manufacturers (hence "frankengun") do not mate well together-- and can be the cause for catastrophic failures. Is it a major concern? I wouldn't say so, but its the same reason why a lot of people say to stay away from used frankenguns. Its like buying a used car that was heavily modded.

[Old School 611]

Is it much cheaper to go the used route to get an AR? I dont really have the $$ to drop on a new one. Whats the cheapest way to get in on the action?

 

 

You can get a totally assembled lower @:

 

http://www.jsesurplus.com/index.aspx for $250

 

Assembled uppers start @ $375

 

Just slap them together and you have a DPMS AR for $625

[theRU 33]

Thanks for the informations guys.

[mikeyboyeee 66]

I am in the same boat. Looking to get into the AR cheap.

 

S&W deal looks real good and Malusa mentioned a complete Spikes for a little bit more.