AR virgin, need recommendations!

[NicePants 58]

Hey everybody. I don't want this to be a political thread, but after the shooting that happened yesterday and all the knee-jerk reactions I've been seeing, I've had a knee jerk reaction of my own. I figure it's as good a time as ever to finally pick up an AR. Now, I am an absolute noob when it comes to ARs. I checked out the sticky, and while building my own from parts of my choosing would be cool, it sounds a little... intimidating. lol. I'm not entirely opposed to learning, however. There are just a few stipulations I have:

 

1. Performance: I'm not looking for an uber engine of efficiency and accuracy. Something that goes bang everytime I pull the trigger and is fairly accurate out to whatever the norm is for 5.56 would be nice.

 

2. Price: The cheaper the better! Well, I don't want a pile of crap, but I'm not really looking to spend over $1k at the moment. The cheapest I can get for the performance I'm looking for above would be ideal.

 

That's all folks. Feel free to recommend parts kits, completed ARs, uppers and lowers, or what have you.

[johnp 45]

Other then picking one up already built in the marketplace, if you want to save money go the build route.

 

Check out PSA, for a LPK good variety and free shipping still. Uppers there are so many different routes you have to choose what you want and go from there.

[Anselmo 87]

I have a S&M sport. About $650. Shoots the good Federal ammo. Shoots the Russian ammo. Pull trigger, goes bang. I shoot at playing cards at 100 yds with a $80 red dot.. If I miss, it ain't the gun's fault.

 

The question you have to ask yourself is how much are you really going to shoot the gun? If you're going to put $1000 worth of ammo through the gun a year, for 10 years then there is no reason to economize on the AR. I'm not shooting my AR that much.

[alowerlevel 77]

http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php?/topic/38234-fs-nj-gunforums-custom-lower-ar-complete/

 

Or if you want to build your own (its not hard)

 

One of these http://palmettostate...ete-uppers.html

Plus one of these http://palmettostate...build-kits.html

Add a stripped lower, get a comp pinned and welded on, the stock pinned, and the bayo lug shaved.

Buy a few A&A or Midwest PX 15rd mags, alot of ammo, and have fun.

[checko 180]

Build the lower (I had no idea how to do it but figured it out recently on my own) and buy an upper (if you don't have the tools or space for that ). If you have the ability to build the upper even better

 

The main reason I say this is because you will want to change every thing you can think of if you buy a complete rifle. Building one saves you from changing out all the parts and spending all the money on them. Budget your build and do it over a little time. In the end you'll have the gun of you dreams for a bit less than paying a company to put it together.

 

 

http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php?/topic/10555-ar-pics-lets-seeum/page__st__870

 

This build was around 1100 without optics and accessories. I replaced some stock parts that weren't entirely necessary. I like to think its a good quality rifle.

[HavocMan 13]

How much is your life worth? Your family's lives?

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You want an AR that 'goes bang every time'? Don't be a cheap bastid - buy a good AR. Cheap AR's DON'T go bang every time.

 

AR's are NOT all the same:

 

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=0AqmgMm61Ok7WdExwaG16OENzOEZ1akp2a3Y2NjMxTEE&single=true&gid=2&output=html

 

Colt, BCM, LWRC AR's cost more for good reasons.

[destro23 0]

not to thread hijack but i'm in the same exact situation, at this point i'm looking to just buy a complete one... Colt, RockRiver, S&W in that order.

 

If it takes you saving up an extra $200 a month for a few months so be it... it would be easier to sell down the road as you will have paperwork for it. Kinda like looking at a car... would you buy a 69 camaro that someone jammed a new corvette motor and computer and supercharger? or an original that someone just tweeked the motor a little bit? Origional sounds a little easier and desirable to me. But thats me.

 

Again i've been in the gun game for a few months and new to all of this, but looking at all these custom AR's reminds me on how much i don't know!! lol so thats why i say full AR for first time, build your second if you love it.

[A-Tech 8]

Origional sounds a little easier and desirable to me. But thats me.

 

You build an AR to suit your shooting needs, not for the resale value. Original does not mean higher value. You're always better building it, because you end up with exactly what you want. If you buy a complete AR in its pure form, you'll spend more money doing the upgrades that you will almost be guaranteed to do. Pistol grips, handguards (which may change what gas block you have), stocks, comps/brakes, barrel length/twist ...those are all things that need to be considered when building or buying.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

You build an AR to suit your shooting needs, not for the resale value. Original does not mean higher value. You're always better building it, because you end up with exactly what you want. If you buy a complete AR in its pure form, you'll spend more money doing the upgrades that you will almost be guaranteed to do. Pistol grips, handguards (which may change what gas block you have), stocks, comps/brakes, barrel length/twist ...those are all things that need to be considered when building or buying.

 

^^ this.

 

I've built 2 lowers and gotten 2 pre-assembled uppers. The upper is really the hard part but with so many manufacturers coming out with pre-assembled, test fired ones, it's very easy to get one with what you want on it. Buy the lower and lower parts kit first, so you can customize your stock and pin it in the proper position, then go for the upper.

[Screwball 483]

Build the lower. Function check will show that it is correct, so you really won't have reliability issues. Plus, lowers have a lot of parts that people like to customize. Triggers, selectors, grips, stocks, etc. It is a good way to learn how the AR functions, as well.

 

The upper tends to be a little more tricky for new guys. You also need specific tools that are a little expensive for a single upper build. Plus, if there is an issue, the company will cover it, if you buy from someone reputable.

[Barms 98]

Nice Pants.. do you own a shotgun yet? If yes, then proceed with AR questions.. if no, then the bigger issue here is AR vs SG for HD.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Mossberg 500, 590 or 590A1

[Barms 98]

Yes, what Ray Ray said.. i didnt mean to change the thread topic.. its just that one thing in the OP stood out.. you said it was because of Colorado, and you said "the cheaper the better"... so i just don't know if you will be happy because you might get into building this thing and then spend more than you wanted.. for the wrong reason. (meaning HD). If cash is the issue.. for an HD choice then $200 bucks for a shotty is the way to go. But if deep down you wanted an AR for a long time anyway then have at it.. There is an active thread called "AR or shotgun" that has some good points.. but what it didnt mention was really how do you see yourself using the AR for HD? On the roof sniper style acquiring targets 100 yards away? Myself i will be in my living room or on the porch with 12 gauge anhialating anything that comes within 40 yards. Worried about capacity? just go with a long tube.

 

(and if you already own a shotgun just ignore me.. :-)

[Johnny 0]

I am somewhat new to shooting and new to gun ownership. As I was waiting for my FID I knew at some point down the road I would want to get an AR. The feeling lasted for a while after getting my FID as well. However, I am not so sure I would want one now. I have fired a few different ones now at ranges. A Bushmaster, Colt and the third was a custom build which the guy said cost him around $1k to make. All three that I fired, as well as most others I have seen at ranges, have had issues. Be it misfires, FTF's or FTE's I have seen too many problems to trust my life to an AR. If your purpose is home defense you may want to look at other options as well. In my experience, though it is limited, I can't say I have seen an AR that went bang everytime as you stipulate. This is not meant to knock the AR or anyone that owns one (or more). People speak very highly of them and they are very capable weapons. But if I did have an AR and I had to make a quick choice between that and the Saiga I converted myself as a noob to defend myself I would grab the Saiga every time because I would be much more confident that it would "go bang". Although I would probably grab the .357 or 12 ga. before either of those. I heard that the shooter in Colorado had to drop his assault weapon and go with something else when it jammed (I'm glad his did, perhaps that spared a few lives). I'm not sure what kind it was but if I had to guess I would say AR15. I am far from an expert on this. Just wanted to share my limited experience around AR's. I'm sure there are much more knowledgable people here that would disagree with me but if I want a gun, or specifically a rifle, that goes bang everytime I would personally look at other options.

[checko 180]

There's usually an underlying reason if an ar has a failure. Could be ammo, could be using the wrong buffer, cheap parts, cheap mags. If you get quality stuff and put it together correctly you shouldn't have an issue. Just like any other gun.

[NicePants 58]

Whoops, should have specified. Not buying this for HD, I already have a shotgun for that. I just wanted to buy one because I don't want to be unable to at a later date if a few ban happy politicians get lucky. I know that most likely won't happen, but still, no harm in buying an AR now!

[Kaiser7 33]

I got a really good deal on an upper from JSE surplus, had it NJ neutered and all there (well, not quite I suppose, needed to cover the barrel threads). Not to mention their shipping was fast as hell, and they have a good selection.

 

I then just bought a stripped lower, and put the whole thing together myself with a lower parts kit. When it was all said and done, I think I spent around $700.

[A-Tech 8]

There's usually an underlying reason if an ar has a failure. Could be ammo, could be using the wrong buffer, cheap parts, cheap mags. If you get quality stuff and put it together correctly you shouldn't have an issue. Just like any other gun.

 

Absolutely true. If the gas block is so much as a hair off center, it won't send enough gas back to the bcg. I had a bad ejecter that kept FTE every round. After replacing the bolt, I haven't had a single failure in over 2k rounds. Problems can be solved if you investigate the failure and be proactive with it. I would trust my AR with my life.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Absolutely true. If the gas block is so much as a hair off center, it won't send enough gas back to the bcg. I had a bad ejecter that kept FTE every round.

 

Funny, just sent in my Spikes upper for that very problem.

[SHY_Veritas 0]

 

 

You build an AR to suit your shooting needs, not for the resale value. Original does not mean higher value. You're always better building it, because you end up with exactly what you want. If you buy a complete AR in its pure form, you'll spend more money doing the upgrades that you will almost be guaranteed to do. Pistol grips, handguards (which may change what gas block you have), stocks, comps/brakes, barrel length/twist ...those are all things that need to be considered when building or buying.

 

I would loveto build my own AR, but like all the newbies in this thread I don't know enough about the parts to put one together. So that would require me to buy a full AR first and slowly learn what goes on in there. Or Incan shell out the money and take the GFH build-a-ar course.

[NJDrew1 0]

I'm right with you SV. Getting the urge to buy or build one myself.

 

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[blksheep 466]

I am in the early stages building one. I have a PSA stripped lower that I bought last Thanksgiving for $49.95. I just bought a PSA stripped A3 upper for $49.95. I am going to duracoat them both for say $40.00. I want an A2 stock that will cost aorund $60.00 and the lower parts kit will cost about $60.00.

 

So I have $260 in it now. Little by little I will add the other parts and the cost should be around $700 for a custom build. I already have two AR's, a Bushmaster A2 M4 post ban carbine and an Olympic A1 20" retro with the triangular hand guards. Both function flawlessly.