lostspring Posted November 9, 2016 at 05:46 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 05:46 PM My son is looking to purchase his first AR, any suggestions for him without breaking the bank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singlecoilpickup Posted November 9, 2016 at 05:55 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 05:55 PM The Ruger AR-556 and the Smith & Wesson M&P Sport 15 are both pretty solid for the price. That said, you can almost always do better building than buying for a given price point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyP Posted November 9, 2016 at 06:00 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 06:00 PM LOTS of factory made ARs out there for under $750. For general plinking, snicks & giggles and home defense? Basic is more than enough. After basic models your wallet and needs dictate. Hunting, 3-Gun competition, varmint, long range bullseye, optics? All offer options to the limit of your bank accout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DD123 Posted November 9, 2016 at 06:34 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 06:34 PM Try to find as many features on the rifle you/he choose that you/he want. This way, when you get to the point where you want to upgrade stuff on it, most of the major stuff is already there. There are a lot of options out there, most of which were listed above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeckler Posted November 9, 2016 at 07:47 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 07:47 PM Slickguns listed one for $439 this morning. I suspect the prices will be coming down as the retailers, distributors, and manufacturers were prepared to capitalize on a Clinton victory. Clearly it was low end, but not a bad way to dip your toe into the AR world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DD123 Posted November 9, 2016 at 07:56 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 07:56 PM Slickguns listed one for $439 this morning. I suspect the prices will be coming down as the retailers, distributors, and manufacturers were prepared to capitalize on a Clinton victory. Clearly it was low end, but not a bad way to dip your toe into the AR world.Exactly, it might be best to wait and you could pick up something pretty nice for what the low end prices are right now. How much were the Colt LE's going for 6 months ago? They're now $900-1000 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWBH Posted November 9, 2016 at 08:30 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 08:30 PM Just don't go too "low end".Allow some room to upgrade for different features. Much cheaper in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRJ Posted November 9, 2016 at 08:43 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 08:43 PM My concept was to get an "optics ready" flat top version. It may have a cheap stock and handguard, but that's OK of you plan to dump them anyway. Then you add quality stuff as you go. Get good buis, good sling, good optic, and better furniture when you find them on sale. I'd probably avoid any missing the forward assist and dust cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkrzos Posted November 9, 2016 at 09:34 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 09:34 PM Hi, I just bought a complete upper & lower(not put together) from Arms Unlimited for $754.00 It is a Colt M-4 model! I popped both retaining pins and put the 2 together and a Colt M-4 is borned. If this is too high, PSA used to ship to Illinois. They made good parts kits, but alas were bitten by the "Politician Bug", so no shipping to Illinois. Sportsman Guide, Cheaper than Dirt, Brownell's all sell AR's. Look for sales NOW the Trump won, we'll probably have a glut in stock fairly soon. Old Hillary threatened and made everyone leery about repealing the 2nd. so everyone was picking them up. Don't go way cheap, stick with Colt(if you can afford it), Armalite, Stag, or Rock River. jkrzos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeardswithoutOperators Posted November 9, 2016 at 10:47 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 10:47 PM Invest the big bucks into your bcg, barrel, and trigger. Can't go wrong with that, heck, you don't even need a super duper trigger either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckydawg13 Posted November 9, 2016 at 11:30 PM Share Posted November 9, 2016 at 11:30 PM wait for the black Friday sales you should be able to build one for around $500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NakPPI Posted November 10, 2016 at 01:16 AM Share Posted November 10, 2016 at 01:16 AM The Saint or FN 1776 will be easy to find and inexpensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBL87 Posted November 10, 2016 at 01:46 AM Share Posted November 10, 2016 at 01:46 AM Lots of good suggestions so far. I will just add the option of picking out a complete lower and complete upper from Palmetto State Armory. Right now their variety is not as good as it normally is thanks to the election, but there are still plenty of good options, and it gives you a little more in the way of "customizing" specifically what is wanted. Lowershttp://palmettostatearmory.com/ar-15-05/lowers/complete-lowers.html Uppershttp://palmettostatearmory.com/ar-15-05/barreled-upper-assemblies.html?dir=asc&order=price Just avoid the PTAC brand. The Freedom and Premium lines are good, and the Premium line actually has barrels made by FN. My current upper has one of the nitrided Freedom barrels and it is impressively accurate, so far moreso than the Premium upper it replaced. For your dollar, they're hard to beat. Here's my current setup. When you add everything up, it cost me $570 when you count in the backup sights (but not the scope) for the basic setup, and that is with a free float rail. I've spent much more than that in adding the scope, a BCM stock, a Geissele trigger, and a BCM charging handle among other minor tweaks, but all of those are not at all necessary for a basic first AR. BTW, ignore the light and bipod, just put them on there to show my father-in-law what could be mounted, it doesn't wear either of them regularly, haha. http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/BigBL87/Mobile%20Uploads/20160914_183007_zpstqwuqv4d.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamma Posted November 10, 2016 at 02:57 AM Share Posted November 10, 2016 at 02:57 AM wait for the black Friday sales you should be able to build one for around $500.Black friday sales may be epic this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradS Posted November 10, 2016 at 04:57 AM Share Posted November 10, 2016 at 04:57 AM Salad days are ahead... Back in 2007 when I was getting interested in 3 gun conpetitions, I assembled my own lower. The stripped lower was a Stag. At that time, as far as lowers go, you had a choice: a deer, a coiled snake, or a leaping panther. IIRC, that stripped lower was $121 out the door. Then I couldn't find the barrel I wanted: 18 inch, stainless, fluted, threaded. So I bought a semi-complete upper at a gunshow. A 20 inch stainless, thread, NOT fluted, but still threaded. No charging hsndle, no BCG. I paid $450 out the door. I had a BCG at home already. I bought a charging handle there at the show. So it boggles my mind that people are able to buy or build a complete AR for right around $500. Last year, when Wally World was clearancing out their AR's, a Colt 6920 could be had for as low as $550. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBL87 Posted November 11, 2016 at 02:24 AM Share Posted November 11, 2016 at 02:24 AM It really is incredible. I definitely got into firearms at the right time! Just got my FOID a little under 4 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DD123 Posted November 11, 2016 at 02:56 AM Share Posted November 11, 2016 at 02:56 AM It really is incredible. I definitely got into firearms at the right time! Just got my FOID a little under 4 years ago. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161111/731554333884996e02bbd8d1ab7aac03.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjw45 Posted November 15, 2016 at 02:07 AM Share Posted November 15, 2016 at 02:07 AM Palmetto still shipped to IL as of 2 weeks ago. I highly suggest getting an upgraded trigger. Even just the $30 polished trigger from PSA is a huge improvement over stock. A few of us stocked up when PSA was running their blemished Magpul MOE w/polished trigger lowers for $169 delivered to your FFL of choice. Uppers sent straight to the house. I haven't seen that good of deals from them in the last few weeks, but they normally have great black Thursday deals. Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBL87 Posted November 15, 2016 at 07:39 AM Share Posted November 15, 2016 at 07:39 AM It really is incredible. I definitely got into firearms at the right time! Just got my FOID a little under 4 years ago.http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161111/731554333884996e02bbd8d1ab7aac03.jpg It feels like it's been alot longer, I tend to jump headlong into things when they pique my interests. I've gone from learning from my father-in-law to being his (and several other people's) go-to gun guy in that time, haha. Palmetto still shipped to IL as of 2 weeks ago. I highly suggest getting an upgraded trigger. Even just the $30 polished trigger from PSA is a huge improvement over stock. A few of us stocked up when PSA was running their blemished Magpul MOE w/polished trigger lowers for $169 delivered to your FFL of choice. Uppers sent straight to the house. I haven't seen that good of deals from them in the last few weeks, but they normally have great black Thursday deals. Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk I think as the election panic fades into the past, we'll start seeing better deals again. I imagine their stock got pretty depleted, but based on the uppers that have come back in stock in just the last week I think we'll start to see some good deals again. If I wasn't going to splurge on a more expensive trigger, PSA or ALG defense would probably be my first choices although if you can get the right deal an RRA 2 stage isn't a huge amount more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SILmama Posted November 15, 2016 at 11:52 PM Share Posted November 15, 2016 at 11:52 PM The Ruger AR-556 and the Smith & Wesson M&P Sport 15 are both pretty solid for the price. That said, you can almost always do better building than buying for a given price point. We didn't want to build right now so picked up a Ruger AR-556 at a gun show last weekend for $630. Really well pleased so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockdiver Posted November 18, 2016 at 12:32 PM Share Posted November 18, 2016 at 12:32 PM BLACK FRIDAY IS ON THE HORIZON... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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