AR Sponsor
Posted: 7/6/2014 7:14:47 PM EDT
| Hey guys, Several close family members and lots of my friends are into guns and I really enjoy shooting their guns so I've decided to get an AR... The problem is that I really have no clue what to get, I want to get something very basic (just for pinging around) and I dont want very expensive ammo yet I also want something thats reliable. I want to spend around 500 but from what I've seen, everything decent is around 1500, please let me know your thoughts. or any questions that might help you help me... thanks guys! |
|
Rifles can be had for $500, but that is about the cheapest you can get them.
Check out Palmetto State Armory (PSA) for affordable rifles. (Stay away from anything labeled PTAC) My personal recommendation would be a Spikes Tactical. These are quality rifles at a great price, and they have a lifetime warranty. The third option would be Colt 6920 for about ~$900 from Walmart or online. This is the name brand and upper end of affordable rifles. There will be plenty of others along with other good recommendations, just make sure you do your research before making the final decision. |
| Around $500? Only thing I can think of that will be decent is building something up from PSA. Buy a stripped blemished lower, complete upper receiver, BCG and CH. Should get you close to that $500 mark while still being decent. Could try out a S&W M&P Sport as well, although I think that will take you somewhere closer to $600. |
First off, Welcome aboard. $500 is kinda limiting your options and answers. Do you have the knowledge/or someone available to help you put a lower/gun together? If you can squeeze a couple hundred more out, I would suggest a Spikes or Colt 6920. Both very good/reliable guns Feel free to ask away for anything else you might be pondering.
|
| Welcome to the site! As stated before $500 is a little tight. But many nice rifles can be had for under a $1000. Spikes, stag, S&w, colt. Only draw back to PSA is shipping. Takes a while and heard a lot of people got the wrong stuff sent to them and had to go through shipping twice. Anyway, keep researching you'll find lots of help on this sight. |
| Went to my local gun shop last year with intentions to buy a Colt. Had one a few years ago that I had to sell because of family medical and financial problems. When I got there I found there were some new kids on the block. Long story short, I walked away with a new DPMS, a real nice scope and enough ammo for a couple of months for the same money. Still had my spare parts kit and spare bolt for the Colt. Totally interchangeable. I have shot the heck out of it for the last year and haven't had one problem. Shop around and make your own decision. There are a bunch of good ones out there. Any way you decide to go expect to pay around $600 by the time it's all done. |
|
PSA Premium line. I put together a PSA rifle for $514 shipped.
$265 for the M4 Premium upper $99 AIM bolt carrier group (NiB) $130 complete lower Right now, I'd do This rifle kit and any stripped lower you can find. It's easy to put together with minimal tools. Don't let the parts intimidate you. |
|
Quoted:
PSA Premium line. I put together a PSA rifle for $514 shipped. $265 for the M4 Premium upper $99 AIM bolt carrier group (NiB) $130 complete lower Right now, I'd do This rifle kit and any stripped lower you can find. It's easy to put together with minimal tools. Don't let the parts intimidate you. Good advice here. Another thing to think about is the sticker price on the gun isn't all there is. Shipping, state taxes, federal taxes, fees, and ammo isn't cheap. Over a short period of time you will spend more on ammo than you did your gun. Also, it will spend 80% or more of it's time sitting in your gun cabinet. Just things to think about. It's all worth it though. Just being realistic. |
|
Smith & Wesson M&P Sport...
M&P Sport Or save up a few hundred more and get a nicer rifle. Spikes Tactical Mid-Length |
|
I have been helping a newb purchase his first AR that he wanted for similar purposes....the choice of guns and the number of opinions is going to stagger your brain. What you should first decide is do you want a rifle...or a carbine....personally, I prefer rifles BUT since you want something very general...a carbine will be a bit easier to handle Second you really need to weigh the odds economically as to how willing you are to gamble with your money....how's your luck? If you have generally bad or strange luck...I suggest you save a bit more and get something that's a proven quality in order to put the odds in your favor. If you go out and spend six hundred dollars on something that doesn't work....how much will it take you to fix it? How much worry and frustration is that worth on something you don't know how to fix? Is it worth another 300 bucks? Right now, you can get a good Colt or FN AR-15 carbine for around 1k....in fact, I have seen them even lower lately....do NOT think those prices are static. The next attempted gun grab is right around the corner...perpetually....so don't keep waiting for that GREAT deal.... Do yourself a favor...get something known such as Colt, FN, etc. Don't go cheap....you might luck out....you might not. How much is that worth to you? |
| Remember if you buy from a major manufacturer and have trouble, they will have a warranty and they will honor it or they won't stay in business. We have a large outdoor range here and a lot of people shoot a lot of different brands. They are all good. Of course you could save up another $3000 dollars and get a Knight's Armament KAC, |
Now is a great time to buy but the $500 limits your choices. If you could add another two or three hundred to it you could buy an excellent rifle that will probably serve you well for a lifetime. Though, like most of us you will probably add others to stable along the way.
If you are looking to piece one together to save some dough the PSA 'premium" line will be great. The SPIKES shown above is an excellent option if you are looking for a complete rifle. |
|
I personally love my Windham Weaponry small company with decades of experience. It's about the same price as the spikes mentioned above (800$) if you shop around a bit. I've got about 500 rounds through it and have had zero malfunctions at all. Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service. I'm sure the Arfcommers will whine about the unstaked castle nut, non f marked FSB and the 1/9 twist and everyone has their opinion on that stuff. but to a newby like me shooting 55 and 62 grain factory 5.56 it does extremely well and my ability to shoot accurately is the limiting factor.
ETA I wouldn't skip the dust cover if you ever plan on using the rifle to hunt. It really helps keep the junk off the bcg and while a quality rifle should and will continue to function with grit in it's action it's no fun hearing all that stuff grinding in your nice rifle 
|
thanks guys! I think that Ive decided to go with the Diamondback DB15 (a little above my original price range), Ive done some research and most reviews are pretty good and Im getting a great deal on it... I plan on getting it tomorrow so I will be back on the forums after that! Thanks again 
|
|
Quoted:
thanks guys! I think that Ive decided to go with the Diamondback DB15 (a little above my original price range), Ive done some research and most reviews are pretty good and Im getting a great deal on it... I plan on getting it tomorrow so I will be back on the forums after that! Thanks again I am glad you made a decision. Now, make sure you pick up a few MAGPUL PMAGs and a few hundred rounds of good brass-cased 55 gr. ammo (Federal XM193, American Eagle 5.56 or .223 REM, Independence 5.56, PMC .223, Wolf Gold .223, Monarch Brass .223, etc.). I strongly recommend to stay away from steel-cased ammo (Wolf, Tulammo, or anything else). DO NOT let anyone convince you otherwise. SOme will most definitely try. |
| haha thanks man, I got the gun this morning and shot 40 brass rounds and 40 steel rounds(I got the steel for free lol). Everyone told me that the steel would jam a lot (although I had no problem with it today), but are there any other reasons that steel is bad besides the jaming? And does anyone know how I can change my profile picture on here? Or if I can add pictures to my profile? |
|
Here are some pics of it, its a Diamondback DB15... only thing not stock are the Ruger sights that I ordered with it
http://i61.tinypic.com/25s8wo7.jpg http://i59.tinypic.com/au9wt3.jpg http://i61.tinypic.com/21141us.jpg http://i60.tinypic.com/r030us.jpg |
AR Sponsor