Which AR should I get based on the following

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Skribs

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I am looking at getting an AR in the near-ish future. Previously I had looked at some of the more expensive ones out there, but I have changed my mind somewhat on what is important to me. Now, I am coming from the perspective of someone who owns multiple handguns and a single shotgun, so I have very little experience with rifles in general, and not sure exactly what is a need vs. a luxury for my specific purposes.

Specifically, I want an AR for a combination of HD and non-competition target shooting (for fun and practice). My specific requirements that I want are:

1. It has to be all black. Not because it’s the “Black Rifle” but because all my guns are black. It’s my favorite color.

2. Reliable enough to trust my life with.

3. 5.56mm NATO. I know the merits of other calibers, and I’ve debated it in the past. I specifically want to start with 5.56 for ammo availability over 6.8 and recoil compared with 7.62.

4. 100 MOA accuracy or better. Seriously – if I can hit a dinner plate at 10 yards, it’ll do. I know I can expect significantly better than this, though. I’m just not looking for a target rifle. I don’t expect to need it even at 5 yards.

5. Full bottom rail, full top rail (preferably uninterrupted), and at least half side rails (preferably full).

6. Ambidextrous controls (safety, magazine release) are preferred, but not required.

7. Forward assist and dust cover are both NOT required. But I’m not opposed, either.

8. Telescoping stock.

Beyond that, I’m not sure what twist rate I should get, or what parts I should consider chrome lining to be required vs. superfluous, so any advice would be helpful.

Can anyone give me any advice on which AR would fit my needs for the least amount of money?
 
I could probably do that. I saw a rail on amazon for $40 that would probably do nicely. Any other suggestions, while we're here?
 
#4

As to #4...
4. 100 MOA accuracy or better. Seriously – if I can hit a dinner plate at 10 yards, it’ll do. I know I can expect significantly better than this, though. I’m just not looking for a target rifle. I don’t expect to need it even at 5 yards.

Do you really mean one hundred MOA? That'd be over eight feet at 100 yards. A dinner plate at 10 yards is 100 MOA.....if that is the best a rifle will do....you could miss.
Pete
 
S&W M&P 15 (not the sport unless your ok with the stuff its missing)

then ad all the stuff you want

oh btw this is a1 to 2 moa rifle, never compromise on accuracy
 
"...fits all my needs...trust my life with...for the least amount of money..."
We're MUCH better at opinionation on spending OMP (Other People's Money) when we have an idea of your budget. Just like car parts "Speed costs money. How fast do ya' wanna' go?"
 
In an HD situation, I want to hit someone's chest at 10 yards or less (in my place, probably 10 feet or less). So for practicality, yes, 100 MOA is the minimum. The point was, I don't care if it's 2 MOA or 1.5 MOA or some uber-sniper-competition 0.4 MOA gun. I want something that will shoot reliably.

It was kind of a joke, too. But in all seriousness, to meet my social demands, I don't NEED the accuracy.

EDIT: Ghost Tracker, my needs are above. The budget is what I need to spend to get those needs met. I'm not saying "how fast can I go for $X." I'm saying, "for 86 MPH, what's the cheapest engine I can get?"
 
The quality of my Spike's M4 complete upper is awesome, and was $499. Has a lifetime warranty.

Pick yourself a quality lower (or just one that has a rollmark you like), buy a stock and a lower parts kit.

Shouldn't be too bad cost-wise.
 
6. Ambidextrous controls
The only manufacturers to my knowledge offering a lower with ambi controls would be Knight Armament and AXTS Weapons. A few others offer a billet lower with ambi safety only, but not fully ambi.
 
Eh, I'm fine with buying a gun and changing a couple of parts, but I'm not looking to completely build one. Too much work.

EDIT: CoRoMo, POF has everything full ambi standard. But while I like the looks of their gun, I can't get over the $2200 MSRP on my salary.
 
are you saying that you'll only use the rifle at distance no more than ten feet? why buy a rifle? it's overkill for a HD gun indoors. your better off with your shotgun. and why the rails if you're only using it at that range?
 
Why the rails? Flashlight for target ID, red dot for easier sighting, AFG for comfort. And I want them.

I have a shotgun. I also want a rifle. It's not really overkill when you look at what an HD 5.56mm round does, anymore than a shotgun is overkill. I'm not getting a .30-06, I'm getting a 5.56 carbine. Each platform has its advantages, and I don't want to be limitted to only one platform.

My needs are HD and plinking. Plinking I may go farther, but primary need is HD. The longest distance in my place is maybe 30-40 feet, but from a defensible position probably 10 feet.

CoRoMo, what I'm saying is I don't want to get pieces from all over and put it together. I want to buy a complete rifle and change things out as I need.
 
so you think that a shotgun has as much penetration in a home as a 5.56? the light and afg i understand, but why do you need a red dot sight? the irons will be just fine at ten feet. they're all plenty accurate for plinking and HD. saying you just want it to hit a pie plate at 10 feet and you don't care about accuracy beyond that seems silly.
 
Ghost Tracker, my needs are above. The budget is what I need to spend to get those needs met.
No offense intended, "trust my life with" is kinda' subjective. I don't know your threshold for that. Some folks trust nothing less than a Colt AR, some folks wish Hi-Point would make an AR so they could buy a less expensive one. Okay...

(1.) "Black" = takes a hard hunt to find anything else.
(2.) "trust my life" = please see Colt/Hi-point above.
(3.) "5.56" = please see answer, item #1.
(4.) "100 MOA accuracy" = should get that sloppin' pigs, from a cheap bucket.
(5.) "rails" = easily available as aftermarket
(5.) "ambi" = please see answer, item #5.
(6.) "forward assist & dust cover delete...or not" = decide...or not.
(7.) "Telescoping stock" = please see answers, items #1 & #3.
(P.S) twist, chrome lining or superfluous? = please see answer, item #6.

Oh, this is easy. You should obviously pick MY favorite AR because I...already did :evil:.
Seriously, any nice, well-regarded, mid-grade AR (S&W, Stag, etc. etc.) should fill your requirements. Past that, go upwards to Les Baer or Daniel Defense or downwards to parts bin you-build-it kits with a generic lower. $2500 to $675. Enjoy deciding.
 
It would be best to simply get a basic carbine and shoot it until you figure out just what you need. For example, rails are not needed to mount a flashlight & sling on an HD carbine. There are other, more cost effective alternatives. Check out this light mount from Mossie Tactical:
378131_2835884306307_1535197888_2756154_1836275836_n.jpg


Use a QD cup for a sling:
View attachment 589368

Just get a basic carbine and shoot it to figure out what needs to be changed and what you want changed. This one is mine. I've got an Aimpoint H1 on order. The furniture can be had in black
View attachment 589369
 
DPMS Oracle. Change out the handguard and the other parts you want.
You can spend more, but you're just wasting money.
 
good luck finding the right rifle for your needs. sounds like you have a great start towards that end.

those ballistics articles leave something to be desired in my mind. but hey, whatever floats your boat.

honestly, if i had a nickel for every thread asking which ar someone should choose....well, you know.

and seriously...anything more than a dpms oracle is just wasting money? give me a break:rolleyes:
 
Other people have different needs. It's why there are so many AR brands. If the choice was easy, only one brand would be in business. I'd rather post my needs and ask the people who know more about ARs than I do which would fit the bill than search through every brand I could find to see if they have something that meets what I want. And then I might miss a brand that someone else could have pointed out.
 
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