Thank you, Everyone!
Well, I was up late last night reading my butt off because mostly everyone here had probably gone to bed. It was a good thing. I found more info than I expected.
Before I go any farther, let me tell you a story about a friend who bought a kit about a month ago and dumped it off at my house and asked if I could help him put it together. I had never held an AR before but I went on YouTube cause I don't sleep that great, since retiring. He came over a week later and it was done. He was happy, took it home and says it works great. Only thing is, I couldn't tell you from memory who manufactured any part of it. After reading last night it must have been mostly low end stuff because he paid between $500 & $600 for it all. I believe that kit and the one for trade or sale both have illegal mag release buttons. CA is a bitch for a gun owner. I get mad everyday over one thing or another.
But last night, while reading I learned about what different chambering was available. The length of the barrels and how they have effect on what you want to do with it. The twist in the barrel, barrel types, CMV,4140 or CL, HP MP, the last ones, being the better ones, different types and qualities of steel bolts. Direct Impingement or Piston Gas and a whole lot more I 'd have to go back and refer to, but I now have pages of info to order my own and put it together my self and keep my Ruger as almost everyone has agreed it is worth having in my collection. It is a beast of a revolver that will last many lifetimes.
I want to thank everyone who replied here. I knew I would get some good counsel from THR.
If anyone wants to, I'd love to know what you consider a good AR. I can afford to spend somewhere between $1000-$1500 to have a quality rifle. If you think that's enough or not, I can wait a while, I'm not going anywhere yet. I want a nice one to last awhile.
All of these optics have me bewildered. I hear Iron sights work well if you want to get back on target quickly. That's an issue I can deal with afterwards.
I do read all advice and thank you again. Experience beats book learning every time, but you gotta start somewhere.
