Entry level AR

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

michiganfan

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2002
Messages
1,191
Location
se michigan
What would be a good entry level AR. This would be just a fun gun. Not looking for top of the line just a basic reliable gun. This would not be a bug out gun or a SHTF gun or TEOTWAWKI gun. It would be punch paper gun. Tops I want to pay $600.
 
Cheapest off the shelf one I know about is the Oly Arms Plinkers. Might be able to beat the price if you built one.


SC
 
My entry level is an unfired Bushmaster 24" Varminter , free-float, flat-top, match trigger, fluted 1x9 barrel with a 6x18 scope and bi-pod

now, you're probably thinking "big deal...lotsa money"

got it for $900. Point is, I'd shop used if I were you. There's a real nice shorty AR at my local shop for about $600 IIRC. Deals are out there if you're willing to be patient and look around...HTH

also..there's another thread running right now "AR-15's...why so expensive??" It should give you an answer
 
I'd buy a lower reciever from Stag Arms - figure $90 plus $15-20 for fees.

Then buy a RRA lower parts kit for around $50, an A2 stock for around $50, and a complete RRA A2 upper reciever for $395.

That will put your total right around $600.

You will have to assemble the lower reciever, but it's really not hard to do. You can find instructions on AR15.com and it can be done without special tools. If you don't want to do any building, you can still save money by buying a complete lower reciever (usually $250-300) and mating it to that RRA upper. $650-700 is still going to be cheaper then most anything you will find at a store or a show, and it will be a brand new RRA gun.
 
The Oly Plinker is probably the best budget AR out there. You could get a lower price than that by buying only from parts-kit houses and assembling your own rifle; but it wouldn't be much lower, wouldn't have a lifetime warranty, and would entail a certain amount of time and frustration that is probably not worth the cost savings unless you just enjoy mechanical tinkering.

I'd also look at the CavArms polymer receivers for a budget rifle.
 
Another vote for the Olympic Arms "Plinker." It's an AR carbine with a 16" barrel. To keep the price down they use the old A1 style sights, which means the rear aperture has windage adjustment but no elevation. Not really a problem. As they say in the advetising, with a 16" barrel you're probably not going to be engaging targets beyond 500 yards anyway.

It has been improved since I bought mine. They used to use a cast lower for the plinker, now I believe they use the same forged lower as in all Olympic's other ARs. Comes with a nice hard case, instruction manual, and one 10-round magazine.
 
I was thinking either Mega or Stag lower with a RRA top end. That will get you a relatively inexpensive AR but certainly not entry level in quality.

If you want to go strictly factory look into ordering a Bushmaster AR from either Aim or SOG. Good prices and I, personally, am a big Bushmaster fan.


Chris
 
Dont rule out the used market, I'd almost be willing to bet there are plenty of AWB-period uppers in good shape on the used market.

If you don't want to do any building, you can still save money by buying a complete lower reciever (usually $250-300) and mating it to that RRA upper. $650-700 is still going to be cheaper then most anything you will find at a store or a show, and it will be a brand new RRA gun.
Click to expand...
Thats pretty much what I did. A complete BM lower (traded for it locally), and RRA everything else, from adcofirearms.com. Stripped RRA lowers run $100 there (in case someone is picky and doesnt want a mutt), but everytime I look they're backordered. They have a lot of RRA stuff backordered...
 
michiganfan,

You may have spent more than you wanted but you got a very nice rifle. You get what you pay for as they say.

You will probably want another one some point down the road. It happens to all of us. When that happens, try the "buy it in pieces" method.

Nothing wrong with buying a complete rifle for your first AR. Even though the platform is relativily easy to assemble, it can be an intimdating process to start out with. Besides, nothing like getting a new rifle, ready to go out of the box.

Good luck with it.
 
Good info here and at AR15.com, had a bushie since '91 finally getting around to building a rifle, I guess procrastination worked out for the better, for once. :)
 
$595 is MSRP -- it usually sells for $50 to $100 less than that. And, dang! I bought mine before the AWB expired, so I don't have a flash suppressor or a bayonet lug. Both are now standard, according to that catalog link.

Gotta start saving my pocket change and buy another one.
 
You have several options to get a decent AR for less than $600.:

1. Buy used. Used ARs are like any other gun, you can expect to get them for less than new prices.

2. Buy "Post Ban" config. Now that the AWB is dead, the post ban ARs are not worth as much since everybody is putting their ARs back to pre ban config or buying new. Post ban really doesn't mean much except that you will not have a bayo lug (who cares) and you will not have a flash hider. It may come with a muzzle brake or nothing on the end of the bbl.

3. Build it yourself. While it may sound like a big job, you will be surprised how easy they are to put together. I understand you not wanting to go this route at first. It can be a bit much if it is your first AR. You can still but a compleat lower half and a compleat upper half and put them together though. That is how I got my first AR. I bought a compleat Rock River lower half with the buttstock and then bought a compleat Bushmaster upper half with the bbl off the internet. The lower half cost me $240 and the upper half cost me $350. I had to pay another $100 for the bolt carrier because it did not come with one but in the end, I got a new rifle that looked and worked great. You can find better deals out there but I was just showing you that you can buy top of the line parts and get a top of the line rifle for just a little over the $600 limit. You should be able to find other parts for less. Model 1 Sales offer good products at good prices.

4. You can check out some of the lesser known brands. Model 1 Sales would be my choice for a budget rifle because they have quality but lower prices. IIRC, the Olympic Arms Plinker has a cast receiver. You will not be happy with cast parts and you can not sell them as easily if you decide you don't like it or just want to upgrade. With a forged lower, you never need to upgrade because that is what everybody makes.
 
It's going to be tight at $600....and you probably want a several good mags and ammo as well. The plinker should be OK ..... but if you really want the AR type best to save and buy one you really want/will not regret for a bit under $1000 or so. Take your time and look around. Find one that is not post ban (since the ban is gone) and that has a good upper lower fit from a reputable company (there are several). Don't rush it.

P.S. the plinker no longer has a cast reciever.
 
There is really no reason to spend $1000 on an AR unless you are getting parts that are match grade. Mil-Spec parts in any common AR form should run you less than $700 and you could do it for even less than that if you got used parts or Post-Ban parts. My friend has put together a few nice ARs for less than $500-600 and they are every bit as nice as the factory jobs. he has an USMC armorer so he has done it is a time or two. ;)
 
Does the 16" oly plinker plus come with the forward assist and brass deflector? It makes no mention of them in the description, yet it looks like they're on the carbine in the pic (and in the addtional pics). It does mention them in the 20" description, however its a lot more expensive.

Are my eyes playing tricks on me, did they use the wrong pics, or is it really that affordable?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top