Getting feet wet in ar-15 world..

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Menthol

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Having had a few bolt action rifles I'm ready to buy the cheapest ar I can convince my wife I need :)
Looking at the S&W mp15 sport. But a buddy of my told me to check out palmetto state armory. Knowing nearly nothing about ar's and even less about palmetto state armory.

I'm looking for opinions on them and I know the mantra you get what you pay for. I know a $1000 AR is sooo much better but when the budget is not there.

Links to the ones I'm looking at

http://palmettostatearmory.com/8923.php
And
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/977/products_id/71969

Heard not so good things about the bushmaster carbon15
 
AR's Aplenty

This is sure to get plenty of responses....

What do you want to do with it? That is key. Lots of opinions will be based on mil-spec such 'n' such and weekend-long torture tests putting 1000's of rounds through them without cleaning. I think for the casual user even the S&W or Bushmaster you get from Cabela's for $600ish is fine. Although I also heard Palmetto has a nearly all-milspec AR with an optic included for $1000. It's a great deal if you can afford it. Otherwise, look into Stag or Rock River or Spike's, I hear generally good things about them, and they are cost-effective.
 
I have been carrying a Bushmaster daily as a duty rifle for nearly a decade. I have nothing bad to so about it. However, I am not an AR guy. I don't know the ins and outs of what's good, bad, better or best. I just know the one I have works well.
 
bang for the buck

I would buy an assembled upper then get a lower from another source. It is cheaper this way for no other reason than the excise tax.

I've read good things about psa uppers. I used a psa lower parts kit in my first build. I really liked the lower parts kit.

go over to slickguns.com. A good site to waste some time on and find budget deals.
 
i haven't heard much about the guns coming from PSA, but the specs look good. if i could find good reviews online, that would be my choice, given the price constraint.
 
What it's going to be used for? It's for slaying paper targets at local range.. Taking care of some pesky prairie dogs and coyotes at most.

Most likely I'll be adding a cheap 4x scope on it but I'd like my iron sights.

$700 is really all I can squeak by the mrs. And the S&W is 620. Palmetto just under 600. I have a local ffl that will charge a 20 for the transfer.

Buying parts and building might be good way to go but I'll run the risk breaking my budget. And ultimately I don't want a 1000 AR.

When it comes to the bushmaster it's only the carbon lightweight model that read some not so great reviews about. The others geek to be top notch and top dollar.
 
I have handled the M&P at the LGS, it seems to be a perfectly acceptable entry level AR. I'd buy it as a first AR, BUT am I primarily a handgun shooter, and only own one rifle, an AR built for me by my son as a gift.
 
Given the minor difference in price just save up a bit longer.
Click to expand...

I don't think the issue is saving the money but justifying the expense. :) Sometimes our better halves just don't understand. The wifey likely won't appreciate the 1:7 twist or M4 feed ramps that come along with an extra expense. That may result in a "you spent WHAT?!?!?"

Of course you could just save up in secret and tell her you spent half what you did :evil:
 
PSA is good to go
Click to expand...

What he said. ^^^

Palmetto State Armory puts together some dang fine rifles. Many of their parts come from the same suppliers who send parts to FN Manufacturing (which is also located in Columbia, SC). FN has the current government contract for M-16 rifles for the military.

For my $600, I would definitely take the PSA AR over the M&P-15 Sport.
 
I'd look at the current PSA offerings before getting the Sport. A buddy of mine recently purchased one, and had serious buyers remorse. He wanted one a little more mil spec-ish, and was disappointed.
 
In the hands of a casual shooter all of the AR's will be fine. The only real need to spend bigger bucks is to compensate for something. It is like buying any firearm. You get a little more with each step up in price you take but the basic weapon is the same. A mil spec rifle will do just fine unless you are looking into shooting competitive sports. Most casual shooters won't put 5K rounds through their AR's and even the cheapest ones on the market will handle that.
 
+1 PSA, Get a complete upper, a lower build kit and a stripped lower.

I have built using 2 PSA lowers, 3 PSA LPKs, 1 premium BCG and much more PSA parts. They all fit and functioned as intended if not surpassed my expectations.

Getting a complete upper will require less tools. Building an upper will require vise blocks and barrel wrench adding to your cost. The lower only requires a good set of punches, a driver or 2 and a cheap castle nut wrench.
 
The PSA M4gery follows the mil-spec, has excellent feedback from many buyers at arfcom. It's a bargain at $599 and if you buy the upper kit and bare lower you can save another $100.
 
I don't think I want to build my own. Maybe the next one :). Now I just need to clear it with wifey and figure out the FFL process.
 
the wifey part will be the hard part. Are you looking to buy on line? If so it is way easier than some will make it sound.
Just find a local FFL dealer that will do transfers (shop around for pricing it varies)
then find the rifle you want,
pay for it,
have your local FFL dealer send a copy of his FFL to the dealer you are buying it from,
wait for the rifle to come in
fill out form at your local FFL dealer (some areas require a wait time for whatever reason)
collect rifle and a bunch of ammo
report back after range trip with pics of new rifle and how much you like it
 
kwelz said:
PSA is new and relatively unproven. DPMS is proven to be junk. If those are your two choices go with PSA.
Click to expand...

That's the thing they are not my only choices. There are tons of them out there and as many opinions. Also looked at the S&W m&p 15 sport again. But a bunch of folks keep telling me "go with mil-spec stuff instead". + buying a AR is like buying a Harley.... It's just the beginning, the fun is in the dressing up.

And a beginning is what I will get for sub $700...

All I need to find is a entry level rifle that gets me going and does not limit the future add-ons. I don't want to be locked i to a brand name. I also don't want to be paying just for a brand name. Knowing very little about AR manufacturers is blessing and a curse, not being swayed by names so much but also not knowing what to avoid.

These forums are great for that.
 
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A good AR <650 is going to be pretty much impossible. I know there is the PSA deal right now but outside of that anything is that price range should be avoided at all cost.

And I dont' understand the aversion to "building" it yourself.
Buy upper, buy lower. Push two pins together. Built.
 
Menthol said:
That's the thing they are not my only choices. There are tons of them out there and as many opinions. Also looked at the S&W m&p 15 sport again. But a bunch of folks keep telling me "go with mil-spec stuff instead". + buying a AR is like buying a Harley.... It's just the beginning, the fun is in the dressing up.

All I need to find is a entry level rifle <$650 that keeps my options open and let's me get going without building it myself.

I gotta say, I'm lad or this forum to get some outlet and some ideas.
Click to expand...
Getting one of these would leave you almost 300 left to get the lower and sights.

http://www.surplusammo.com/surplus-ammo-arms-complete-m4-16-free-floated-5-56-upper-1-9/
 
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