Ok I pretty much been shooting pistols more than rifles for 45 years or so. I have a couple of 22's, but I see everyone jumping in on the AR, AK, thing, figuring that thier going to get banned possiblly. I don't pretend to know which AR I should buy. I been looking at all the usual sights, and see peices from $600-$1200, without optics. Even my buddy in New Mexico just got one, and now I am feeling left out. Colt, Stag, uppers and lowers, it's enough to confuse the heck out of me. Coming up on my 60th, geez, and I figure why not get one. So I respect the decades of knowledge in the forum, can you help an older pistolero, pick out something cool looking, so I can pull it out of the safe and take it either to the range, "outdoor", or down NM way for a little plinking. I can remember shooting Chucks on farms upstate with a 223, I would like to get something I can build on, and something that a 500 yd shot could still be made. If I need to go 308 on thet than so be it, but I defer to you gents.
Help me decide on what to buy
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Starship1st
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Personally, I am leaning towards the AKs due to budget. If I could afford it I would buy the AR, since I am more familiar with the M16.
I am no expert in this; so I am just speculating.
I am no expert in this; so I am just speculating.
Well you are gonna get a lot of opinions on this one but since I am one of the first I will put in my 2 cents worth. The first thing you really have to decide is what you want the rifle to do. Ar's are now as diverse as automobiles. You can get one that is primarily for a combat/defensive role or one that is primarily for Varmint/Target type shooting. There are also guns out there that can perform both functions reasonably well. Given what little you have said so far I will assume that you are probably more interested in a Varmint/Target type gun than an M-4 combat type rifle. The real difference is basically the style of the barrel and the handguards. For a Target type gun a heavy or Bull barrel and Free float handguards are standard. Whichever way you choose to go, get a Flat-top. This will allow you to use either a scope or removable iron sights.
I have 2 Ars and my primary interest is shooting targets at 100-200 yards. I also occasionaly get to go shoot prarie dogs but I have other rifles for that. Either of my Ars would be perfectly suited to taking p-dogs out to about 400 yards and maybe a little further. Just to clarify, I am getting 5 shot groups right around 1/2" at 100 yards with my handloads. That is almost as good as My Savage rifles do. Both of my rifles are made by Olympic Arms. They are both bull-barreled guns. I have a 16'' and a 20" Match/Target gun and honestly the 16 does as well as the longer gun. The longer gun is the K-8 and I believe that the 16 is what they now call the K-16. It used to be called the PCR-16. I like my Olys and the only problems I have had with either were due to reloads or lack of cleaning. The chambers are tight and won't go several thousand rounds without cleaning. It probably is the reason that they are also quite accurate. I would reccomend their bull-barreled 16" model without hesitation but DPMS also offers a similar gun that I might also buy if I needed another bull barreled gun. By the way, while I wouldn't want to carry it slung over my shoulder all day I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use it in a 3 gun match or keep it the closet just in case. Mine curretly wears a Leupold 4x12 with Mil-dot reticle and flip-up iron sights. I bought my gun new 3 years ago for $600 though it was on sale at the time. I think you can still get one for around $700 and the DPMS for around $800.
I have 2 Ars and my primary interest is shooting targets at 100-200 yards. I also occasionaly get to go shoot prarie dogs but I have other rifles for that. Either of my Ars would be perfectly suited to taking p-dogs out to about 400 yards and maybe a little further. Just to clarify, I am getting 5 shot groups right around 1/2" at 100 yards with my handloads. That is almost as good as My Savage rifles do. Both of my rifles are made by Olympic Arms. They are both bull-barreled guns. I have a 16'' and a 20" Match/Target gun and honestly the 16 does as well as the longer gun. The longer gun is the K-8 and I believe that the 16 is what they now call the K-16. It used to be called the PCR-16. I like my Olys and the only problems I have had with either were due to reloads or lack of cleaning. The chambers are tight and won't go several thousand rounds without cleaning. It probably is the reason that they are also quite accurate. I would reccomend their bull-barreled 16" model without hesitation but DPMS also offers a similar gun that I might also buy if I needed another bull barreled gun. By the way, while I wouldn't want to carry it slung over my shoulder all day I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use it in a 3 gun match or keep it the closet just in case. Mine curretly wears a Leupold 4x12 with Mil-dot reticle and flip-up iron sights. I bought my gun new 3 years ago for $600 though it was on sale at the time. I think you can still get one for around $700 and the DPMS for around $800.
I am kind of in the same boat here. Way too many options. I think I found something that may work for me and might be helpful for you. As cz said definitely get a flat top. I for right now am going to go with 6.8spc with 20" target crown. Low pro gas block and free float hand guards. I have wanted an AR for years and am just getting around to it. The reason I picked 6.8 is stopping power. I want to shoot deer/hogs. Not say the 223 won't take down a deer I just feel the 6.8 is better for me. The build I am doing is going to run right at 700. Check out model 1 sales.
Thanks for the input, also can you tell me where is a good knowledgable dealer who I might contact to purchase such a combination, I would like to buy the gun fairly close to the way I decide upon. Based on what you folks advise, and I would like to use the rifle primarily for target, a little hunting, and home security, and I agree that for investmant value alone, who knows if they will be legal to purchase after the elections, Thanks
MT GUNNY
Member
If budget is a problem get one of those kits for 499
then find a dealer selling lowers for about 150
put it together your self save about 300 bucks
I recently found a DPMS lower for 150 and parts kit for it for 50
Now I have two AR's -1 bolt assembly and charge handle.
then find a dealer selling lowers for about 150
put it together your self save about 300 bucks
I recently found a DPMS lower for 150 and parts kit for it for 50
Now I have two AR's -1 bolt assembly and charge handle.
Kind of Blued
Member
I found myself in this boat recently and after lots of research, I simply dug myself into a financial black hole...
I now feel that I NEED three ARs.
A) One CQB M4-Style carbine that has all the tacticool junk on the rails,
B) One 24" bull barreled varmint gun... Maybe even DPMS' LR 204...
and C) One 20" bare bones A2-style rifle, because they're so classic looking.
For my first AR, I'm making a compromise by going for the DPMS Mark 12, or possibly the Mini SASS. They're relatively handy, and covered in rails, so you could put a vertical grip on 'em, along with a red dot and they have flip-up iron sights. You can also throw a scope on them and a bipod and make accurate shots at 500 or so yards.
If you do want an AK too (they're way too much fun not to), get some sort of AR with a longer barrel and scope mountable. The AK is good for little more than sprayin' lead under 200 yards for lots of cheap loud fun. The fun:funds ratio is great though.
I now feel that I NEED three ARs.
A) One CQB M4-Style carbine that has all the tacticool junk on the rails,
B) One 24" bull barreled varmint gun... Maybe even DPMS' LR 204...
and C) One 20" bare bones A2-style rifle, because they're so classic looking.
For my first AR, I'm making a compromise by going for the DPMS Mark 12, or possibly the Mini SASS. They're relatively handy, and covered in rails, so you could put a vertical grip on 'em, along with a red dot and they have flip-up iron sights. You can also throw a scope on them and a bipod and make accurate shots at 500 or so yards.
If you do want an AK too (they're way too much fun not to), get some sort of AR with a longer barrel and scope mountable. The AK is good for little more than sprayin' lead under 200 yards for lots of cheap loud fun. The fun:funds ratio is great though.
Now I am not pushing the Olympic guns on you but, just the same, check this out. http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/programming/listview.asp The K-16 is the gun I was talking about and it is $659. Again, I like mine just fine and you will find others who will agree. You will also find others who will not. I didn't look too far on that page but I know they sell other brands as well. Check out Gunbroker.com for prices on just about any AR you could want.
OregonJohnny
Member
What I did was buy the standard Bushmaster 20" A3 with removable handle and fixed butt stock for about $900. It has been a great rifle. I have added a little 4-sided rail that slips over the barrel and mounts right in front of the front sight post. Onto this I mounted a fold-up military style bi-pod. I then added a 3-9x40 scope with really tall rings. So in about 60 seconds and with one allen wrench, I can go from a standard military-looking infantry rifle to a scoped varmint-looking rifle. I would recommend doing something like this because of the versitility.
Next, I'm going to get a Bushmaster 16" flat-top upper receiver, a full-length quad rail and a 6-position adjustable butt stock. This way I will essentially have 3 different rifles in 1. A standard iron-sight infantry M4, a scoped target and varmint rifle with a bi-pod, and a short-barreled tactical defense rifle.
In my experience, you can't go wrong with Bushmaster, plus they are relatively inexpensive compared to some other brands. Good luck with your search. I'm sure whatever you choose, you'll see how much fun an AR can be!
Next, I'm going to get a Bushmaster 16" flat-top upper receiver, a full-length quad rail and a 6-position adjustable butt stock. This way I will essentially have 3 different rifles in 1. A standard iron-sight infantry M4, a scoped target and varmint rifle with a bi-pod, and a short-barreled tactical defense rifle.
In my experience, you can't go wrong with Bushmaster, plus they are relatively inexpensive compared to some other brands. Good luck with your search. I'm sure whatever you choose, you'll see how much fun an AR can be!
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