Meaning of $349 complete ARs for the Second Amendment

[LiveLife]

Primary Arms recently had complete AR for $399 - https://www.primaryarms.com/radical...-barrel-mft-stock-grip-primary-arms-exclusive

Now Bear Creek Arsenal has complete ARs for $349 - https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/ar-15/ar-15-rifles.html

While these are just about the lowest prices I have seen for free-float MLok AR15s in recent decades, what do they indicate?

When complete AR15s are selling for less than many popular pistols, in my opinion, time really has come for people to not only buy affordable firearms but that AR15 has really become "common in use" for recreational shooting, sporting/match shooting, hunting and in particular, for self defense.

Just as seemingly everyone has "cell phones" to exercise their First Amendment right to communicate and free speech of talking, email, texting and engage in forums/social media; now more than ever, ownership of AR15 has become more affordable for everyone to exercise their Second Amendment right.

And our society, especially the courts all the way to the US Supreme Court now have to take this into consideration for Second Amendment case rulings, as they have for expansion of First Amendment protection for modern forms of communication.

Our gun rights future just got brighter.

 

[Walkalong]

$350 ARs is definitely a good thing for “in common use”.

 

[Bazoo]

Wow, I didn’t know you could get one that reasonable. The cheapest I’ve seen was about $500.

 

[JohnF545]

Are these $350 AR’s a good platform for a beginner to build onto/off of or are they intended to be used as they are and just add some accessories to them (flashlight, laser, red dot, etc)?

Does anyone have one that could verify their quality? Going to the website you’ll always see that they are “quality built” but in reality they could just be a hot mess.

Thanks,
John

 

[LiveLife]

Are these $350 AR’s a good platform for a beginner to build onto/off of or are they intended to be used as they are and just add some accessories to them (flashlight, laser, red dot, etc)?

Does anyone have one that could verify their quality? Going to the website you’ll always see that they are “quality built” but in reality they could just be a hot mess.

I have built several ARs in 16"/18"/20" lengths from complete kits to separate components in recent years including BCA/PSA/Zaviar barrels (I think Zaviar uses BCA in some of their kits) and have been happy with accuracy I have gotten with BCA pistol (Glock 40-9mm conversion barrels) and rifle barrels.

Mind you, I now only use .223 Wylde barrels for greater accuracy (I have gotten around 1.5" 10 shot group average with 18" .223 Wylde builds with decent ammo) but at $350, I would not mind getting 5.56 NATO barrel to plink with. $350 is what I have been paying for kits and complete uppers in recent years.

 

[12Bravo20]

I just looked at the Primary Arms website and that price is for a Radical Firearms AR. And unless they have improved their quality control over the years, I would stay far away from them. I got burnt in the past by Radical Firearms product along with plenty of other people. The 10.5" 5.56 upper I bought years ago is horrible and 50 yard groups look like a buckshot pattern.

 

[LiveLife]

I just looked at the Primary Arms website and that price is for a Radical Firearms AR.

Before turning on the "bash" button, please read my original post and intent meant behind it.

OP is about $350 BCA AR15s and how the lower price will make AR15s more "common in use" the US Supreme Court based their gun rights rulings regarding the Second Amendment.

OP has little to do with how "crappy" particular brand X is. While Ruger/Hi-Point/Taurus sells lower price point firearms, the affordable prices have made many people gun owners and supporters of 2A.

So please, let's focus on the positive aspect of AR15s becoming more available to more people and hopefully supporters of 2A.

Thanks.

 

[JohnF545]

Before turning on the "bash" button, please read my original post and intent meant behind it.

OP is about $350 BCA AR15s and how the lower price will make AR15s more "common in use" the US Supreme Court based their gun rights rulings regarding the Second Amendment.

OP has little to do with how "crappy" particular brand X is. While Ruger/Hi-Point/Taurus sells lower price point firearms, the affordable prices have made many people gun owners and supporters of 2A.

So please, let's focus on the positive aspect of AR15s becoming more available to more people and hopefully supporters of 2A.

Thanks.

I didn’t mean to stray away from the original topic. There’s no doubt that I fully support the 2A and I agree that these would be affordable enough to make them more available.

Personally, at that price point I would be interested in getting one. The only AR platform weapon I currently own is an RRA LAR-8. That’s a similar platform to the AR15, just on a larger scale. Not only size wise but price wise too.

My apologies for the stray.

Thank You,
John

 

[herrwalther]

PSA has probably put more budget ARs into the hands of people than any other brand. Regardless what you think about quality, they got ARs out the door to a vast number of Americans. BCA and others are getting on board if they can maintain the production. The more AR15s in circulation, the better. Nothing says in common use like every household have 1 or 10 ARs.

 

[LiveLife]

I didn’t mean to stray away from the original topic.

Personally, at that price point I would be interested in getting one.

Actually, you precisely made my OP point.

You are now interested in getting another AR15 because of price point and that's exactly the intent of the OP ... lower prices of AR15s will make more people gun owners and likely supporters of 2A.

And yes, $350 for a complete AR15 with full length 15" free-float MLok handguard is a great price.

PSA has probably put more budget ARs into the hands of people than any other brand. Regardless what you think about quality, they got ARs out the door to a vast number of Americans. BCA and others are getting on board if they can maintain the production. The more AR15s in circulation, the better. Nothing says in common use like every household have 1 or 10 ARs.

Excellent point.

BTW, longtime satisfied PSA customer here and I see nothing wrong with buying "Made in USA" products that support US based manufacturing and/or assemby to support local economy.

 

[reddog81]

I hate that distinction. It doesn't make sense to draw a line in the sand based upon what's being used at a certain point in time. Whether something is in common use should be irrelevant. AR15's were not in "common use" 30 years ago, so if we drew a line in the sand 30 years ago we would have excluded AR's? If we draw a line in the sand today what are we leaving on the table that might be invented tomorrow?

Either something is protected under the Bill of Rights or it is not protected. Number of users shouldn't matter.

 

[ExtremeSquared]

...Number of users shouldn't matter.

It matters in the context of the 5th amendment. Hypothetically... assuming courts find a non-grandfathered ban on a specific weapon constitutional, and assuming people are willing to comply, then the only way to be 5a compliant is a congressionally-funded buyback.
This hypothetical buyback cost is likely in the range of tens of billions USD at this point, and growing due to the number flying off the shelves. It is a non-trivial buyback due to quantity.

Of course, you could claim that courts would find a way over this last hurdle, but that puts in the territory of a full breakdown of the social contract, where this all becomes a moot point.

 

[LiveLife]

Whether something is in common use should be irrelevant. AR15's were not in "common use" 30 years ago

But magazine fed semi-auto pistols and rifles were ... And that's the point of "in common use".

AR15 just happened to be originating in the USA and proliferated with great following in all aspects of lives of "We the Peope" from recreational plinking, sport/match shooting, hunting, collecting/modifications/customization and of course, self defense.

And all of these matter to the US Supreme Court.

 

[BreechFace]

AR15's were not in "common use" 30 years ago, so if we drew a line in the sand 30 years ago we would have excluded AR's? If we draw a line in the sand today what are we leaving on the table that might be invented tomorrow?

Either something is protected under the Bill of Rights or it is not protected. Number of users shouldn't matter.

Agreed, and a very good point to defend, promote and discuss.

 

[Insignificant bill]

No weapon should be able to be banned.

 

[12Bravo20]

Before turning on the "bash" button, please read my original post and intent meant behind it.

OP is about $350 BCA AR15s and how the lower price will make AR15s more "common in use" the US Supreme Court based their gun rights rulings regarding the Second Amendment.

OP has little to do with how "crappy" particular brand X is. While Ruger/Hi-Point/Taurus sells lower price point firearms, the affordable prices have made many people gun owners and supporters of 2A.

So please, let's focus on the positive aspect of AR15s becoming more available to more people and hopefully supporters of 2A.

Thanks.

Now if you would have rad my entire post you would see that I am not bashing Radical Firearms. What I am stating is that one should do their diligent homework before making a purchase. And yes it is a fact that years ago Radical Firearms had horrible quality control and sent bad products out the door.

I just looked at the Primary Arms website and that price is for a Radical Firearms AR. And unless they have improved their quality control over the years, I would stay far away from them. I got burnt in the past by Radical Firearms product along with plenty of other people. The 10.5" 5.56 upper I bought years ago is horrible and 50 yard groups look like a buckshot pattern.

 

[hso]

Usable $350 AR rifles will help reach a segment of society that could not afford to pay the pandemic prices.
The more Americans that own ARs the more Americans that are likely to oppose having them banned or restricted.
The more Americans that oppose having ARs banned or restricted the more that are likely to oppose banning or restricting other firearms. Not every one that buys one will, but more than didn't and that's a benefit to the 2A.
Win - Win.

 

[tarosean]

Are the prices just pre-pandemic? I seem to recall them being just as cheap before COVID.

(Course i could be 100% wrong)

 

[General Geoff]

Are the prices just pre-pandemic? I seem to recall them being just as cheap before COVID.

(Course i could be 100% wrong)

$350 in 2022 money is ~$300 in 2019 money. These BCA ARs are very much the cheapest commercially available complete AR-15 rifles in history.

 

[redcon1]

Sounds like market saturation to me. Definitely evidence of "in common use at the time". makes me feel silly for spending $1,400 on my first build but I doubt these $350-$400 rifles have Shilen match grade barrels and Triggertech Diamond triggers or any other high end components. I have to wonder how they shoot though. probably not too bad.

 

[jaytex1969]

I have to wonder how they shoot though. probably not too bad.

I will let you know!

Thanks, OP.

 

[General Geoff]

Sounds like market saturation to me. Definitely evidence of "in common use at the time". makes me feel silly for spending $1,400 on my first build but I doubt these $350-$400 rifles have Shilen match grade barrels and Triggertech Diamond triggers or any other high end components. I have to wonder how they shoot though. probably not too bad.

Pew Pew Tactical did a review on these a year ago:

https://www.pewpewtactical.com/bear-creek-arsenal-budget-ar-15-review/

In summary, the finish & finish was pretty bad, and the trigger group needed a couple hundred rounds to wear in before working correctly (wouldn't reset on its own between shots). But other than that, the rifle performed just fine, didn't need any parts replaced, and was reasonably accurate too.

A year ago these rifles were $1000. I wouldn't pay that much for one. However, for $350 out the door I'd say it's a fine rifle.

 

[crstrode]

So please, let's focus on the positive aspect of AR15s becoming more available to more people and hopefully supporters of 2A.

Thanks.

The deaf, dumb, and blind tacti-cool crowd generally cannot focus.

 

[Speedo66]

Sounds like market saturation to me. .

Agree.

If you can’t move goods, how do you stimulate the market? Lower the price.

Sounds like that price has already moved current AR owners right here to buy another.

 

[redcon1]

Agree.

If you can’t move goods, how do you stimulate the market? Lower the price.

Sounds like that price has already moved current AR owners right here to buy another.

I'm tempted to buy one but I'm really more into building them than having them right now. It's easier to get AR15 parts than primers so that's my new hobby until primers are abundant once again.