Need info on first AR 15 purchase.

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LeontheProfessional

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As the title says, I am new to ARs and need to know what to get and what to stay away from. I want to stay under 1000 dollars on the rifle.

Here are few must haves:
1. atleast Heavy barrel
2. 5.56 chamber
3. 6 Position stock
4. A3 of A4 upper

I want the best over all quality for the price so to speak. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
I have started looking at AR's this last year. Here are a couple of links that I found that helped a lot. I know you said that you need 5.56, but for the heck of it, look at the 6.5 grendal. I am very impressed with this caliber in the AR. I bought the AR5.7 upper as well, which may be my favorite gun. I am going to set this up as an AR pistol, with a short barrel and maybe a suppressor.

The following links helped me to understand a lot.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pwswheghNQsEuEhjFwPrgTA&hl=en
At the bottom of the page you will see these links
EXPLANATION OF FEATURES▼ EXPLANATION, CHARTS @ BOTTOM▼ SPECS▼ COMPARISON

Here is another

http://forums.officer.com/showthread.php?t=81462
 
My first AR was a carbine with a heavy barrel and it doesn't excite me much. Everything esle is sounding good so far. I have a couple of Magpul CTR stocks that I like. The flat top uppers to me are definately the way to go because they give you a lot of flexability.
 
Yuck. That's not what I'd want in a "first" AR. Ar's aren't too fun with heavy barels.
Try:
Lightweight or M4 cut barrel
16" 1/7 Chrome lined barrel
LMT/Colt/BCM bolt carrier group.
Magpull Pmag.
Ambi safety. (most rifle courses spend alot of time useing left and right sides of cover, left and right handed op)

The stocks are easy to change usually. Your not going to really have a good feel for them until you've owned an Ar for a while. I'm fine with the standard stocks and Colt 4 position standard stocks. But I'd like and extra .5-1" longer pull. A LMT sopmod stock is nice.

I recommend a LMT lower with ambi safety, Sopmod stock, single stage trigger. Connect it to a BCM upper of your choice. Or just get a Colt 6920 and add an ambi safety and the stock of your choice.

But skip the heavy barrel!
 
No please don't' buy the Ruger. It is heavy Heavy has a piston system, and still not proven.

I suggest a BCM middy, DDM4, Colt 6920, etc.
Also check out M4carbine.net The site is dedicated to the AT platform and will not steer you wrong.
 
Thanks to every one for the responses so far. I was looking more for a complete AR. Which companies do I want to go with/stay away from etc.
 
Rock river arms has the best quality for the price. Dealer direct so there is no mark up from middle men. Jp
 
Depends on what you are going to use the AR for, I have a 20" SS bull barrel and like it very much. Mine is for coyote hunting and target practice and self defense if needed of course..
 
I'd do some research on these, in order based on reliability cost and performance based on my LIMITED experience and that of others I shoot with:

top of the line rifles you can bet your life on:
Colt 6920
LMT, any of the regular DI ones.
BCM
Larue $$$
Noveske $$$
KAC $$$ (these last three are too expensive to be higher on the list, boutique rifles)
FN fs2000 (i know, not and Ar but worth researching)

tier2 (good and cost effective):
Stag
RRA
Cmmg
Cmmg bargin bin
Cavalry arms
thats about it for my favorites that I have some experience with and CAN recommend.

tier 3: hobby guns
Delton, RRA, Dpms, shrubmaster, anything built with "gun show parts".
thats about it for my favorites that I have some experience with.


I avoid dpms, shrubmaster, remington (they don't know Ar's very well obviously), vulcan, hesse, cerberus, blackthorne.....
 
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Olympic Arms- There are some nuts that will tell you they are crap but they drank too much boo-aid- Olympics are quite fine, I own two and they are a complete joy.
Click to expand...

Ummmm Riiiiiight. Oly has one of the worst reps on the market. There are a couple very ling threads on Arf.com about why they should be avoided. Both the company and the product are pretty crappy.
 
Zerodefect said:
I'd do some research on these, in order based on reliability cost and performance based on my LIMITED experience and that of others I shoot with:

top of the line rifles you can bet your life on:
Colt 6920
LMT, any of the regular DI ones.
BCM
Larue $$$
Noveske $$$
KAC $$$ (these last three are too expensive to be higher on the list, boutique rifles)
FN fs2000 (i know, not and Ar but worth researching)

tier2 (good and cost effective):
Stag
RRA
Cmmg
Cmmg bargin bin
Cavalry arms
thats about it for my favorites that I have some experience with and CAN recommend.

tier 3: hobby guns
Delton, RRA, Dpms, shrubmaster, anything built with "gun show parts".
thats about it for my favorites that I have some experience with.


I avoid dpms, shrubmaster, remington (they don't know Ar's very well obviously), vulcan, hesse, cerberus, blackthorne.....
Click to expand...
I really don't think much of your tiers.... We have 3 DPMS's in the family and they work great and do what they are supposed to do.... shoot accurately... to each their own and we buy nothing but DPMS....
 
I know, that's why they're my tiers. There is such a huge variety of Ar's out there now.

The Key is the Bolt carrier group, Barrel, and magazine. The intensive tactical rifle courses sure do kill rifles of all sort.
For the $1000 range I think Stag would be the best choice. But it might be a better idea to save up $250 more to get a Colt if this is going to be the OP's "go to" gun.
 
Here are few must haves:
1. atleast Heavy barrel
Click to expand...

I would stay away from the heavy barrels. There is no good reason to have a heavy barrel IMO. I carried a heavy-barrelled M16A2 in basic for 5 weeks and hated every minute of it. When I went home on leave and picked up my AR, the weight difference was dramatic, despite my AR having a rail system and an ACOG mounted. Stick to the lightweight or M4 profile.
 
Pick up a Bushmaster - If you look for deals you can pick them up under a $1000. I got mine for $799 a couple years ago at Gander Mountain.
 
I would avoid buying any piston AR systems right now. Not saying they are bad, but...

1) Too new - there isn't a history of use with the AR piston system as we have with the DI system. So the potential fail areas, the wear areas, etc. have not had time to show themselves.

2) Lack of uniform design - seems like each company comes up with their own piston system. Meaning you probably have to go to them for replacement parts and parts don't appear to be all that inexpensive either.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6auXTiqNtEo
nutnfancy has takes an excellent look at the DI vs Piston AR systems. Unbiased non-promotional look discussing the advantages and disadvantages of both systems.


I may purchase one eventually, but not just yet. I'd like to see some history of use and some standardized design.
 
Seriously for a completed gun you can't go wrong with a Bushmaster "Patrolmen's Carbine". I can with consistent regularity shoot clover leafs at 100 yards. I'm not sure how much better accuracy you would need. I've never had a jam or failure to feed issue with it and I've shot a variety of ammo through it to determine which is the best. It's got a 1/9 twist in the barrel and will fire 5.56mm or .223. A number of relatives who are in the military have seen it and are impressed with the quality, especially for the price. A couple of them have gone out and bought their own. I don't know a lot about the other companies, other than what I've heard but when military people go out and buy them for their own that's all I need to see on the issue to know I made the right decision on which one to buy.
 
Bushmaster is low to mid grade at best. They cut far to many corners. For the money I have to disagree with you Mr. T.
 
Azizza, it's a free country so you have that right. One thing to point out the OP was wanting a starter AR for under $1000. I never said Bushmaster was the best AR, but "for the money" the OP has in his budget and considering the experience I've had with mine I would be interested to know which AR for under $1000 you could come up with that is "complete" and better; I'd sure buy one if you can find it.
 
$1000 AR i'd go with a STAG,RRA,used Colt 6920(might could find one for a grand) Bushmaster,and as far an entry AR goes a DPMS sportical will get you into the AR world for under $700 and if you decide you want a top tier AR later on just order a BRAVO COMPANY upper and mate it with your lower
 
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