Should I snag this one?

[Steve Smith]

Wringing my hands on this one...found a PWA pre-ban (s/n is well below cutoff) 20" A2 all original with bayo lug and flash hider, excellent condition and low round count, plus 6 USGI mags. Owner is asking $1250 obo..think I could snag it for $1150. Should I bite?

 

[Kaylee]

how does PWA compare quality-wise?
I've seen several ABCs (mostly bushies, some colts, very few armalites) in that price range at shows in Lewiston.


-K

 

[Steve Smith]

I searched AR15.com for PWA. What I found was right in line with that I'd remembered. The owners say they're some of the best looking and functioning lowers they've ever seen. Maybe I should offer him a Sig 220 and $700 in trade. Before you freak, I only paid $320 for the Sig.

 

[Poodleshooter]

Do you already have a pre-ban AR,Steve?
Personally I'd pass if I already had one that I could M-4gerize, or otherwise modify, which is the only benefit that I can see to a pre-ban.
But then again, I'm a cheap-???

 

[Steve Smith]

No, I don't own a pre-ban yet. I have a hankerin for a suppressed .300 Whisper, so I need a pre-ban for that.

Note: Need has no part in this.

 

[Triad]

I think I would buy it. If you do and the ban dies like it should, you'll have lost some money, but you'll also be able to celebrate very quietly. If the ban doesn't die... well I won't go there

 

[boing]

I'll give you three fifty for the Sig.

 

[Onslaught]

If you got the money... BUY IT!!!

We've had discussions back and forth about pre-ban, post-ban, cheaper this, evil features that...

But I am SOOOO happy that I own one pre-ban AR! Every time I think about doing another AR project, I remember all the things I CAN'T do to them that I could do to this one, and all the steps I have to take to make the thing LOOK normal. (say what you want, AR's look WIERD to me with a bare muzzle!)

With all the projects I have on my wish list, I couldn't buy a $1200+ dollar rifle just to get a pre-ban, but if I could, I certainly would! (Well, I guess I COULD, if I sold this FAL I just bought, and added my entire 9mm upper budget along with it, but then all I'd have is a lower :banghead:

Dag-nab Gub-ment

Before I hang up... let me share some of the things I've run into this week...

Most of us want lightweight AR's. I want to build a super-light 9mm AR.
An 11.5" barrel with 5.5" flash supressor is noticeably lighter than a 16" barrel. On a 9mm AR, there is NO velocity benefit to a 16" barrel over an 11.5" one, but there is weight savings going the other way... I can't build a post-ban rifle with that configuration, so I can't go as light as I could with a pre-ban.

Pre-ban = more money but less build headaches!

 

[mark mcj]

At $1100 to 1200 I'd jump on it. PWA's are said to be good rifles.
From the prices around here, that's a good deal.

 

[Soap]

I've owned a PWA Steve. It was pretty nice. The fit was tight and it it shot wonderfully. It had a 24" bull barrel flattop and I was able to get .5MOA @ 100 with good loads. I'd buy it!

 

[TheLastBoyScout]

I'd hit it.

Seriously, I've never seen a preban around here for less than 1500. The mags are probably worth another 100-150 on top of that.