Speculatory AR15 purchase ahead of any upcoming bans?

[AlexanderA]

There is nothing wrong with buying your first AR today. More selection and generally higher quality than they have been in past decades.

Yes, but by the same token they are a commodity. Nothing unique about them. When I bought my first AR, in 1968, they were definitely a niche item. And the only reason I bought mine is that it filled a hole in my nascent military collection. It cost about $250, which was a lot for me back then.

 

[ColoradoMinuteMan]

Fair enough, but the fact that they have become a commodity means that you’re actually better off buying them today then back when they were expensive, specific, and mostly similar offers. They are more “unique” now than they ever have been in that there are many design enhancements and accessories that make them better than ever.

Yes, but by the same token they are a commodity. Nothing unique about them. When I bought my first AR, in 1968, they were definitely a niche item. And the only reason I bought mine is that it filled a hole in my nascent military collection. It cost about $250, which was a lot for me back then.

 

[valnar]

I'd be more worried about State level bans. They may be unconstitutional but still out there. You can buy things in Idaho you can't buy in New Jersey-Yorkistan.

 

[N555]

Actually it's looking like state bans are going to fall to the courts. If anything there will be a shortage because people in ban states are allowed to by them for the first time in forever and people who have the godawful shark fin grips will be able to put normal grips on them.

 

[lysanderxiii]

So . . . .

What makes you think that the next time there will still be a grandfather cause?

Instead of trying to skirt the next ban, try and prevent it from happening.

 

[Mike J]

I am in the buy one if you want on but don't let thoughts of a ban influence your decision camp. My experience with AR's is limited. About 10 or 11 years ago I bought a blemished rifle kit from PSA. It consisted of an assembled upper & all the necessary parts other than the lower receiver. I bought a blemished lower (couldn't find a blemish) from PSA. I put it together. I used some pin punches I already had & an armorers tool (I think it was about $15). The only problem I had was some idiot (that would be me) installed the hammer spring backwards. It was easy enough to correct once I found out what was causing the light strikes. Then I rounded up some magazines, a rear sight & an inexpensive red dot. The only bummer is how much more expensive ammunition is now than then. The one I put together is basically a 16" barreled M-forgery. It shoots fine though. If I were to do another now I would probably go with the mag-pul handguard & do some other things differently but my rifle works & recently when I shot it at 300 yards at a friends I was able to consistently hit a steel silhouette target without having to work hard.

 

[Varminterror]

This idea is based on a wholly false premise, for a lot of reasons.

I started building AR’s back during the Federal AWB, wrap your head around that for a minute… the ban prohibited features, and designing around those features was simple.

Every ban proposal in recent history has NOT included grandfathering language - these proposals have been confiscatory.

AR’s are not cheap right now. Better than their worst pricing in history, but they’re not cheap. All signs suggest things - almost all things - will get cheaper again in the not-so-distant future.

So really, buying an AR today because you want one or have use for one makes sense. Buying one today because you expect you will no longer be able to own or buy one in the future is dumb.

 

[bassjam]

I tend to agree with varminterror. The chances of prices coming down in the next couple years is pretty good and it sounds like you don't have an immediate need.

As to options, the M&P Sport has a carbine barrel/gas system vs the rifle length you used in the reserves. IMO, this makes it less pleasant to shoot over an A2 style. I have an M&P sport but I don't shoot it much. My most shot AR is an A4ish build with a pencil barrel and carry handle. Everyone I take shooting gravitates to it as well over any of my other AR's. They (and I) love the light weight, long sight radius, soft recoil from the rifle length gas system, plus the solid stock and long tube up front is just comfortable. I guess Stoner had things right when he designed it.

 

[chicharrones]

That said, I think you're better off buying than building. To me, building only makes sense if you know exactly what you want and how to get it. You need $150-$200 worth of tools to do it right.

Agree for a "one and done" AR.

 

[chicharrones]

Right now, without knowing much of anything about ARs, I'm leaning toward a S&W M&P 15 Sport II w/10 rd mag, adj. A2 post and optic-ready:
https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/mp-15-sport-ii?sku=11616

View attachment 1111271​

• PCC in 9 mm? I kind of like the Beretta CX4, for example.

I know it's a lot of questions, but I appreciate any help.

First up, why do you want the 10 round mag version of that S&W?

Personally, I'm fairly averse to ARs with civilian length carbine barrels with short "military carbine" length front sight mounting and handguards. It seems like getting an UZI with a 16" barrel hanging out the end just so you can use the stock on it. But those ARs certainly are affordable and a good basic carbine.

There's no contest that a typical 5.56 AR carbine will outshoot a Beretta CX4 all day every day in an accuracy contest at any range. The Beretta's guts are built like a submachine gun with a blowback telescoping bolt and a trigger suitable for a blaster, both a hindrance to small group shooting.

For me, my AR carbine in 5.56 is used for shooting small at any range I'm likely to shoot. But honestly, my AR sits back seat to other long guns I have that have the same reach. My CX4 is for 100 yards or less, typically 50 yards or less. But the CX4 is a great blaster at those ranges and it is my go-to "long gun" for home defense.

Short version is, my AR is a gun suitable for a magnified optic while my CX4 is purely a red dot gun.

However, the CX4 does have some good points compared to a 5.56 AR carbine. The CX4 has much less muzzle blast and it's lighter and shorter without extra expense. Plus, it's a bit of an odd duck in the pistol caliber carbine world of 2022. So, if you're the type of person that doesn't want the same thing that everyone else has, well maybe the CX4 is the gun for you.

 

[DMW1116]

I have 3 from PSA. The only one to give me real problems was the PA10 in 308. The gas block was wonky and the gun wouldn’t run. I took it back to the store and they sent it to be fixed and called when it was ready. No problems since.

That said I have not shot many from other makers. If you have the funds a higher end might be in order. I bought 2 as kits and the PA10 as an upper and lower. Being able to hand load for them gives more options than I can take advantage of.

Same rifle, two different loads.

Different rifle, same load as the tightest group above.

 

[ECVMatt]

I am a late bloomer to AR assembling and have assembled a few during the pandemic. The configuration that I like the most for a clean and simple AR is the upper from PSA:

https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...em-classic-ar15-upper-assembly-no-bcg-ch.html



It has a mid-length gas system which shoots a bit softer than a carbine length, gives a little bit more room in the forearm for my longer arms and a little be longer sight radius. For the rear sight, I threw on a Daniel Defense A1.5. I combined that with an Aero lower, quality lower parts kit, BCM PNT trigger, rifle length extention, and A1 butstock (It has storage).

It makes a very nice rifle that is soft shooting, lightweight, accurate, and has less things to break. The rear sight can be replaced with a scope or a red dot if desired. The front handguards can be substituted for any standard mid-length handguards. I like the look and feel of the GI-style handguards, so I left them stock.

Other great AR's out there are Colt, Daniel Defense, S&W, and Zion.

There a tons of great AR's out there now, the price is going down and they are available. I would say now is a great time to pick one up.

Let us know what you end up with.

 

[treedoc1]

I keep buying different variants from this Carolina company 4 so far. Bear Creek Arsenal It arrives no shipping delivered no tax. Might be worth taking a flier on one of theirs.
This one might come home this month. It has a more traditional look. $542. Less 10% additional new customer. They regularly are sub $400 for a complete rifle.

 

[plainsdrifter]

The nice thing about building your own is you will have the ability and knowledge to fully strip it, fix parts ect.
Buy some extra lower part kits just because.

 

[DMW1116]

Smaug, I don't know what style you like, but I really like my 20" barreled PSA rifle with the FN barreled upper and fixed stock, very similar to the one above. If, in spite of your ability to reload, you decide to shoot steel cased ammo, my mid-length 16" barreled rifle has trouble with that. The rifle length 20" barrel one has no trouble with either Wolf or Tula.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

It just dawned on me, OP is in Wisconsin. Buy a Midwest Industries AR15 of his liking, they use Criterion made for MI barrels. He supports a decent company and helps his local state's economy. There's also BCM too, another Wisconsin AR15 company.

This

 

[Ignition Override]

OP:

Let’s keep in mind that many of the people who want us to truly fear any “tentative” (?) Ban can include many of the people who Are Having trouble Selling some of their guns and parts.

If I needed to unload thousands —or even a few dozen— of components and accessories, then I would also do my Best to convince you to be anxious about Congress. $$….$$$$. Fear Sells Quite Well.

This is not denying some anti-Sec. Amendment regs passed by many states, and their hopes for the future. Just trying—Here— to remind people of the other motives to keep people on edge.

Last spring I bought a pair of .308s: PTR-91s, simply because they are fun clones of G3 (HK-91) ‘battle’ rifles. That’s the only reason.

 

[The_Quartermaster]

Has anyone bothered to mention to OP about buying spare parts as well? I saw someone mentioning a bunch of LPK's as spares. But in my experience fixing broke or worn weapons, an LPK wasn't necessary unless you're preparing for rebuilding a kaboomed rifle or wanting all your bases covered. However I am sure there may be someone posting afterwards mentioning a sampled outlier story to be contrary, well I too can give a sampled outlier of a roll pin walking out of a carbine buttstock making this a rook to bishop 4 contest of trivialness.

Broke bolts, worn cam pins, worn gas rings, a shot out barrel, a gas key coming loose, a worn carrier, , gnarly retaining pins from a bad reinstall, and broke extractors should be the main concerns. After that concentrate on extractor pins as an easily lost item if not using a tray for small parts during detailed cleansings, and then everything else if you want to be OCD about it.

 

[derek45]

 

[Charlie98]

Has anyone bothered to mention to OP about buying spare parts as well?

I have suggested that a basic AR in the $5-600 range, along with a stash of magazines (10'ish,) a good optic, a basic load of ammos, all in a case... with spare parts! ...would be money better spent than blowing it out on some tricked out rifle, or dumping money into a build.

The idea of carrying spare parts never really occurred to me... until I started breaking parts on my AR, and, to a lesser extent, losing them during disassembly/assembly. And then a friend of mine sheared a few bolt lugs when we were out of town on a shoot... essentially putting the weapon out of order until we got back home. Dumb. So now, my tool kit has a complete AR upper and lower parts kit, and even a spare BCG, and the tools to do most of the basic operator-level repairs. I don't like to make the same mistakes twice.

People think nothing about loading up on magazines and ammo... but none of that is going to do you any good if the weapon doesn't run.

 

[Mars5l]

I felt the same after that surprise rush and pass thru the house or senate. Put a used older Sig M400 and a Colt M4 carbine in layaway. They are both home me now and I have a Sig 716i Ar10 on layaway. I honestly wouldn't mind an old SP1 and a high end AR and be good. Well maybe something in a non-conventional caliber. PSA has had blem stripped lowers with a complete Dagger lower for $100 and been tempted to order that deal. Just have an empty lower for whatever. I guess I should order spare parts as well.

 

[Charlie98]

A true AR aficionado always has an idle upper and/or lower setting about… just in case. If you are really fooling yourself… you’ll have a barrel or spare optic you ‘forgot’ about, in a box under the bench…

 

[M1key]

Never had any issue with PSA builds.

 

[Varminterror]

Never had any issue with PSA builds. Worried about AR-15 ban? Buy one of these on sale with free shipping. View attachment 1111861

What AWB restrictions make you expect an AK could be uninfringed?

 

[CoalTrain49]

The fed isn't your problem. The GOP is likely to control the senate in this election. No new gun control will pass if that happens and probably won't even if doesn't. The state is your enemy. Subscribe to notifications about the proposed gun control bills in your state. If you see any make your plans accordingly. I've been a year ahead of our dem legislature for about 4 years now. You have plenty of time to act if you pay attention to what your state legislators are doing.