Welcome to the boards. I recently completed this process myself, and it actually led to to THR. You'll lot lots of good info here. Also try AR15.com.
Most of the high-volume manufacturers - Bushmaster, Rock River, Armalite, DPMS, Colt, etc. - are pretty reliable. They each have a few issues that sometimes pop up, you can search AR15.Com and THR to learn more about them. Overall though, they all build them pretty solid. Olympic Arms undercuts them in price but tends to be a little more hit-or-miss. High Standard is another company that has a good value quotient. They're newer to the AR scene but have gotten a solid reputation. DPMS is a good choice if you're looking to conserve cash. Stag Arms has a great reputation for reliability and quality at a fair price. I have a Bushmaster and it's worked great.
Colt and S&W typically charge a premium for their ARs versus Armalite, Bushy, RRA, etc. They are very nicely built guns and Colt has a rep for being very reliable with their ARs. Not sure whether they are worth the price premium, although they have strong resale.
There are many less well-known manufacturers out there such as CMMG, Lewis Machine Tool, LaRue Tactical, etc. that build high-quality AR components such as upper and lower halves. These can be a cost-competitive solution if you want a very specific setup. It doesn't sound like you want to spend huge money, but makers like Sabre Defense, Wilson Combat, and Les Baer all built very high-end ARs. Furthermore, gas-piston ARs are sort of a new rage; again, these will cost more money.
In conclusion, I'd get a .223/5.56mm AR from a well-known mainstream maker and not worry about it. See what sort of
Stick to .223 if you're on a budget. 6.8SPC is several times more expensive, as is 6.5 Grendel. A .308-cal AR-15 or an Armalite AR-10 would be worth checking out, particularly if you want to hunt or shoot at longer range, but .308 is also more expensive to shoot. Several companies make 7.62x39 ARs, but IMO just get an AK if you're gonna do that. .223 is more than adequate for most AR-related needs and is cheap to shoot for a centerfire.
If you're looking to head after our furry friends, .223 is plenty for anything smaller than a deer. Deer-hunting with .223 will generate some big flame wars on THR, but if you're a good shooter and you're not gunning from long range a good, clean kill is certainly achievable. Anything bigger than eastern white tail and I'd go for a larger caliber.
Stopping power in case of self-defense will also generate big controversy, but it's certainly superior to a handgun. Over-penetration in close quarters will also stir up controversy. I'll stay silent for this thread's sake.
Before you buy, carefully consider the setup you want. That will likely have major implications on your search.
Good hunting, and welcome to the wonderful world of ARs!
