What to look for when buying an Ar

[pdowg881]

I've been wanting an AR15 since as long as I can remeber and decided screw it, I'm gonna buy one. I've got about 1000 to spend. I want to know what features or manufacturers I should be looking at. When I mean features I mean like is chrome lined a must and stuff like that. Any help would be appreciated. I think I like the full length over rthe carbine but not really sure.
that looks nice http://www.rockriverarms.com/item-d...e=06stda24.gif&CFID=17499575&CFTOKEN=91952065 (the standard A4) Also, I don't want to order online, would it be possible for a gun store to order it for you or are you limited to what they have in stock?

 

[RNB65]

Most retail gun shops stock a very limited selection of AR rifles. You'll get a much better selection with an Internet purchase using a local FFL holder for the transfer.

The biggest things to look for are to buy from a company with a good reputation and good warranty. Someone that will stand behind their product and quickly fix any problems. After you buy the rifle, give it a good shakedown. Shoot a couple thousand rounds thru it using several different magazines. Chances are it will work perfectly, but don't hesitate to send it back to the manufacturer if you encounter any hiccups.

If you look at one locally, just give it a good visual examination and look for any obvious flaws or pieces that don't appear to be well fitted together. Odd tool marks, cracks, scratches, poor finish, etc. Have the dealer show you how to remove the bolt and clean the internals (be warned that the AR has a lot of little parts and small nooks and crannies that make it a real PITA to clean thoroughly).

Finally, go to AIM Surplus and order a bunch of Guatemalan surplus 5.56 ammo. It's cheap and shoots well.

I've got a Bushmaster AR carbine and it works great. Never had a problem with it. More fun than a box of puppies!

 

[pdowg881]

I thought you could only put .223 through it and that 5.56 would create too much chamber pressure? And would it be possible to have a gun store order one for you? I'm new to the whole online purchase thing.

 

[RNB65]

The 5.56mm cartridge was specifically designed for the AR15. AR's will shoot any ammo marked 5.56mm NATO or .223 Remington.

You can ask the gun store to order one for you. They probably will, but they're going to charge you an arm and a leg do do so. Nothing wrong with buying local, but you do get better prices and wider selection over the 'net.

Go here and locate an FFL holder in your area. Give 'em a call and they'll explain the Internet purchasing process. Basically, you're just buying from a gun dealer in another state and using the local FFL holder to handle the transfer and paperwork so it's all legal. Nothing to it.

http://www.gunbroker.com/User/DealerNetwork.asp

Finally, go here to begin doing your homework on the AR15. Everything you ever wanted to know about the AR15 (and more) can be found here:

http://www.ar15.com/

 

[chopinbloc]

More fun than a box of puppies!

i dunno, shooting a box full of puppies sure do sound like a heap of fun.



seriously, there's alot you have to consider when you make a thousand dollar investment. first you'll want to ask yourself what you intend to do with your rifle. if the answer has anything to do with defensive use you'll probably want a 16" barrel. on the other hand, if it has more to do with shooting fuzzy things at long range or poking holes in paper as close together as possible, then you'll want a longer barrel. that said, while a 20" barrel is generally more accurate than a 16" barrel, the difference isn't huge and there's no reason not to expect ~1MOA accuracy out of a good 16" barrel. keep in mind that 16" and 20" aren't the only options. you can also get carbine length, midlength or rifle length gas systems. options abound and, as mentioned above, you'll want to do your homework and alot of "windows" shopping. you asked about chrome lining: chrome lining will marginally reduce accuracy but it will increase barrel life. i do recommend that whatever you choose, you get a flat top as it allows MUCH more flexibility in sighting options. i should also add that while the above poster's statement about all ar-15s shooting 5.56mm isn't 100% accurate. some match grade ar-15s are made with .223 chambers but these will be clearly marked.

there is way too much to go over here but the search function on this site and arfcom are both excellent resources. the ammo oracle ( http://www.ammo-oracle.com/body.htm ) is another great source of information. you might also want to shop on the rock river website because their site has almost every option that is available for the AR.

if you do decide to order online (i recommend it) most gun stores will do a transfer for you for between $25-$50. just decide on the rifle you want, ask the dealer to fax his ffl to the manufacturer/distributor, pay, and wait for your rifle to show up.

 

[Alex45ACP]

The 5.56mm cartridge was specifically designed for the AR15. AR's will shoot any ammo marked 5.56mm NATO or .223 Remington.

Just make sure it's chambered in 5.56 though...

 

[BillL223]

You can't go wrong with Bushmaster if you want a chrome lined barrel, chrome lined is thought to be less acurate but longer lasting. I have switched to normal barrels and am getting 3-4000 rounds with no loss of accuracy. Armalite, Rock River, and DPMS all make servicable rifles. Most come with lousy triggers although the RR I tried was pretty good. I'd swap out any trigger for the JP unit. I'm sponsored by JP (they gave me a free hat with my last upper order). There is not a lot of difference between 16" and 20" barrels except for velocity and handling characteristics. I currently shoot an 18" plus compensator.

 

[Gary G23]

I second the suggestion to go to AR15.COM and do your homework.
For a first rifle I would get a Stag Arms or a Bushmaster. A chrome lined barrel is a good thing to have IMO. The benefits far outweigh the negatives. It takes a good shooter to notice any difference in accuracy between chrome lined and non-chrome lined.

 

[RNB65]

Just to clarify (I hope) the whole 5.56 vs .223 thing using layman's terms and not getting into the dirty details of NATO vs SAAMI specs...

In an nutshell, 5.56mm NATO ammo has a slightly thicker brass base than .223Rem ammo in order to ensure reliable operation in a hot, full auto weapon. The thicker base means that guns chambered in 5.56mm need slightly more headspace than guns chambered in .223. A rifle marked 5.56mm will fire any 5.56mm or .223Rem ammo, but a rifle marked .223 Remington will fire .223Rem ammo but may not fire the thicker 5.56mm ammo.

There are pressure differences also, but let's not get technical.

Just make sure you buy something that's clearly chambered for 5.56mm and you never have to worry about it again.

Check this if you want to get even more confused:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5.56_x_45_mm_NATO

 

[AK103K]

I'd say go with what ever tickles your fancy, AR's, like AK's are like good chocolate, you cant stop at just one.

I have the ABC's, Armalite, Bushmaster, and Colt. My Colt was a new SP1 in 74, and its still going strong. My one Armalite is a match rifle and is my most accurate, my Bushmaster is the least accurate. The other Armalite and the Colt are about even.

I'd suggest you go with a flat top, its a lot more versatile and you have a lot of options to choose from, even for one rifle. It can be scoped, red dotted, or iron sighted at will, with no loss of zero between the dot and scope with the right mounts.

I like the 16" carbines with carbine handguards the best myself. I hate that skinny barrel poking out of those short handguards. The 16" guns are every bit as accurate as the 20" and I dont consider the AR to be anything more than a 300 yard gun anyway, so I'm not worrying to much about lost velocity.

I'm not a fan of the collapsing stocks and prefer the older fixed M16A1 stocks to the A2's and put them on all my AR's.

He's my Armalite M15A4(C) with Aimpoint and GG&G BUIS

 

[RNB65]

Also, don't forget that AR's are a modular design. Say you buy a 20" flattop now -- next year you can buy a new upper receiver with a 16" barrel or one with a 24" match grade barrel or whatever suits your fancy. One good lower receiver with a quality trigger can handle all the upper receivers you can afford to mount on it.

This whole modularity concept -- IT'S INSANITY, I TELL YOU, INSANITY!

Now that I think about it, a custom built Fulton Armory M1A might be cheaper...

 

[pdowg881]

I looked the ffl holders and the closest is the store where I saw an Ar I liked and the gun store I visit most often. So could I go talk to him and give him a printout of what I'm looking for and see what he says or what?

 

[orionengnr]

I'll second the AR15.com recommendation

although things get a bit testy over there.

Good reading though, and costs nothing but a bit of time.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[RNB65]

I looked the ffl holders and the closest is the store where I saw an Ar I liked and the gun store I visit most often.

Well, all retail stores have to have an FFL or else they couldn't legally sell guns!

Sure, the store FFL should work or you can look for an FFL holder who doesn't run a gunshop but does gun transfers on the side. Some people sell guns out of their home and many shooting ranges handle FFL transfers. The gun store will probably charge a higher transfer fee, but either will work. Talk to them and see if they're willing to get you the rifle you want at a decent price. If not, talk to someone else.

 

[pdowg881]

so if i were to do it through a gunstore what kind of transfer free would i be looking at? and i know gunstores are obviously ffl holders i mean that the closest that isnt rediculously far is the gunstore i go to

 

[RNB65]

My FFL guy charges $10 for a transfer. A gun store will probably be somewhere between $25-50. If you agree to buy some merchandise from them (cleaning supplies, ammo, gun case, etc.) along with the purchase, maybe you can talk them into lowering the xfer fee. Never hurts to ask.