Trying to decide which AR-15/M-4 to stock in my fledgling business. What do you think? Something with just a rail? A rail with detachable iron sights? A detachable carry handle with iron sights? What brand?

Just my opinion, but with just a rail and then have both scopes, red dots, and iron sights for sale as options and let the customers decide.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

The answer to this question will change depending on who you are asking and when you are asking the question.

I think currently the trend is no carry handle. It seems like more and more people are using red dots or other forms of optics on their AR15s and they are using irons sights for backups. You can see this in Colts configuration of the 6920. It used to come with the carry handle and fixed front post. Now it is a BUIS with the front post. There are some people looking for that retro M4 look but I think they are in the minority these days.

The other advantage of stocking this type of rifle is that you have an immediate pathway to the upsale of a optic which can range from a inexpensive red dot to something like an ACOG.

A lot will depend on who your market is. Who is the customer who is walking in the door and wants to take home a rifle from your shop.

I think newer shooters prefer turnkey solutions like the M&P Sport II and the 6920 which has a rear BUIS and a standard front post or just factory installed BUIS front and back. They have ready to use rifle out of the box for a single price. They do not have enough trigger time to know which sights they prefer so rail only is a complication they might not know how to resolve and you are adding cost.

More experienced shooters will prefer rails only so they can buy the sights they want. They know what sight picture they will use and which sight set best suits their intended use. They also know which ones will co-witness well with an intended optic. Experienced AR shooters almost always have a box of BUIS which have been removed, swapped out or replaced for one of a billion reasons at some point but they know that is part of the fun and are willing to pay for it.

So it really boils down to who is your primary customer. IMHO

There's a lot of first time buyers out there.Some will buy according to price.Others will buy according to looks or brand name.

Your experience in the business can help guide people to what might best serve their needs.A satisfied customer is a repeat customer.

JMHO.

Colt and BCM make solid rifles that come in a variety of configurations to suit a variety of needs. Choose a quality maker that makes a professional quality rifle not one that stresses that their product is "just as good as".... Then stock quality accessories as others have suggested. Some uneducated consumers base their purchasing decisions on price alone. Stock only quality products with as broad a price range as possible and educate the price only buyer why sometimes spending more up front is the best value.

S&W produces quality ARs in configurations to please any buyer. So, if you are looking to standardize on a single brand, you won't go wrong with S&W. I suspect that the majority of buyers will select basic rifles that can be accessorized to the buyer's taste. Stocking a good line of accessories will be a wise decision. The first time buyer is more likely to opt for a Sport model than a high end AR. High end guns will appeal to the more sophisticated rifleman with deep pockets so, sales will be limited.