Hey everyone,

I wanted to get some advice regarding the pricing on an AR15. I have the chance to purchase a smith and Wesson m&p sport ar15 for $826.50 out the door. I was wondering what people thought about this price? Is it a good deal? Is it worth buying? I know everything is marked up because of what is going on; however, I have been told these rifles are selling for around $2100 new online. Then again, I have read online that these rifles were selling around the $600 mark before the talks of a ban. What does everyone think. Is this a good price for this rifle? Or do you think i should wait out this storm and wait for prices to lower (although i doubt the prices will ever be as low as they once were...thoughts?).

I know many people will say for only $200 dollars more you can get something way better. But honestly $200 bucks is a lot of money for me. Honestly, i will just be using this for the range, home defense, maybe some competition if i get into it and mainly for the zombie apocalypse/end of the world survival situation and all the reviews online seem to be stellar and the rifle gets high marks and is labeled as major bang for your buck.

I have always wanted an AR and although I doubt a ban will happen I would like to get one now before another mass shooting happens and they are possibly gone for good.

Anyway, what does everyone think of the price? Is this a good deal? Is it a great deal? Should I definitely hop on this or perhaps wait? Thanks in advance for the help!

Actually at the moment that is a good price. Even for Sport models they have been generally selling well over the 1K mark.
Let alone being able to find an AR is justification alone. Grab it.

Yes that is not bad considering the current situation. I bought mine in Jan ( did not want to wait not knowing how all this was going to go) and I paid more then that, so take some comfort knowing that

I just sold a no-name, Frankengun AR-15 for $1300. Just a very basic carbine. I'd say you should move one the one that you have found.

Yes it is a reasonable price. Buy it before someone else does.

Yep, but it. A store close to me just got a bunch of Sports in and is selling them for pretty close to that price so that's a good indicator of what they should currently be priced at.

Like others have said, it is a good price, for the climate today. MSRP is $839, so your out the door price is less than that.

However, the Sport is a basic, no frills rifle. Recently, S&W has changed the specs on the barrel, which has lessened its value in my mind. Pre-panic days, I could find the M&P 15 OR for the same price as the Sport. With the changes that S&W has made to the Sport, I would choose the OR today, if the price is close.

great price for a great gun

I'd say that's a very good price. Pounce on it before it's gone.

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THIS WE'LL DEFEND ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

In October and November of 2012, You could pick them up for $629 in New York. All things considered, at that price I would pick it up.

Go for it.

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-John

After you get it please give us a range report with pictures so we can live vicariously through you. LOL

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Grover Oathkeeper

Grover is right. Pics.

You're just starting your 15-Sport adventures. Some of us are "old" to this now. It's nice to see the new people coming online and asking questions. Keeps things fresh.

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-John

Thanks for all the information and input guys!

I just realized they recently changed the barrel and I am kind of bummed about it. What if this is not the model with the melonited 5r 1:8 twist barrel, should I still get it? Is it still a good deal then?

I'm not even going to admit to what I paid for one just a couple of months ago on Gun-you-go-Broker. Buy it. It's a STEAL in this market.

BUY IT.

Most of us should be good enough with one to live up to needing to actually worry about the hype about the barrels.

There are 5000 people on this board that would raise Cain about one barrel v. another, and probably 100 that it would actually matter to. Just MHO. YMMV.

This is where you and I would disagree...Without the 1:8 barrel, the Sport is no longer the value it once was, whether my shooting skills could eek out the difference or not. With the 1:8 5R barrel, you can overlook the lack of dustcover and forward assist. Now, with a 1:9 barrel, plus lack of dust cover and forward assist...plus add the fact that S&W raised MSRP by $100, I wouldn't go with the Sport. The Sport was a heck of a deal with the 1:8 barrel at $650 or less...Not so much as configured today.

I would wait a little while longer. Prices are coming down. As the market stabilizes, see what else is available in your price range. Maybe the Sport is still the winner, but maybe not.

Thanks for this! I am glad someone feels the same way I do. The store got an m&p 15 in today and I said I would pass. I was beating myself up over it because I really want one. However, I didn't feel confident purchasing it because all of my research on the rifle was based on it coming with a 1/8 twist and I felt that is what made it such a great bargain. But without the 1/8 twist I feel like it wasn't the deal I was hoping for anymore.

This was exactly what I needed to hear so thank you. I doubt any bans are coming so I think I will sit tight and wait for the market to return to normal and then purchase.

Could anyone recommend some rifles to look at that are reliable, trustworthy, accurate, and dependable for the 600 to 800 dollar mark? I am essentially looking for what the smith and wesson m&p 15 was before they moved to the 1/9 twist. Thanks!

When I bought my Sport about a year ago, they were hard to find and in demand. The sub $600 deals that many were able to get alluded me in my area. When I found one for $650 at a big box store, I jumped on it. At that time, I could get the S&W M&P 15 OR for $700 at the gun shows. I would look at those to see where they are price wise compared to the Sport today. They have a 1:9 twist, chrome lined barrel, but have the forward assist and dust cover. I would also look at Palmetto State Armory, as they had 1:7 twist, chrome lined near Sport prices in the pre-panic days.

Keep looking around, there have been a couple people say that their recent Sport purchase still had the 1:8 barrel. Keep an eye out for the M&P 15T as well. Pre panic days it ran a few hundred more than the Sport, but it comes with the 1:8 barrel, free float quad rail, dust cover, and forward assist.

I take it that you double checked the barrel..?

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THIS WE'LL DEFEND ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

I would pay that amount for a 1/9 chrome barrel Sport. I would pay over $1000 for the older 1/8 5R barrel version. Check the barrel on the one you saw, it might be the older version. Last week I purchased a NIB Sport with the 1/8 barrel. I had been on a waiting list since December so I believe it was truly fresh from the factory--and it had the old barrel! You never know...

I didn't personally check the barrel; however, I told the the guy at the gun store what I wanted and he checked it for me when the rifle arrived. So when he called me to let me know what barrel it was he was able to tell me it had a 1/9 twist.

I think this may be the reason the specs are not listed on smith & Wesson's website anymore. I have a feeling they are producing both. I will definitely keep checking. Hopefully I will get lucky.

In the meantime I have been looking at palmetto state armory because of their prices. Also I am interested in rifles made by spikes because it looks like before the craze happened they were selling rifles in the 800 dollar range. I will wait for things to die down and return to semi-normal. However, I still have my heart set on a 1/8 melonite smith and wesson sport