First AR-15 (budget or save up)

[rockquarry]

I am currently at 4 guns and at this point the only gap in my minimalist collection seems to be an AR-15/AK/SKS or some form of rifle in intermediate caliber.

I am still unsure if I will even get one but if I do decide to get my fifth gun I am leaning heavily towards an AR-15 due to 5.56 ammo prices compared to 7.62x39. That leaves only a few unanswered questions.

1. Do I even need an AR or would it just sit in my safe? What has been your experience is it just an expensive range toy or do you feel your AR is a critical part of your collection?

2. Do I need to shell out several thousand to have a rifle that is truly ready for anything or is a more budget friendly rifle like an M&P or Ruger good enough if a break glass in case of emergency situation arises?

3. What are some things you wish someone told you before you got your first AR? What are some things a newbie should know before diving into this?

thanks in advance!

You mention AK and SKS. I don't know anything about AKs other than I wouldn't have one; just no interest. I did buy a couple of new SKSs when they were real cheap about thirty-five years ago. I know they are quite popular and I found them surprisingly accurate with handloads using good bullets. They even shot cast bullets with decent accuracy. Regardless, these are incredibly crude guns and I couldn't imagine what purpose they serve other than what they were designed for. If we can afford a gun at all, we can all do better than an SKS.

 

[rug357]

I think you should buy a receiver and get what you like at Palmetto and put it together. By putting the gun together yourself you will learn a lot about how it works and have some idea on what to do when it fails to work. IMHO you can spend $500 and put a good AR together that fits your needs. It probably won't shoot 1 MOA or last 50,000 rounds but does it have to? Start with a good iron sight and save up for a good red dot sight like Aimpoint as good optics are not cheap...and never go cheap on optics. Get couple of good mags and all you need is ammo and some training on how to use the rifle.

 

[wood714]

Surely it's better than YouTube.

Just for the fact they have a machinist drawing with measurements to make a DIAS.

I bet a lot of people put it to use.

 

[duke2002]

I agree with PSA. I have built a couple off parts from them. They run some pretty good deals on blem uppers etc. Down the road you can always screw a better barrel on it.

 

[wood714]

You mention AK and SKS. I don't know anything about AKs other than I wouldn't have one; just no interest. I did buy a couple of new SKSs when they were real cheap about thirty-five years ago. I know they are quite popular and I found them surprisingly accurate with handloads using good bullets. They even shot cast bullets with decent accuracy. Regardless, these are incredibly crude guns and I couldn't imagine what purpose they serve other than what they were designed for. If we can afford a gun at all, we can all do better than an SKS.

The good old days when you could buy a 1000 round case of 7.62x39 for around $70.00.

It's more expensive than 5.56 these days.

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

The 5.56 AK-47 refers variants of the AK-47 that are chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge. Lighter ammo and reduced recoil, the AR and AK can shoot the same rounds when chambered accordingly. These rifles are popular for both hunting and target shooting due to the availability of U.S.-produced ammo.

Don't like 7.62x39 rounds? No problem, and they have made some fine factory variants. While you can fire a .223 Rem. in a rifle chambered for a 5.56 NATO cartridge, you can't do the vice versa as it's unsafe and can damage the weapon or the operator.

I believe we buy what we want or what we can afford. I like a good Vepr, a good Saiga, and Romanian SAR 3 for said purpose, but they are all over the market by others. I shoot the .223 rounds in them. Seems I've heard a story or two of men being shot through trees in Nam by the 7.62x39 from somewhere.

 

[imashooter2]

The AR15 is a commodity and not a commodity exists that a man can't make it a little cheaper and sell it for a little less. The $400 entry level rifles reflect this truth.

My first was a Colt R6600 that I bought in 1999. Some will say you pay more for the Pony, and they are probably right. But I believe that money gets you better quality control as well. My recommendation is a middle tier rifle. Colt, Rock River Arms, Stag, S&W, Ruger. Something in that range. Iron sights have worked for a few hundred years. A quality optic makes a good upgrade. Your choice of red dot or LPVO.

 

[imashooter2]

The good old days when you could buy a 1000 round case of 7.62x39 for around $70.00.

It's more expensive than 5.56 these days.

I bought an SKS so I could fire Chinese steel core at 6¢ a shot and not have to save my brass to reload. Then some fool chambered a handgun in 7.62x39 and POOF! All gone.

 

[langss]

The Duncan Long book was our Youtube back in the day.

That's the one...I read that so many times, the pages are "Dog Eared". I have another of his books, but it might as well have been blank pages compared to the original.

 

[Castloader]

I am currently at 4 guns and at this point the only gap in my minimalist collection seems to be an AR-15/AK/SKS or some form of rifle in intermediate caliber.

I am still unsure if I will even get one but if I do decide to get my fifth gun I am leaning heavily towards an AR-15 due to 5.56 ammo prices compared to 7.62x39. That leaves only a few unanswered questions.

1. Do I even need an AR or would it just sit in my safe? What has been your experience is it just an expensive range toy or do you feel your AR is a critical part of your collection?

2. Do I need to shell out several thousand to have a rifle that is truly ready for anything or is a more budget friendly rifle like an M&P or Ruger good enough if a break glass in case of emergency situation arises?

3. What are some things you wish someone told you before you got your first AR? What are some things a newbie should know before diving into this?

thanks in advance!

Well, if you ask a question on any Internet forum, you're bound to get many different opinions. Some here I can agree with, but by no means all.
I don't post here very often so here's my background for reference:
24-year LEO, primarily maritime boarding operations, CQC, I've fired a couple hundred thousand rounds through various weapons systems, also an occasional hunter, competition shooter and recreational plinker.

Here are some things I think are important for you to know at the entry level in 2025:

1) Milspec M4 handguards are out. Thats why everyone including the military are swapping them out. Save yourself the trouble and buy or build something with a rigid forearm. There are lots of great options. The M-Lok pattern seems to be winning the fight over attachment options and for good reasons. It's cheap to manufacture, its lightweight and smooth to hold onto, and it is secure under recoil with plenty of surface area engagement. This makes it better than a quad rail or Keymod.

2) Build vs buy: I am a fan of building because you get maximum options. The only downside is lack of a warrantee for the whole gun, but lets face it, whichever part fails is likely still under warrantee so just take off that part and get it swapped under its own warrantee. Building allows you to spend the least money on the best gun. Thats a win for you. As long as you follow torque specs, you'll build something as good as a factory.

3) Whatever you choose, I would not go cheap on the barrel or the trigger. A good barrel will give you accuracy and long life and a good trigger will keep you hitting the target and make your time with the rifle pleasant.

4) QPQ finish on the bolt and carrier makes cleaning a breeze. If this coating was available back when Eugene Stoner designed his wonderful black rifle, it would almost certainly be milspec today.

5)The Geissele grip has a better grip angle than Milspec and gets my vote. If you're just going to run 5.56 exclusively, get a longer gas system to keep port pressures on the lower side, so Carbine or mid-length depending on your barrel length.

6) I would buy a pistol brace for this firearm. You can run short or long barrels as desired.

7) And just my two cents, though I own a high-end LMT MRP, if I was starting out today on a budget, I'd go to the Aero Precision website and get the M4E1 upper and handguard with one of their lowers, then build out from there.

I hope this helps

 

[langss]

Just a side note here. I am by no means any kind of expert with these guns. I have put together probably 50 or more for between all my friends and family. I've used almost every brand of lower, including 80% that someone else finished, and I have yet to find one upper from any brand,"Gun Show" or Name Brand that didn't work. Yes some were a little short in the accuracy department, and some had minor other issues, but after my first, I still only start out with (1) cartridge and work up from there. I have a 9mm Colt clone that has a little from every company, and even with the Magazine Feeding issues, it had, it just works. So I don't think anyone can go to far wrong, in buying a "Kit" of their liking and a lower of their choice and have fun. YouTube has banned Assembly Videos...But there are still plenty of them out there. And I read somewhere the phrase...Two Is One, One Is None. Act accordingly.

 

[Oil Field Trash]

USMC issued me a General Motors marked AR while overseas. Worn out to say the least. Most accurate I ever bought was a pre-ban Eagle Arms HB pre Armalite (Coal Valley). I've been a PSA fan for several years now, both their AR15 and their AR10 models. Excellent quality, prices are realistic and they work. Save your lunch for a high end, these will fill the bill for now. Just my take on it

 

[oneeyedpete]

If you want an accurate .223 buy a bolt action rifle. An AR15 is a fun plinker but will never rival a bolt gun even at twice the price. I bought a PSA lower and put a Timney trigger in it. I added a complete upper from BCA with a heavy barrel with a 1:7 twist. With handloads it shoots 2 MOA at 100 yards. If that is good enough for you, have at it. My bolt guns shoot the same hand loads at less than 1/2 MOA at 100 yards. 9 out of 10 folks at the public range I go to shoot ar15s, so they must have some appeal that eludes me. Then again, most of those weekend commandos have trouble putting rounds on target at 50 yards. The only exception I know of is a retired LEO friend of mine that was a sniper and shoots a National Match ar15, but I can usually match his results at 100 yards with my Savage Varmint that cost a 1/3 of what that rifle costs

 

[Eddie Southgate]

I got the same Colt HBAR A2 that I've had since before slick willie got in office the first go round . If I were to buy anything else in the way of a AR 15 it would just be a flattop upper . I like the first version round handguards as I do no hang junk all over my rifle. My rifle is pre block and would require nothing more than a pin hole and sear plus the other appropriate parts if the world blows up and I was to feel the need to go auto . No need for that with the fast triggers being legal now and not much if any real need without them .

Go handle a bunch of AR's and buy the one that feels best is my advice . I like the heavier barrel and the extra 4" of the rifle , you might find the 16" Car more to your liking. I would buy a flattop . The carry handle top is old school cool but not nearly as flexible as a flattop . I put a Colt collapsible stock on mine but took it off and put the solid stock back on . Just didn't like it, already knew that but this was supposed to be more solid when locked than the original Car15 stocks . It wasn't , it was $90 wasted. I also put a carry handle mount on it and a expensive scope that the guys I shot with at the time lovingly referred to as "The Hubble " . That was a bust also , I could shoot the open sights better than I could the scope. I would buy a good mount for a flattop but I'd limit the scope to something compact , military tough , and not above 7x max magnification . Get a 1:7" twist barrel so you can shoot heavy and light bullets .

 

[biku324]

I've shot Colt AR-15 HBARs and 6920s a LOT in years past - my agencies issued these and essentially unlimited ammo. I've used M4s quite often, but not nearly as much as the first two.

My choice when looking to buy last March was the Colt 6762 (an AR in 7.62x39). You have a proven system, ammo everywhere in the world, and the round used with soft points is equal to any deer, antelope, or black bear. Mine was on sale for $973.35 from Brownell's (plus tax and shipping).

The best ammo for my money is Norma Tactical 124 grain FMJ - I load my own soft points for hunting. Surplus 7.62x39 ranges from pretty good to abysmal.

 

[wood714]

I bought an SKS so I could fire Chinese steel core at 6¢ a shot and not have to save my brass to reload. Then some fool chambered a handgun in 7.62x39 and POOF! All gone.

There was a gun shop in Hamilton Ohio that had a large wood barrel full of the steel core ammo, he was selling it for a dime a round. Word got out about them banning it due to the pistol thing. He pulled it off the floor thinking it would be grand fathered in, and he could sell it at a premium. He ended up having to dump it all or turn it it.

 

[shep854]

Well, this is a SMITH & WESSON forum, so...I can recommend with confidence a Sport II (or III, I suppose). I bought mine in fall of '16, and until a few months ago, was my only AR. After thousands of rounds, I've only had to change the gas rings (a simple job, BTW).
Unless you are going all in down the AR rabbit hole, I think you should hold off building your own...lots of little things that can stack up and make the build a nightmare--unless you can get coaching from an actual AR expert.

 

[GypsmJim]

Semi-auto rifles are expensive and shoot a lot of ammo fast. Never wanted one.

Then, when Uncle Billy made "Assault Rifles" (a misnomer) illegal, I knew I had to have one. An SKS was the cheapest, so I bought one.......then 2 more and an AK47 as well. ARs were too expensive.

Then Uncle Joe said ARs are bad, so now I had to have one as well. (still too expensive)

A few years ago I was in TN visiting my son and we went to a gun shop. ARs were less than $500. Wholly mackerel, but I can't take it home across state lines. When I got home I went to a local gun show and got a stripped receiver for $95. The Palmetto "Kit", all the parts to complete it brought the total sale to about $500. As good as TN.

Now I KNOW that everyone needs an AR. I think I might buy another.