I'm in the market for an ar15. This will be my first "evil black rifle".

The problem is that I'm stumped on what to get. I'm torn between a m&p 15 sport or building one from psa blemished parts.

As you can see from my two options I'm on a budget. I know that since I'm on a s&w website I'll probably get one sided opinions, but I'd like to know if any of you have experience with these two guns.

Although I don't own a Smith & Wesson AR15, I'd probably go for the M&P Sport. If nothing else than for the warranty. Good luck!

I own a M&P15.......I did a few upgrades on it and wouldn't trade it for any rifle out there....

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I was in your shoes about a month ago, I decided to go with the Sport instead of a build. The gun has been flawless, and I couldn't be happier.

Right now I'm enjoying the Sport and learning all I can about AR's...a future build is in the works.

For your first rifle, do you want a rifle backed by a warranty from a known quality manufacturer, or a rifle built with parts that didn't pass QC from a lower cost manufacturer?

You have to watch when you buy blemish items, and make sure that they are cosmetic blemish only, and are still warrantied for function.

Build one, start with a stripped lower, add your lower parts kit and stock, then either build a complete upper or just order one and slap it to your lower. You will learn a thing or two about how easy AR's are to work on, and you will end up with a better rifle for the money IMO. Aero lowers are great for the price, and you can find them everywhere.

Pretty much says it all.

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Bob | KM4DEO
Sport | Glock 22

I've gotta go with a factory gun and warranty. There's a whole lot more to building a rifle-correctly-than throwing parts together. There's also a lot of truth behind the possibility of serious problems from blemished parts.

Heck, there have been a lot of built-to-a-price-point products by known manufacturers that have had serious problems.

Back in the day, having folks show up at the shop with partially completed kits and/or completed guns that didn't work wasn't unusal. There were cases where the finished product ended up costing them more than they'd have paid for a decent gun with a warranty.

Finally, should there come a day when you decide to trade it in, which one do you think has the better resale value?

For your 1st AR, can't go wrong w/ the m&p15 sport. I think it would be much nicer than a build w/ blem parts.

Here's my opinion.

If you are mechanically inclined, able to follow directions, and have access to the necessary tools (especially important when building an upper) then build one yourself. You'll get just a little more bang for the buck and you'll gain a deeper understanding of the AR-15. You'll also most likely build a full featured upper. Go into it knowing that you'll never get any resale value out of it. Would you buy an AR-15 that some guy put together?

If you are less mechanically inclined, and do not have access to the necessary tools (especially important when building an upper), then the M&P 15-Sport is the way to go. They're rifles built by a well known brand that has the resources to back their warranty. 1 year warranty / lifetime service policy. The trick is that you can't fiddle too much with the rifle or you'll booger the warranty coverage.

I purchased a 15-Sport for $550 back in the 1:8 5R chopped A2 rear sight days. I then got a bug up my pooper to try and build one for the same price. I did. Just beware, AR-15's can turn into fun money-pits. It can get out of hand quick if you let it.

My 15-Sport's gone out of control.

Earliest picture I have:


Current:


My "simple" home built isn't really that simple.

As it was:


Now:


Hard learned experience...

1. If you buy a 15-Sport, go put a few rounds downrange before changing things.

2. If you decide to build, check forums and websites for gently used furniture. You'll save some $$$. I'm the stupid guy who spent $$$ on a part, used it a few months, then got the bug to switch up. I unload parts from time to time, so do others.

3. While this is a S&W forum, don't discount other manufacturers.

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-John

Personally, I wouldn't build one for my first AR, particularly from parts you piece together (buying a complete un-assembled kit would be different). Get familiar with the weapon first, then build something. Only then will you know what parts you want in your build. Putting together a rifle you aren't familiar with with seconds parts sounds a recipe for disaster to me.
Besides, you really won't gain much in building something for roughly $600 that a brand new sport will cost.

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686/M&P9 Pro/M&P15X/M&P15-22

Although I'm sure that there are ten's of thousands of home builds out there that run perfectly, there is also an extraordinary amount that have functional problems. I have four AR's from three manufacturers with many thousand rounds down range without a single bobble from the first shot. If they had choked, they would have gone right back to the manufacturer.

Generally speaking, if you're inclined to build one, do it. If nothing else it will take the mystery out of the rifle.

Warranty on a $500 modular rifle? An AR is an AR. It's a modular rifle that anything can be replaced from a zillion vendors cheap enough. There is really very little cost exposure. Heck, you'll go through $500 of ammo quick enough. Warranty makes sense for those who cannot or don't want to understand the rifle. And that's cool... lots of stuff I don't feel like fooling with. But since you're willing to tackle the build to begin with, a Sport warranty would seem to have limited value.

I think the Sport's worth getting, just because its an awesome gun, for a GREAT price.

You have an awesome firearm, you can fire straight out of the box and probably have some money left over, to start buying parts for a build.

Or, you could try to build off blems, get it all together, then find out things aren't working the way they're supposed to, no warranty and you have to reinvest, retinker, etc... all while waiting for a functioning firearm.

Even if you're mechanically inclined, doesn't mean you're going to build a winner, especially if you're trying to stick to a $$$ budget/constraint. My son is a just about to hit his terminal leave, USN. Spent the last 4 years as a Aviation Machinist Mate... he also decided to build his first. Brought it home with him, after his last deployment. I got to fire it, tinker some with it, just before I bought mine.

The build quality, total sum of parts, etc... of my helicopter mechanic son, are not up to S&W, at least on his very first AR build. I haven't been in the AR game long enough, to know the quality of everything he bought... but I would assume hanging out with Marines all the time (he's been on LHDs)... he'd have some idea of quality parts/build.

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30 Characters 4 Rent.

I'm still on drugs in the Hospital, so spelling and actual common sense are going right out the window on this one. If your sole purpose for buying an AR is to impress your buddies and say you have one, BUY A COLT or other high dollar AR, plus every high end gadget and accessory on the planet. It will be very accurate, reliable, and extremely impressive on many, many levels.

Now, if you're looking for something reasonably priced, very accurate, extremely reliable, very upgradeable, will leave you plenty of money for loads of ammo and spare mags, and will still impress your buddies, go get a S&W M&P Sport right now. The only thing you give up is a dust cover and forward assist, in other words, nothing.

You can keep it simple.



OR, you can make it awesome.



You're wasting time, getter' done!

Good Luck and good shooting.

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SFC, US Army, Retired

The main reason I was leary about the sport is the 1 in 9 twist barrel. It just seems to me that a 1 in 7 would be better for all around shooting. But again, this will be my first AR so most of my info is just from talking to my buddies and reading online forums.

When I started out I had the same Sport vs PSA dilemma. I went with the Sport 1/9 twist and later built a PSA 1/7 twist (Voodoo Innovations melonite barrel). I have found they shoot the same with the ammo I find in the stores. So unless your reloading heavier grain ammo, you'll probably find for your use twist rate will be a wash.

I am compelled to say, the Sport is a great rifle. I love my PSA as well, but thought I needed to build it because I believed that having a midlenght and 1/7 twist would get me some gain in accuracy and recoil reduction. I was wrong. The only real benefits over the Sport I see in having the PSA is that it gives me an additional/ different to shoot. The Sport performs!!! I have yet to shoot with someone with a rifle that outshined the Sport.

Suckey cell pic added because I love my guns.

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I'm still in the Hospital, but my drug level is considerably lower this morning. Sorry if I was a bit direct. Unless you're a professional long range marksman, I doubt you will ever know the difference between the 1/9 and 1/7 twist barrels. The 1/9 barrels are as accurate as you will probably ever need, and use the most readily available ammo available. The 1/7 provides more stability than the 1/9 if you plan on shooting nothing but heavier bullets ( in the 69 - 77 gr range). .45 gr to about .62 gr bullets are more than adequate.

The Sport starts at a level of quality higher than other, less expensive, ARs. I promise, if you go with the Sport, you will absolutely not be disappointed. Building is way cool, but, buying your first one fully assembled and with a great warranty, allows you to learn the platform, find the upgrades you either need or want. At the Sports price point, you're not building with blem parts, you're shooting an accurate, reliable, firearm right out of the box.

Good Luck and good shooting, now if you go right now, you can be shooting tonight (unless you're living in one of the un-free states).

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SFC, US Army, Retired

The only reason for a faster twist is for heavier...much heavier...bullets than you are likely to shoot. Per S&W tech, a 1:9 twist is as accurate as a 1:7 twist for bullets weighing up tp 68 gr...after that you need a faster twist. Since MOST folks shoot either 55 gr or 62 gr, the 1:9 twist is just fine.

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Bob | KM4DEO
Sport | Glock 22

"Building" a rifle is much harder than it sounds or looks on YouTube. Not necessarily suggesting the M&P Sport, because I have no experience with that model, but like the others have said, new with a warranty is better than something you made from scrap pile.

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

IMO which is worth what you paid for it, I like the idea a buying a built rifle first. This will get you aquainted with the AR platform which will make parts selection and assembly a more pleasant venture. PSA is my go to for ammo and parts and will most likely buy from them if I decide to do a build. BTW you can't go wrong with s Sport. I'd like one for a trunk gun.