Don't laugh - Qs about an AR to buy

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Shadow9mm

New member
$475 16 in DI gun, This one from PSA looks like a pretty good deal https://palmettostatearmory.com/blem-psa-pa-15-16-nitride-m4-carbine-5-56-nato-classic-ar-15-rifle-with-13-5-m-lok-rail-black.html

$120, Sig Romeo 5 red dot https://palmettostatearmory.com/sig-sauer-romeo5-1x20mm-red-dot-sight-black-r52001.html

$38, magpul backup front sight https://palmettostatearmory.com/magpul-mbus-gen-3-folding-front-sight-black-mag1166-blk.html

$57, Magpul backup rear sight https://palmettostatearmory.com/magpul-mbus-gen-3-folding-rear-sight-black-mag1167-blk.html

$100 for a flashlight. https://palmettostatearmory.com/streamlight-protac-railmount-1-long-gun-light-88058.html


Grand total $789, + S&H. Leaves some room for some extra mags (magpul mags are great) and ammo. or a magnifier. heres an interesting video on ar Optics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL3MJvmDmvE

$499, this one is in stock. https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-pa-15-16-m4-phosphate-5-56-nato-1-7-classic-ar-15-rifle-with-13-5-m-lok-rail-fde.html or you could wait for a sale.

Other considerations. Parts wear out and break, even on the best rifles. These are the parts id reccomend keeping spares of. Most important and cheapest first.
Buffer spring
Optic battery
Firing pin
Bolt gas rings
Bolt head
Barrel and tools to channge it.
 
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FrankenMauser

New member
If you watch PSA's daily deals for long enough, you'll see basic, no frills, good enough for the purpose rifles show up for $400 or less. It may take until Easter or Memorial day, but it'll happen again.
If you're willing to buy an upper and lower separately, the set can (usually) be completed more quickly.
Generally, you'll see uppers and lowers within any given 4-6 week span, that can be put together for about $350. However, you'll probably end up paying more for shipping, because they aren't always available at the same time.

Ambi safety is trickier. They are present on some PSA products, but generally not the rock bottom stuff.
But, of course, they're easy to buy separately and install yourself. And that is what I would plan on.
But, I have built every AR that I own. They're tinker toys at this point.
 
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FrankenMauser

New member
$475 16 in DI gun, This one from PSA looks like a pretty good deal
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That one shows out of stock now.
But I did see a daily deal for something similar, for $416.
Perfectly adequate for the job. Just add sights or optic and start shooting.
Add accessories from there, with experience to guide what is desired.
 
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stagpanther

New member
FITASC--How close are you to Ocala? If it's not too far, I highly recommend taking a ride to Core rifles--they are right next to I75 and easy on/off the highway. They operate under the umbrella of a business that makes gator traps and fanboats, a bit odd--but hey it's Florida and everything is weird to me there.:D I haven't been there in many years, but I bought an AR from them soon after they opened as Core 15. It came with a "no-nonsense, no questions asked lifetime guarantee." At the time, they were staffed by vets and led by the lead engineer from Bushmaster who bailed when they were bought out (and eventually destroyed by) the Freedom group. They gave me a factory tour and showed me everything, including their test range. At the time, their testing was done with the worst steel cased bulk factory ammo for functionality; that impressed me. I walked out of there with a run-of-the mill 16" AR, though I did have them install a Giselle super combat trigger for me. The one I got was a 7 twist chrome-lined barrel and it can still drill in M855 bulk penetrators at around 1 to 1.5" at 100 yds. Not quite a precision grade AR; but my rifle has had countless thousands of rounds through it (I'm guessing somewhere between 5 and 10 thousand), not only by myself, but friends who fancy themselves as weekend commando wannabees and just have to do mag dumps. Naturally, most people responding to your request on this thread are going to give you info based on their experiences/preferences, and I'm no exception. But I've used my Core 15 abusively and it's a tough SOB which I know will get the job done for me in a SHTF scenario. I have MANY other ARs that I've put together, some of which I know will likely be very reliable in a stress situation, but most of them are not 5.56 cartridges and are optimized for a particular load; so it's questionable just how reliable they might be when shooting ammo other than my hand-loads. Anywho, it might be worth visiting Core if for no ther reason than to get a factory tour and gather info.:)
 
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ocharry

New member
if you are not in a giant size hurry...shot show is coming up in a month or two and everybody has good sales and deals on stuff

uppers and lowers and whole rifles

just a thought..

my grandpaw told me if you dont get in a hurry and take your time you can find a good deal on what you are looking for...it has always worked out for me

my .02

ocharry
 
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Wag

New member
I'm no expert but I suggest you buy rather than build, especially for your first one. Then, if you care to modify it, you can do it one step at a time at your leisure.

The Rugers and the M&P's are both very good AR's.

--Wag--
 
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MarkCO

New member
ocharry said:
if you are not in a giant size hurry...shot show is coming up in a month or two and everybody has good sales and deals on stuff
Click to expand...

In 3 weeks. But SHOT has little to no impact on retail gun sale prices. They have been clamping down on the consumer side trying to return it back to the industry centric show it is supposed to be.
 
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Sarge

New member
About a year ago, I ordered the basic M4 pattern optics-ready Anderson from KYGun' just under $400 shipped. I shot it a couple of month before I started buying extras. I'm an iron sight guy, so I sprung for Troys. They've been flipped up and down a dozen times and still print in the middle of a 300 yard plate. I eventually added an A2 stock and Rock River two stage trigger.

The rifle itself is about 1.5 MOA with PMC 55 grain soft point, the only load I shoot in it. I'm between 400-500 rounds of the stuff and I've cleaned it once. The rifle has never jammed.

ETA: Image was a little large, so I'll add a link

https://www.thesixgunjournal.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/20230829_171754.jpg
 
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FrankenMauser

New member
I have two different sets of Yankee Hill (YHM) flip-up sights -- one old style, with gas block flip-up front sight; and one new style, with both rail mounted.
They are folded down after every range session, and every time the firearms get cased.

Both are repeatable enough for the jobs they need to do (very repeatable, but they're being operated by a Mk I eyeball). Folding keeps them from snagging on things during transport or when being uncased; or for long periods with the firearm slung across my back.

People, including members here, used to give me crap about the folding sights and "trying to be tacticool."
But I've been seeing more and more builds with 'unwarranted' folding sights (not being used as BUIS) in the last 5 years. With that, there has been a notable reduction in the "tacticool" insults.
Strange how that works. Use a product for a genuine, specific purpose, even if it gets negative attention for mere appearance and connotation, and other people start also realizing, "Hey, that might be what I need, even if I have to listen to some idiots running their mouths."
 
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Sarge

New member
I have discovered that perusing the various accessories, uppers etc. for the AR15 has its perils. You start thinking this or that would he handy, it'll save the Armalite furniture they only made 24 sets of that year, a 450 Bushmaster sounds neat because Alaska-Bears-the Mastodon might make a comeback yadda yadda.

It seems the only sensible thing to do is throw away the cleaning kit and shove a hundred bucks in the butt compartment every time you're tempted to order a gizmo. Open it up only to buy ammo. I probably won't do that, but it sure sounds noble to say it.
 
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rickyrick

New member
I think flip up sights are a viable option and are often cheaper than the ole carry handles.
On ARs meant for less than 100yds I actually have a liking for old Weaver 1x scopes, but it’s getting harder to find those that haven’t started to turn cloudy.
On the AR that I posted above I’m running a Diamond(something) flip up, I forgot the actual name of it and it works just fine.

Edit:

This 6.8 ugly monstrosity is the latest gun wearing a weaver 1x, I dunno, I just like them on ARs.

47649ea1c8fc7e77e25d8a49b1b5e234.jpg
 
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stagpanther

New member
On the AR that I posted above I’m running a Diamond(something) flip up, I forgot the actual name of it and it works just fine.
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Sounds like Diamondhead--they made great gear IMO, I bought lots of their stuff, but they unfortunately went out of business.
 
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101combatvet

New member
FITASC said:
Yes, that's me - last AR I owned was 30 years ago; went to my youngest over 20 years ago. My screen name is an international org for sporting clays, so that is where my knowledge lies.

So I am in the market for dependable SHTF level AR - I am NOT going to drop over $1K (but up to that is OK); I am LH so an ambi safety is a must. I am not interested in building one from parts as I can't cut a straight line with a chop saw (a man has to know his limitations)

Saw some from PSA that might do, but there are SO many folks making these now, I thought I would you experts to steer me in the right direction for this. Gas vs DI? don't know, you get the idea, so a little help before it gets real

TIA!
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Buy a Colt and get a brass deflector.
 
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41MagGuy

New member
Get yourself one of these and apply the money you save for ammo. Just funnin ya
 

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