Economic AR15

[unknown]

Hi there,

So after looking at all your fine rifles, I think I'd like to get an AR15. Do you have a recommendation for a beginners/economic AR? I am not looking for something to throw away, but to upgrade little by little.

Thank you for your thoughts.

[Collector1337420]

You'll waste a lot of money buying a factory AR and then upgrading it little by little. Just so you know.

I would do the research and build one, it's half the fun.

Otherwise, if you really don't wanna do that, find one that already has the upgrades you want on it.

[whiteox]

Go to Atomic Tactical. Do a search on the board for the address. They've got a small little shop on Lyndale in Bloomington. They'll set you up with what you need, talk you through putting it together, and all around treat you right.

[rugersol]

build one, it's half the fun.

+∞³

Unfortunately, ya probly couldn't pick a worse time! ... components have been scarce/expensive fer several months, now!

Ya could either start buying components (preferably, sooner than later) ... but don't be surprised if ya end up one 'er two short ... or ya gotta pay $100+ more fer "high-end" ... or ya can try to find a complete upper (and lower, 'course) that ya can be happy with ... at least fer now!

Biggest pain fer a noob to upgrade is to free-float handguard ... so if ya can get that straight off, ya can save some time/money, down the road!

Good luck!

[V Man]

Go to Atomic Tactical. Do a search on the board for the address. They've got a small little shop on Lyndale in Bloomington. They'll set you up with what you need, talk you through putting it together, and all around treat you right.

+1 for Atomic Tactical

[Drizzle]

My brother has an Smith MP 15 Sport he likes. Flattop, no dust cover or bolt assist, but everything else is decent, and you can add things like a red dot with back up irons easily, as well as change furniture. He paid under 800 at Mountain of Geese in Baraboo, admittedly more than a year ago. Also look for dealer demos at stores, often some handling wear, but never been shot, at a discount. I got mine at the old Gunstop for about the same price.

[Hmac]

Building your first AR has the distinct potential to be an unrewarding process. How would you know what to build if you have no experience with the platform? The choices can be dizzying. You'd know nothing about the quality of the various parts, nor the functionality that you could expect from different configurations. There is occasionally the assumption by some people that "parts is parts". That is most definitely not true. Parts are available that range from Chinese imports to meticulously machined. It's a tricky landscape. IMHO, you'll waste a lot of money building your first AR since you have no experience with the platform.

First thing you need to do IMHO is define in your mind what you want to do with the rifle. Long range hunting? Home defense? Target? Training? Range toy? Just something to show off to your buddies? The answer to those questions will determine configuration (stock, rail, optic, sights, barrel, trigger, grip, barrel length, sling attachment, light attachment, flash suppressor vs compensator). That decision also helps to define your cost. If you're just going to put a couple of hundred rounds through it a year busting dirt clods, a consumer-grade $650 AR may be all you need. i.e. "good enough". If your need has more emphasis on reliability, or if you're the kind of guy that takes pride in owning high-quality firearms, you'll be looking at more money.

I'm not from around there, so I know nothing about Atomic Tactical. From what I read and hear, however, ThunderJohn here on this forum sounds like a really good face-to-face go-to guy and THAT is where I'd start if I lived where you do.

My recommendations for your first AR would be something from BCM, or perhaps better - a Colt 6920. That latter rifle typically goes for around $1000, and represents the lowest cost point of entry into the realm of high quality ARs. If you don't need or want high-quality, you could get by in the $650 price range.

[V Man]

Building your first AR has the distinct potential to be an unrewarding process. How would you know what to build if you have no experience with the platform? The choices can be dizzying. You'd know nothing about the quality of the various parts, nor the functionality that you could expect from different configurations. There is occasionally the assumption by some people that "parts is parts". That is most definitely not true. Parts are available that range from Chinese imports to meticulously machined. It's a tricky landscape. IMHO, you'll waste a lot of money building your first AR since you have no experience with the platform.

First thing you need to do IMHO is define in your mind what you want to do with the rifle. Long range hunting? Home defense? Target? Training? Range toy? Just something to show off to your buddies? The answer to those questions will determine configuration (stock, rail, optic, sights, barrel, trigger, grip, barrel length, sling attachment, light attachment, flash suppressor vs compensator). That decision also helps to define your cost. If you're just going to put a couple of hundred rounds through it a year busting dirt clods, a consumer-grade $650 AR may be all you need. i.e. "good enough". If your need has more emphasis on reliability, or if you're the kind of guy that takes pride in owning high-quality firearms, you'll be looking at more money.

I'm not from around there, so I know nothing about Atomic Tactical. From what I read and hear, however, ThunderJohn here on this forum sounds like a really good face-to-face go-to guy and THAT is where I'd start if I lived where you do.

My recommendations for your first AR would be something from BCM, or perhaps better - a Colt 6920. That latter rifle typically goes for around $1000, and represents the lowest cost point of entry into the realm of high quality ARs. If you don't need or want high-quality, you could get by in the $650 price range.

Build it yourself = Atomic Tactical
Buy a quality AR = Thunderjohn

[Ramoel]

Building your first AR has the distinct potential to be an unrewarding process. How would you know what to build if you have no experience with the platform? The choices can be dizzying. You'd know nothing about the quality of the various parts, nor the functionality that you could expect from different configurations. There is occasionally the assumption by some people that "parts is parts". That is most definitely not true. Parts are available that range from Chinese imports to meticulously machined. It's a tricky landscape. IMHO, you'll waste a lot of money building your first AR since you have no experience with the platform.

First thing you need to do IMHO is define in your mind what you want to do with the rifle. Long range hunting? Home defense? Target? Training? Range toy? Just something to show off to your buddies? The answer to those questions will determine configuration (stock, rail, optic, sights, barrel, trigger, grip, barrel length, sling attachment, light attachment, flash suppressor vs compensator). That decision also helps to define your cost. If you're just going to put a couple of hundred rounds through it a year busting dirt clods, a consumer-grade $650 AR may be all you need. i.e. "good enough". If your need has more emphasis on reliability, or if you're the kind of guy that takes pride in owning high-quality firearms, you'll be looking at more money.

I'm not from around there, so I know nothing about Atomic Tactical. From what I read and hear, however, ThunderJohn here on this forum sounds like a really good face-to-face go-to guy and THAT is where I'd start if I lived where you do.

My recommendations for your first AR would be something from BCM, or perhaps better - a Colt 6920. That latter rifle typically goes for around $1000, and represents the lowest cost point of entry into the realm of high quality ARs. If you don't need or want high-quality, you could get by in the $650 price range.

Build it yourself = Atomic Tactical
Buy a quality AR = Thunderjohn

I recently bought a quality AR from Thunderjohn and couldn't be happier.

Building or even upgrading an AR, to me, is similar to building a 1911. Lots of parts available to build either one but if you don't have the real life experience you can spend a lot of money and end up with something that's not worth much at all.

[rugersol]

Lots of parts available to build either one but if you don't have the real life experience you can spend a lot of money and end up with something that's not worth much at all.

I'll go ahead and disagree with ya!

I've done extensive work on 1911's ... it can be painstaking ... and about a bazillion things can go wrong!

I've built several AR lowers and uppers ... all shoot superbly ... AR's are like legos fer grown-ups! Ya, if ya go with a poly lower, and a disreputable upper ... things COULD go horribly wrong! ... I really couldn't say! ... but I've worked with JP, Sabre, DPMS, PSA, DD, and Vltor ... even my CoreXV bbl, once I cleaned it up, has been excellent!

I also submit ... http://www.mnguntalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=33378

[V Man]

Lots of parts available to build either one but if you don't have the real life experience you can spend a lot of money and end up with something that's not worth much at all.

I'll go ahead and disagree with ya!

I've done extensive work on 1911's ... it can be painstaking ... and about a bazillion things can go wrong!

I've built several AR lowers and uppers ... all shoot superbly ... AR's are like legos fer grown-ups! Ya, if ya go with a poly lower, and a disreputable upper ... things COULD go horribly wrong! ... I really couldn't say! ... but I've worked with JP, Sabre, DPMS, PSA, DD, and Vltor ... even my CoreXV bbl, once I cleaned it up, has been excellent!

I also submit ... http://www.mnguntalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=33378

I like this "AR's are like legos for grown-ups". Hell even if you put the hammer spring in backwards it will still work . One of the great things about Atomic Tactical is that they will help you with every step in the process and they have all of the right tools.

[rugersol]

One of the great things about Atomic Tactical is that they will help you with every step in the process and they have all of the right tools.

That sounds like a really neat deal! ... kinda like when I went to Khan's today ('er so, as I envision it) ... ya put whatever ya want in yer bowl ... give it to the "chef" ... he cooks it up! ... profit!

Do they let ya try to do a few things yerself ... with their tools?! ... that'd be a really slick setup!

I've never been there ... but it sounds like everyone likes goin' there?!

... next best thing to already ownin' the tools, and doin' it yerself ... I reckon?!

[V Man]

They will let you get as involved as you want to be from my experience working with them.

[Ramoel]

Lots of parts available to build either one but if you don't have the real life experience you can spend a lot of money and end up with something that's not worth much at all.

I'll go ahead and disagree with ya!

I've done extensive work on 1911's ... it can be painstaking ... and about a bazillion things can go wrong!

I've built several AR lowers and uppers ... all shoot superbly ... AR's are like legos fer grown-ups! Ya, if ya go with a poly lower, and a disreputable upper ... things COULD go horribly wrong! ... I really couldn't say! ... but I've worked with JP, Sabre, DPMS, PSA, DD, and Vltor ... even my CoreXV bbl, once I cleaned it up, has been excellent!

I also submit ... http://www.mnguntalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=33378

OK, what can I say? I'm an AR noob. You're right about the LEGO part, not much hand fitting needed on AR's, they're more like Glocks than 1911's. As for my 1911 experience, I've been shooting and working on them for over 55 years and I still screw up the hand fitting from time to time but I've learned to keep at it until I get it right.

I guess I need to keep my opinions to myself until I've mastered the subject.

[PHATSPEED7x]

Del Ton Echo 316 MOE FDE. $729.99 brand new at my local dealer. Been a great AR-15 for me so far!