Do it right or do it again
THE MOST AR-15 BANG FOR YOUR BUCK: FINDING THE BEST AR-15 FOR THE MONEY
As I’ve aged, I’ve adopted the “buy once, cry once” philosophy on a great many products. I don’t buy cheap guns, shoes, spices, Worcestershire, vehicles, or knives. I’m sure there’s more but those come to mind.
September 25th, 2019 at 8:03 pm
I think an important point the author made is that you need to factor your experience and potential uses into your criteria.
For instance I first was trained on the M-16 almost 40 years ago and bought my first AR (Colt SP-1) in 1984. At my age with my physical and financial limitations I won’t be doing 3-gun or extended grunt type operations.
I also haven’t trained with current generation weapons, so find a limited utility to all of the stuff that gets hung onto rifles, and won’t likely use any to be as comfortable with them as I am with a plain vanilla AR.
To me, a major move into the “modern age” was adding a reflex sight in addition to my iron sights.
So the ability to ability to attach lights, forward grips etc. would be a waste of money for me. Someone that engaged in competition or the SW Asia War Games the last 20 years or so would likely have a different perspective.
September 25th, 2019 at 9:00 pm
I built My AR for about 600$ and I am very happy with it.
September 25th, 2019 at 9:01 pm
Well that was a waste of ten minutes to read a bunch of no-shit and Capt. Obvious platitudes, only to get to the takeaway that two MP-15’s at 500 per (not 800, somebody needs to learn him about comparison shopping) beats the hell out of one overpriced and overweight even at 1200 let alone 1800 piece for about, oh, 99.9% of buyers and owners.
One should not equate cheap (as in relatively low-cost) to crap quality and functionality, and vice-versa for expensive as to actual utility unless one is either a real-deal operator (rare) or imagines himself to be and needs to reinforce that to himself and others.
September 26th, 2019 at 12:04 am
Well, since the market is so flooded with ARs now you can get a better then entry level AR for cheap.
The Ruger MPR, with it’s premium 18″ CHF 1-8″ 5r barrel and “Elite 452” 4.5lb two stage trigger can be had for as little as $540+shipping.
September 26th, 2019 at 2:49 pm
I purchased a SGW Oly in 1984 made with a M16A1 Colt upper. Still have it. Since, I have assembled 15 other variations of the AR platform. The only thing I require is parts made in the usa and are mil-spec. If it is to be a tack driver, I though money at the bcg and barrel. If not, mil-spec will do just fine.
However, I do usually spend as much or more for the optics/rds sights than the guns. ymmv
September 27th, 2019 at 10:13 pm
I’ll add hand tools, especially scissors and screwdrivers. Klein is worth the small premium to me. And cameras, while I’m thinking about it; better to save up for the body and glass you really want, even if that means buying used from a reputable vendor, as opposed to a mediocre body you’re not going to enjoy using, and lenses you’re going to be frustrated with.
Unc, how do you feel about Bravo Company’s upper groups? I’ve got three of them on lowers I built up at home, and they’ve been really solid through ~1500 rounds each. No real issues that weren’t ammo related. That said, my sample size is obviously pretty small.