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AR-15 question

Redneck

Redneck

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I am thinking about buying an AR-15 and get after market part and to just learn everything myself, but my friend is telling me to buy everything stripped and put it together myself so i learn everything and save money. My argument is wouldn't it be wiser to buy a complete one, get familiar with it and then can start breaking it down and replacing all the parts as i go. Basically I am just looking for some advice, I know I do that a lot on here, but anything I get from you guys helps. I just don't want to buy all the parts piece by piece and then end up having a box full of AR parts and not knowing how to start. I know there are youtube videos but they are not always the best for some people. Anyway any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
 
I bought all 3 of mine complete. Others here have bought multiple lowers and built them up. Either works. Your choice.
 
Buy a completed rifle with a warrarnty, shoot it, learn how it works and what you like and don't like. Replace parts when you know what direction you want to go with the rifle
 
See i am just worried about getting all gun-ho so to speak and then sitting there looking at the parts going shit now what lol
 
Supermoto said:
Buy a completed rifle with a warrarnty, shoot it, learn how it works and what you like and don't like. Replace parts when you know what direction you want to go with the rifle
Click to expand...

See that was my point lol and he responded with it was not logical to do that. Ok at least i am not the only one with this idea. Can anyone tell me what a basic AR costs, i have seen them for 7-8 hundred but was wondering if there were any better deals around. Again thanks!
 
Depending on the quality and type of parts, they can be had from $600 to over a couple grand There are a lot of AR threads that discuss if there is an actual benefit to a more expensive AR.
 
I just want a basic AR-15 rifle to learn with and go from there, I mean the cheaper ones would be best, but i dont want something that will just blow up in my hands after 200 rounds down range lol. I am not looking to be a master of the AR-15 any time soon, I know it takes years for this.
 
Redneck said:
I just want to learn the basics with the AR-15, and go from there.
Click to expand...

Go to a local shop, get a brand name AR, (Bushmaster, DPMS, Stag, RRA). It will more than likely run decently for awhile. It will be a good place to start and when it does crap out, you will have some place to bring it back to. As time goes on, you can add or change parts to fit your style.

For a few more bucks, you can get a Bravo Company Manufacturing (BCM), spikes tactical or Daniel Defense (DD) rifle, it will be a better rifle.
 
Supermoto said:
Go to a local shop, get a brand name AR, (Bushmaster, DPMS, Stag, RRA). It will more than likely run decently for awhile. It will be a good place to start and when it does crap out, you will have some place to bring it back to. As time goes on, you can add or change parts to fit your style.

For a few more bucks, you can get a Bravo Company Manufacturing (BCM), spikes tactical or Daniel Defense (DD) rifle, it will be a better rifle.
Click to expand...

I am just saving for now and weighing my options, so its nothing happening like this weekend haha, so I may very well end up going with a spikes tactical. That way I get a better brand and something semi custom. Thanks again
 
Im building one now and trust me, its not cheap. You don't want to put junk into it but again you can go overboard too. Some brands others have mentioned are not as good shall we say as others. They've been around for a long time and are resting on their laurels. Im not going to mention names and flame 'em, you'll learn for yourself. Not too long ago I picked up a nice Stag AR platform rifle for under $800. A super value. IMO. A real Colt is a good rifle, good QC. Do you want a carbine, mid length or full length? All stuff you have to keep in mind. What do you want, fun gun or tack driver. And remember...223 and 5.56....two different animals when it comes to pressures. Take your time on a build, learn as much as you can before spending money twice.
 
If you want to learn how to be a crack shot with an AR - go to one of the CMP Service Rifle Clinics
Gloucester & Nashua do good ones-look on here: http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/matchUpcomingSearch.cgi?designation=CLINIC

They'll teach you a lot of good stuff!!
Your buddies will be wondering why you're puttin' 'em all in the bullseye Offhand @ 100yards, when they're just splintering the target frame at 25 yds from the bench (even with all their tactical Picatinny doo-dads bolted on)
 
M1911 said:
Then buy a basic S&W AR-15 and go from there. Shoot it for a while and if you decide there are things you don't like, then change it.
Click to expand...

What he said.....can't go wrong. Matching upper and lower, good resale, best customer service. Buy it, shoot it and then build your own - good luck!
 
M1911 said:
Then buy a basic S&W AR-15 and go from there. Shoot it for a while and if you decide there are things you don't like, then change it.
Click to expand...

this is what i did...i shot it for a while and decided which direction i wanted to go in and started replacing parts. s&w makes a great rifle and their customer service is pretty good (experienced the customer service with another gun not my m&p15)
 
You usually get what you pay for. The more you spend, the better the rifle.

Sent from the Hyundai of the droids, the Samsung Replenish, using Tapatalk.
 
Have u checked out ar-15.com? It's the go to forum for ar's! I've been in the same boat as you deciding which way to go if u can find a spikes or bravo company complete buy it if not build it! I just put my order in for a stripped lower and upper from American weapons and will be building my first one. Good luck hope what little I could add helps!
 
Build it. Your a Green member ask around come to some shoots and try different things out. See what you like and go from there. Your going to end up spending a lot of money buying complete then changing everything out. And there is no better way to learn how they work then buy building them.
 
So the main advantage to putting one together yourself is you get a better quality rifle for your money? And ofcourse the learning experience. Only thing is, unless you've owned one before,how will you know what preferences you'll have when building your 1st one yourself?
 
Redneck said:
I am thinking about buying an AR-15 and get after market part and to just learn everything myself, but my friend is telling me to buy everything stripped and put it together myself so i learn everything and save money. My argument is wouldn't it be wiser to buy a complete one, get familiar with it and then can start breaking it down and replacing all the parts as i go. Basically I am just looking for some advice, I know I do that a lot on here, but anything I get from you guys helps. I just don't want to buy all the parts piece by piece and then end up having a box full of AR parts and not knowing how to start. I know there are youtube videos but they are not always the best for some people. Anyway any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

If you like to tinker then build it. Why not?
You can still replace parts on it later.

I keep a pretty detailed spreadsheet of most of the rifles I put together (including costs) if you want me to send it to you.
Including an Aimpoint PRO I put together a piston rifle for around 1700. Without a piston upper it'd be about 1500 and without the optic it'd be about 1100. You can always run a cheap $30 optic on it if you want.

You'll want more than one though.
I realized after shooting with some people that I will need a magnified optic on a rifle so I'm building that one next.

This is one I built for a friend for 1600 including the Aimpoint, free float tube and piston upper.
It has the little odds and ends you'd get like a sling plate, maybe a Magpul bad lever, a grip with storage compartment, a nice muzzle brake.
1zbqkih.jpg
 
Last edited:
BMass said:
So the main advantage to putting one together yourself is you get a better quality rifle for your money? And ofcourse the learning experience. Only thing is, unless you've owned one before,how will you know what preferences you'll have when building your 1st one yourself?
Click to expand...

I think what most people want is in the aesthetics and you will save money because you're buying all of your ideal parts from the start.

When you find out what you like the problem is you always build your next rifle almost exactly like all your previous ones...well because you've figured out what you like by then.
 
You can get a pre-built AR that's still customized to what you want. I ended up buying all the parts and putting it together myself. However, I got the parts from http://www.rainier-arms.com and they could have put it together for me. Alternatively, I could have bought a complete upper and had them build a lower, etc.
 
How about Massachusetts based RemSport ? There have been people trying to convince them to offer some different price level AR kits and ideas of what they provide for build projects. Have they responded? Also where does their quality rate...say...from 1-to-10, in comparison to other shops and suppliers?
 
That guys building me a limited gun next month. He's doing it all for twenty goats and some nail polish and a tooth brush lol
 

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