Help with purchasing my first rifle

[sircapsalot]

Hi guys,

So I've been wanting to buy a fairly inexpensive rifle for some time now, and still can't really come to any conclusions.  One piece I really want to get, is an AR-15, but I don't want to pay stock for purchasing an AR-15.

So I have a question:  Anybody that has BUILT an AR-15, would you be willing to some some hand holding, maybe do a skype call and talk about my options of purchasing it?  If so, PM me! i'd really appreciate it.

[Jeff]

You're going to be spending more money building one unless you get some super cheap deals.  You might not even be able to get all the parts in stock so I think you should buy used or just off the shelf.

[SD40VE]

i would have to agree with jeff. the M&P 15 sport is a inexpensive option. i dont know if i would go AR for my first rifle. they can be overwhelming at first with all the buttons and do-hickeys.

my advice would be try a semi auto .22 its cheap to shoot and typically easy to maintain. it also gets you familiar with rifles so if you by some act of god FUBAR it when you field strip to clean, its not a huge loss.

just my 2 cents.

if your heart is set on an AR look into the M&P sport

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/36_763_977/products_id/71969

[bigt8261]

A friend recently built an AR. It's pretty simple if you do it right.

By now you probably know that an AR consists of a lower and an upper.
- For the lower - buy a stripped lower, LPK (lower parts kit), buffer tube and spring, and a stock. Assembly isn't that bad. The majority of your work is now done.
- For the upper - buy a complete upper /w BCG (bold carrier group) from someone like Bravo Company.

Put the two together, insert ammo, have fun. Not as cheap as doing every single piece by yourself, but better than buying something complete off the wall.

[TheQ]

Pat espouses Colt parts -- and original factory Colt parts only. I don't personally own an AR -- though one of my significant others does.

[sircapsalot]

Thanks for the feedback guys - I do like that M&P sport! I have about 7 PMAG's, so i'd opt for a .223.  I also have a GPS-02 Military bipod foregrip so i'd like to have some rails on it.  Do you think i'm able to get  a different handguard for it? I'd think so, but like i said.. i'm very ignorant with rifles.

[Veeper]

bigt8261 knows a guy like me.  Hey wait, I'm a guy like me!

(I'm that friend.)

I wanted to get into AR rifles and while it's different for everyone, for me it came down to me seeking familiarity with the platform.  So because of this I decided I had to choose between:
 - buy a cheaper M&P or Rock River and get familiar so that I knew what I wanted
OR
 - build my own so I could learn the platform along the way

If you're looking to do it the cheapest/quickest way possible, you should probably just consider getting an M&P15 or RockRiver/Bushmaster and go pull the trigger.

My experience? I ended up getting lucky with a few parts.  A guy at work here was looking to make a few bucks during the Newtown craziness, and ended up with a couple extra stripped lowers.  He finally just wanted to get rid of them for what he paid for them (~$100).  For my upper, since I didn't have the tools to piece together the upper/barrel, I bought a BCM 14.5" Lightweight kit with the bolt carrier group and charging handle.  Palmetto State Armory for a Magpul MOE lower parts kit and *poof* a new AR is born. 

Installing my own lower parts kit was a breeze, thanks to YouTube and she went BANG the first time I pulled the trigger, so everything seems to be in the right spot.  I guess, overall, the reasons I took the route I did was because I knew:
 - if anything went wrong, I was to blame
 - BCM has a reputation for producing nuke-proof stuff
 - I was able to space out some of the parts to allow the gun fund to replenish a bit if/where needed and I worked on my time-frame

I'm of the opinion too that AR's are like pizza toppings.  Endless configurations and opinions, none are "the best" and what works for you may or may not work for someone else.

I still consider myself a HUGE AR newbie, so YMMV, grain of salt, etc etc.

Obligatory picture:

[SD40VE]

i would assume you could be we all know about assuming. i would call a LGS and see their take or ask a Gunsmith. AR parts usually are interchangable.

[karudin]

Complete ARs can be found cheap but it might take time to find the deal. As to brand I think its all a matter of what you want. I know I purchased a windham weaponry (don't beat me up about the brand haha) AR-15 and it shoots great, others swear by different brands. Being in the military (USMC) I knew I needed something similar to my M16 A2 and for the price I got it for it was fine with me. I haven't done anything to it yet but already have plenty planned out.

All I can tell you is to make sure to get familiar with it as much as possible (goes for any firearm really), that way if you have any problems with it while firing you can identify and fix issue faster. I've been to the range few times and have seen someone with their brand new decked out AR and they can't handle the dang thing properly.

[bigt8261]

IMO, Windham is not a name to beat someone up over. Aren't they the old Bushmaster people from before being bought out by Remington? You know, back before Bushmaster had issues.

[gryphon]

Windham is a fine rifle.  They are the OLD Bushmaster people.  AR15s are back down to normal prices.  You can get Colts and S&Ws and others for normal prices, even from Walmart!  You can find them in stock everywhere.

[sircapsalot]

Complete ARs can be found cheap but it might take time to find the deal. As to brand I think its all a matter of what you want. I know I purchased a windham weaponry (don't beat me up about the brand haha) AR-15 and it shoots great, others swear by different brands. Being in the military (USMC) I knew I needed something similar to my M16 A2 and for the price I got it for it was fine with me. I haven't done anything to it yet but already have plenty planned out.

All I can tell you is to make sure to get familiar with it as much as possible (goes for any firearm really), that way if you have any problems with it while firing you can identify and fix issue faster. I've been to the range few times and have seen someone with their brand new decked out AR and they can't handle the dang thing properly.

I'm a very tactile learner.  I prefer learning by doing, and that's how i learn best! I'd rather do it piece by piece, and as a programmer I am very able and willing to use google and youtube to learn things as well. 

and as Jeff had said: I could end up spending more for building one rather than buying one and adding onto it later, which is why i wanted some handholding so i don't make any rash or impulsive decisions.  someone that knows their rifle, and can give me good advice. (not of course make the decisions for me. )

[Jeff]

Windham Weaponry is a fine rifle.  I'm proud to tell people I have one.

[karudin]

I'm a very tactile learner.  I prefer learning by doing, and that's how i learn best! I'd rather do it piece by piece, and as a programmer I am very able and willing to use google and youtube to learn things as well. 

and as Jeff had said: I could end up spending more for building one rather than buying one and adding onto it later, which is why i wanted some handholding so i don't make any rash or impulsive decisions.  someone that knows their rifle, and can give me good advice. (not of course make the decisions for me. )

Completely understand, I'm the same way. I plan on building my next AR, going bigger than 5.56 this time though. As others have said AR-15 parts are quite interchangeable and there are loads of them out there, just a matter of what you are looking to do with it.

Nice to see another computer guy (network engineer here) into firearms, most people I work with are more interested in video games and such.

[32_d3gr33s]

honestly, build your rifle.  you may spend a little more up front, but it will be YOUR rifle, and it will be exactly the way YOU want.  If you buy a mass produced off the shelf one, you plan on leaving it bone stock?  I doubt it...  you'll want a foregrip or different stock or different pistol grip, or ditch the iron sights and put on a red dot.  Well all the parts you swapped out, cost money that now you've spent more money to replace.  your $600 walmart rifle in now a $1000 walmart rifle, and you could have built a top notch rifle for $850.  Figure out exactly what you want.  What is it going to be used for? What distances you plan on shooting? You want it tac'ed out, or lightweight?   Spend a while researching what exactly you want.  Buy a couple parts at a time if you want.  Go hold some rifles and get a feel for what you like and dont like.  The options are endless.  Beware, once you build one, you'll get addicted.   

Heres mine that i built this spring. 

[Jeff]

That's a nice handguard, but do they make them for male rifles? bwwwahaha

Kidding.  It is of the style that I am going to get just not that one.  I will be getting a Nordic I think when I feel the desire to (money)

[part deux]

Windham Weaponry is a fine rifle.  I'm proud to tell people I have one.

I really like mine.

IF, I ever see a certain lower from a certain group buy, I'm looking forward to building one too.

[gryphon]

PD, did you lose money on that lower purchase?

[part deux]

Define lose money?

I paid for ONE, I have received ZERO.  There are promises that I will receive ONE, but every promised date has been missed.

So technically I have not received what i paid for, so maybe.  While this was not a time is of the essence contract, it has exceeded all reasonable standards of delivery.  While it would be a waste of my time to force an individual lawsuit...  there is a basis for a class action.

But, you already know that no deliveries have occured, so what is the genesis of your question?

[gryphon]

No, I don't.  I don't follow MGO and thought that had all been ironed out. I only heard about it reading elsewhere.

[Jeff]

IF, I ever see a certain lower from a certain group buy, I'm looking forward to building one too.

What certain lower from some certain group buy?  MGO lowers?

[part deux]

What certain lower from some certain group buy?  MGO lowers?

ROFLMAO... yes

[Jeff]

Wow, they are $250 for real?

Never looked into the MGO site before.

If we had MOC lowers would those be $250 as well?

[part deux]

Wow, they are $250 for real?

Never looked into the MGO site before.

If we had MOC lowers would those be $250 as well?

Don't even go there.

[Jeff]

Don't even go there.

I take it there is a lot of drama over the lowers that I know nothing about.

[part deux]

I take it there is a lot of drama over the lowers that I know nothing about.

Pretty accurate assessment

[CV67PAT]

Pat espouses Colt parts -- and original factory Colt parts only. I don't personally own an AR -- though one of my significant others does.

I am a Colt lover, yes. But there are other good quality parts available. If interested I happen to have a few parts "laying" around:
Stripped lower receiver (R Guns)
Assembled upper receiver (Smith & Wesson) + 14.5" barrel (Colt) + pinned flash hider (Bravo extended A2) + delta ring (Colt)
bolt carrier group (Bushmaster)
And some other misc. parts.

[Ezerharden]

I am a Colt lover, yes. But there are other good quality parts available. If interested I happen to have a few parts "laying" around:
Stripped lower receiver (R Guns)
Assembled upper receiver (Smith & Wesson) + 14.5" barrel (Colt) + pinned flash hider (Bravo extended A2) + delta ring (Colt)
bolt carrier group (Bushmaster)
And some other misc. parts.

Got any 18.5 inch Mossburg 12 gauge barrels laying around? 

[CV67PAT]

Got any 18.5 inch Mossburg 12 gauge barrels laying around? 

Sorry.  I only have one on my "pistol". Try Numrich Gun Parts. That's where I got mine.