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Thinking of getting my first AR-15. (yeah I know) I'm mostly an AK guy and have been putting off getting one. I've been looking at the S&W M&P 15 Sport II. I have heard that it's a decent entry level AR for the money. From what I have seen they go for around $500. What are your thoughts on the M&P 15 and is there a better AR that you guys can recommend for about the same price? Thanks in advance.  

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For an off-the-shelf rifle on a budget, I highly recommend the Aero AC-15.  Or for a little more money, the Aero M4E1.

 

For the maximum enjoyment, build it yourself.  Just do your research first to know you're buying good parts.

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Spikes or aero forged lower, aero upper, lower build kit from Palmetto State Armory (with your choice of Magpul furniture.. I like the ACS-L or STR), barrel from US Contractor on Classic, (All six that I have bought from them have been tack drivers.) WMD, AIM, or Fail Zero NiB bolt and carrier, hand guard of your choice.

 

Will be a little more than an entry level, but will also have upgrades that you will pay for later, and it will be a very solid, accurate, and reliable firearm. Good luck in your search. There are ALOT of good options out there and they are just getting cheaper.

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Thank God that you can take your time now.

 

I would wait 3-6 months. The market is going to explode with new guns and parts!

 

An Olympic Rep. treated my friend really well. He owned a hybrid (half Olympic, half after-market parts) AR-15 and it wasn't feeding. His gun was sent to the factory for repair, regardless of it's parts.

 

Probably a one-off. That was 15 years ago.

Edited by Sim_Player
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I am left handed.  Also am very picky.  Would YOU be happy with a Stag Arms left hand 20" heavy barrel RIFLE, (not carbine) with the standard A2 hand guards and butt stock along with the detachable A2 rear site carry handle?  That is if you were left handed.

 

Or, if you have the build skills and all the stuff needed to do it correctly, would you be more happy doing your own?  I would be, that is if I had all the necessary gadgets and goodies to do it correctly.  Your decision.  To do my own would be well over $1000 bucks. 

Edited by HB of CJ
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There are plenty of decent routes you could take, but I'd recommend PSA upper (FN or nitride barreled), PSA Premium BCG, Aero lower, Aero/Spike's/RRA/Stag/CMMG/PSA lower parts kit (really doesn't matter which, so buy the one that's cheapest), Anderson buffer tube assembly and whatever stock and handguard setup you want.

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Building one is more fun with a 80% lower.

It also is a good way to know the gun inside and out.

I have a 300 blackout and a 9mm right now that I have built and they run perfect

I also have a 80% lower ready to go for a 556. Give it a try.

Good luck

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Build it.  They are really like lego pieces.  Its fun, you can build it exactly the want.  Don't get into a hurry.  Shop around.  You will have the rifle that you want, and you will know every little detail to it. 

 

Thinking the Clinton Whore was going to win, I rushed my M4 (still freak'n fantastic rifle) and when she didn't win, I backed off of my M16A4 build.  Now I can take my time.

 

Have fun.

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Lots of companies with many options. However, although they all look the same, they are not. Shop around if you decide to build and use good quality parts. There's a lot of airsoft quality junk out there priced really low that may work for a few shots, but will quickly let you down.

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Here's an example of what you can get for your money. This is a very basic midlength upper I built with the following parts, all of which were on sale:

 

PSA midlength upper w/ FN barrel - $270 

PSA mil-spec carry handle - $54

PSA Premium BCG - $70 

Charging handle (forget which brand) - $15

 

Aero Precision lower - $64 

Anderson lower parts kit w/ nickel teflon coated trigger - $40

Anderson buffer tube assembly - $24

CMMG M4 stock - $11

 

Parts only total - $548

Total cost after transfer fee and shipping - $589

 

post-28103-0-41348000-1485395812_thumb.jpg

 

 

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I'm waiting on the parts to show, but I just ordered a PSA Magpul equipped blem upper $287 and lower $149 shipped for a good beater. Under $440 gets you everything but the transfer fee and a rear sight.

 

http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-m4-nitride-1-7-moe-blk-freedom-upper-with-bcg-ch-508045.html

 

http://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar-15-complete-blem-lower-magpul-moe-edition-black-no-magazine.html

Edited by 6500rpm
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PSA all the way. Cheap and reliable.

Huge +1. Get in a CHF FN barreled PSA upper and PSA assembled lower with Magpul furniture for about $700ish, phosphate 1/7 barrel for about $100 less, or Freedom line melonited upper for really cheap. I usually recommend some form of PSA. The value is generally very high for the price. 

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OP, what kind of AR are you wanting?  An M4gery? SPR? High speed? Plinker?  Granted at your price range I'm assuming M4gery or plinker but these are things to think about.
The AR market is so huge you really need to narrow down to what you like first then start looking.
By far I would say to build one over buying one.  It's not hard and with most barrel nuts now the only special tool you'll need is a vice block.

Building one you'll ensure every part is what you want and you won't waste money on a complete gun only to turn around and change the stock, grip, rail, ect.

 

For an off-the-shelf rifle on a budget, I highly recommend the Aero AC-15.  Or for a little more money, the Aero M4E1.

 

For the maximum enjoyment, build it yourself.  Just do your research first to know you're buying good parts.

This is a solid recommendation.  Aero sells reciever sets and rails as a package.  You just buy everything else you want.

 

PSA all the way. Cheap and reliable.

Eh.  You could go this route.  And you can build a good rifle from their parts if you do your research.  Stay with an FN barrel. and they're better BCGs.  It'll pay off in the long run.
Having said that, there are plenty of other places you can get quality AR parts at a good price and not have the "PSA" branding stigma.

Edited by Pyzik
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I was looking at some of the rifle kits on the PSA website. Is there any reason NOT to get one of those? If I did, the only other thing I would need is a lower of some sort,correct?

 

No, other than the fact that I've seen some of those kits on sale for less. Item 7781383 is actually a pretty nice deal though.

 

And yes, all you'd need is a lower and a sight/sights.

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I was looking at some of the rifle kits on the PSA website. Is there any reason NOT to get one of those? If I did, the only other thing I would need is a lower of some sort,correct?

No, other than the fact that I've seen some of those kits on sale for less. Item 7781383 is actually a pretty nice deal though.

 

And yes, all you'd need is a lower and a sight/sights.

 

 

On the uppers,some of them say mid-length gas system,while others are carbine-length.Is one better than the other or are they about the same?   

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I was looking at some of the rifle kits on the PSA website. Is there any reason NOT to get one of those? If I did, the only other thing I would need is a lower of some sort,correct?

 

No, other than the fact that I've seen some of those kits on sale for less. Item 7781383 is actually a pretty nice deal though.

And yes, all you'd need is a lower and a sight/sights.

 

On the uppers,some of them say mid-length gas system,while others are carbine-length.Is one better than the other or are they about the same?

For 16" barrel use a mid-length. 18"+ use a rifle length. This will make a smoother shooting gun that isn't overgassed.
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I was looking at some of the rifle kits on the PSA website. Is there any reason NOT to get one of those? If I did, the only other thing I would need is a lower of some sort,correct?

No, other than the fact that I've seen some of those kits on sale for less. Item 7781383 is actually a pretty nice deal though.

And yes, all you'd need is a lower and a sight/sights.

 

On the uppers,some of them say mid-length gas system,while others are carbine-length.Is one better than the other or are they about the same?

For 16" barrel use a mid-length. 18"+ use a rifle length. This will make a smoother shooting gun that isn't overgassed.

 

You MAY have to play with buffer weights to get some midlegth 16" barrels and rifle length 18" barrels to function correctly.  Espescially when you're looking at budget barrels.

Edited by Pyzik
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I was looking at some of the rifle kits on the PSA website. Is there any reason NOT to get one of those? If I did, the only other thing I would need is a lower of some sort,correct?

No, other than the fact that I've seen some of those kits on sale for less. Item 7781383 is actually a pretty nice deal though.

 

And yes, all you'd need is a lower and a sight/sights.

 

 

On the uppers,some of them say mid-length gas system,while others are carbine-length.Is one better than the other or are they about the same?   

 

For 10.5" barrel to 16" I like carbine length. Partly because I want everything to feel familiar to me in regards to the handguard and partly because I am not a fan of having weight any further forward than it absolutely must be. Midlengths at 14.5" to 16" can be problematic, especially with what most would call range quality loads, but I would not go as far as to say it is very common or epidemic. I have had some midlengths that ran great with range quality loads, but they all had FN CHF barrels and a quality BCG. Not to say CHF and quality BCG is a must to have a reliable midlength, that was just my experience.

 

Stay with CHF, Premium, or Freedom lines at PSA. I am not a fan of the PTAC line.

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I was looking at some of the rifle kits on the PSA website. Is there any reason NOT to get one of those? If I did, the only other thing I would need is a lower of some sort,correct?

No, other than the fact that I've seen some of those kits on sale for less. Item 7781383 is actually a pretty nice deal though.

 

And yes, all you'd need is a lower and a sight/sights.

On the uppers,some of them say mid-length gas system,while others are carbine-length.Is one better than the other or are they about the same?

For 10.5" barrel to 16" I like carbine length. Partly because I want everything to feel familiar to me in regards to the handguard and partly because I am not a fan of having weight any further forward than it absolutely must be. Midlengths at 14.5" to 16" can be problematic, especially with what most would call range quality loads, but I would not go as far as to say it is very common or epidemic. I have had some midlengths that ran great with range quality loads, but they all had FN CHF barrels and a quality BCG. Not to say CHF and quality BCG is a must to have a reliable midlength, that was just my experience.

 

Stay with CHF, Premium, or Freedom lines at PSA. I am not a fan of the PTAC line.

I have to totally disagree with the midlength on a 16" being less than ideal. That configuration is closest to ideal for an ar15 in terms of dwell time and port pressure you can get without going for a full length rifle system with 20". The carbine and 14.5" is closer to an m16 as orginally designed.

 

IMO the midlength with a 16" barrel looks much better than a 16" with carbine handguard, that looks hideous way too much barrel sticking out.

 

As far as first ar15. I suggest buying one first. Learn the ins and outs then build one that's excatly what you want. Unless your a bit tinkering kind of person then I'd build one first. Stick with decent quality parts. Hell even the cheap stuff from good makers is usally just fine. I recommend delton I've built three ar15s with their parts and haven't had any issues what so ever. And one was the lightweight 16" midlength chrome lined barrel. I suggest going with a lightweight barrel it was handle so much better than an m4 or socom profile barrel.

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I'd stick with Mil spec parts as much as possible.  That way if things go up, you can cannibalize military rifles.

Okay, if you get a military M4/16, are you really gonna cannibalize it or are you just gonna slap your upper on a full auto lower?

 

Both!  I'd take lowers till the stable is all select fire, then break the rest down for spares/barter materials. 

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