the best AR for my money

R

relic 59 50

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im not rich.... i want an AR, what do you guys think is the best ar my small amount of money could buy up to 750? im not familiar with quality brands or prices.
 
For your budget, and as a starter AR15 I recommend looking at Smith&Wesson AR15 Sport, or Tactical Machining AR15 M4 (www.tacticalmachining.com).

Both are good brands to start from, and in the future you can always add and modify/change a particular part to your liking.

You can also try Bushmaster AR15 Carbon, which sells for around $650-700 on Budsgunshop.com.
 
The Smith & Wesson M&P AR-15 is hands down going to be the best bang for your buck. I have done a lot of research on this gun, and will be buying one very soon. I live in St. Louis, MO where I can currently buy one for $619 with iron sights brand new in box.
 
You can also try Bushmaster AR15 Carbon, which sells for around $650-700 on Budsgunshop.com.
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Basic rifle, two magazines, mini red dot, risers, strap & hard case $599.00. I spent another $175 on quad rail, bi-pod, pistol grip, flashlight holder, vertical grip, and MOE stock.

Jim

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Basic rifle, two magazines, mini red dot, risers, strap & hard case $599.00. I spent another $175 on quad rail, bi-pod, pistol grip, flashlight holder, vertical grip, and MOE stock.
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First off let me say that's a good looking gun you got there. My buddy bought the same gun a few years back new in box for $1200 at Cabellas. Did you buy yours new or used and where did you get it?
 
Bought it new. Gander had them on sale for $599.00 and Cabela's was selling them for $649.00, Cabela's did a price match and I got the last one they had in stock. I was actually looking for a handgun at the time (last Christmas), but couldn't pass up a AR rifle at handgun prices. (did get a CZ 75 for this Christmas) I have a $1,200 AR for quite some time now and did not know how the Carbon-15 would work out. It actually is a very good gun. Needs a two stage trigger, but other than that it shoots straight and gives good groups. I have only had it out to 50 yards so far because of weather and work and changing scopes (3 times), hopefully this spring I will be able to wring it out to 250 and see how it does.

Thanks
Jim
 
I've shot a M&P Sport a ton and quite a few Palmetto State Armory guns in the last couple years. Both are good reliable guns for the money. I'd say if you're concerned about warranty, S&W just can't be beat. The PSA guns have a better trigger though. They also come with a forward assist (I realize the odds of ever having to use it are slim to 0 but I've spent the last 8 years using the M4 at work and I habitually hit the forward assist after chambering a round and not having one just freaks me out :eek:) and the M&P Sport doesn't. Either way, you can't go wrong.
 
suggestion...

You may want to order a preassembled lower half online or from a local gun shop and then surf the forums for someone selling an upper.

Three years ago I was walking into a gun show when I noticed a guy with a back pack and two uppers sticking out of it walking in. I asked him about them and he told me the price for each and then that if I bought both he would sell them for $650; I offered him $550 which he accepted. Around half an hour later I sold the crappier A2 carbine upper for $350 while walking the floor of the show.

ARs are like Barbie's for men, I've noticed on our local web forum here in Maryland that there are constantly people upgrading and selling off their complete uppers in the $350-400 range.

If you're patient and shop frugally you can probably piece a commercial grade AR (RRA, DPMS, Bushmaster) together for about $600. I pieced the one below on the right together for a about $500 leveraging the trade from the gun show.

IMG_0888.jpg
 
I've shot the S&W Sport and own an M&P 15. The Sport is remarkably light which makes it more maneuverable than my tarted up mall ninja gun. The barrel is slightly lighter and it does not have the cutouts for the grenade launcher or whatever. As mentioned, you don't get the forward assist and dust cover, but if you're not going to war with it, it should make no difference. The trigger is standard S&W fare - OK but not great. If I heard correctly, there is no internal heat shield in the forend grip. If you're going to shoot 100's of rounds in a row it might warm up a little quicker on you. All in all if I wanted a reliable gun for the least amount possible this would be my pick. S&W customer service has been impeccable for me and they build a great quality firearm.
 
>>from what i heard cabela's now has dpms panthers are like $500 or something cheap like that.

Wow... that's sounds like a safe bet for someone on a budget!
 
Buy a stripped lower ($90ish), and a Lower Parts Kit ($60ish).

Then order a BCM upper and Bolt Carrier Group... ($500ish)

And you will have a top end AR for the most part.

Beware the M&P sportline... although good... and will hold up to most shooters.. it depends on what you want to use it for. The missing chrome lining, dust cover.. and forward assist are not the only difference... and really matter little in the price.

The big differences you don't see, or hear about is how they cut the cost on them down.. mainly the barrels are softer steel... which isn't a huge issue.. unless you plan to shoot a lot.. your groups will open up faster and your barrel will shoot out faster.

Also they do not use Type III anodizing on them.. not a huge deal, depending on what you do with it.

I LIKE the M&P sportline.. I have recommending and sold a ton of them.. and for 90% of people buying AR's it will be more than enough, however.. the missing forward assist, chrome lining, and dust cover ARE NOT the only differences.
 
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