New Black Rifle Owner.

[Guest Scottech]

Call me impulsive but I broke down today and spent my "future" tax rebate on a Brand New Doublestar stAR-15 .223 16" barrel and A3 collapsible stock and it has a flat top but came with a removable carrying handle.

Now I need help deciding what to get for my first accessory.

This is the first AR I've owned so do any other AR owners have any suggestions?

[Smith]

Optics - Aimpoint or EOTech.

[towerclimber37]

ammo?

[Guest Scottech]

ammo?

. Yeah...I have 200 rds of .223 of Wolf right now. I planned on shooting it in my Mini-14 but nowwww...

[towerclimber37]

wolf..ugh.

is it steel cased?

[Guest Scottech]

wolf..ugh.

is it steel cased?

Yes. I couldn't pass up the deal. 200 rds for $40. My Mini likes it so I'm hoping the AR likes it too.

[davej48]

Some used GI mags in both 20 and 30 round capacities along with a case of ammo. These rifles are very addictive.

[NuTcAsE]

SWEEET!! Congrats, let us know how well she does.

[Guest Scottech]

Some used GI mags in both 20 and 30 round capacities along with a case of ammo. These rifles are very addictive.

You got that right bro. More mags is a great idea. I was also thinking about this:

http://www.spectergear.com/mout_sling.htm

[Guest 2HOW]

A good sling , at least 4 mags and ammo, perhaps a good optic. But dont go cheap, wait and buy a good reflex or holo site, the ones you can see your iron sites thru. Nice rifle , good luck.

[Daniel]

anyone know where I could find a barrel with no front site post? id like to get one of the 16" with mid length handguards from rra but their barrels all have front site posts.

[doughnut]

Congrats on your first AR. I got my first in October so I'll give you a run down on my progression:

1.) Ammo, GI Mags, Magpul P-Mags

2.) Vickers/Blue Force Sling

3.) Magpul MIAD Grip

4.) EOTech 512 HWS

I'd suggest a sling and the Specter MOUT is a fine one, I have one on my 870. I'd just take your time and figure out what you like and don't. You can't go wrong with mags and ammo.

[LA_357SIG]

Now I need help deciding what to get for my first accessory.

This is the first AR I've owned so do any other AR owners have any suggestions?

An Ergogrip. The stock A2 handguards suck.

[Rightwinger]

anyone know where I could find a barrel with no front site post? id like to get one of the 16" with mid length handguards from rra but their barrels all have front site posts.

The FSB is an option you can change with RRA, just tell them what kind of gas block you want in place of the FSB and you can have a complete flat top. (I suggest the gas block with pic rails on top so you can mount iron backup sights when you want them).

[Rightwinger]

As to the original request of the poster.....EOtech sights. Just to easy to use!

[Guest ETS_Inc]

Junglist,

Give me a call on Monday. I've got a Bushmaster Dissapator upper in the shop, with a YHM flat gas block, Fobus rifle-length rail system, and YHM Phantom flash hider. The upper is used, but far from abused. I'll cut you a good deal on it, Air Assault.

To the OP,

My best advice for a first accessory is this:

Ammo, ammo, ammo (On another forum, one member says BA/UU/R - Buy Ammo / Use Up / Repeat.)

If you're new to AR's, I would suggest getting comfortable with what you have first, and in the process, take the time to handle as many other rifles as possible. I would imagine that while you're at the range using your ammo, there will be other AR shooters there. When you see someone with an accessory you're considering, ask them if you can handle their gun. Explain to them that you're considering buying such-and-such, but that you want to see how it fits you first. (Quite often, they'll likely offer to let you run a few rounds through their gun - AR shooters are generally pretty good about turning other folks onto their hobby.) Ask those shooters their impressions of their equipment, ask why they chose what they chose, and veryimportantly, ask them what other options they tried first. If they're equally as new to you, and they just bought what someone told them to get, their opinion on the equipment won't really be as valid as someone's who went through the cycle of trying everything under the sun.

Once you've fondled a bunch of different options, weigh out their importance, and then ask one more, VERY important question:

Does the option / accessory solve a real problem, or is it just added weight / expense?

If all you're going to do is punch holes in paper from a benchrest, you probably don't need the same stuff a police SWAT member would need. If you're going to hunt prairie dogs from 500 yards in South Dakota, you'll want a different barrel, handguard, and scope than someone who's going to use their rifle for 3-gun matches; not to mention you'd use a different style sling. A vertical foregrip is great if you're runnin' and gunnin', but it's kind of in the way on a benchrest gun. A $500 3-9x40 scope would be great for hunting 'dogs, but it wouldn't do well on a gun used while kicking in doors.

Also, while the rule "Buy nice, or buy twice" is usually a good rule to follow, you'll find that for most people's uses, some (note I said some, not all) of the less expensive alternatives work quite well. If I were going back to Afghanistan, I'd want to spend the money to buy the best stuff on the market. But, if all I'm going to do is drive to the local range, unload the guns on a static line, and toss them back into the cases, I could probably make do with something a little less expensive.

The things I'm talking about in the previous paragraph are things like rail systems, pistol grips, stocks, vertical foregrips (VFG's), and even BUIS' (back-up iron sights). Are the cheaper ones, like the Chinese knock-offs or TAPCO, as good as say Knight's or Larue Tactical? No, not hardly. But, they'll stand up to most people's use without failing, and will do so at a much lower price, leaving more money for the most important accessories - ammo, training, and range time.

[wareagle]

Frank just gave you some great advice. I'd buy brass ammo and GI mags. Also, a nice sling and a hogue overmold pistol grip make things feel better.

[Guest Scottech]

Great advice.

As Frank said it'll be BA/UU/R for me for the most part.

As far as getting comfortable with it, I spent quite a few years sleeping with the Colt version of this rifle with full auto... (and a complimentary Beretta jammed into my side to boot!) No, I didn't do a lot of combat however I did protect millions of dollars in resources, secrets and crypto material for Uncle Sam!

If need be it can serve me as a home defense weapon but I'm sure I'll be punching holes in paper mostly. I'll initially be shoppin for ammo, mags, a sling, and in the future, some optics, a decent rail system, weapon light and vertical grip.

[Guest price g]

anyone know where I could find a barrel with no front site post? id like to get one of the 16" with mid length handguards from rra but their barrels all have front site posts.

To install the mid length hand guards, you will need [a] free float tube to pass over a low profile gas block or a barrel with a rifle length gas system:)

[Daniel]

I want to find one although, i just bought two firearms and cant justify it to the wife buying a whole upper. i want to get parts here and there.

[Guest ACMM]

I want to find one although, i just bought two firearms and cant justify it to the wife buying a whole upper. i want to get parts here and there.

CMMG has the best selection of stripped barrels IMO.

However, I recommend getting the barrel with a std FSB installed. You can always take it off and put on any of the srew on model gas blocks, and you can always go back to the pinned FSB if you want it. If you get it with no FSB and you decide you want one later it will be another $65 you didn't have to spend IMO.

[towerclimber37]

I want to find one although, i just bought two firearms and cant justify it to the wife buying a whole upper. i want to get parts here and there.

Dan, I'm in the same boat! I just got an EMP for Christmas and recently bought a sig saur for my wife.

there's no hope in me getting that DSA arms lower receiver for my stg58 for some time...

[bteague2]

I can't believe nobody said bayonet yet.....

[Marswolf]

I can't believe nobody said bayonet yet.....

Hey, I like the bayonet. But I'm into 1863.

[Guest Scottech]

That's definitely on my list. Hmmm. Now I just have find one to fit this rifle?

Edited January 31, 2008 by Scottech