Best value AR platform

[Guest Hunter2]

I am thinking of an AR-15 and want one just to have. I dont want to build one, just off the shelf. I see a Bushmaster at Walmart for about 900.00. It has the sites that double as a handle, thats the style I want so I can add a site latter. Is there one as good at a better price? What brand? What brand and type of after market site would be goos as an add on. Thanks

Edited March 28, 2012 by Hunter2

[Glock30]

Depends on your needs. Check out sites like Bud's Gun Shop, as they carry a decent selection and have good service. If you're just looking for a plinker, they have several in the $700 range. My first (and favorite) AR was a Doublestar - Bud's runs them at $669.. between that and shipping, you'll be OTD around $700, with plenty of room left for ammo and targets.

Check the sale ads here too. There's usually a couple on the market.

[~48_South~]

I would go with Buds have used them several times, shipping is free so all you have to pay is transfer with your ffl and background check which typically runs around $30

[TLRMADE]

Better get one while you can.

[Smith]

M&P Sport

[Guest jkintn]

M&P Sport

If you can find one. I've been looking and can't locate one.

[Jonnin]

You should be able to find a decent one for closer to 700 than 900. I have an M&P 15, very similar to the sport, was around 700 and has been an excellent gun.

[broox]

Wait for old dolamite supafly. He has a three page thesis on why the m&p is the best. I think I have read it in three different posts already.

[nightrunner]

Try to find a s&w M&P15 sport

[Il Duce]

Bcm upper $399

Bcm complete blem lower $299

Bcm bolt carrier group 149

[k9wh91984]

Or BCM complete rifle no marks for 1100 and cry once and never buy another unless it's a knights lmao almost anyone you buy buddy is gonna be GTG!

[JeffsSig]

Guys learn to read LOL

He wants one complete.

[broox]

But I never learned how to read!

[Il Duce]

Two pins to assemble the upper to the lower....the same pins used to take it down to clean it.

[Magiccarpetrides]

Checkout out Palmettostatearmory.com (commonly referred to as PSA) they have some excellent complete rifle deals and all their products are mil spec and top notch. They also give a LIFETIME warranty. Unless they have changed while definitely a good rifle the Bushmasters don't meet Military Specifications (and if your hard on your guns like I am this is important)

[ShamGlock]

+1 on PSA. Great price on a great product. One of the best values out right now.

[Murgatroy]

I am very fond of my PSA carbine. I could have built it a lot cheaper, without all the Magpul parts, but I didn't want to.

I still came in well under the $900 mark of the aforementioned Bushmaster.

You can buy a complete PSA and have it shipped to your FFL dealer, have a top notch rifle and spend a fair amount less that what Walmart wants.

It is also possible to get a Colt from Walmart for only a few dollars more than the Bushmaster.

However, as has been mentioned, the S&W MP-15 Sport is considered the best bang for the buck right now. It is short on features that most black rifles have, however it is full of nifty things that most don't have. While some parts might not be mil-spec, that doesn't exactly mean they are crap either.

Search Dolomite's posts, or wait for him to find this, he has laid out all the benefits of the Sport and explained them.

I built my carbine from a stripped lower. I bought the parts I wanted, as I built it, to avoid swapping or having extras laying around. That was the way I wanted to do it. For a person that wants to buy and not build for whatever reason, the Sport looks to be the way to go. Now, don't take that to think that everyone is down on buying as opposed to building. Different strokes for different folks. I like to tinker. Nothing I own stays the way it came out of the box for long. That is why I built. If I were to buy, I don't think I would pass up the Sport.

[monkeylizard]

Wait for old dolamite supafly. He has a three page thesis on why the m&p is the best. I think I have read it in three different posts already.

I'll save him the time.

Here's his dissertation on it from the RedJacket AR thread.

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/45763-red-jacket-ar/page__view__findpost__p__727564

[Guest Hunter2]

I am very fond of my PSA carbine. I could have built it a lot cheaper, without all the Magpul parts, but I didn't want to.

I still came in well under the $900 mark of the aforementioned Bushmaster.

You can buy a complete PSA and have it shipped to your FFL dealer, have a top notch rifle and spend a fair amount less that what Walmart wants.

It is also possible to get a Colt from Walmart for only a few dollars more than the Bushmaster.

However, as has been mentioned, the S&W MP-15 Sport is considered the best bang for the buck right now. It is short on features that most black rifles have, however it is full of nifty things that most don't have. While some parts might not be mil-spec, that doesn't exactly mean they are crap either.

Search Dolomite's posts, or wait for him to find this, he has laid out all the benefits of the Sport and explained them.

I built my carbine from a stripped lower. I bought the parts I wanted, as I built it, to avoid swapping or having extras laying around. That was the way I wanted to do it. For a person that wants to buy and not build for whatever reason, the Sport looks to be the way to go. Now, don't take that to think that everyone is down on buying as opposed to building. Different strokes for different folks. I like to tinker. Nothing I own stays the way it came out of the box for long. That is why I built. If I were to buy, I don't think I would pass up the Sport.

What walmart sells Colt?

[jbum]

Spikes Tactical just saying

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[R1100R]

Palmetto State Armory for the money.

[shackelford]

What walmart sells Colt?

Not quite your neck of the woods, but I spotted a 6920 for $1099 at the Cool Springs Walmart outside Nashville last weekend. First time I'd seen a Colt there.

[Guest Hunter2]

Not quite your neck of the woods, but I spotted a 6920 for $1099 at the Cool Springs Walmart outside Nashville last weekend. First time I'd seen a Colt there.

Thanks I live in a Memphis suburb..

[Dolomite_supafly]

Someone already linked the post about the Sport. And for the money it is the best gun out there, hands down. There are better guns out there but not because of the gun itself but because of the accessories normally found on higher priced gun. Dollar for dollar it is a great gun. It has many features only found on guns costing hundreds more. You are not going to find a AR with a 5R barrel, Melonite coating and a hardened bolt for under $700 from any other maker.

The Sport will be able to do anything any AR can and do it cheaper. The 5R barrel is more accurate than standard rifling. The Melonite treatment is better than chrome lined or most other exterior surface treatment as far as corrosion goes.

The difference between the Sport and other guns is what accessories hanging off the gun itself like quad rails or stocks. Personally I would buy the Sport for $650 and spend another $300 adding the items you want like a quad rail or stocks. You are going to be a lot farther ahead than most guns you can buy with a quad rail already installed.

As someone asked before your decision of what you need is based on what you are going to do. But as I said the nut and bolts of the Sport is better than most other guns out there, it is the exterior features that are going to make up the cost difference between it and most other higher priced guns. And because the Sport is built to the same specs as every other AR out there any parts you want to swap out can be done without any fitment issues and most times without the need of a smith.

As a person who normally builds AR's I will say that if I had $700 to spend and I had the choice of building or buying I would without a doubt buy the Sport. I cannot build a comparable quality gun for the same as the Sport sells.

Dolomite

[monkeylizard]

Now all you have to do as find one. I think they're on aisle 18 between the hen's teeth and the snipe.