Looking for affordable first AR

If you can get the Sport, do it. I couldn't so I had to setup my own rifle recently. I ended up paying around $650 for my setup by purchasing different parts, including shipping and the FFL charge for the lower, which is what it would have cost me for the Sport if I had been able to get one locally.

This will be primarily for home defense and plinking. Hoping to get something that isn't likely to have problems digesting budget-priced ammo.

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This being the case, just spend another $200 and get a quality weapon that you can depend upon for a lifetime.

You can buy the lower of your choice, completely assembled for $250-300 all over the internet. Have it shipped to your FFL. Then find the upper you want for $500 or so, and have it shipped to yourself. Pop the pins in, just like anytime you clean the rifle, and you now have a quality rifle for $800 or so that you won't regret purchasing years later.

I would trust an old Mini-14 over a corner cutting cheapo AR. Just like 1911s, if you want one that works, you have to pay for it or take your chances...

Frankenstein it!

I built mine for $450 out of used parts in 2009 during the OMGOBAMAWILLBANTHEM pricing.

Key to being cheap, is don't be picky. Key to being picky is, don't be cheap.

In your list, definitely the S&W, with the Stag not too far behind. The Olympic and the "Carbon 15" Bushmaster are not rifles I would recommend.

Not a lot of sub-$700 choices. For a long time CMMG had a $600 "bargain bin" but it appears to be gone for now. There's a chance you could find a Spike's around $700, which would be an equal or better choice than the S&W, and you might find a DS Arms close to that as well, which is probably comparable to the S&W or Stag.

geniusiknowit said:

This will be primarily for home defense and plinking. Hoping to get something that isn't likely to have problems digesting budget-priced ammo.

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+1 on the M&P Sport for plinking... although I'll have to agree with the idea to save up some more money for a more tried and true AR with respect to primary home defense. Maybe it's just semantics, but I can understand an AR for property defense, but for actual home defense I would respectfully advise either a pistol or a tactical length shotgun.

geniusiknowit said:

Depends on the living situation... but that's another topic.

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Yes, but it's a pretty relevant one if HD is the primary purpose. Your budget (for now) for HD is probably going to encourage a reasonably expensive weapon light, which can further limit your AR choices. I'm only mentioning that since I'm with @RatDrall on suggesting you wait for a little more coin to be available to you. If plinking was the sole purpose, it's easier to just vote and say why. HD adds a few more variables to consider, especially on your restricted budget.

Share as much as you are comfortable (ex. a 50 ft. hallway or something). THR is here to help and argue while doing it making sure you get a pretty wide variety of opinions to consider and weigh against your own

your best bet is to increase your budget another $250 and build off a BCM upper. This will get you a mil-spec upper, milspec BCG, a good assembled lower, and a decent rear sight. Pretty much the ideal minimalist's rifle that you want to last a lifetime.

You get the premium quality firearm with good resale value AND have a top-tier gun to progressively build on if you like the platform and want to dive into the tacticooling/optics/glass options of accessories.

Try JSE Surplus

http://www.jsesurplus.com/

They have some specials on their homepage.

Another idea is to add Surplus Arms lower ($164.99) to Jse Surplus complete Upper ($375): http://www.jsesurplus.com/custom16hbarmidlength1x9flattopuppercompletestandard-2-1.aspx

Lower: http://www.surplusammo.com/products/*Surplus-Ammo-&-Arms-AR15-Lower-Complete-with-Stock.html

About $540

You will need to add some sights or optics.

Hope that helps!

The M&P Sport is a truly great deal, very solid rifle with quality components in all the places that it really counts. I've put 600 rounds of super cheap Monarch and Tula steel ammo through mine with only one failure, and that one failure was most likely the fault of the ammo. I will probably end up spending 100.00 on an upper receiver that has the dust cover and forward assist, but it's more for aesthetics than an actual need for those features.

Another option you have for a low cost but high quality rifle would be Palmetto State Armory. You could build a very high quality rifle from them for less than 600.00. Take a look at their site and you'll see that they use high quality steel in their BCG's, MPI and HP tested, chrome lined bores and chambers, and proper staking even in their lowest price offerings. I already have one of their stripped lowers (reg. price is 79.99) and they have a M4 rifle kit that includes everything needed to build a complete rifle (minus the lower receiver) with the above mentioned features for 479.99. You can also get this kit which comes with magpul moe stock and pistol grip, and a Yankee Hill 9 inch free float tube already installed http://palmettostatearmory.com/2257.php . Including the cost of a stripped receiver, thats a nice set up for around 700.00.

Try a Del-Ton. They recently started making complete rifles, not just uppers. Friend of mine picked one up from her local dealer for $650 plus tax. 16" barrel, flat top or a2 handle (your choice). It has the forward assist, dustcover, and all the other parts you'd expect.

They're made in North Carolina, so it's a US product too! Nice looking guns. I think the MSRP on them is about $750, but a dealer should be able to work out less.

As for reliability, there's the standard "no steel case" disclaimer in the included manual. I've had a few mag's worth of trigger time on it, no jams with PMC ammo as long as its properly lubed. She's got 2000+ rounds into it now, but no parts failures, and only a couple of FTF's, both of which happened after the gun started to get a bit dry. Adding more oil fixed the problem.

Oh, and did I mention it had a 5.56 chamber?

for actual home defense I would respectfully advise either a pistol or a tactical length shotgun.

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Please tell us why.

Geniusiknowit,
For the price listed the Stag Model 1 or the M&P-15 Sport are your best options.

The Pros of the Stag are the chrome lined bbl, double heat shield handguards, dust cover, and forward assist. The cons are that you don't get M4 feed ramps, nor an HPT/MPI bolt (unless you spend an extra $100 for the plus package, which gets you those and a few more features).

The Pros of the M&P Sport are M4 feed ramps, HPT/MPI bolt, 1:8 twist (will stabilize heavier / longer bullets), 5R rifling (reduces friction, known for accuracy), Ferritic Nitrocarburized (Melonited) bbl (3/4 the wear resistance of hard chrome lining, without loss of accuracy), and lower price. The cons are lack of forward assist & dust cover, and unshielded handguards.

For me, the HPT/MPI BCG, M4 feed ramps, and Melonited 1:8 5R bbl were more important than having a dust cover & forward assist. I didn't care about the unshielded handguards either, because I knew they'd be coming off anyway. If you like standard handguards, shielded sets can be had from the big name online AR places for under $25. I've also owned an M&P-15 A before, and knew from that experience that their lower parts are good to go. For some, the feature set on the Stag may be more appealing.

I've owned an Olympic as well. It was a good plinker, but nothing I'd run hard, nor trust for personal defense.

The Bushmaster Carbon 15 is another good plinker. I'm not convinced of the durability of the upper & lower receiver though. Bushmaster doesn't consistently (if at all) properly stake carrier keys, nor receiver extension castle nuts on any of their rifles. I've also seen too many Bushmasters with out of spec. chambers.

I don't think Stag's market share is what it used to be.

That S&W should serve you well. Building your own is fun, and you can get picky about the specs.

However I can't say if the S&W will tolerate steel cased ammo. Your magazine choice may be a factor there.

However I can't say if the S&W will tolerate steel cased ammo

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I've a couple of the S&W M&P models above the Sport and they have shot nothing but steel cased ammo. No issues.

To be frank, your budget doesn't fit your needs. One of the other needs to change.
Personally I suggest saving for another month or whatever and getting something better suited for the HD role.

Of what you listed only the S&W is even on the radar and the Sport model is really the bottom of the barrel for them.

Is there a significant difference in the velocity of a 14.5" bbl vs the full 16"?

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Nope. It is insignificant unless you are talking extreme long range shots.

ugaarguy said:

Please tell us why.

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Suggestion is based on the OPs intended purpose, and budget. Any school of thought with re: to in-home tactics is completely up to the OP, hence it was a respectful suggestion offering alternatives. It's just for a $700 hard budget, for his AR to be primarily HD off the bat is a difficult thing to configure. Hence, the encouragement to save up some more coin to be more flexible.

RP88 said:

your best bet is to increase your budget another $250 and build off a BCM upper. This will get you a mil-spec upper, milspec BCG, a good assembled lower, and a decent rear sight. Pretty much the ideal minimalist's rifle that you want to last a lifetime.

You get the premium quality firearm with good resale value AND have a top-tier gun to progressively build on if you like the platform and want to dive into the tacticooling/optics/glass options of accessories.

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This

And
Check out Palmetto State Armory for lower build kits and other gear. Take a look at www.cdnninvestments.com and www.dsgarms.com for mags and gear too.

CDNN has had some great deal on S&W M&P ARs in the past, definitely worth downloading their catalog or making a phone call!