First AR-15

I second starting on a .22. I started out on an AK-47, which was in hindsight a bad idea; it took awhile to correct my improper habits due to that after I learned that I was not a very good shot with other guns.

However, if you have a good deal laying around on an AR, I say buy the AR along with a cheap .22 from Wal-Mart. Learn on the .22, but have some fun with the AR, and gradually implement your proper technique to the AR over time.

The only problem there is deciding what AR to get... There are a lot of options ranging from good budget-minded rifles to the gold-standards that are made exactly how the ones our military uses to ones you build yourself that can cost $3000 and be able to hit a golf ball consistently at 600 yds.

CMMG makes a drop in .22 bolt carrier group for $200 with 25 shot mag..... so get you a AR spend, an extra .200 for the .22 BGC and your set.... .223 when u want or .22 when you want....

so if i went with an AR lower and a .22 upper what else would i need to make a fully functional rifle?

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A complete upper and bolt carrier assembly in the caliber of your choice and mags to go with it. 5.56x45 is the standard, but I'm having lots of fun with my 5.45x39 and 7.62x39 uppers and the lower ammo costs, for now.

CMMG makes a drop in .22 bolt carrier group for $200 with 25 shot mag..... so get you a AR spend, an extra .200 for the .22 BGC and your set.... .223 when u want or .22 when you want....

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Yes this is more economical, but POA/POI issue between .223 and .22LR ammo made this solution less attractive to me. While it theory means you could share an rather costly optic I think you'd be lucky indeed to be happy with the POA/POI without adjusting it every time you switched. A cheap red dot like the Barska M16 Electro sight works really nice on my Spikes .22 (I've also been happy with the one I have on a .223 too, well worth the ~$70-80 you can find them for).

The CMMG conversion and the Spike's Tactical use the same mags so either is a good way to go as most other options use an even more expensive proprietary .22LR magazine. The Black Dog brand works great. My Spike's has been close to 100% with cheap Federal Bulk Pack ammo from WalMart, other than a few weak rounds that didn't cycle fully and a couple of duds (the downside of cheap ammo). Many of the conversion kits need premium .22 ammo which kind of defeats the purpose IMHO.


Don't make the mistake of thinking the Colt or S&W .22 ARs are a real AR. They are only look and work a-likes, the lowers are pot metal. You can buy a stripped lower for about $100 which is the "gun" and then populate it with parts you like (another $100 to sky's the limit) and then get all the uppers you want spreading the costs out over time.

"AR" originally began as "Armalite", in the end the anti gun people came up with "Assault Rifle" to scare the children.

I built my own AR15 in 5.56:


Rock River Arms lower
Bravo Company M4 16" upper
Rock River Arms buttstock
DPMS lower parts kit
Bushmaster bolt carrier assembly
Double Star detachable carry handle.

I went with a keep it simple (KIS) set up and already installed a Magpul pistol grip, Magpul sling and sling mount. The best thing about a KIS is that you can add stuff later on like a EoTech red dot, forward grip, etc.

Right now I'm good to go. If you've played with Legos as a kid, then go build one. The overall money spent was around $900. Works for me.

If you have the cash and are planning on going with an AR anyway a dedicated .22 LR upper would be a great idea. You would get the best of both worlds. You could always add a .223/5.56 upper later.

The trade off is you have to post pics of your new gun when you get it. It's the law

Alemonkey speaks the truth. Pics or it didn't happen!

You gotta get your experience somehow. Nothing wrong with starting with a .22, but nothing wrong with starting with something else either, as long as you can afford to practice with it.

Dry firing is very good practice as well.

Go with the AR in 5.56/.223. When I was in the Army, in basic there were a lot of beginning shooters (fortunately I wasn't one of them) and they didn't start us out with .22's we went right to M16's. If you are seriously interested in shooting that type of long gun then that is the way to go. IMHO