FuNG to AR-15

[CHawks_12]

Hi, I am new to AR-15 world outside of the Military, but not new to the weapon system itself. I have been lurking around the forums learning all that I can outside of the Military manuals and et-ups. I have been in the Army for 17 years now and looking forward to the day I can hang up the uniform and contribute to the world in a new way. I am looking for my 1st AR and undcided at the moment if I want to build my 1st or buy complete rifle then down the road build my own. I will thou build my own AR at some point. If there are any recommendations on parts for DIY then I am all earns. I welcome the expertise and knowledge.

[LMT Shooter]

I don't contribute much to the expertise or knowledge, but I can contribute a welcome to you.

[jcshelto]

Hi, I am new to AR-15 world outside of the Military, but not new to the weapon system itself. I have been lurking around the forums learning all that I can outside of the Military manuals and et-ups. I have been in the Army for 17 years now and looking forward to the day I can hang up the uniform and contribute to the world in a new way. I am looking for my 1st AR and undcided at the moment if I want to build my 1st or buy complete rifle then down the road build my own. I will thou build my own AR at some point. If there are any recommendations on parts for DIY then I am all earns. I welcome the expertise and knowledge.


Welcome. I am Active Army, though I'll be dropping my REFRAD pretty soon.

Get a good workbench setup, a decent punch set and an AR mag vice. A Leatherman MUT is good for stuff on the fly.

[FloridaWoodsman]

Since you are already familiar with the firearm and how it should work, I'd suggest going straight for a home-assembled one. I'd wait a bit, though, for prices and availability to return to more normal levels.

[britishtq]

I built one first and it was a great learning opportunity but if you don't want the fuss right off the bat just buy a quality AR, not bushmaster, and shoot it a lot.

[Abraham]

FloridaWoodsman said: "I'd wait a bit, though, for prices and availability to return to more normal levels."

I hope your right, and you may very well be, but if we have another AR mass murder scenario we may never see costs go down and scarcity may once again be a factor.

CHawks_12

If you consider buying an already built AR - At my local Walmart, I paid $1097 for a Colt LE6920 a few months back. For another fifty or so dollars I bought another in a Magpul configuration.

For a very long time the availability of these rifles was scare and cost more, in some cases, a lot more. Will availability and cost as it is now stay stable? Don't know...

[ex95B10]

A Colt 6920 is a great place to start and you can upgrade it when you can with whatever you want and know that you started with known quality.

[Clint]

It depends on how familiar / comfortable you are with the armorer aspects of the AR.

I'd suggest buying a complete rifle or complete upper and lower separately.

That way, when you start the build on your second, you'll have a known good configuration to compare with.

[RogerinTPA]

Since you are already familiar with the firearm and how it should work, I'd suggest going straight for a home-assembled one. I'd wait a bit, though, for prices and availability to return to more normal levels.

Most prices are already back to pre Sandy hook prices. $1000.00 at walmart today will get you a colt 6920. A hundred bucks more will get you one in a MOE configuration. That's way less than what I paid 6 years ago at 1250ish. Prices have no where to go but up, depending on the timing of the next mass shooting involving an AR. I suggest to the OP, to get a quality AR: Colt, DD, LMT, BCM or one of G&R Tactical (Grant's) deals on a few BCM custom builds ASAP. As for availability, quality AR product is available. The real issue is ammo availability. Both can be found with due diligence and a google search.