Good plan or nah?

[MWAG19919]

I’m currently quite squared away with my home defense “pistol”, but I have two rifles that are in desperate need of quality optics and lights. The first is my BCM 16” ELW middy with the original KMR, and the second is a Colt 14.5 SOCOM that I FSB chopped and installed a C4 MLOK rail. Considering what Colts are going for these days, I’m debating selling the 14.5 and putting that money into good glass for the BCM. Of the two I prefer the midlength, and it’s capable of pretty good accuracy when I do my part.

I’m a nursing student, so if I want something new I have to sell something I already have. Currently I have a cheap Bushnell 1-4x in a Bobro mount. That’s my only optic between the two rifles. My thinking is that it’s better to have one solid carbine with good glass than to have two with a crappy LPVO. Thoughts?

[grizzlyblake]

Look at how difficult it would be to replace a quality rifle today with everything backordered or unavailable. I would not sell either of your rifles if possible.

You could sell the Bobro mount and Bushnell scope separately and come up with probably $250-300.

If your budget is that tight I'd put an Aimpoint LCO/PRO on the BCM with those funds, and save up for another one or sell some non gun stuff to get the funds together. I'd rather have the cheapest Aimpoint over a budget LPVO, and ultimately I'd rather have redundancy over one super hot shot rifle.


A lot depends on what your home defense "pistol" is and how it's set up. Mind sharing?

[MWAG19919]

Look at how difficult it would be to replace a quality rifle today with everything backordered or unavailable. I would not sell either of your rifles if possible.

You could sell the Bobro mount and Bushnell scope separately and come up with probably $250-300.

If your budget is that tight I'd put an Aimpoint LCO/PRO on the BCM with those funds, and save up for another one or sell some non gun stuff to get the funds together. I'd rather have the cheapest Aimpoint over a budget LPVO, and ultimately I'd rather have redundancy over one super hot shot rifle.


A lot depends on what your home defense "pistol" is and how it's set up. Mind sharing?

It's a DD MK18 upper on a built Centurion lower with A5H0 buffer. Aimpoint T2, MBUS pro backups, and a Surefire DF with a pressure pad. Law Gen 3 for road trips.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50267524268_a7c462beb6_k.jpg

As for the glass I'd sell the Colt for, I was thinking more along the lines of a Razor ii-e. I've already got a decent mount with the Bobro. I'm not really interested in a RDS because my MK18 and my AK74 have RDS.

[grizzlyblake]

Looks like selling the Colt for a Razor would be a decent play in that case.

[Randall]

Your plan seems pretty solid to me.

I had assumed handgun when you first said "pistol" but now I see the reason for the quotations. If you didn't have that I would be a little more hesitant to go down to one rifle. In this case, since you say the Mk18 is ready to roll, I agree with bomb-proofing the BCM in exchange for the Colt.

You also currently have three different rail systems (Picatinny, Keymod, & MLOK). Consolidating those would be a plus, for me at least. The good thing is you have experience with all three so you can objectively choose the best one/s for your needs.

Since your Mk18 is picatinny, you could also sell the KMR rail and pick up another picatinny. Then you’d have accessory compatibility between your weapon systems. I only mention this since you said you need a light too, and if consolidation is ever a goal of yours, it’s always easier to do when you have a smaller amount of accessories rather than a drawer full. That’s easy enough to do later on though (if it’s even a concern).

[Hank6046]

Just food for thought here. While I totally understand your rational, and think that it is well thought out. Please let me devil's advocate.

I train enough with cops and law enforcement for them to sway me to the legal side of a home defense firearm. Meaning that my M&P or Glock has become my go to option, and here is why. If I pull out an AR in a home defense scenario the defense will ask/ imply that I was utilizing overkill, or the most aggressive means in which to protect my home, when I could have used a pistol, shotgun (as recommended by a former VP), which is 'less deadly' then an AR in the minds of Karen and Ken. I also, personally train more on a pistol then I do a rifle. I do this because I carry, and not that a rifle is complicated, I have trainers that can back up my competency and proficiency with a pistol. Also, if I loose my M&P and surefire due to evidence, I'm out maybe $700 total, vs an AR I have over $1500-$2500 in.

I would also just like to point out, that I really miss the Rem 700 of my Grandfathers, and my Les Paul I sold to pay for expenses when I got out of the service. Instead, I probably could and should have not spent money on craft brews and eating out, but you make a lot of mistakes in your 20s and that Colt is a sweet rifle.

I think you have enough logic to get you through this, but if ole Joe wins in November, I can see you missing your Colt quite a bit. Especially once that first nursing paychecks start to hit.

[MWAG19919]

Your plan seems pretty solid to me.

I had assumed handgun when you first said "pistol" but now I see the reason for the quotations. If you didn't have that I would be a little more hesitant to go down to one rifle. In this case, since you say the Mk18 is ready to roll, I agree with bomb-proofing the BCM in exchange for the Colt.

You also currently have three different rail systems (Picatinny, Keymod, & MLOK). Consolidating those would be a plus, for me at least. The good thing is you have experience with all three so you can objectively choose the best one/s for your needs.

Since your Mk18 is picatinny, you could also sell the KMR rail and pick up another picatinny. Then you’d have accessory compatibility between your weapon systems. I only mention this since you said you need a light too, and if consolidation is ever a goal of yours, it’s always easier to do when you have a smaller amount of accessories rather than a drawer full. That’s easy enough to do later on though (if it’s even a concern).

Good points I hadn't considered. Going from 3 to 2 mounting systems is a plus. I doubt I'll ditch the KMR unless I break it because it's stoopid lightweight for a 15" rail. The BCM currently has a 300 lumen Surefire handheld in a picatinny DD mount attached to a picatainny rail section. Clunky, but it works okay as a placeholder. A Modlite in a low profile mount that takes advantage of the 45 degree mounting positions on the KMR is definitely in the cards, but not anytime soon

[R0CKETMAN]

nah .. two is one, one is none

not now, wait until after Trump wins

[TBAR_94]

As a guy who got in to the AR game late and is struggling trying to get guns and parts, I'd strongly advise you not to sell a gun. Especially one that is either going to up in value like a Colt, or a gun you like shooting like the BCM.

Do you have functional irons on the guns? If you're squared away for personnel defense purposes with your Mk18 and your shooting is just range/practice, I'd save up and stick with what you have. Depending on what your ammo supply is like right now and how much shooting you're actually getting to do, it might be better just to hold tight with what you have and get the optic you want when the budget makes sense.

[JediGuy]

not now, wait until after Trump wins

I would wait for a bit

[ColtSeavers]

If you go the route of selling one of your uppers, sell the one that doesn't shoot as well as the other, not whichever will get more money, IMO.