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C4IGrant
10-15-10, 19:36
Here are some things to think about before buying an AR:

1. What is the intended purpose of the gun? Varmint? Target? 3 Gun? Defense? Training? Be honest about what you are actually going to use the weapon for the majority of the time.

2. It is better to buy a quality used gun then a crappy new gun. Used Colt's are an excellent option (for instance).

3. Avoid buying components that your not sure if you need or even want on the gun (vertical grips, bipods, lasers, lights, etc).

4. Realize that 80% of the items on the market are junk (with many of them made in China).

5. Learn the fundamentals (like shooting your irons).

6. Understand that most gun dealers have never heard of any AR's outside of BM, RRA and DPMS. So asking them for their opinion of BCM, DD, NOVESKE is a waste of your time.

7. Your friend in the Military most likely doesn't know anything about AR's either.

8. Seek training as soon as you can so that you do not create any bad habits. If money is tight, look for a Vickers Shooting Method class in your area.

9. Find a mentor on the net to listen to. Figure out who is a well respected shooter and read what they have say.

10. Buy quality, buy once.



C4

randolph
10-15-10, 19:44
7. Your friend in the Militaryor local police force most likely doesn't know anything about AR's either.


FIFY :p

I have a friend at work and anytime guns are mentioned we get the "My son, the police officer says/does"


number 3 is a source of great amusement, I love the configurations some people post of their assemblies... :D

Bolt_Overide
10-16-10, 00:21
I too get great amusement out of seeing how some folks with more money than experience configure their guns.

Jake'sDad
10-16-10, 17:45
Great post Grant!



7. Your friend in the Militaryor local police force most likely doesn't know anything about AR's either.

True.....

C4IGrant
10-16-10, 18:18
Great post Grant!




True.....

Thanks.


C4

DaBears_85
10-17-10, 03:33
9. Find a mentor on the net to listen to. Figure out who is a well respected shooter and read what they have say.

And if you're reading this you're already on the right path, as there's an unbelievable amount of knowledge on this board. Think of it as a one-stop shopping center for anything AR related. Don't waste your time with arfcom or the likes. In fact, consider yourself lucky you found M4C first.

Great post Grant, this should be stickied.


J

usmcvet
10-17-10, 08:06
Good info Grant.

I had a friend suggest M4C to me. I am so glad I came here first to learn.

RogerinTPA
10-17-10, 08:39
7. Your friend in the Militaryor local police force most likely doesn't know anything about AR's either.


FIFY :p

I have a friend at work and anytime guns are mentioned we get the "My son, the police officer says/does"


number 3 is a source of great amusement, I love the configurations some people post of their assemblies... :D

You can also add: uncle, brother in law, friend of a friend who's a Navy SEAL and self proclaimed gun expert at your job.

Sage advise C4.

Ga Shooter
10-17-10, 11:40
Here are some things to think about before buying an AR:

1. What is the intended purpose of the gun? Varmint? Target? 3 Gun? Defense? Training? Be honest about what you are actually going to use the weapon for the majority of the time.

2. It is better to buy a quality used gun then a crappy new gun. Used Colt's are an excellent option (for instance).

3. Avoid buying components that your not sure if you need or even want on the gun (vertical grips, bipods, lasers, lights, etc).

4. Realize that 80% of the items on the market are junk (with many of them made in China).

5. Learn the fundamentals (like shooting your irons).

6. Understand that most gun dealers have never heard of any AR's outside of BM, RRA and DPMS. So asking them for their opinion of BCM, DD, NOVESKE is a waste of your time.

7. Your friend in the Military most likely doesn't know anything about AR's either.

8. Seek training as soon as you can so that you do not create any bad habits. If money is tight, look for a Vickers Shooting Method class in your area.

9. Find a mentor on the net to listen to. Figure out who is a well respected shooter and read what they have say.

10. Buy quality, buy once.



C4

Somebody sticky this and make people read before they can join and post!!

orionz06
10-18-10, 11:53
X: Just because your friend has one does not make his advice good, he just may have made a poor decision as well.

Y: Find a bunch of people that own the product and then ask yourself why they own it, often times things sort themselves out this way.

stifled
10-18-10, 13:16
I took a local gun dealer a printed copy of The Chart after a long conversation with him about the differences between different AR-15 manufacturers. It's not that he didn't believe me or whatever, he was just of the opinion that Stags and Bushmasters were excellent AR-15's and with the more expensive ones you are just buying the name. He has since started trying to convince people of the superiority of S&W and DD AR-15's.

It takes a special kind of bullheadedness to stare empirical evidence in the face and call it BS. It's one of the reasons I like buying stuff from him--he knows a lot, but still realizes there are things he doesn't know and is willing to change his worldview given appropriate evidence.

Biz Kizzle
10-20-10, 14:23
And if you're reading this you're already on the right path, as there's an unbelievable amount of knowledge on this board. Think of it as a one-stop shopping center for anything AR related. Don't waste your time with ARFcom or the likes.

...One last thing, consider yourself lucky you found M4C before you you found ARFcom. That's all I have.

Great post Grant, this should be stickied.

i actually started at arfcom first.... but worked my way over to here because the information always seemed more factual and not as subjective/opinionated. plus people here don't have every inch of rail on their guns filled with useless accessories, if ya know what i mean. glad i found this site.

also, used info here to build my first ar, rainer arms 18" spr type-ish rifle. great info here, i tell ya.

Corey
10-21-10, 15:21
Good info. I work part time behind a gun counter and with first time buyers of both pistols and AR rifles I get the "Which one should I buy" or "Which one is best" line. I always give the same answer, "What are you going to do with it?" It's amazing how many people have to stop and think about it.

I regularly refer AR shoppers to the chart and this site to do research when they are deciding what brand to go with. I also tell them to spend money on ammo and training before spending money on accessories.

If they come in with their mind made up, I will take their money and give them what they ask for regardless of if I think they need it, but if the ask my advice I try to steer them in the right direction and get them the info to let them make an informed decision rather then just telling them what to buy. On the handgun side, I get a warm fuzzy feeling when a couple comes in to get a J Frame revolver or PPK or Kahr as "the little lady's" first gun to use for learning to shoot and for home defense and 45 minutes later she is filling out the paperwork to buy a G19 or M&P 9mm. Especially since they are not buying it because "the guy at the store said it was best", but because they were educated and made their own decision that it was a better choice for their purpose.

Jake'sDad
10-22-10, 13:27
On the handgun side, I get a warm fuzzy feeling when a couple comes in to get a J Frame revolver or PPK or Kahr as "the little lady's" first gun to use for learning to shoot and for home defense and 45 minutes later she is filling out the paperwork to buy a G19 or M&P 9mm. Especially since they are not buying it because "the guy at the store said it was best", but because they were educated and made their own decision that it was a better choice for their purpose.

I get a warm fuzzy feeling thinking about when a couple comes in to get a Glock 19 or M&P 9mm for "the little lady", and the guy at the gun store realizes she has no interest in putting the time in to learn to run a semi auto, and suggests the J frame with 148 grain wadcutters instead......;)

ASH556
10-26-10, 13:41
I get a warm fuzzy feeling thinking about when a couple comes in to get a Glock 19 or M&P 9mm for "the little lady", and the guy at the gun store realizes she has no interest in putting the time in to learn to run a semi auto, and suggests the J frame with 148 grain wadcutters instead......;)

THIS! I work part-time behind the counter too. (But maybe at least Gold Dots instead of the wadcutters;))

Jellybean
10-26-10, 14:29
3. Avoid buying components that your not sure if you need or even want on the gun (vertical grips, bipods, lasers, lights, etc).

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/3162/aredit.jpg
Would this be considered to much? :jester:

Anyway-
This is one of those things I wish I had read three years ago. In fact I wish I had found this whole site back then... better late then never, I guess.
On a side note about #6- In my recent searches for parts and rifles from companies like DD/BCM/etc., I have come across this over and over again- only one dealer in my area actually knew what I was even talking about.
Is it just me, or do the dealers not only not know, but don't care either? One in particular pretty much blew me off, stating that there's "no market for those brands"...:eek:

Jake'sDad
10-26-10, 16:45
THIS! I work part-time behind the counter too. (But maybe at least Gold Dots instead of the wadcutters;))

If they're not going to put the time in to learn to shoot, the wadcutters are still pretty effective, with low recoil. They actually penetrate deeper than any of the hollow points, they just don't expand much, if at all. Beats any .380 or .32 load all to heck.