Looking to get my first AR, looking for a few pointers?

Question

As a Christmas present, I was looking at getting myself an ar15 Problem is I don't know much about what to look for as far as details go. What should I look for as far as details go? .223 or 5.56? Any brands to avoid? Chrome lined barrel or bolt? Any tips welcome, thanks.

Answer 1

Get one in 5.56. Also get a flattop. If you go for an A2 you will regret it. This is from someone that knows. Also there are a lot more companies than DPMS, bushmaster, colt, S&W and the like. Look at different companies. Such as BCM (bravo company), Spikes's tactical, Noveske, Rock River, Del-Ton, Lewis machine tool, stag arms, and many more. In fact I recommend any of these above bushmaster. There middle of the road. Not to say there of poor quality, there not, but once you truly look around you realize there are better options both in quality and price.



Also what are you planning on shooting? I would recommend a 1:9 twist for lighter 55 grain bullets and a 1:7 for 62 grain. You can use the grains interchangeably but you get better performance in those. If you can find a 1:8 twist get it. There are a lot of accessories and different parts. Buy only P-mags and do you want a scope, holosight or just irons? I recommend a scope or holosight. A quality flip up BUIS will cost at least $100. And then there are other things to. For instance I put a $440 EOtech and $250 fail zero in my newest project, but the price tag may be kinda rich for some people.



Edit: Glacier is full of himself. He is one of those people who says he can do X but never proves it. I try to be a bit more modest. After all the more outlandish the claim the more likely your full of ****. This is the internet after all. He also talks like he knows everything but he does not. He is very eloquent and sounds like he knows what he's talking about to people who don't know what he has said here in the past. The only reason you would want an A2 is because of the elevation dial. Some people prefer the A1 as there is less chance the knob can be moved accidentally. In fact when speaking of tactical rifles most magazines I read say that A1 is a better option than A2. Also he is only half right with 1:7 twist. 1:7 can fire quality 55 grain fine. 1-9 is meant for the lighter 40-45-55 loads not heavier 62-69. A 1-9 with 69gr going through it can keyhole before 100 yards. I know this because it has happened to me. But 40 and 45 grain varmint bullets can destroy themselves in flight from a 1:7 barrel. I've been thinking of switching from 55gr MX193 to 62gr SS109 but I do not have the money to do so as my supply is pretty sizeable and wouild be difficult to switch. Besides the 5.56 is only good out to 300 yards in a combat scenario. He also constantly brings up "service match" thinking it makes him sound smarter than we know him to be. There just words. And anyone can build AR's themselves from parts with a little knowledge. I've built a couple myself. With a couple specialized tools probably uppers from just parts. I doubt he has the machines to actually make the parts from blanks. If so what is the name of his company?



And unlike glaciers reccomendation, avoid Olympic.

Answer 2

Wow... Wide variety of answers here, but I'm not sure if they address what you are looking for specifically. I'd HIGHLY recommend getting a full factory AR, but get it while keeping the items below in mind.



Here's the basics...



RECEIVERS:



Uppers and Lowers - There are two major parts to every AR rifle... The Upper and Lower receiver. The LOWER receiver is the part with a serial number and is technically the actual "gun" and needs to be bought through a gun dealer. It holds all the trigger and mag release components and the stock attaches to it. The UPPER is just the top half of the rifle, which includes the bolt, the barrel and the housing, called the "upper reciever." You can buy the entire upper through the mail if you wish, and have it delivered right to your front door. Generally speaking, AR uppers and lowers are 100% interchangable. Pop two pins and swap in less than 20 seconds.



A1, A2, A3 receivers: This refers to what kind of UPPER you have. The A1 was the original Vietnam-era type, you'll never see one so don't worry about it. The A2 has a permanently attached carry handle. The A3 has rails along the top of the rifle, so you can attach sights, scopes, even a carry handle if you wish. Get the A3.. It's just so much more flexible.



BARRELS:



Caliber: The 5.56 can shoot a .223, but a .223 CANNOT shoot a 5.56. Remember that. The standard AR can fire a variety of calibers simply by swapping out the UPPER. You can have a 5.56 NATO, 9mm, .22LR, 6.8SPC upper and attach it to your LOWER without changing a thing. The mags may be different, but that's it.



HBAR?: As you just learned, it's part of the UPPER. There are many options... Bull, HBAR, M4, etc etc. Bull barrels are easy to spot... About 1" in diamter the entire length. HBAR's are Heavy Barrels. M4 is just the M4 profile barrel. The heavier barrels are good for dissipating heat during heavy sustained fire, but unless you are going full auto (which you won't) they do little else other than make the barrel heavier. As a previous poster mentioned, 1 in 9 twist is pretty standard.



Length: How long do you want your barrel? To be legal, it must be a minimum of 16" long. The shorter the barrel, the lighter it will be, but the bullet won't be as fast so it will drop faster making longer distance shots (200 yards+) more difficult. Standard lengths are 16, 20, 24".



Chrome or not to chrome: Barrels come in 3 types... Chrome-lined, Chrome-moly and Stainless. Chrome LINED barrels last longer than Chrome Moly, but only after about 20,000 rounds. They are easier to clean and more expensive, but are not as accurate as a Chrome-Moly. We're talking fractions of an inch in terms of accuracy, so unless you're a competitive shooter you'll never know the difference. Stainless is very durable as well and easy to clean, but also expensive. The same applies to the bolt carrier group (BCG). The chrome is harder material, easier to clean and wears better, but only if you're doing 10,000+ rounds of shooting.



Generally speaking, MOST AR manufacturers are quailty and mil-spec. Some are not... Hesse is one to avoid and I've heard sketchy things about Olympic. Model 1 Sales (M1S) are parts kits that people assemble. Some quality ones in no particular order include Bushmaster, Stag, Colt, DPMS, Rock River, Spikes, DoubleStar, Noveske, LMT... too many to list. A simple Google search will help you there.



Last things... Don't pay any more than $1200 for most brands, and that's on the HIGH end. You can get a nice set up for about $900 now. The major parts I listed above are the parts of the gun that you buy once and will not likely to replace anytime soon. Everything else can easily be replaced at home by you. You can swap out flash suppressors, handguards, stocks, grips and sights very very easily. As you become more familiar with your rifle, you'll discover new ways to customize it to your needs. Have fun and good luck.



Here are a couple different AR styles...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=182950513



http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=182350457



http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=182995846

Answer 3

I agree on 5.56 over .223. 5.56 can safely shoot both. I figured the best way to get an ar is to put together the lower yourself and buy the upper from the internet. This way you can customize your gun with the parts you want for around the price of a complete lower. The only part i really wanted was the wilson bolt release: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=11718/guntechdetail/Wilson_Combat_AR_15_Tactical_Bolt_Release . Bushmaster is very good for the money, but avoid any gun/upper that doesnt clearly specify a brand. These will most likely be Hesse/Vulcan/Blackthorne, which are horrible guns, known for their failures. Stay clear of those and you should be fine. My setup is a t15 tactical inn lower with dpms lower parts, wilson bolt release, mako 6 position stock, bushmaster 16" A2 HBAR upper in 5.56 and a tacstar pic. mount with promag front grip. The hbar is kinda heavy though, you probably want m4 style. I would say go for the chrome lined barrel, which is standard for bushmaster.

Answer 4

Personally, I would go with one chambered in 5.56x45. You can then shoot .223 without a problem. The .223 will not be quite as accurate when fired from a 5.56 chamber as when it is fired from a .223 chamber. Bushmaster makes a nice selection of rifles. I don't see where chrome is worth anything extra if you clean your rifle properly.

Answer 5

Delton sells AR-15 kits beginning at $460. that is complete without decrease stripped receiver and has a very assembled bigger. i like the Spikes Tactical decrease, yet they're out of inventory at maximum places. you are able to positioned a decrease alongside with in basic terms a Philips screwdriver and inventory wrench. in case you do no longer care a pair of little ding, a punch and hammer would in all probability paintings. an excellent strap wrench would in all probability paintings too. It takes countless 1000's of dollars nicely worth of techniques, some particular to an AR-15 to deliver jointly an bigger. My son and that i've got equipped 2 uppers and one decrease. It took approximately half-hour to deliver jointly the decrease. The final bigger we equipped, i grew to become into ill and watched my son build it. It took a pair of million hr. in all probability 0.5 of that grew to become into attempting to get the gas tube roll pin in without marking the gas block. we have not got a roll pin starter punch.

Answer 6

223 Rem and 5.56mm are one and the same when it comes to new AR-15. If you want to jump back to Vietnam ERA SP-1 Colts - there we have a difference.



What you buy depends on what you want to do. If you have any intentions of doing NRA Highpower Rifle shooting - then an AR-15 in 'as issued' condition like the Olympia Service Match and Olympia Premium Service Match are the rifles to start with. You can always throw a 'tacticool' carbine upper and deck it out - but - that Service Match upper is what will appreciate in value over the years and is what you need for state, regional, and national competition.



You need pay attention to the barrel twist rate - especially if you do not reload. 1:9 is now standard and is very useful for 62-69 grain ammo for use out to 600 yards. If you put 55gr in a 1:9 you can expect accuracy issues at 300+ yards. Lots and lots of barrels are now coming out with a 1:7 twist for the 77-100gr bullets used for long distance match shooting and hunting - but - you have to reload to make them, or, pay through the nose for Black Hills 77gr match ammo. That, and with a 1:7 twist you can expect cheapo 55gr to make noise and go out the barrel - but - the bullet jacket can fail due to the 226,000+ rpm twist!



For investment - a rifle you shoot a little - Colt HBar and Service Match versions of the Olympia, Bushmaster, and Rock River are the way to go. The lesser brands - DPMS, Stag, Superior, etc etc should be avoided. S&W, Ruger, and Remington have jumped into the game - but - it's too soon to tell if these models are going to high end demand rifle or just a flash in the pan.



The A1 rear sight is the old Vietnam era model you do not want! This one adjusts using a bullet on the right you.

The A2 rear sight is awesome - has a hand turned windage knob on the right, flip up 0-200 and 300 yard, and dial under it for 300-800 yards. You want this.

The A3 is a flat top rifle with a carry handle for the A2. The problem is when you have this and attach a scope - the front tower is in your way.



If you only have a 100 or 200 yard local range - you will probably have more fun with a standard Bushmaster Carbine with A2 rear sight. Even if the local clubs uses reduced size size NRA highpower targets - the carbine is fine. It's when you club shoots at 600 yard ranges at the local army base that the carbine becomes totally useless beyond 300 yards. For 300-600 yard work - you must have a 20" barrel.



Don't overpay for quad rail handguards! Yes - some companies like Yankee Hill Machine make some in the $200 - $300 range. But companies like Tapco make synthetic ones for $37 too that work just as well - if not better in the winter - since your hand does not freeze to the aluminum. Quad rails are tough on your hand. Unless you are doing TAPS shooting, or, a member of the local police dept - the standard handguard offer a more natural grip. With quads - you need eiether gloves, or, the rubber covers that add useless weight and needless bulk to the handguard.



Bottom line. Get a service match rifle and enjoy having a high quality crisp trigger lower, and, a legal competiton upper. You can swap out the upper later with a carbine and toss on a collapsable stock if you want - but it will always have a trigger that is nicer than anyone else at the range! This nicer trigger is going to help make you a better marksman sooner and with less practice.



I have yet to meet anyone who has washed out a 223/5.56mm barrel with a semi-auto rifle. Chrome lined vs unlined doesn't mater much unless you are shooting 200+ rounds a weekend in competition and 200+ round in the middle of the week for practice.



Feel free to email me any AR questons. I build them.