What is the best value AR15 style rifle (.223/556)

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: Robenstein


Colt lost them because FN can make the same quality at a lower price. Colt is a small firm while FN is a giant in the industry. Which is kind of sad to see Colt struggle given its historical significance while others like S&W are booming.
I don't feel sorry for Colt. They screwed citizens for a long time. They were neutering civilian market ARs for years before any laws were passed. It finally caught up. When you only have a couple designs and no design department you can afford to be an [censored].

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: minc
I just build my AR15 with parts from PSA. The barrel is great which actually made by FN with FN machine gun quality barrel. Other parts are good and low price.

BTW, Colt had lost military rifle contract to FN-USA.


What parts would I have to order?
From PSA just get a complete upper, complete lower, sights. Pin together and take to the range.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: minc
I just build my AR15 with parts from PSA. The barrel is great which actually made by FN with FN machine gun quality barrel. Other parts are good and low price.

BTW, Colt had lost military rifle contract to FN-USA.


What parts would I have to order?
From PSA just get a complete upper, complete lower, sights. Pin together and take to the range.


Yeah that's what I thought. But they are "out of stock" on most things.

 

[Robenstein]

Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Robenstein


Colt lost them because FN can make the same quality at a lower price. Colt is a small firm while FN is a giant in the industry. Which is kind of sad to see Colt struggle given its historical significance while others like S&W are booming.
I don't feel sorry for Colt. They screwed citizens for a long time. They were neutering civilian market ARs for years before any laws were passed. It finally caught up. When you only have a couple designs and no design department you can afford to be an [censored].


S&W and Ruger have also had less than stellar pasts as far as the 2nd Amendment goes. Bill Ruger especially came out and supported magazine capacity limits before the 1994 AWB.

It seems that many of the gun companies have wised up and are flying straight.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: hatt
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: minc
I just build my AR15 with parts from PSA. The barrel is great which actually made by FN with FN machine gun quality barrel. Other parts are good and low price.

BTW, Colt had lost military rifle contract to FN-USA.


What parts would I have to order?
From PSA just get a complete upper, complete lower, sights. Pin together and take to the range.


Yeah that's what I thought. But they are "out of stock" on most things.
Sign up for their e-mails. Then when what you want shows up in a daily deal, place an order.

Putting together a stripped lower isn't hard and can be done with common tools. So a stripped lower is always a possibility if a complete lower at a good price doesn't show up. Stripped lower + lower parts kit + stock kit is all you need.

Another option is to buy a stripped lower locally. Usually less than $100. The buy the rest of the parts from PSA.

 

[Doog]

Which one has to go through the FFL? The upper or lower? Or both? That's another cost factor.

 

[hatt]

Stripped lower is the regulated part. Anything that contains that has to go through FFL.

 

[bubbatime]

Correct the stripped (or complete) lower is the serialized part and must go through a FFL. Everything else is just machine parts and can be mailed to your house.

 

[Doog]

Thanks guys...I'm learning

 

[Astro14]

Which is why, if you see a good price on lowers, you might want to buy some, because you're now the owner of the regulated part...

 

[Doog]

Yeah, I'll get one when they are on sale or they have blemished ones at PSA. I got on the mailing list. Just missed a nice one for $159. My FFL charges me a $25 service fee. Is that a good price?

 

[Astro14]

$25 is a very reasonable transfer fee.

I've seen lowers for a wide range of prices. I picked up two mil spec ones at my LGS for $75 each. That seemed like a good price to me, but they're stripped, no other parts.

These guys are selling for the same price: https://www.armsroom.com/tar15-strippedlower-mil-spec

 

[SuperDave456]

Actually I've ordered some cheaper ones from Aim Surplus and have been very happy with them.

When they have them in stock they go quick.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/catalog.aspx?groupid=577&name=Lower+Receivers

 

[whip]

I've noticed places have lowers and pistol lowers. Is there a mechanical difference, or just the way it's registered?

Was the question about what tools are needed answered?

 

[Doog]

I want a complete lower ready to pin to a complete upper. I have plenty of time to wait for the right deal. Plus I am no gunsmith and don't want to fubar a firearm.

 

[Robenstein]

Originally Posted By: whip
I've noticed places have lowers and pistol lowers. Is there a mechanical difference, or just the way it's registered?

Was the question about what tools are needed answered?


It just has to do with how they are registered. However you can on your 4473 have it transferred to you as a pistol lower if it is a stripped one. You can legally always turn a pistol lower into a rifle, but you cannot always legally turn a rifle lower into a pistol without going through a bunch of paperwork.

 

[Doog]

well PSA sent me an Easter sale email. Complete classic Ar15 lower blem for $129....Bingo. Got it.

Now I'll just wait until a really nice upper comes along with the BCG and charge handle included and I am all set.

Thanks to everyone for all of the helpful advice.

 

[Doog]

One more question: are the .223 and .556 magazines the same or are they specific to the caliber? I will get a .556 upper and probably shoot a lot of .223 in it. But do the magazines differ?

 

[Robenstein]

Mags are the same. I love the Lancer mags in particular.

 

[billt460]

AR-15's are the Harley Davidson of rifles. As far as brands they're all pretty much equal. And you can personalize them with all the add on's you're willing to buy. Some will argue otherwise, But I've been buying and shooting them for the last 20 years. I have models from Bushmaster, (pre Cerberus buy out), Colt, DPMS, LWRC, and Rock River Arms. I've never had ANY of them fail in tens of thousands of rounds.

This is a plain Jane Bushmaster M-4 I dolled up a bit since I bought it. I put a railed forend on it, (Midwest Industries), a Vltor E-Mod Stock, an Ergo Deluxe Tactical Grip, and a M-16 Nickel Boron Bolt Carrier Group from Ares Armor. The retractable forend grip is an all Aluminum model from UTG. It's nice and solid. In the bottom picture you can see what it looked like when I bought it. It's the second one from the right. The others are some of my other Bushmasters. Several of them got the same treatment over the years. The AR-15 platform is addicting, and a lot of fun to mess around with. It will also keep your wallet nice and light as well.