AR recommendations

1iron1 · #1 27th March 2012

I want an AR15 to shoot with my high school aged son.

I have a slew of handguns, rifles, and shotguns. I have very limited knowledge of semi-automatic rifles.

I'm asking for opinions.

I don't want to buy junk, while at the same time, I don't need a $4000 AR to start with. What features are the most important to have?

Your thoughts?

whittlebeast · #2 27th March 2012

I have a cx4 storm. I love it.

gchristopher9 · #3 27th March 2012

I picked up a Stag Arms Model 8 recently for just a little over 1k. Some will argue and say that you could build an AR for less, and I won't disagree with them. However the Model 8 has a piston upper which a lot of other manufacturers are charging BIG money for. I've put about 1000 rounds through it and haven't had a single problem yet. Would highly recommend anyone interested in an AR check them out.

Uncledaddy · #4 27th March 2012

Check out Rock River Arms. Great reputation and I now know why. I was very impressed with the quality of their product.

whittlebeast · #5 27th March 2012

Try http://www.cmmginc.com/ You can order anything.

aaandht · #6 27th March 2012

Smith and Wesson M&P 15 series is suppose to be great for a starter in the AR world. Hell they have the M&P 15-22 if you want cheap plinking.

Screwdriver · #7 27th March 2012

He is a thread I started.....Minus the EOTech, I paid around $900 total....IMHO, it is a very high quality build.

http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/s....php?t=1401243

xllent01 · #8 27th March 2012

Built my Frankford Arsenal lower with mostly Rock River Arms adjustable stock..BCG, DSA upper with Yankee Hill diamond cut free float Hand-guard from the ground up, cost me around $750-800 total, excluding the upgraded Vortex red/green dot with 2X doubler (just bought this past weekend)

1iron1 · #9 28th March 2012

Thans for the replies, fellas. It's funny you posted a built one, XLNT1, my son and I are gong to adopt building rifles as our new hobby. Looks great! I'm sure it shoots even better. I need to get a store-bought first as a model.

I guess the reason I posted was more of a what to stay away from and maybe pick up a very brief (and free) education.

Lotsa different barrels to pick from. Is there a notieable drop in accuracy between a 16.1 and a 20" barrel? If so, how far out?

Is a chrome-lined barrel acceptable for a 200-300 round weekend?

1 in 7" twist seems standard in the Colt/S&W/Rock River/Bushmaster class. Is there a step up?

Some have Artriculating Link Piston System, and some have Direct Gas System Locking Bolt. What's the difference?

I'd like to be in the $1000.00 range and pretty sure 5.56. This will be our first AR. I'm sure they are as much fun as handguns, hot rods, women and motorcycles,so it won't be our last.

xllent01 · #10 28th March 2012

Barrel length has NOTHING to do with accuracy, except where extreme cases are concerned (such as comparing a 7" pistol AR to a 24" target AR). Barrel weight only comes in to play if you are shooting for prolonged periods of time, as the extra surface area of a bull barrel (or fluting) will allow it to heat slower than a lighter contour barrel (a hot barrel can play hell on your groups). Barrels are finicky creatures, and more emphasis should be placed on construction than on length. First of all, SS barrels and non- chrome lined barrels are typically more accurate than chrome-lined barrels, simply because of the minute inconsistencies common in chrome-lined barrels. Secondly, how the barrel is bolted to the gun can have profound affects, especially if it done incorrectly. The true benefit of a longer barrel, other than increased velocity, is it enables you to shoot more accuratey. This is because longer barrels usually have a longer sight radius. Sight radius can make a big difference in one's ability to shoot accurately.