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Thread: AR15 rifles. WHo builds an inexpensive and dependable rifle?

  1. #21
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    I like AR15.com
    I think the point of most of the posts in this threads is that you do not get what you pay for with an AR15
    The $500 gun is close to the $1500 gun performance-wise
    The Mercedes-Benz G550 vs. Ford Escort is a really bad analogy. A better analogy would be a Jeep and a G550. The Jeep will do most anything the urber vechicle will do within the confines of the law, and out perform it off road where it counts.
    Last edited by jmort; 07-18-2018 at 04:44 PM.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master RU shooter's Avatar
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    You can get the DPMS oracle new for around the 400 dollar range at several places now . It's a basic no frills AR . Only issue with it is it doesn't come with open sights but can be bought and attached easily . My brother has one and it's surprisingly accurate for what it costs. If you want a more traditional looking rifle/carbine the PSA freedom line looks pretty solid , there's always the used market also . Not a lot of the younger generation care for the standard A2 platform they all want optics. A lot of good deals can be had on the popular black rifle forums .

    Tim
    If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

  3. #23
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    I own at least 14--Colts, Novekses, Rugers, Baers, Springfields, bushmasters, FN, S&Ws. If I was limited to one, it would be a Colt. All of mine have reliable. Others, including a Wilson, have come and gone but the Colts have stayed. Never considered myself a Colt fan boy but perhaps I am. I also have my eye on a Sig Rattler for later this year.

  4. #24
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    FLINTNFIRE's Avatar
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    Buy the parts assemble yourself , having said that just buy the assembled upper and save yourself the little parts fitting and go the assembled lower and mate them together . Palmetto lower assembled 129.99 upper assembled with bolt carrier group 219.99 or the blem 199.99 do the math . As to the blem I can not find whats blemished , now magazines are not included in that price .
    So having assembled upper to lower and assembled uppers and lowers from each piece and having went down the big bore route , you have to figure in the tools and it gets more complex buying this gas block , tube ,sights , stocks and handguards and all the little springs and roll pins . Oh most of the time you can get free shipping at palmetto , so go buy assemble and shoot.

  5. #25
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    I might also suggest getting a .300 Blackout instead of 5.56 because you are a reloader and caster of boolits. Or get both.
    See where we're going here?

  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    I might also suggest getting a .300 Blackout instead of 5.56 because you are a reloader and caster of boolits. Or get both.
    See where we're going here?
    Now you are putting too many ideas in my head. ENABLERS!!!!

  7. #27
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    I had to have it all so I bought a 14"5" barreled POF piston driven patriot P415 when it was on sale from $2399 to $1899. My avatar is a 100 yard group from it. I wanted a reliable AR that goes bang every time you pull the trigger. Had some bushmasters in the past that didn't so I stepped up to the plate. I only wanted one AR at the time so I bought the Cadillac! They make some cheaper gas guns now that can be bought for around $900.


    I was looking at buying a budget AR last fall and didn't pull the trigger. I almost went with a 308 Dpms oracle. Some guy on YouTube was stacking shots on top of each other at 500 plus yards. They had some of these on gunbroker at the time for $650 shipped. The 5.56 version was going for $369 about the time. I haven't checked current prices lately. Smith and Wesson makes 18" or 20" 308 for around $800 that gets great reviews. Being a first time buyer I'd tell you to buy one already done and set. I really want one in .243!
    Last edited by Tripplebeards; 07-18-2018 at 11:14 PM.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by tazman View Post
    Now you are putting too many ideas in my head. ENABLERS!!!!
    ha, wait til you get an ar, they breed like rodents!

  9. #29
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    yup! seems like I turn my back and theres babys (bare lowers) that just magically appear in the safe.
    Quote Originally Posted by lefty o View Post
    ha, wait til you get an ar, they breed like rodents!

  10. #30
    Boolit Master Jack Stanley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tazman View Post
    Now you are putting too many ideas in my head. ENABLERS!!!!
    Taz ..... You know the crowd here as well as anyone . Ya shouldn't oughta have asked if'n ya didn't have the checkbook primed

    Jack
    Buy it cheap and stack it deep , you may need it !

    Black Rifles Matter

  11. #31
    Boolit Bub
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    I think your goals should drive your choices.

    1) If you need to impress your range buddies, get a status brand.*

    2) If you might need to sell it to pay for your kid's braces, get a recognizable brand name and don't heavily accessorize. Accessories rarely add money value to a gun.

    3) If you just want to dip your toe in the AR ocean, go with Palmetto State Armory.

    If you're gonna toss the stock parts and tart it up with the latest and coolest tactical fashions, I don't know what to tell you.


    *Ideally, you should impress your buddies by dominating them on the range, outshooting them till they cry, crush their spirits until they question their wasted, hollow lives and poor life choices and then take up scrapbooking.
    "Every man thinks meanly of himself for not having been a soldier, or not having been at sea." --Dr. Johnson

  12. #32
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    About the only thing I can add is, homebuilt AR's are sort of the salvage title cars of guns. Doesn't matter how well it shoots or how much you put into it, it will always be worth way less than a complete factory gun. A gent I know built a very nice carbine with all new factory parts and had more than a grand in it. He gets tight on cash and couldn't sell the thing for $300.00, of course no shop would touch it because it wasn't a factory gun.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  13. #33
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FergusonTO35 View Post
    About the only thing I can add is, homebuilt AR's are sort of the salvage title cars of guns. Doesn't matter how well it shoots or how much you put into it, it will always be worth way less than a complete factory gun. A gent I know built a very nice carbine with all new factory parts and had more than a grand in it. He gets tight on cash and couldn't sell the thing for $300.00, of course no shop would touch it because it wasn't a factory gun.
    Agree

  14. #34
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    There is a thread here on the DPMS Oracle. They were on sale at a place called Dunhams. for $399 with a $50 rebate, which brings it down to $350. Many people chimed in about them. No negative comments. Some say they are better than expensive units. And yes they shoot both 5.56 and 223. If i get a AR15 style gun it will be the DPMS Oracle.

  15. #35
    Boolit Grand Master Tripplebeards's Avatar
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    One of my past employees bought an oracle. He wanted a cheap AR. I helped him shop and picked it up at gander mountain doing a $399.00 price match from a cabelas ad. He loves that cheap rifle to death. The first month he put through almost a thousand rounds without any hiccups.

  16. #36
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    Well I can give two examples of how they are a value. I built one a few years back. Had 500 in it and during the last scare got 750 for it cash at the local shop. How did it compare to factory gun prices then? I don't know because he flat out couldn't get one. This spring I found a gun I wanted at the gunshop. Had to trade so I traded what I was flush in and that's ars. Had a entry level bushmaster upper on a palmetto lower. It was put together like that because I bought a nicer psa upper and that bushmaster had a better trigger then the psa lower I put together so I swapped them. It was unfired but like I said did have a psa stamped lower. Now I built this last one for under 400 and that one had very similar worth because you cant tell a bushmaster upper from any other upper and bottom line is bushmaster isn't premium stuff anyway. He gave me 500 bucks trade credit for it and had two 570 dollar new bushmasters right there on the shelf. I asked him why so much and he said the two bushys are sold on layaway and since he sold them the day before he had 5 people call looking for an ar. He said he could easily put 550 on it and it would be sold before lunch. He said what else it will do is bring someone in the shop that might buy a red dot, ammo or even another gun to go with it.

    I don't care what there selling new entry level guns for. A guy can build a decent gun for 400 bucks or less and get his money back any day of the week. Now a branded title car will loose a 1/3 to a 1/2 of its value just because of the pink title. If you know where theres a used psa gun someone put together that is selling it for 200 bucks PLEASE send me a pm INSTANTLY! Bottom line is anyone that knows anything about ars knows psa parts are as good or better then your going to get on an entry level bushmaster, dpms, Olympic ect. If you think that name makes a difference then build one on a ruger bare lower. Gunshop here had some a while back for 80 bucks. Tell me how many would know that a gun built on a ruger, dmps, or bushmaster lower was a parts gun. To think those guns are something of higher quality reminds me of all the ruger chearleaders that think a ruger is a premium brand and are better guns then Winchester, Remington savage ect. But then if that ruger or bushmaster stamped on your lower makes you feel you have a better gun then have at it. Just don't try convincing someone that knows. NEWS FLASH. A milspec lower is a milspec lower. A milspec upper is a milspec upper.
    Last edited by Lloyd Smale; 07-20-2018 at 07:05 AM.

  17. #37
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    Anderson is another good buy.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  18. #38
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    yes they are. I have an Anderson lower on my 50 beo.
    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    Anderson is another good buy.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check