Looking to get a (very) small windfall in the next couple of days, so I'm trying to decide what to do with it!  

Should I

1. Trick out my stock 6920 ( new rails, optic)

2. New rifle altogether  ( AR or AK)

Unfortunately, Both is not an option

As an aside, I have only one rifle at this time.

What say you, Arfcom?

More mags, ammo and range time.

New rifle.

You can only shoot one at a time so why not just have one that you are very proficient with and stocked up on?  I did the opposite and fell behind the 8 ball and regret it.

1st rule of Arfcom. 1 is none and 2 is 1......get another AR.

Get another rifle.. just in case.

Buy another rifle. You have two hands why not have two AR's or an AK.

I'd go with a new rifle now.  You can always buy handguards and optics later to trick them out.

Buy magazines and ammo.

ETA





 

Get another rifle via private sale. Just in case.

"Do you have this lower still?"
"Sorry sold it on armslist for a few dollars"

In my state...

New rifle or ammo and mags.  The tricked out gear will be easier to find after November

I'm not one to be all like I need100 rifles to be satisfied.  But having a back up seems prudent.  In case your bolt goes to crap and you need it to run right then.  Or something like that.

There's a lot to be said about having a 6920 in original condition.  Can add an optic and remove an optic and always very resellable.
I would leave the 6920 stock condition and build or buy another rifle for a slightly different purpose.  

examples of other builds:
-A2 variant carbine (close to a colt 6720) with the open night sights and a flashlight --- good house rifle (mi favorito, me gusta mucho)
-Fixed stock 18-20 inch stainless precision barrel, 2 stage trigger, nice optic, nice bipod --- reach out and get some
-Carbine stock, 14.5 barrel with fixed muzzle device, free floating barrel, BUAS and a nice red dot, ACOG or similar ---urban fighting rifle
- something 3 gun  --I leave it to others to outline what this would look like

But I agree that 1 is none and 2 is one.  (Thank you Clint Smith)

This. Or stock up on ammo and mags. Can get a new stock and handguard later. Even if you can't get a handguard for whatever reason is 2017, your rifle(s) will still be perfectly serviceable as is.

I upgraded my 6920, then I bought another rifle.

That being said, I've found a lot of value in have 2 of the "same" gun. Owning one gun makes you a proficient shooter, but having multiple versions of the same platform allows you to more specifically tailor each gun to a different purpose. My 6920 is set up for longer range work and my SBR is setup for more active CQB type work.

William

Buy another rifle because you never know...

Couple points to consider.

First, a spare rifle is incredibly useful, especially if you shoot a lot or do classes.  If you primary fails, just grab the backup, and keep on running.  


Second, consider the current political climate.  Right now, parts and rifles are easy to get.  But come November 9th, depending on the result, things may be a bit tougher.  I've been on here since 2003, I've been a shooter much longer than that.  I've seen several different panic periods, and while all are a little different, there are certain patterns;


Parts to upgrade your rifle are plentiful.  Stocks, handguards (rails), grips, etc are plentiful and easy to get and don't really go up in price much, if at all.


Parts that are essential to the function of the rifle, such as BCGs, Triggers, LPK's, etc tend to dry up and go up in price pretty significantly.  50-150%.  


Parts that define the rifle, such as Lowers, complete uppers and complete rifles are extremely tough to source, and the prices go way up.  Sometimes 200-300%.  2 weeks after Sandy Hook, I had a co-worker offer to purchase a basic carbine and 10 mags from me for $6k.  I paid less than $800 for that carbine.  Sadly, I only had 2, so I turned him down.


So consider what you have, and what you would like to have.  Plan and purchase accordingly.    

If that's your only rifle, I'd add another.

Given the current political situation, I'd be sure to do two things with the extra money:

1.  At least get a stripped lower.  That's the one part of an AR that must be registered and the one most likely to be difficult or impossible to get if more gun restrictions follow the elections.  This will let you build a rifle later from parts that will still be available.  Don't be afraid to take on a build project.  It is easy with a few inexpensive tools and all tbe help available here.

2.  Get lots of ammo and extra mags, also subject to changes in gun laws, especially bulk ammo and 30 round mags.  I see an upcoming ban on high capacity mags and a limit in how much ammo we can buy and how frequently you can make purchases.

If you have extra money, improve your optics with a duty grade red dot or scope in a good, high quality QD mount.

To reduce the likelihood that you have to make those choices, go vote against Clinton.

This. spend anything left over on all the ammo you can afford.

This is a decision that you have to make yourself. You have to decide which is more important to you, fixing up your existing AR or buying something else. It is your cash. What any one of us may suggest does not mean that it is what would necessarily be the best choice for you. Personally, I do not ask anyone what I should do. I make my own decisions based on what I feel is the best for me and not for the appeal to others.

This right here is a good reason to have at least 1 "spare" AR. I owned 5 the day Newtown happened, a Windham made Bushmaster, "store bought" PSA, my 1st PSA build, a Colt 6920 and literally finished my 2nd AR build that day.

After Newtown I sold the Bushmaster and "store-bought"  PSA rifles for double what I had in each rifle, plus 1/3rd of my mag stash. I took the money and sat on it until prices came down and then restocked the stash. I was offered $2800 bucks for my 6920 and turned it down, now I wish I had sold it and I could have replaced it 2 times over a year later.

I learned from that, I now have 2-3 "resale" AR's (pure PSA CHF builds) plus 6 AR's for "personal" use. I've kept the 2nd 6920 I bought NIB for resale if I can get what was being offered for NIB ones post Newtown....it would still leave me "my" Colt

Keep your Colt in stock condition and buy another rifle or build exactly what you want.  Reason i say this is once you replace parts, you'll have unused parts sitting around.  1st rule of Black Rifle Disease is "spare parts will turn into new rifles."  You'll build another rifle, not be happy with it in some way, replace parts, then the cycle will happen all over again.  If you build exactly what you want, then there are no spare parts sitting around to compel you create an endless loop of building and replacing.

Another rifle. Two is one, etc.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!