Bought my 5.56 Ranch Rifle for $689 + $10 shipping to my FFL last March
while locally they were $710 - $740. There are certainly cheaper AR
upper & lower combinations out there but then there is a lot of
cheap junk out there all the time. Plastic is much cheaper than wood; aluminum is cheaper than steel too. So, what's the point of the cheap
argument anyway? If you buy something because it's cheap, that's what
you get; something cheap. If you buy what you want at a fair price,
that's what you get; something you want.
If you're that cheap that price is everything, why do you buy firearms at all? They don't make you money, they don't save you money, they don't avoid other expenses. Also, why do you go out for recreation? Why don't you stay home, with the heat or A/C off, in the dark, all alone, eating the cheapest food you can find, drinking only water, with no phone, no TV, no computer, no games, no nothing? That's cheaper than what you do now. You'd save more money that way wouldn't you? You don't because you want to enjoy life, that's why.
As to my 20rd mag selection, what difference can that possibly make? I can buy 30rd mags for
it, I just don't choose to. I also didn't choose to buy 10rd or 5
rds mags for it either. So what! I have both aluminum and Magpul plastic Mags
for my ARs. The Magpul are more expensive. Are you arguing that they are not worth buying? I think not. Are you arguing that M1As are also a stupid choice because their mags are more expensive than AR mags too? I think not. Are you arguing that a Nikon Monarch or Nightforce scope wouldn't be worth considering because anyone can find a much cheaper scope out there? I think not.
I
agree that the ARs are more popular, so what! They are more popular than M1As, M1 garands, M1 Carbines and cheaper too. More popular than AKs, SKS, FALs, bolt actions, pumps, or
leverguns as well. So what! Are you saying that everyone is wrong because they have anything other than an AR? Of course you're not.
The point is that there is room for all types of firearms. Stop being hung up with your, "if it ain't an AR it's got to be wrong" mindset and accept that there are other firearms out there that have a place in an armory too. Some people like the Ranch Rifle in part because it isn't like an AR, because it doesn't function like one, because it will never be confused with one.