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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Good entry AR? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 8/17/2017 5:13:23 PM EDT
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Linky
I'm new to ARs and trying to get my feet wet, Been an AK guy for a couple of years but now the price of them doesn't justify the cost so I wanted to get a AR. Would that AR in the link be a good starter AR? Meaning something that would introduce me? IF not what would you recommend besides building one (I don't wanna build one yet) |
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I'd recommend a Colt CE2000HB. It includes Colt's excellent SOCOM barrel, which is normally a $300 item on it's own. Normally, I don't care for the Expanse line, but after just learning of the new model, they peaked my interest because of the good barrel and supposed use of a real Colt M4 CARBINE lower, instead of the fake used on the rest of the Expanse line.
Just over the $500 mark, but in my opinion, a much better rifle than the one you linked. |
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Looks like it would be a good one to start with for the price. I would tend to look at the M&P Sport II or the Ruger entry model myself.
A lot of guys here will tell you to build one from parts. That is also an option, but for your first a complete rifle is a good way to go. Learn it, and when you have better opinions on what you want based on experience, you could build a better one with more expensive parts. |
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What about one of Anderson's lower priced rifles? Are those G2G?
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/anderson-am15-optics-ready-semi-automatic-556-nato-223-remington-16-barrel-301-rounds?a=2078519 |
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Or another option is to get a complete upper and lower separately from Palmetto and slap them together. The only budget AR I own is a 20" from PSA's "FREEDOM" line. I purchased it as a complete upper for $300, including the bolt carrier group and charging handle. So far, it's turned out to be great.
Sign up for their email list and you'll get deals daily. You'll have no trouble finding an upper and lower separately and having under $450 in the gun. Much better than the Bear Creek option, IMO. |
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Or another option is to get a complete upper and lower separately from Palmetto and slap them together. The only budget AR I own is a 20" from PSA's "FREEDOM" line. I purchased it as a complete upper for $300, including the bolt carrier group and charging handle. So far, it's turned out so far to be great. |
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Thanks for the quick replies guys! I heard good things bout Bear Creek which is why I linked that rifle.... I know there's tons of options to go with but I still thinking about what I want in a AR...  |
| The AR that you linked to is likely a solid deal at $399. With that said it as you say an entry level AR. I also prefer 1:7 twist barrels versus 1:9 like the one in your link. If you were open to spending a bit more to get a better rig, then I would, as others have said, look to PSA for an upper and lower to mate to make a complete AR. |
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LE6920
A basic, quality AR that you can base your learning off of, upgrade at a later date,and shoot the hell out of. Why base your opinion/learning off of an entry level turd? (Not aimed at any suggestions above, but there are plenty of turds out there for sub $400). |
| I will add that if you look at other low priced ARs some do not have forward assist or dust covers. I personally would not buy a rifle without these features. I may not need them but it will hurt resale. S&W Sport did not have these features but s&W Sport 2s do have these features. |
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If you got a optics to go with that rifle, then yes it's great. I'm not sure if it includes a rear sight.
Right now is a great time to buy an ar15. It's cheap. I recommend getting it quickly while its hot as who knows what the political landscape will be like. |
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PSA lower and PSA upper is the way to go, right now.
Can get the lower for 150, upper for 200-400. No firearm tax. Transfer fee on the lower and would-be taxes should cancel out in your benefit. Higher quality than the BCA etc stuff IMO Can get a mid-length 16" with a better bbl profile. As compared to carbine 16" m4 cut. Etc. |
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Thanks for the quick replies guys! I heard good things bout Bear Creek which is why I linked that rifle.... I know there's tons of options to go with but I still thinking about what I want in a AR... The "big choice" is FSB or free float. Both are very good. IMO get a PSA lower with magpul furniture and a mid length FSB upper. Or, if they have a FF upper that calls to you, get that. |
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I don't have any experience with BCA, but with a price that low, I would be afraid of tolerances and quality assurance in general. The description says that the barrel's 4140, 1:9 that isn't chrome lined or nitrided. The thing is, I couldn't find any complete rifles on their website using a 4140 barrel. There are other typos in the description, so it could actually be 4150 but who knows.
Overall, it looks pretty standard. You're going to essentially get the lowest quality possible, across all components, so keep that in mind. From my perspective, the beauty of the AR-15 platform is its modularity. You can take off parts and upgrade at will until you've got a rifle that fits your uses perfectly. With a starter like this, you won't be using any of these parts in future builds and you won't be keeping any of these parts if you choose to upgrade. In that sense, it feels like a waste. Once you've come to the conclusion that the AR-15 is the best semi-auto rifle platform available, you're going to want to start tweaking things. You might want to go with a short barrel. In that case, would you feel comfortable assigning a BCA lower to yourself for the rest of your life? You might want to get a new barrel or a new handguard. In that case, would you be saving a 1:9 barrel that isn't chrome lined? The handguard may be thin or may not have the metal inserts you typically find that help dissipate heat. To be completely honest, the only part of that rifle I'd be content with keeping, is the flash hider. Everything else is bottom of the barrel. I guess the best question would be, what do you plan on doing with this rifle if/when you decide you want to go deeper? Like I said, all of the parts used are the cheapest they could source. You could throw it in a truck, but it may be susceptible to weather. You could keep the BCG in case the one in your next rifle fails, but when you've got both in-hand, you'll see the difference, and I'm willing to bet that you would only use this one as a last resort. You'll probably buy something else as backup. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect this rifle to blow up or have any serious issues with moderate use, but it's almost disposable in a sense. Once you've moved on to the good stuff, you'll completely ignore your BCA or sell it. I'm going to suggest going with PSA premium as well. For a small increase in price, you'll be getting parts sourced from known entities and you won't have to worry about long-term reliability. I'd happily use a PSA BCG in my rifle. I'd happily use a PSA barrel on my rifle if I wanted 1-2MOA accuracy and a long barrel life. Their receivers are forged in well known factories, their triggers are decent-to-good for a milspec trigger, etc. While PSA isn't my go-to, I wouldn't be afraid to use their stuff in any situation. |
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I went with the M&P sport 2 and love it... dust cover, forward assist, most all the goodies. I dressed it up with a bunch of magpul furniture and vortex optic, and I'm only around 900 into it. Keep in mind thats counting cleaning snake, hard case, etc...
Buddy of mine got the ruger 556. Also very solid. I started AR shooting on another buddies higher end AR's, I had to do it on a budget, and at the time I needed to replace a dpms on the cheap and went with the sport 2. The ruger was within 50 bux I believe. |
I personally bought the Ruger Ar556 for my first one and it has been awesome. Not so much as a single issue thus far. There are lots of good choices out there so just research a brand/model and see what the general consensus is. Its pretty hard to make a bad purchase these days especially with the ease of reconstructing these rifles into your desired configuration. As soon as you bring one home you'll find they start multiplying in your safe 
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I would agree with those suggesting either the ruger or the S&W sport 2. Also the buy the complete upper you like and buy a complete lower option is a great way to go as well. I would stay away from bear creek personally. |
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I would go with a 6920 model. very low prices right now. Colts hold their value if you decide its not for you later. The trooper is a hell of a deal for a free float Centurion CMR rail, you just have to get some sights for it. Any way you cut it, a Colt 6920 for under 800 is a no brainier IMHO.
One thing people never consider when talking about Colt, is they come with a GI cleaning rod, chamber brush and bore brush with the rifle. Colt LE6920 @ Buds - $793.00 Colt LE6920-R Trooper with CMR rail @ Buds - $770.00 Also look close there is a rebate on Colts at Buds right now. "BUY ANY NEW LE6920 MODEL AND GET A FREE DRAGO™ GEAR 36” DISCREET GUN CASE AND A MAGPUL® 30RD PMAG® MAGAZINE". |
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I would go with a 6920 model. very low prices right now. Colts hold their value if you decide its not for you later. The trooper is a hell of a deal for a free float Centurion CMR rail, you just have to get some sights for it. Any way you cut it, a Colt 6920 for under 800 is a no brainier IMHO. One thing people never consider when talking about Colt, is they come with a GI cleaning rod, chamber brush and bore brush with the rifle. Colt LE6920 @ Buds - $793.00 Colt LE6920-R Trooper with CMR rail @ Buds - $770.00 My friend said to stay clear of Colt's due to some QC issues? Are they good? Also is it really worth getting a $750+ Ar? |
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I thought Colt's were bad? My friend said to stay clear of Colt's due to some QC issues? Are they good? Also is it really worth getting a $750+ Ar? and yes, big difference between a 4140 steel barrell with a 1/9 twist and no chrome lining vs. a full battle rifle like the 6920... If you're looking at under $500, then there's many other better options (Ruger AR556, M&P Sport II, slap together a PSA freedom upper and complete lower). the Bear Creek is ok, but really for a plinker who is going to shoot a few thousand rounds over the life of the gun. IMO EVERYONE should have a 6920, and is a 750 buck AR worth it? oh hell yeah, even most good BUILDS are going to be that price (if you'r going for good parts). |
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I thought Colt's were bad? Rediculous My friend said to stay clear of Colt's due to some QC issues? Finish might not look the best at times but its a work horse Are they good? Yes Also is it really worth getting a $750+ Ar? Absolutely and more, worth trusting your life on it. There is a reason several throughout this thread have suggested it. It is still the standard everyone else looks at. |
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if you're looking for a good entry level AR to get your teeth wet for your first AR (yes, your FIRST, these things are like pringles)
Carbine Upper + Complete Lower + Toolcraft BCG + any charging handle you want and you have a gun that will beat that Bear Creek pretty handily for about the same price (and don't worry about "putting it together". With a complete upper and a complete lower you do no more work than field stripping it for cleaning anyways. You have to be stupid to mess it up) |
| You have to decide just what it is you expect for the AR to deliver and what features you are really wanting whether now or later. I see a lot of new AR owners buy cheap ARs and the next thing you know, they want to change them around and have no idea what they are doing. They gave no forethought as to any future modifications. They usually buy the cheapest carbine they can find and they want to put on a free-float handguard and do not realize that there is a lot of work involved to do that. In most cases, it entails disassembly of the entire upper assembly. The AR you are looking at is a decent entry level AR as are many others that are available for around the same price and a bit more. My advice, know what it is you want and expect before you make a decision. Often times, if you are looking to have more features on the AR, your best bet is to buy a complete upper assembly and complete lower assembly from PSA. You have more choices and they run sales all of the time. In many cases, you can put together a nicely outfitted AR for less than $500. |
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I thought Colt's were bad? My friend said to stay clear of Colt's due to some QC issues? Are they good? Also is it really worth getting a $750+ Ar? |
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My first was a PSA Premium midlength upper with an LMT bcg, on a lower I built.
Several builds later... A Colt 6920 is always a good option...IF you want to spend that much on your First AR. If not, the I would look at the PSA, The Aero Precision options, M&P sport II or Ruger. All will serve you well. |
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Buy once. Cry once. With prices where they are get a LE6920. It is made with the same quality of parts used in the M4. If you just can't swing it. I would go with a PSA Premium. If you can't swing that. Get the S&W M&P 15 SPORT II or PSA Freedom.
In that order. . 
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I'll tell you what, you'll never regret going with a Colt 6920 or 6720 for a first AR. For what it's worth, because of the unprecedented firearms glut prices on Colts have probably never been cheaper... and if you really need to stretch your money, see if you can locate a 6920 OEM1 (it doesn't come with handguards, buttstock, or trigger guard - all of which can be found cheap - and is about $80 cheaper). If you ever need to sell your AR, you'll appreciate the brand recognition and reputation Colt has.
HOWEVER, the sun doesn't rise and set on Colt. The Bear Creek Arsenal rifle you're looking at is pretty bottom of the barrel... but it will likely do everything that you want it to. I did have to laugh a little at Classic's ad copy, which is a bit on the disingenuous side: The barrels on these are made from 4140 cold rolled steel and are very top end. There's is nothing "top end" about 4140. More like "minimum acceptable". They are not chrome lined as most AR-'s are not. Ridiculous. Probably most are still chrome lined. And of those that are not, most are nitrided. These barrels are neither. Chrome lining on modern rifles is typically used where there is a high probability of corrosive ammo being used such as AK type rifles chambered for foreign calibers... It was originally done for environmental corrosion resistance. It also helps barrels withstand wear under heavy firing. Since chrome lining may slightly affect accuracy, and since most AR-15 rifles are designed with accuracy as a benchmark, and since virtually all .223 / 5.56 NATO is non corrosive...most AR manufacturers do not chrome line barrels. True about accuracy, but most manufacturers are at least nitriding the barrels for better wear and corrosion resistance while maintaining the smooth internal surface conducive to consistency. |
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I'll tell you what, you'll never regret going with a Colt 6920 or 6720 for a first AR. For what it's worth, because of the unprecedented firearms glut prices on Colts have probably never been cheaper... and if you really need to stretch your money, see if you can locate a 6920 OEM1 (it doesn't come with handguards, buttstock, or trigger guard - all of which can be found cheap - and is about $80 cheaper). If you ever need to sell your AR, you'll appreciate the brand recognition and reputation Colt has. HOWEVER, the sun doesn't rise and set on Colt. The Bear Creek Arsenal rifle you're looking at is pretty bottom of the barrel... but it will likely do everything that you want it to. I did have to laugh a little at Classic's ad copy, which is a bit on the disingenuous side: The barrels on these are made from 4140 cold rolled steel and are very top end. There's is nothing "top end" about 4140. More like "minimum acceptable". They are not chrome lined as most AR-'s are not. Ridiculous. Probably most are still chrome lined. And of those that are not, most are nitrided. These barrels are neither. Chrome lining on modern rifles is typically used where there is a high probability of corrosive ammo being used such as AK type rifles chambered for foreign calibers... It was originally done for environmental corrosion resistance. It also helps barrels withstand wear under heavy firing. Since chrome lining may slightly affect accuracy, and since most AR-15 rifles are designed with accuracy as a benchmark, and since virtually all .223 / 5.56 NATO is non corrosive...most AR manufacturers do not chrome line barrels. True about accuracy, but most manufacturers are at least nitriding the barrels for better wear and corrosion resistance while maintaining the smooth internal surface conducive to consistency. 
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I'll tell you what, you'll never regret going with a Colt 6920 or 6720 for a first AR. For what it's worth, because of the unprecedented firearms glut prices on Colts have probably never been cheaper... and if you really need to stretch your money, see if you can locate a 6920 OEM1 (it doesn't come with handguards, buttstock, or trigger guard - all of which can be found cheap - and is about $80 cheaper). If you ever need to sell your AR, you'll appreciate the brand recognition and reputation Colt has. HOWEVER, the sun doesn't rise and set on Colt. The Bear Creek Arsenal rifle you're looking at is pretty bottom of the barrel... but it will likely do everything that you want it to. I did have to laugh a little at Classic's ad copy, which is a bit on the disingenuous side: The barrels on these are made from 4140 cold rolled steel and are very top end. There's is nothing "top end" about 4140. More like "minimum acceptable". They are not chrome lined as most AR-'s are not. Ridiculous. Probably most are still chrome lined. And of those that are not, most are nitrided. These barrels are neither. Chrome lining on modern rifles is typically used where there is a high probability of corrosive ammo being used such as AK type rifles chambered for foreign calibers... It was originally done for environmental corrosion resistance. It also helps barrels withstand wear under heavy firing. Since chrome lining may slightly affect accuracy, and since most AR-15 rifles are designed with accuracy as a benchmark, and since virtually all .223 / 5.56 NATO is non corrosive...most AR manufacturers do not chrome line barrels. True about accuracy, but most manufacturers are at least nitriding the barrels for better wear and corrosion resistance while maintaining the smooth internal surface conducive to consistency. |
| If I were interested in a factory AR, I'd be heading to Rural King for a $590 Armalite M15. Today only I think. link |
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Wow thanks for the info....I had no idea about anything you posted! |
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I would go with a 6920 model. very low prices right now. Colts hold their value if you decide its not for you later. The trooper is a hell of a deal for a free float Centurion CMR rail, you just have to get some sights for it. Any way you cut it, a Colt 6920 for under 800 is a no brainier IMHO. One thing people never consider when talking about Colt, is they come with a GI cleaning rod, chamber brush and bore brush with the rifle. Colt LE6920 @ Buds - $793.00 Colt LE6920-R Trooper with CMR rail @ Buds - $770.00 Also look close there is a rebate on Colts at Buds right now. "BUY ANY NEW LE6920 MODEL AND GET A FREE DRAGO™ GEAR 36” DISCREET GUN CASE AND A MAGPUL® 30RD PMAG® MAGAZINE". |
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Don't get the Ruger it has some oddball parts
Don't get an oem1 6920 if you plan on adding a FF rail, it's easier to build am upper from scratch There's a psa complete freedom rifle for under 500 right now with some magpul etc parts. It would run. Colt has a better barrel and nice FF handguard, as far as objective difference. Much higher resale value, if it matters. Colt is milspec but most of us have psa's, and they work. I like the psa middy 1:7 nitride with magpul furniture for 475 over the m&p and certainly the Ruger. An advantage is that it's mid gassed, so softer shooting, and it has no proprietary parts. It is milspec. It has a 1:7 twist. 4150 bbl. Correct, good spec bcg materials. Get the psa deal for 500 or the Colt with centurion rail for 770 if you want a quality FF rail and chrome lined colt barrel, but carbine gas instead of mid (not a huge concern) Attached File |
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I'd go with a basic Colt LE6920 if you just want a quality AR without gadgets. If you decide you're really into AR's than maybe start spec'ing out parts and building your own with specific purposes in mind. |
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Right now this is the best deal on Colt 6920 OEM's I've seen
https://www.gunprodeals.com/products/tactical-colt-mfg-le6920-098289020246 $645.00 with shipping (I damn near bought one last nite and I have 3 6920's here now) Find something like this on Gunbroker http://www.gunbroker.com/item/683199243 Add a rear sight and for what the price of a "entry" level AR was 1-2 years ago you can have what's considered the gold standard that AR's get compared to |
[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Good entry AR? (Page 1 of 2)
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