This right here. Get PSA premium with EPT and a good optic. A 16” barrel should be good out to 300 yards.

After every post being the same thing.... guess what I will never buy?  Guess who I will ne we buy from?  

Its ok to be a dealer.   But this sales campaign is just weak

I'd recommend getting a decent factory rifle. Even used, as long as it's factory, your doing well. Shop used on FN, Colt, BCM. All of these are a good "Middle Class" rifle.

You can spend more: Daniels Defense, LMT, KAC, Larue, Noveske; but at the end of the day it's still an AR. Yes, the second string of brands makes a "better" rifle, but define better?!

When it comes to the AR, we really are starting to split hairs here. I wouldn't spend and extra $1000 for something just "slightly" better. As long as it was built by a company that has built guns for DoD, I am good with it. My "Go To" rifle is an FN. I would grab it to defend my family 10x out of 10x and never say "Wish I had an LMT right now."

Buy a used FN or Colt for $1000. Spend another $1000 on an ACOG and get a $120 Streamlight ProTac flashlight and you're good. Don't forget about ammo, mags and most importantly TRAINING. For training, Valor Ridge is whom you seek.

I have owned Colt 6920s, a BCM carbine, and a Daniel Defense carbine. Of those three, I liked the BCM the best. A basic carbine, an Aimpoint PRO and a good light are all that you really need. You'd have a good bit of $$ left over for ammo or training.

$2000+ Knights Armament SR-15
$1500+ Daniel Defense DDM4v7
$1000+ LWRC DI
$500+ Ruger MPR

Make sure you account for the other financial sinks than just the gun though cause those can push you well beyond your budget
- optics
- accessories (mags, sling, case, etc)
- ammo

I really don't understand you guys recommending LWRC and all these other over priced rifles. Yea I said it - OVER PRICED.

OP doesn't need a fucking sub MOA rifle. This isn't a fucking pissing match and this isn't a "lets spend someone else's money" dream thread.

The man is only looking to get into the sport, and a $600 dollar rifle is going to do him just as good as your LWRC will. Why? Because the beauty is in the platform, not the brand.

He's gonna want to upgrade it as time goes on as well - we all do.

OP - buy a rifle from Palmetto State Armory or a Smith and Wesson M&P15 Sport. Either one will do EXACTLY what you want it to do. Second, determine which optic you want(if you want magnification or not), if you want magnification I would highly recommend 1-6 power options from Primary Arms. They are on the cutting edge of development(although the fudds in here will disagree), and if you want a red dot site, Holosun is by far the best bang for your buck. They hang with Aimpoints and Eotechs(YES they do) and are far above the Sig Sauer line of optics.

Spend the rest on ammo and magazines. You'll come out a far better shooter than if you were to pay for some hype-boi branded bullshit.

Probably the most important thing I could suggest to you is be mindful of who you listen to. I've been on forums and message boards for a looooong time(not this specific one, but several like it) and people are always quick to recommend someone else a buncha shit they don't need. And when the shit hits the fan and products aren't living up to the price tag, those people are nowhere to be found. You'll hear crickets with an empty wallet.

Out of all the Youtube channels out there reviewing firearms, I personally think Mr. GunsN'Gear is the most honest and non-egotistical out of all of them. He isn't an elitist like so many of them are and speaks the truth. He's also an AR15 guru as he was an armorer in the military, so the man knows his black rifles. Good luck.

JuSt aS GOoD...oR GoOdERR. There's a reason why some "hype-boi" rifles cost more and it has nothing to do with aesthetics or gimmicky bullshit. Ever seen a Ford Taurus Station Wagon drag race a Ferrari? JuSt As GoOd. Agreed, ammo and mags will make you a better shooter, but so will a quality rifle with ammo and mags.

A person just venturing into the sport for a "first AR" does NOT need an LMT/KAC/LWRC/Colt etc etc. That's just a retarded recommendation no matter how you look at it.

So everyone that gets into a sport, should buy a shitbox and then eventually trade up 2-6 times to get a quality rig? Everyone has their own budget/needs/wants. Some people buy Hi-Points, some people buy Springfields, some CZ's and some get Agency Glocks as their first pistol.
I guess it all comes down to being an educated consumer. Ask a question get 110 different answers. Do the research and then purchase accordingly. Purchasing a mid to high-end firearm because you're just starting out isn't "retarded." Some people don't want to start at the bottom of the barrel.

A PSA or an M&P is not a "shit box." They a reliable and accurate rifle.

Like I said in my original post - the beauty is in the platform, not the brand. The cheapest AR on the market is gonna do everything he's gonna need it to do. Why? Because Eugene Stoner.

Purchasing a mid to high end rifle leaving you less money for ammo - as a beginner - makes zero sense. Why spend that money on a rifle that only leaves you room for a few thousand rounds(or less) to become proficient with it when you can get a decent rifle and have $1k+ for ammo??
More ammo + training far outweighs Gucci rifle and no training. Every day.

PSA or Colt and ammo and training = rounds downrange, proficiency

"Gucci" rifle and ammo and training = rounds downrange, proficiency and a better rifle

Prius vs Ferrari at the Track. Prius + tires far outweigh a Ferrari and no tires. Every day.

To each their own. You want to run a PSA go for it. PSA are at a $6XX.00 price point for a reason. LMT, Noveske, KAC, Larue - higher price points for a reason.  

No idea why some folks get all hot and bothered because someone runs a higher quality rig and justify it by saying they could get more ammo or better training by buying a cheap AR.

Buying a budget rifle is still a better option. What if you put 1,000 rounds downrange and find out you prefer an AK? Or you decide a 8” Blackout with a can is what you want? Or a Grendel build for hunting? Or a 9mm? Or an A2 clone?

In your analogy, how do you know they want a Ferrari vs a classic muscle car vs a Demo derby beast?

The issue for the OP isn’t that a PSA rifle is equal to a KAC in design and quality. It’s that he’s new to ARs and wants something good. Well- “good” has a huge range of meanings. For all intents and purposes, OP spending a year shooting an off-the-rack AR IS just as good as shooting a premium rifle.

Then he’ll have a quality 5.56 rifle and can buy or build a second rifle to his liking.

I would spend $1k on a Larue and get a Trijicon MRO. Training and ammo (bad time to buy) for the rest of your budget.

another vote for lwrci di

https://www.rainierarms.com/lwrci-ic-di-m-lok-black-5-56-rifle-16/

There is nothing wrong with your train of thought when cost is not an inhibitor. But money doesn't grow on trees, so your point is moot.

People get heated over these topics for multiple reasons. Maybe they've followed the advice of others in the past and it went bad for them. Maybe they spent WAY too much money when they didn't have to? And now they come on these types of threads to call bullshit when they see it.

You wouldn't want some greasy salesman knock on your grandmother's door and sell her something she doesn't need would you?? This is us merely sticking up for the ones who are coming into this blind. All the idiots recommending KAC/LMT/LWRC etc. etc. need to ask themselves if THEY appreciate having smoke blown up their ass or not.

If I knew back in the mid 90s what I know now (and they were available then) I would have bought a Colt 6920 or a BCM carbine. I ended up with a Bushmaster (which I still have the lower for) and it was a pretty good choice for that time. No, a PSA isn't a "shitbox," but you can get a BCM for not a whole lot more money, and there isn't anything wrong with buying a better rifle for your first one. Colts, on the other hand, are pretty hard to get for decent money these days. I cannot shoot so well that I would get a whole lot more out of a KAC rifle than a BCM or Colt. I am sure they are very nice, but the extra $$ (for me anyway) would be better spent on something else.

Yeah you could afford the nicest but why. Spend half of your budget on BCM 16” Recce. Then spend the rest on ammo, red dot and accessories.

I wanted to post an update to this thread.  I am going to be taking a class with a reputable trainer and solicit his advice.  A friend of mine back home suggested that I speak with a local trainer and see what they recommend and go from there.  The place has a program for new shooters and more advanced shooters which I will ask what he would recommend for my situation.  I am just trying to schedule a class when it is available.  The trainer is a place called Able Shepherd.  They run a program out of a local gun club.  

Here is a link to their website.  https://ableshepherd.com/

I do security for a government contract and the majority of my coworkers are into ARs as well as firearms training.  The company has a training program but it is focused on pistol usage.  All the instructors also highly recommend this program so I plan to see what they recommend for me.  I will also continue to solicit advice from all of you here.  I have just been busy and not able to post.  Once again I want to thank everyone here for the advice.  I still am leaning towards a nice rifle such as Daniels Defense or others since I do have a bit of spending money now.

In that price range:
Noveske
LMT
LaRue

I’ve never been a big KAC fan. Seem overpriced for what you get.

Some real interesting advice in this thread. So here is mine.

Shop on line and find the best price you can get on a S&W Sport II. Buy the Sport II and learn how to disassemble it, clean it, lube and and maintain it.

Then go to the shooting range and learn how to operate the Sport II properly, and practice shooting it. Practice reloads, sight and trigger control, and safe operation/handling.

Once you have about 1,000+ rounds through your AR, decide if you want to make modifications to the AR, and what type of modifications.

At some point you might want to consider a different AR. By that time you should have a good idea of what you want.

Learn what you like and think you need before paying a high price for an AR plus mods.

I know, not what you wanted to hear. But it is the best advice I can give to someone wanting to get into AR's. They are great fun!