Just found out recently that I only have to be 18 to buy a rifle. Well finally got a job, paid my credit cards, and want to start a gun collection early.  I know a little about hand guns currently practicing with my dads Sig P239.  Just want to own my own gun though. Counter-Strike got me hooked on guns. I was looking at the Bushmaster M4 A3 and have about $900-$1000. I saw Gunbroker.com but haven't heard anything about them, or anyone know a better place to buy from.  I live in Houston,TX so if there are any dealers that can get me one for a good price help me out. Also what is the process of getting my rifle. I know if i but one online I need to send it the a FFL dealer and thats it. Is there anything else i'm going to need to pay or need to get before I order my gun. Thanks People

Welcome aboard.

OK, $1,000... Good start!  What do you want it to do?  Target?  Hunting? Self-defense?  General Purpose?

If you aren't interested in hunting in which you are going to need a longer barrel to enhnace accuracy I would go with a flat-top carbine with a A2 front sight and a detachable carry handle.  Down the road you could remove the carry handle and mount a back-up iron sight like the Arms 40 along with an optic like an Aimpoint, Eotech, Reflex or Acog.

But for now, lets focus on a postban rifle and the accessories you are going to need.

Do you want to buy a complete rifle or do you want to build it from parts and save some money?  I personally would built it and learn the rifle.  There are plenty of guys in Texas who could help you get started.

I would order one of the Century arms receivers from Wholesale Guns and Ammo on LI, NY for $89.99 plus shipping and transfer.  Final cost will likely be $125 or less.  Now in general you will hear to avoid Century products, some are good some are garbage.  I can tell you that there AR15 lower receiver is forged and made in the same factory as Colt.  They are a steal!  I've seen them and would not hesitate to buy one.

I would then order a good Rock River Arms or JT Distributing post-ban carbine kit.  Pete in NH (Legal Transfers) has great prices on RRA.  JT is also well respected.  There are other companies you can get kits from as well, they include Sherluk, Model 1, M&A.  I would avoid American Spirit Arms, seem to be a lot of complaints about them.

You will have options when you order a kit.

Chrome lined barrel - worth the extra $50
Muzzlebrake - not needed on a .223/5.56
Stock - go with the A2 rather then the fixed post-ban collapsible
5.56 or .223 - get the 5.56, you can shoot .223 through a 5.56, but not vice versa

Now the reason I suggest you get an A2 stock instead of the fake collapsible stock is it is sturdier and if you decide to buy a second upper, say 20 or 24 inch heavy barrel for target or hunting, you then have the better stock in place for that purpose, and you just use the same lower.

So, $125 for the receiver shipped and transferred.
Carbine kit with detachable handle from JT, @525shipped
10 SA80 magazines from Ronin45, $150 shipped
Detachable carry handle
$200 case of 5.56 ammo

Anyway, that's how I'd get started.

Edited to add:

JT Distributing
[url]http://webcats.net/store/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=J&Product_Code=C1C&Category_Code=K[/url]

Wholesale Guns and Ammo 631-208-9500

Counter Strike got you into guns too!!!!???

15... got counter strike

18... got an AR15, AK47, and a daewoo DR200

19??? Another AR. YUP!

Your gonna love the AR15 platform, especially as a starter rifle. Its like a sports car of the gun world. Smooth, ergonomic, sleek, and sexy. Every gun wants to be it, every owner wants to be with it.

Low, Low recoil

outstanding accuracy

modifiable to be any rifle you want (or need) it to be

excellent sites

pisses of gun grabbers

Whats not to like?

thanks for all your info, I think for now i just want the gun cause of the way it looks, never been able to shoot one though, but i'm just going to use it to shoot at the range which is only about 50 yards and maybe personal protection. Latley neighborhood had 10 cars broken into, 5 houses robbed, and 2 people killed and I live in a neighborhood of 200. Also invested $6000 in car so I think i would use it for personal protection. Since this is going to be my first gun and i can't wait, i want it fully built and getting ACOG TA31 next month.  Maybe my next gun i'm going to custom build it to learn more about the gun. Also i'm going to need some help teaching me about the parts and cleaning the gun. I'm only 19 and none of my friends have a gun yet. So if anyone can help me after i get my gun i would appreciate it. Thanks A Lot

And yeah counter-strike got me into guns, started playing when i was 15 too, just turned 19 last month. Oh yeah want to get AK-47 later. And trying to convince my dad to buy a USP Stainless. Games really do mess with teenage minds.

I would then recommend that you buy a complete lower and then a complete upper seperately.  A complete lower should cost no more than $250 shipped and transferred and a complete upper around $400 or less.  If you buy a complete rifle you must pay an 11% federal excise tax.  Why spend money you don't have to?  With complete upper and lower receivers you just need to pop the pins and put them together, no build required.  You can also find some good deals on used uppers on the Equipment Exchange.

New DPMS forged complete lowers for $239.95

[url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=21&t=159632[/url]

CMMG also sells complete DPMS uppers as does ADCO.

Great idea. I think i'm going to do that. Now I need to know what is the proccess of me getting my AR-15. And what or some good choices on uppers and lowers. But i still want the 16" inch with A3 handle. Only been on the forum for a week and i keep hearing about the Y-Comp what is that and what does it do.

Y comp is a muzzlebrake that you don't need, makes too much noise and adds cost to the rifle.

Process is straight forward, go to your local dealer and ask him to send an FFL to Adco.  When it arrives you call Adco and order the lower that he will than ship to your dealer.  You normally pay the dealer $20-$30 to do the transfer on the books.  You fill out a federal form called a 4473, instant background check.  You bring lower home and attach it to the upper you have ordered.

Now, if you are going to go the Rock River route I would recommend going for broke and ordering an M4 upper.  You'll end up building one anyway as they are the best compromise between size, weight and coolness factor.  Might as well start with one.

I am now suggesting RRA because Adco has the complete lowers for $210, the M4 Entry Tactical goes for $528 and you have the option to customize, like adding chrome lining and removing the sight system.  That would bring the cost for the upper to $442 plus shipping.  Or you could keep the sights, add chrome lining for $563.

Here is the best part about Adco, they only charge $4 for shipping and handling on your order.  So for the lower, upper and shipping you are looking at around $780 tripped out and it is all RRA.  Throw in $20 for a transfer and you have an $800 M4.  That leaves $200 for a half case of ammo and some mags.


lower receiver complete is on this page

[url]http://www.adcofirearms.com/rockriver/rockriver.cfm?page=rra&CFID=134546&CFTOKEN=37872543[/url]

upper receivers are on this page

[url]http://www.adcofirearms.com/rockriver/rrauppers.cfm?page=rra[/url]

thanks you have been a lot of help, looks like i'll be ordering friday, thats when my check comes in. any suggestion on what type of ammo and what kind of mags.
One more thing why do triggers make a difference and what kind should i get

Ammo... Winchester Q3131A.  Mags, I think the best deal are the new SA80 mags that Ronin45 is selling for $75 for 5 shipped.  They are new in grease wrap and have the equivalent of our green followers already in them.

All of the info you are getting from hiramranger is 100% correct.  The winchester ammo is great!  Make sure you get the box labled 5.56 Q3131A.  It's made in Israel and is mil-spec i believe.  Also the mags from ronin are great, or you can look on the EE.  I just bought five USGI mags for 64.50 shipped (used of course)  The england mags are cool but I like everything to be very light and the USGI mags are aluminum instead of steel

As for trigger they make a difference b/c some have a lighter pull than others so they are more accurate.  You said you would be shooting at 50 yards so don't even bother with one.  The are expensive and you won't need one for your first AR, trust me you will want another.

BTW, welcome to the club of teenage AR owners
[beer]

My first gun, I wont ever sell it.

Oh yes, some more tidbits.

It may not be important to you, but weight may be a factor you would want to look into. Rifles with a stainless steel, or HBAR (heavy Barrel) weight a ton. For informal range shooting this is fine, but if you ever go to a family/friends private property to shoot or camp... the weight may bother you some. Although the weight of a heavier barrel will steady your rifle, and produce more accurate groupings because of better heat dissipation.

Ill tell you this though, AKs arent as smooth as an AR. Yea their cool, but I just find myself shooting my AR a whole lot more.