I would buy a PSA for a first AR, but not their cheapest carbine / traditional style models. Spend slightly more and get a bunch of upgrades.
I usually suggest buying a complete upper and lower separately.
You can get a better rifle for less money because PSA has to pay an 11% excise tax on complete rifles, which they pass on to you with a markup.
Assembly is literally just snapping the upper and lower together with the takedown pins, i.e. nothing.
But... they have a better than usual deal on a complete rifle right now with the minimum upgrades that I suggest, for $580 with free shipping:
[https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-13-5-hex-m-lok-moe-ept-rifle-w-mbus-sight-set.html](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-13-5-hex-m-lok-moe-ept-rifle-w-mbus-sight-set.html)
For buying upper and lower separately:
UPPER - Look for midlength gas system, floating handguard, complete with Bolt Carrier Group (BCG) and Charging Handle (CH).
LOWER - Look for MOE (Magpul stock and grip) and EPT (enhanced polished trigger).
Best value at the moment from what I see...
$340 + free ship Complete upper, with upgraded BCG, CH
[https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-13-5-lightweight-m-lok-upper-with-nickel-boron-bcg-ch-5165449606.html](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-13-5-lightweight-m-lok-upper-with-nickel-boron-bcg-ch-5165449606.html)
$140 + $18 ship Complete lower, MOE but no EPT
[https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar-15-complete-stealth-lower-magpul-moe-edition-black-no-magazine-5165500387.html](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar-15-complete-stealth-lower-magpul-moe-edition-black-no-magazine-5165500387.html)
If you can wait a bit for a sale (could be as soon as a few days)...
Complete MOE EPT stealth lower
[https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar15-complete-moe-ept-stealth-lower-black.html](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar15-complete-moe-ept-stealth-lower-black.html)
This or the non-stealth equivalent has routinely been on sale for $150-$160 with free shipping in the past.
Note that "Stealth" just means it doesn't have the PSA roll stamp on the receiver, it's functionally identical. I'd buy whichever is on sale.
That will put you right around $500 as compared to the $580 complete rifle, with these differences:
* No sights (if you're going optic-only, that may be moot)
* Upgraded nickel-boron BCG
* Lighter weight handguard with partial top rail (preferable imo)
You can have the upper shipped directly to you (most states), so you could grab that while it's on sale and wait on the lower.
The lower has to ship to an FFL. If you have a PSA location near you, ship it there and they will do the FFL transfer for free.
PSA build quality is very good for the money... they've had a lot of practice and control their supply line to save costs.
I bought an entry level S&W for my first AR, and have hands-on experience with an entry level Ruger (both non-floating handguards) and I feel PSA quality is comparable. But the PSA is less money and with the upgrades is more versatile and feels a lot nicer in the hand. And is cheaper.
I don't have experience with the Ruger you are considering, it's a step above their entry level. I see that it still has a milspec stock, but that's easily upgraded.
I have no experience with CMMG.
Thanks for taking the time to break all this down. Very helpful (and I like links). AR's are a bit more complex on the face of it than any gun purchase I've made before... this is post will be a reference point for me.
I had the same sense of being overwhelmed which is why my first was a complete S&W, sticking with a name brand.
But if I could do it over again I'd do a PSA $500-ish rifle similar to what I posted. It's a solid start and likely to do everything you need, and if it doesn't, the beauty of the platform is that you can upgrade parts as you like.
Or... build a brand new rifle after you decide what things are important to you. Never hurts to have a spare. :)
I don't have any experience with the Sabre line, or how it compares to the competition at that price point.
Note that for getting ahead of a ban, you could buy a budget AR to get familiar with the platform before spending a bunch on things you may decide you don't care about.
Then also buy a receiver (or two) for a premium build later at your leisure.
Everything but the serialized receiver is just parts that you can buy without restriction or going through an FFL. At least at the Federal level. Idk how your pending state law is worded.
**Receivers...**
PSA receivers are workhorses and cheap, with a milspec profile.
Aero receivers are well regarded and their M4E1 has a sleeker "billet" style aesthetic.
They are the same company as Ballistic Advantage, you can generally buy [their identical version](https://www.ballisticadvantage.com/ba-ar-15-enhanced-lower-receiver.html) for less money and I like their logo better. They routinely have sales on their site, and you can sign up for text discount codes. In the past that has resulted in lower prices than from [resellers](https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/bapa100083).
For a step up in features, I've had my eye on the Sharps Livewire for the flared magwell and ambi magazine release: [https://sharpsbros.com/livewire-ar15/](https://sharpsbros.com/livewire-ar15/)
The sky's the limit if you want to spend more.
If you have a good local shop, it may be cheaper to order through them assuming they then don't charge you a transfer fee.
If you can afford it, the “Reddit Special” consists of an Aero complete lower and a BCM complete upper. Price should be around $1000. It has the best price:quality ratio. You are getting a high-tier BCM/DD quality rifle at a mid-tier price. Only thing better is a LMT/KAC/ADM/Radian rifle.
If you do not want to spend that much, then I would stick to a full PSA build. There is no need to get a CMMG when you can get BCM/DD quality for a couple hundred more.
You could always use an Anderson/PSA lower and a used BCM upper for around $800.
For 22LR, check out the r/ar22 subreddit. RTB and BCA make budget complete uppers. BoreBuddy is probably better than CMMG since it provides similar quality at a lower price. Compass Lake Engineering makes high end match uppers.
As another redditor said:
Get the "Reddit special" Aero complete lower + BCM upper.
Just have the lower sent to your local gun store/range and start building that relationship.
As for 22lr. Get a Tippmann M4-22 dedicated AR-style rifle ($500).
Way nicer than a 22lr conversion kit for $200 more. Dedicated 22LR uppers get pricey too.
But get the reddit special AR first.
If you can, spring for the M4E1 Aero lower.
As for BCM, the MK2 upper and BFH barrels are nice.
You want a 16" barrel with mid length gas.
Good luck
If I may suggest something off of the list: get a KP-15 lower and a CDR upper from KE arms. With the discount code that everyone can use, should be a combined cost of around 800.
I would go for the PSA. Just a cheap, basic AR to start with. Don't think too much about it. By the time you buy the gun, accessories, and ammo you will be out a lot more than $500. It won't be a bad purchase though. I really love having my cheap first gun cause now it is my "truck" gun. Works just fine, but if anything ever gets stolen I'd rather it be that one than my expensive custom build. My first was a Rock River. The only thing I don't like is that the buffer tube is not mil spec. Not a huge deal though.
Controversy pick - IWI Zion. Not a great company to support but, generally, any major manufacturer is going to have some skeletons in either their supply line or corporate structure. 🤷♂️
CMMG of those.
Potentially controversial opinion but as a dealer and someone who operates a range, Rugers QC is dog shit. Especially on their ARs. Yeah if you have a problem they'll fix it but they have a ton of issues they shouldn't have in the first place
The CMMG seems to have the lowest relative percentage of QC issues of those three, but PSAs are generally good to go. Is the PSA a mid length gas and full length handguard or is it a carbine gas? If it's carbine I'd be less excited but that's just my take.
Another option could be to get a completed upper receiver and lower receiver separately. BCM makes great upper receivers for the $$$ (good brand to support btw) and PSA lowers are fine. Uppers matter a lot more than the lower does. Bear in mind you'll need to send a lower to an FFL (ie:physical gun shop) to pick it up.
I got PSA lowers with BCA uppers for my builds, and all of them have been highly reliable and functional from the moment I slapped the parts together.
I would say that the right answer for you will depend a lot upon your current shooting ability. While it's worth it in the long run to have top of the line stuff from the get-go, there really isn't much harm in getting "budget" pieces to start with as long as you're not outshooting the gun.
The best part about an AR is that you can replace all of the parts piece by piece as you gradually need to increase its accuracy. Buying a new barrel gets your accuracy up a little bit more, then maybe you get a new BCG and upgrade the buffer.
Outside of those 3 parts and your trigger assembly, there's not too much you can really change on an AR to improve its performance.
The real protip is to get an affordable gun that you can become familiar with, and as you upgrade it put the other parts into a stripped lower/upper to eventually build out a second one. If you change calibers the first time you upgrade, then you have two uppers to swap between at the range.
Plus, if you have friends or relatives you want to get into the hobby that aren't willing to pay the upfront cost they make good gifts.
I just got an FN-15 from Guns.com for 960 including shipping, tax, and transfer. But as other people mentioned, the gun is the cheap part. I’ve already dropped another 5-600 in accessories and I’ll probably end up with another 1200 in an ACOG soon.
Check out diamondback AR's.. they have fair prices good quality. I would recommend 1:8 barrel twist chambered in 556 as that is known as the Sweet spot of the barrel twist rates
I would buy a PSA for a first AR, but not their cheapest carbine / traditional style models. Spend slightly more and get a bunch of upgrades. I usually suggest buying a complete upper and lower separately. You can get a better rifle for less money because PSA has to pay an 11% excise tax on complete rifles, which they pass on to you with a markup. Assembly is literally just snapping the upper and lower together with the takedown pins, i.e. nothing. But... they have a better than usual deal on a complete rifle right now with the minimum upgrades that I suggest, for $580 with free shipping: [https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-13-5-hex-m-lok-moe-ept-rifle-w-mbus-sight-set.html](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-13-5-hex-m-lok-moe-ept-rifle-w-mbus-sight-set.html) For buying upper and lower separately: UPPER - Look for midlength gas system, floating handguard, complete with Bolt Carrier Group (BCG) and Charging Handle (CH). LOWER - Look for MOE (Magpul stock and grip) and EPT (enhanced polished trigger). Best value at the moment from what I see... $340 + free ship Complete upper, with upgraded BCG, CH [https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-13-5-lightweight-m-lok-upper-with-nickel-boron-bcg-ch-5165449606.html](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-16-mid-length-5-56-nato-1-7-nitride-13-5-lightweight-m-lok-upper-with-nickel-boron-bcg-ch-5165449606.html) $140 + $18 ship Complete lower, MOE but no EPT [https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar-15-complete-stealth-lower-magpul-moe-edition-black-no-magazine-5165500387.html](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar-15-complete-stealth-lower-magpul-moe-edition-black-no-magazine-5165500387.html) If you can wait a bit for a sale (could be as soon as a few days)... Complete MOE EPT stealth lower [https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar15-complete-moe-ept-stealth-lower-black.html](https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar15-complete-moe-ept-stealth-lower-black.html) This or the non-stealth equivalent has routinely been on sale for $150-$160 with free shipping in the past. Note that "Stealth" just means it doesn't have the PSA roll stamp on the receiver, it's functionally identical. I'd buy whichever is on sale. That will put you right around $500 as compared to the $580 complete rifle, with these differences: * No sights (if you're going optic-only, that may be moot) * Upgraded nickel-boron BCG * Lighter weight handguard with partial top rail (preferable imo) You can have the upper shipped directly to you (most states), so you could grab that while it's on sale and wait on the lower. The lower has to ship to an FFL. If you have a PSA location near you, ship it there and they will do the FFL transfer for free. PSA build quality is very good for the money... they've had a lot of practice and control their supply line to save costs. I bought an entry level S&W for my first AR, and have hands-on experience with an entry level Ruger (both non-floating handguards) and I feel PSA quality is comparable. But the PSA is less money and with the upgrades is more versatile and feels a lot nicer in the hand. And is cheaper. I don't have experience with the Ruger you are considering, it's a step above their entry level. I see that it still has a milspec stock, but that's easily upgraded. I have no experience with CMMG.
Thanks for taking the time to break all this down. Very helpful (and I like links). AR's are a bit more complex on the face of it than any gun purchase I've made before... this is post will be a reference point for me.
I had the same sense of being overwhelmed which is why my first was a complete S&W, sticking with a name brand. But if I could do it over again I'd do a PSA $500-ish rifle similar to what I posted. It's a solid start and likely to do everything you need, and if it doesn't, the beauty of the platform is that you can upgrade parts as you like. Or... build a brand new rifle after you decide what things are important to you. Never hurts to have a spare. :)
[удалено]
I don't have any experience with the Sabre line, or how it compares to the competition at that price point. Note that for getting ahead of a ban, you could buy a budget AR to get familiar with the platform before spending a bunch on things you may decide you don't care about. Then also buy a receiver (or two) for a premium build later at your leisure. Everything but the serialized receiver is just parts that you can buy without restriction or going through an FFL. At least at the Federal level. Idk how your pending state law is worded. **Receivers...** PSA receivers are workhorses and cheap, with a milspec profile. Aero receivers are well regarded and their M4E1 has a sleeker "billet" style aesthetic. They are the same company as Ballistic Advantage, you can generally buy [their identical version](https://www.ballisticadvantage.com/ba-ar-15-enhanced-lower-receiver.html) for less money and I like their logo better. They routinely have sales on their site, and you can sign up for text discount codes. In the past that has resulted in lower prices than from [resellers](https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/bapa100083). For a step up in features, I've had my eye on the Sharps Livewire for the flared magwell and ambi magazine release: [https://sharpsbros.com/livewire-ar15/](https://sharpsbros.com/livewire-ar15/) The sky's the limit if you want to spend more. If you have a good local shop, it may be cheaper to order through them assuming they then don't charge you a transfer fee.
Wonderful insight, thanks so much!
If you can afford it, the “Reddit Special” consists of an Aero complete lower and a BCM complete upper. Price should be around $1000. It has the best price:quality ratio. You are getting a high-tier BCM/DD quality rifle at a mid-tier price. Only thing better is a LMT/KAC/ADM/Radian rifle. If you do not want to spend that much, then I would stick to a full PSA build. There is no need to get a CMMG when you can get BCM/DD quality for a couple hundred more. You could always use an Anderson/PSA lower and a used BCM upper for around $800. For 22LR, check out the r/ar22 subreddit. RTB and BCA make budget complete uppers. BoreBuddy is probably better than CMMG since it provides similar quality at a lower price. Compass Lake Engineering makes high end match uppers.
"Reddit Special" lol. Good info and I'll look into it, thanks.
As another redditor said: Get the "Reddit special" Aero complete lower + BCM upper. Just have the lower sent to your local gun store/range and start building that relationship. As for 22lr. Get a Tippmann M4-22 dedicated AR-style rifle ($500). Way nicer than a 22lr conversion kit for $200 more. Dedicated 22LR uppers get pricey too. But get the reddit special AR first. If you can, spring for the M4E1 Aero lower. As for BCM, the MK2 upper and BFH barrels are nice. You want a 16" barrel with mid length gas. Good luck
Thanks, I'll look into these recs.
If I may suggest something off of the list: get a KP-15 lower and a CDR upper from KE arms. With the discount code that everyone can use, should be a combined cost of around 800.
Added benefit of supporting a company that is in favor of 2A for more than just their in-group.
I would go for the PSA. Just a cheap, basic AR to start with. Don't think too much about it. By the time you buy the gun, accessories, and ammo you will be out a lot more than $500. It won't be a bad purchase though. I really love having my cheap first gun cause now it is my "truck" gun. Works just fine, but if anything ever gets stolen I'd rather it be that one than my expensive custom build. My first was a Rock River. The only thing I don't like is that the buffer tube is not mil spec. Not a huge deal though.
Controversy pick - IWI Zion. Not a great company to support but, generally, any major manufacturer is going to have some skeletons in either their supply line or corporate structure. 🤷♂️
This is actually the right answer. The Zion imo is the best pre built around that $700-$800 range
Hands down the best budget AR.
CMMG of those. Potentially controversial opinion but as a dealer and someone who operates a range, Rugers QC is dog shit. Especially on their ARs. Yeah if you have a problem they'll fix it but they have a ton of issues they shouldn't have in the first place
Well shoot... didn't expect to hear that, thanks for the warning.
The CMMG seems to have the lowest relative percentage of QC issues of those three, but PSAs are generally good to go. Is the PSA a mid length gas and full length handguard or is it a carbine gas? If it's carbine I'd be less excited but that's just my take. Another option could be to get a completed upper receiver and lower receiver separately. BCM makes great upper receivers for the $$$ (good brand to support btw) and PSA lowers are fine. Uppers matter a lot more than the lower does. Bear in mind you'll need to send a lower to an FFL (ie:physical gun shop) to pick it up.
I got PSA lowers with BCA uppers for my builds, and all of them have been highly reliable and functional from the moment I slapped the parts together. I would say that the right answer for you will depend a lot upon your current shooting ability. While it's worth it in the long run to have top of the line stuff from the get-go, there really isn't much harm in getting "budget" pieces to start with as long as you're not outshooting the gun. The best part about an AR is that you can replace all of the parts piece by piece as you gradually need to increase its accuracy. Buying a new barrel gets your accuracy up a little bit more, then maybe you get a new BCG and upgrade the buffer. Outside of those 3 parts and your trigger assembly, there's not too much you can really change on an AR to improve its performance. The real protip is to get an affordable gun that you can become familiar with, and as you upgrade it put the other parts into a stripped lower/upper to eventually build out a second one. If you change calibers the first time you upgrade, then you have two uppers to swap between at the range. Plus, if you have friends or relatives you want to get into the hobby that aren't willing to pay the upfront cost they make good gifts.
I'm eyeing a Windham Weaponry AR to pick up in a few months.
Get the Ruger MPR, it has the Elite 452 trigger, which gets compared favorably to geissele
I just got an FN-15 from Guns.com for 960 including shipping, tax, and transfer. But as other people mentioned, the gun is the cheap part. I’ve already dropped another 5-600 in accessories and I’ll probably end up with another 1200 in an ACOG soon.
If you purchase direct from CMMG, you can use the code GNG10 to get a 10% discount on whatever you buy! CMMG also makes .22lr conversions.
Check out diamondback AR's.. they have fair prices good quality. I would recommend 1:8 barrel twist chambered in 556 as that is known as the Sweet spot of the barrel twist rates
Buy once, cry once. Go DDM4A1