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I am looking for my first AR. Budget is a grand, max. I want something that is VERY reliable, and to serve as a general home defense and range toy.

Ideas? Right now I'm looking at Bravo Company, but there 4-6 weeks for shipment is a turn off. Otherwise, I am completely new to AR's and have no idea what to look for.

Buy an upper, a lower, and whatever optics you want seperately. A quality upper and lower set wouldn't run you more than 6-700 bucks. Optics can get expensive....

Slap the upper and lower together with two (2) pins, and you have a functioning AR.

There are quite a few topics that contain a lot of information about where ARs and components can be found. The search function can be your friend with regards to this topic.

It sounds like you want a complete rifle. BCM does have a long wait for complete rifles. However, you can get completed uppers from them without the long wait. I have a BCM upper and love it.

I happen to know where a very nice AR is for sale for exactly $1,000 right here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=52925" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Whatever rifle you decide on be sure you have back up iron sights. Any and all optics can fail due to circumstances beyond our control. Iron sights will continue to work unless they are knocked off the rifle. Learn to use the irons before going to an optic it's basic rifle craft.

MoJo wrote:Whatever rifle you decide on be sure you have back up iron sights. Any and all optics can fail due to circumstances beyond our control. Iron sights will continue to work unless they are knocked off the rifle. Learn to use the irons before going to an optic it's basic rifle craft.

This.

Thanks for the info. so far. Would love to hear some brand recommendations in my price range.

The Annoyed Man wrote:I happen to know where a very nice AR is for sale for exactly $1,000 right here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=52925" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I drooled over that one, but it's a bit big for home defense!

nyj wrote:Thanks for the info. so far. Would love to hear some brand recommendations in my price range.

The Annoyed Man wrote:I happen to know where a very nice AR is for sale for exactly $1,000 right here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=52925" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I drooled over that one, but it's a bit big for home defense!

Look at the S&W M&P rifles. I have an MOE model and I love it. Stay away from the M&P sport model as it has some reliability issues. I had good luck with a DPMS before trading it for the M&P.

http://texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=87&t=52942" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

just mentioned a few good options in this above .

nyj wrote:Thanks for the info. so far. Would love to hear some brand recommendations in my price range.

The Annoyed Man wrote:I happen to know where a very nice AR is for sale for exactly $1,000 right here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=52925" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I drooled over that one, but it's a bit big for home defense!

Not if they're still 100 yards out.

nyj wrote:I am looking for my first AR. Budget is a grand, max. I want something that is VERY reliable, and to serve as a general home defense and range toy.

Ideas? Right now I'm looking at Bravo Company, but there 4-6 weeks for shipment is a turn off. Otherwise, I am completely new to AR's and have no idea what to look for.

DISCLAIMER: I know ARs are reliable.

If reliability, HD and range fun are your main criteria, have you considered an AK in the '74 variety?

AKs reliability...enough said. They serve just as well as an AR for home defense, and surplus ammo (especially in the 5.45 variety) is WAY cheaper than most of the 5.56 stuff out there (and its not picky about steel cased ammo, either). Cheaper ammo=more fun time at the range.

You mentioned a $1000 dollar price range.

Here's a nice AK-74 for $600.
http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/storeproduct950.aspx
Here's some surplus ammo:
http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx? ... groupid=33

600 for the rifle, 260 bucks for 2 spam cans for over 2,000 rounds and you still have 140 bucks left over for magazines.

Just a thought.

Appreciate the input, but I already have access to an AK.

Right now I'm looking at Spike's tactical st-15. Thoughts?

Spike's builds a good gun.

The maintenance of an AR is IMHO at least, if not more, important than the brand of rifle. An "excellent" rifle can be down graded to "poor to worthless" with poor maintenance. A "serviceable" rifle can be made into a "good to excellent" rifle if cared for properly.

Buy the best rifle you can afford without all the Tacti-cool accessories. Learn the rifle then if you find you have the need for a tactical kitchen sink then go ahead and put one on.

My personal AR has a light and a 1-4x scope on it. I don't need anything else.

nyj wrote:Appreciate the input, but I already have access to an AK.

Right now I'm looking at Spike's tactical st-15. Thoughts?

Gotcha. Since it was a first AR, didn't know if it was a first black rifle purchase.

MoJo wrote:Whatever rifle you decide on be sure you have back up iron sights. Any and all optics can fail due to circumstances beyond our control. Iron sights will continue to work unless they are knocked off the rifle. Learn to use the irons before going to an optic it's basic rifle craft.

X10