What is the least amount of money I can spend on an AR-15 without getting cr@p?

thegrandpoohbah

thegrandpoohbah

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Knowing full well that you get what you pay for, what is the cheapest AR-15 that I can get that is generally well regarded? Just want something fun to play with but can't break the bank or the wife will kill me. Is $500 doable? If I have to spend much more than that then it isn't going to happen this year.
 
$5-600 should get you a Norinco, which are fine to shoot despite all the snobbery.

If you can save another $250-300 you can get a decent American made AR off the EE for $750-800 (CORE, Windham, S&W, etc.).

Buying it is the least of your worries... Ammo starts at $10/20, and you can go through a lot of rounds with a mag fed semi!
 
depends what your definition of crap is.
My definition of crap is not the same as yours.
I spent 3200 on an AR once and it was crap...
 
Not that I will ever be able to sneak in a $3200 rifle but what is a CA and what was wrong with it?

Not opposed to Norinco. Have owned two and they shot well enough. Just a bit too rough around the edges.

Also not stuck on an AR. It's just that I already have LAR-15 magazines for my MVP.
 
I'd save a little longer and get a S&W MP15 (basic model no Forward Assist/no Dust Cover) for about $800 instead of a Norinco, but that's just me. Others will argue Norinco's are alright (as has been stated here), however if you really want an AR that's generally well regarded (your words) try a Daniel Defense or Colt Canada for around $1,800. They are both excellent and will offer a life time of great service along with decent resale which is also something the Norinco and Smith MP15 will offer too (that being decent resale).

If $500 or so is the budget for you now, buy a Norinco (did I just say buy a Norinco?;)) and shoot it while you save. Then once you have some more cash, simple sell it and apply the cash to your savings so you can then buy what most would agree is an all around decent AR (which generally start at about $1,000+ and may be known as Smith&Wesson, Stag Arms, Armalite, Rock River Arms, Windham Weaponry...).

Cheers D
 
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If you go norinco buy one from Canada Ammo or Marstar, people that actually stand behind the products they sell. I bought one from Elwood Epps and it had a bad bolt. They sent it to North Sylva for warranty and North Sylva sent it back to me without fixing it.
 
Still alive said:
There's a CA-10 on the EE now that's been BTT'ed 12 times. Only $2500!
Maybe you should give it a second chance!:nest:
Click to expand...

The mikethebike CA story really was a turning point in my AR choices...
Went KAC after that and never look back... He is the one who sunk that Cie... with reasons... JP.
 
I'd consider something like this before I ever looked at a Norinco
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1240236-Nea-14-5-ar-15-650

Even though a lot of guys bash NEA because of some issues they had or they read about in the past I doubt there is another brand out there that will provide the level of customer service NEA does. Any problems at all and it seems like all they do is send you new parts or have you send them the rifle and they repair it and send it back for no cost.
I have a build that I used an NEA upper/lower and BCG and I've had no issues at all, fit and finish is excellent and every brand of part I've installed has fit perfectly.
Their warranty and customer service is pretty much second to none in Canada from what I've read of people's experiences on this site. I would compare it to buying an XCR and having to deal with Wolverine. I'm not a huge fan of the XCR and quite a few people have had issues in the past but if I was shopping for one I would buy it comfortably knowing that if I ever had problems with it things would be taken care of promptly.

If you want new then Windham, Bushmaster, DPMS, Core, Stag are all good choices for an entry level rifle (Stag being my favorite AR from this list).
 
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