First AR15? Just too many choices...


I recently bought one of the Armalites from Wolverine. The build quality is excellent ( yes, the gas key is staked!). It's a basic AR but half the fun of owning one is building it into something that suits you based on your experiences. For $1125 you can't go wrong. Thats my 2 cents
 
Another for the DD V5, haven't shot one yet but did get to play around with one at a store. Found it to be much much better than a Norinco I held a while back (but for the price it better leaps and bounds better). Can't speak to any others, haven't played around with them. Good luck though
 
Well...if you must stay under $1500 all in (and want new) I would have recommended Spikes Tactical from Questar...but they're sold out and the wait is long (or find one on the EE when available). Next up would be Colt 6920 through IRG. 3rd would be the Armalite from Wolverine. 4th would be Core15 (various models) from Wanstalls. If you can go above that dollar figure then I'd spring for the DD MK18 or start looking through the deals on the EE (think Noveske, LMT, BCM, etc.).
 
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I'll suggest buying a Norinco & 1600 rounds of ammo... Gun & ammo $1200...

ZERO issues with our two 14.5 inch barreled Norinco M4's... Great gun for the 699 price tag.

Cheers
Jay
 
I'll suggest buying a Norinco & 1600 rounds of ammo... Gun & ammo $1200...

ZERO issues with our two 14.5 inch barreled Norinco M4's... Great gun for the 699 price tag.

Cheers
Jay

Do what Jay says he makes the most sense. That is a lot of fun time with that much ammo.
 
lots of hatred for NEA on here...i read passed the people who have never held one and got to the actual sources.
today with day 1 with my new NEA 15 - 12.5" and it ran AMAZING.. had a stack of pmags and just kept going.
i ran exactly 150 rounds through it and here is my best grouping.
i paid 1350 with tax and shipping including the Vortex from SFRC the ammo source.
@50 yards using Remington UMC
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lots of hatred for NEA on here...i read passed the people who have never held one and got to the actual sources.
today with day 1 with my new NEA 15 - 12.5" and it ran AMAZING.. had a stack of pmags and just kept going.
i ran exactly 150 rounds through it and here is my best grouping.
i paid 1350 with tax and shipping including the Vortex from SFRC the ammo source.
@50 yards using Remington UMC

By no means am I telling you to do this (because too many people around here do that), but have you tried putting the AFG closer to the muzzle? That way your support arm is almost fully extended and can be locked, giving you faster follow up shots. Anyway just a suggestion, I know that's how I prefer to do it when I shoot AR's. But if that set up works well for you (based on the photo seems to be doing the job) then just ignore my ramblings and enjoy shooting the sh*t out of it.
 
lots of hatred for NEA on here...i read passed the people who have never held one and got to the actual sources.
today with day 1 with my new NEA 15 - 12.5" and it ran AMAZING.. had a stack of pmags and just kept going.
i ran exactly 150 rounds through it and here is my best grouping.
i paid 1350 with tax and shipping including the Vortex from SFRC the ammo source.
@50 yards using Remington UMC
utf-8BX0lUX01pa2VfSVRfLmpwZWc.jpg

I appreciate your enthusiasm and hope you enjoy shooting your new AR. Having said that, if it went "bang" when you pulled the trigger 150 times, I would hardly qualify that or your best 50 yard group, "AMAZING" as you put it. Afterall, it SHOULD fire when you pull the trigger, right? It's expected. I'm sure your choice in optic limited your accuracy potential to some degree. I would try a decent scope on it to get a realistic idea as to the accuracy potential of the rifle at longer ranges. 100 yards and 200 yards to begin with. If all you ever plan on doing is shooting @ 50 yards, I definitely wouldn't bother though.

After you've run 1,000 rounds through it come back and let us know what you think. It's too early to say the gun is truly reliable, however, my expectation is that will be if I were you.
 
By no means am I telling you to do this (because too many people around here do that), but have you tried putting the AFG closer to the muzzle? That way your support arm is almost fully extended and can be locked, giving you faster follow up shots. Anyway just a suggestion, I know that's how I prefer to do it when I shoot AR's. But if that set up works well for you (based on the photo seems to be doing the job) then just ignore my ramblings and enjoy shooting the sh*t out of it.

thanks for the tip, ive seen a lot of pictures of people shooting the say you just mentioned lately and i will give it a try.
truthfully i want my grip closer to the magwell, but i have a brass catcher that needs about 1.5" of space to line up properly.
the angled foregrip i just had kicking around so i threw it on for now till i know exactly what im looking for.
i think i recall seeing a magwell grip i think it was called the X grip? im going to try to get one of those and grab a handstop or ill try the angled grip forwards.
i find i can brace and steady better the closer i have my left hand.
i also want a stock that is fatter and gives a better cheek weld. my buddy has a spare CTR i may try and see if he will sell me, but the ACS looks a little fatter and may be what i want more...we will see i want to see them in person.

the A2 pistol grip is annoying... i need something fatter and either molded like my hogues on my sigs or just flat...tat little nub that sticks out bothers me.
im eying up uppers and lowers for a 10.5" build next.


as for the OP - i really recommend this as a first rifle... there will be a review of my rifle on here in the next few days, written by someone else.
i could sit here and big it up for hours, and truthfully i let i think 4 guys shoot it today and one now wants a NEA upper. one other has a colt and he really liked mine.

I appreciate your enthusiasm and hope you enjoy shooting your new AR. Having said that, if it went "bang" when you pulled the trigger 150 times, I would hardly qualify that or your best 50 yard group, "AMAZING" as you put it. I'm sure your choice in optic limited your accuracy potential to some degree. I would try a decent scope on it to get a realistic idea as to the accuracy potential of the rifle at longer ranges. 100 yards and 200 yards to begin with. If all you ever plan on doing is shooting @ 50 yards, I definitely wouldn't bother though.
i dont see how you claim that isnt my best group?
i said gun ran amazing...i dont claim to be a crack shot lol my skill limits this rifles ability. i only mention how the gun ran because of the negative press NEA gets on here. people say they are hit or miss..well mine is good to go.
as for longer range, yes ive been looking at scopes actually since before the NEA showed up in the mail. im looking for a 1-6 power and saw a Leupold VX3 1.5-5 today on someone elses that i really liked. ill have a different optic on it within 2 months, just want to choose exactly what i want and i may end up running the sparc on a 45 offset mount that i actually already picked up. and if i do that i may just go with a 2-7 power scope.
 
I just purchased my first AR. Smith & Wesson M&P 15. Unbeatable at $933 to my door. 1:8 twist, chambered in 5.56, non-pinned flash hider, quality coating, Magpul rear sight included.

It seems to have all the features necessary for a quality paper puncher.

The S&W Sport would definitely be my choice if I wanted to stay well below $1,000. Fantastic value and has a ton going for it. Easily the highest quality manufacturer in that price bracket. I'd take it any day over a Norinco considering they're so close in price. If looking to spend up to $1,500 my choice would be for a Daniel Defense or Colt 6920. I'd pick the D.D. first simply on the basis that you get more features for the same money spent. I'm a Colt fanboy through I want to try other brands. My next AR will likely be a D.D. M4V5 or V7.
 
For 3 gun and general messing around I'd look at the AR rifles specifically for this. I believe Stag and Daniel Defense have these options.

For non specific AR rifles: DD V5 as other mentioned is just in the price criteria.

Now there is one more possible option. If you're a current serving military or police Questar has a $100 coupon off the price of the LMT mrp. I believe this is a LMT manufacturer rebate at the company end. So the current 15% off sale should also apply. This would bring the 556 16" MRP to just below $1600 before taxes. That is one heck of a deal. Sopmod stock, ergo grip, flash hider, 1:7 twist Mike Rock CL 556 barrel. Monolithic rail, removable iron sights, quick change barrel system.

The DD V5 is also a heck of a rifle at a good price but the LMT at this price point is the bargain providing all the discounts can be taken advantage off.
 
I think that if I was in the market again, I'd take a hard look at the CORE product. For range work, the piston is low maintenance and the performance is the same as a DI rifle. Just my $.02

Thats what I would do. Look at the Core 15 either piston or DI.
 
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