Help choosing a black rifle

If SHTF the powers at be will probably take everybody's guns "to keep everyone safe."

In that scenario, they'll have neither the time, nor the resources. Locally, the most likely scenario is break down of civil order after a natural disaster (specifically an earthquake) so it doesn't really bother me about the gun being restricted, oh yes, and keep a manual drill and bit with your kit.
 
That sounds good...would reliability not be compromised by building a Frakenstein-AR? That would be my only concern otherwise it sounds good! Thanks for the post.
My AR15 was a built not bought one. I didn't do it, but the person at my LGS sat down with me and asked what size barrel I wanted, what I wanted for an upper receiver (and upper receiver parts kit), we talked about lower receivers and LPKs. He even asked me what I wanted for a hand guard and a butt stock. In the end, I didn't pay for a complete AR15 and then start replacing parts. I only ordered and paid for what I wanted. WRT reliability, in many ways (again, I am not the one who built mine), I would think that a built AR would be at least as reliable as a bought one assuming that milspec or better parts are used.

When all was said & done, here is what I wound up with:
Fab Defence but stock
ATI OMNI Hybrid Lower
High Standard Upper (and complete upper parts kit)
High Standard 14.5 inch barrel
Diamond Head VRS-T Hand guard (cerocoated in FDE)
Muzzle Brake (I forget the Make/model)
The price for everything put me right in the heart of what you are hoping to spend.

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Since I got it, I have added a Vortex Optics Spitfire 3x Prism Optic to it.

Everybody's needs/desires are different. I'm not saying that this is the right path for you. I'm just trying to make sure that you know that the path exists.
 
I would think that a built AR would be at least as reliable as a bought one assuming that milspec or better parts are used.

I disagree with this theory due to the fact the builder is the unknown or unproven part.

Buying a premium quality AR like a Colt, DD, LMT, KAC, Stag, WW... gives you confidence that the rifle will be reliable, accurate and perform and if purchased new will offer a warranty that no home built AR will ever have.

Another factor not mentioned by the guy in the video (who obviously makes his living selling AR parts) is that custom built AR rifles do not re-sell easily or for as much as name brand un-molested AR's like the ones previously mentioned.
Something to consider if you decide to upgrade after not being satisfied with the performance of your Franken built AR.


Now don't get me wrong there are those here on this site that have extensive experience building AR rifles from scratch with good success, but unless you really know the systems well, the products available even better and are sure there will be no re-sale of the AR then by all means go ahead.

My experiences have found that premium quality factory items are almost always better then custom products are when looking at the bigger picture of reliability and resale.


Another rifle not mentioned is the AR-180B-2 .223 semi.-auto. NR black rifle available for $1,500+/- a few hundred. While not an AR it might serve your purposes with Tavor or better accuracy, decent reliability and NR status.

Cheers D
 
Know any good places to get a used ACR?

EE, a buddy of mine was talking about putting his tan non restricted on the EE yesterday. Just get access and check twice a day, I personally wouldn't spend over $3000 on one but I've seen them go for as much as $3500. In my opinion they are the best rifle we can get and have made non restricted.

This is my AR for just in case the NFA pulls a rabbit out of their a$$ and the AR is no longer restricted by name.
18.7 inch 6.8SPC stainless match grade barrel and all in I have under $1500 invested. Yes that is carbon fiber :)
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I disagree with this theory due to the fact the builder is the unknown or unproven part.

Buying a premium quality AR like a Colt, DD, LMT, KAC, Stag, WW... gives you confidence that the rifle will be reliable, accurate and perform and if purchased new will offer a warranty that no home built AR will ever have.

Another factor not mentioned by the guy in the video (who obviously makes his living selling AR parts) is that custom built AR rifles do not re-sell easily or for as much as name brand un-molested AR's like the ones previously mentioned.
Something to consider if you decide to upgrade after not being satisfied with the performance of your Franken built AR.


Now don't get me wrong there are those here on this site that have extensive experience building AR rifles from scratch with good success, but unless you really know the systems well, the products available even better and are sure there will be no re-sale of the AR then by all means go ahead.

My experiences have found that premium quality factory items are almost always better then custom products are when looking at the bigger picture of reliability and resale.


Another rifle not mentioned is the AR-180B-2 .223 semi.-auto. NR black rifle available for $1,500+/- a few hundred. While not an AR it might serve your purposes with Tavor or better accuracy, decent reliability and NR status.

Cheers D

Agree's on the AR180B-2 suggestion, they are a great rifle.

As for the first part of the post.
While I agree that many franken AR's don't run well those are mostly because someone buys a 16 inch AR then wants to have a 7.5 or 10 inch barreled AR and all they do is swap the barrel and don't know enough to realize that the shorter barrels have a shorter gas system creating an entirely different gas pulse to cycle the action with and unless it is set up right and the gas system is balanced with the recoil system the rifle likely won't cycle well. I've built an AR with 6.5 inch 223 barrel, an 18 inch 223 barrel, a 12 inch 300 Blackout, an 18.7 inch 6.8SPC and all cycle (or cycled) well and are 100% reliable. My NR 300BLK ACR conversion is also a complete custom build where I had a barrel maker friend of mine make me the barrel and then I put it all together and after about 20 rounds it cycles supersonic and subsonic loads without any issues.
What it comes down to is the builder and whether he or she has the patience and understanding to do what is needed to make it run properly. When I first put together the 6.5 inch AR it cycled very harshly and a quick change to the spikes heavy buffer smoothed it right out.

As for the resale of a franken AR, yes you are definitely correct there, I don't build them thinking about resale but if I do decide to sell them I usually advertise them for what I want to get and if they don't sell within a reasonable time I tear them apart and sell them as parts and usually make more than if I had sold it whole.

Building them is fun and is actually quite easy once you have done it a couple times, you also end up with a rifle that is exactly what you want and you don't end up replacing parts to make it something else then having to sell those other parts.
 
I disagree with this theory due to the fact the builder is the unknown or unproven part.

Buying a premium quality AR like a Colt, DD, LMT, KAC, Stag, WW... gives you confidence that the rifle will be reliable, accurate and perform and if purchased new will offer a warranty that no home built AR will ever have.

Absolutely true, but since the OP stated a budget of $800-$1300 (post #2), it might be somewhat challenging to find any of the brands you listed within his budget. And again, I'm not saying that this path is right for the OP, I'm simply making him aware that the path exists.
 
Absolutely true, but since the OP stated a budget of $800-$1300 (post #2), it might be somewhat challenging to find any of the brands you listed within his budget. And again, I'm not saying that this path is right for the OP, I'm simply making him aware that the path exists.

Both Stag and BCM guns are available in that price range,
 
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