Ordered my first AR...where to start with mods on a budget?

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av80r

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Looking for some more experienced people to give me some good ideas.
I shoot pistols, not a big rifle shooter but always wanted an AR. Been looking for a long time and finally got a great deal for a black forge true mil spec but basic ar15. Didnt want carbon or chinese...this was the what made sense to me for $700.

It will mostly be a safe queen, ideally set up to shoot well at 200 yds and have a working scope and some nice furniture, maybe even a bipod. I am on a budget, got lots of expensive hobbies but would like to have a wish list and dont need the high end tack stuff but dont want junk.

Any ideas on where to start. Love looking at pics of pimped up guns. AWESOME...just dont know where to start.

Open to ideas and sources for good stuff at working dude prices. While I would love to have 4k in this gun, not going to happen. Where to start??
 
Ammo is a good start! A bone stock AR15 should be able to easily do 200-400 yards for 12" gongs and such.

A good upgrade for consistency is to get a free float handguard (not necessarily a rail system) and you can get some decent drop-in ones for 200 bucks or less (Although some may require removal of front sight base or barrel nut, the true drop-in free float ones are a bit more). A nicer buttstock is a good upgrade as well, the Magpul CTR's are one of my favorite as the friction lock makes it as solid as a fixed buttstock.

A red-dot sight or a low power magnified optic is another good way to get some more range and precision out of a rifle, you can get some decent red-dot sights for sub 200 bucks, and you can get some decent magnified 1-4 or 1.5-6 optics for under 500 bucks!
 
A22 makes good points.

You're going to need to feed the beast and will appreciate getting an optic on there. We're doing two pre-orders that would fit this build nicely, 50 beowulf magazines and Holosun red dot sights (click here for our pre-sale thread).

If you got a A3 or M4 with the A2 style front sight (fixed front, looks like an "A") then look into the Magpul slimline handguards (click here). They are designed to "wrap around" the A2 style front sight.

If you do the slimline route then matching buttstocks can be had (click here).

Let us knkow if you need any help with ordering :d.
 
If it's going to be a safe queen, just leave it stock. Just because you can upgrade it doesn't mean you should. Unless you're going to run it as a precision rifle, skip the bipod for sure.

For 0-200m if you must get an optic, go for a red dot or at most a 1-4x. Get some AR500 steel targets and practice offhand shooting. It's probably the position most neglected by shooters on the range.
 
I wasn't very interested in rifles before I got an AR. Now I've sold off all but my favorite pistol so I could spend more time shooting the AR. Strange how that happened.

I would strongly suggest you spend your money on an optic and ammo. It doesn't have to be a top of the line like Aimpoint or Eotech. I'm quite happy with the performance of my Vortex Sparc.

But since you'll still want to upgrade anyways, a better grip and a free floating fore end would be good places to start. Skip the bipod.
 
Thanks for the ideas so far.

Ok, optics....looking for a scope or a red dot? I dont mind knock off stuff as I am not going to spend 500 to 5K on a scope or dot....but dont want a princess auto scope either. :)

Also, for ammo is the canadian ammo case deal pretty much the best going. I would like a case of 1000 to get started...till i learn. Will likely be doing most shooting at my 25 yd (yes thats all it is long) range until the good weather arrives. Anyone care to comment of best source for 1000 rds, and what grain to start with. (sw ontario area)

Thanks. Appreciate the suggestions.
 
If you want it to be "ideally set up to shoot well at 200 yds" then I would say you should spend your budget on a good scope and then the remainder on ammo.

And Hoplite Tactical Supplies, I mean no disrespect by saying this but I think your own forum is the best place for you to push your wares, not in threads like these. Your posts read more like mini commercials than helpful hints. If every CGN sponsor did what you are doing, it would severely clutter threads like these and reduce their usefulness.
 
Agreed no self promoting posts please.

Telling me I should go buy $200 metal targets is pointless.

I am just starting out, havent ever even shot an ar before. I ...want decent optics, a big box of decent bullets and maybe a few leads on some cool looking but reasonably priced furntiture, toys.
 
Maybe a magpul furniture kit would work for you. Grip, handguard and buttstock combo. ctcsupplies.ca as well as other site sponsors.
If you're looking for a low cost/high value red dot then get the bushnell trs-25 with riser mount included. From my experience it is hands down the best bang for you buck. I have 4 or 5. Retails around $139. The Holosun and vortex Sparc ones are a great deal too.
If you're looking for magnification. That's gonna cost $500 ish for anything that's decent. I have a hi-lux cmr 1-4x($399). It's a decent scope. Works good. My buddy just got the bushnell 1-4x illuminated for $299. It's pretty decent for that price.
You'll also need a mount for it. The burris PEPR is popular. That's what my CMR is in. They're $135(wolverine supplies)
Get some of the new metal beo mags that are coming in for $40. Sfrc is who I ordered some from. Other site sponsors have them too.
Tons of ammo. Lol. The bulk norinco is scarce right now. A few sellers have it. I'm thinking sfrc has some.
 
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For a budget AR optic try the Votrex Spitfire 3x Prism Scope.
Steel case ammo is fine to run through your AR and can save lots of $$
Get a magpul MOE grip and magpul STR stock

What brand of AR did you get? that can help us recommend
 
I got a black forge

http://www.blackforgeweapons.com/BLACK_FORGE_AR_15_Tier_3_p/bf15-556-t3.htm

It is apparently all milspec, no poly, no chinese, 100% US made, and some good reviews from other owners who did their shopping. Hope it was a good decision. At $700 tax in and CAN $
That is pretty close to norinco price with taxes added so I am pretty happy. If at the end of the day I have a fun to shoot, all metal US made ar15 with some toys for $1000 -$1500 total that seems pretty fair to me for my mission.

Thanks for the tips. I did have the .50 beu mags on my short list. Optics/scope/mounts and furniture along with a case of ammo is the next buy.
 
Ammo and your choice of optic are all you need for a little while.

I wouldn't do anything to the rifle until after you've run 1000 rounds through it. After 1000 rounds you'll know what you like and don't like about it and what you'd like to change. Every piece on or in the rifle can be changed to something better. It would be like telling you what type of pickup truck you buy, it's about your personal taste and making it what you want it to be.
Don't jump on the trigger wagon right away either, a stock trigger may be gritty or heavy but after 1000 rounds I've seen some triggers smooth right out and be very acceptable for the type of shooting done with an AR. If this will be a target rifle shot from the bench or a competition 3-gun rifle then a trigger would be a useful upgrade but otherwise I would hold off for a while.
Free floating the barrel is not necessary either, I have a piston driven AR that is not free floated and it will shoot sub moa with it's favorite ammo. Finding the ammo your barrel likes will do far more for accuracy than anything you bolt onto the rifle.

As for optics, depending on your budget I would start with a Hi-Lux CMR 1-4 for around $400 from Wolverine and then it just goes up from there depending on your budget and what features you want.

If all you want is the most tacticool mall ninja rifle possible then by all means start clicking around our site sponsor websites and piece together your dream zombie slayer but in reality the AR is a great platform the way it comes from the factory and doesn't need to be changed at all unless you will be using it for a very specific purpose such as competition. For an afternoon at the range none of the bolt-on gizmo's are going to help you regularly hit the gong at 300 yards, for that you need trigger time and lots of ammo for practice.

Good luck, I love my AR's. Be prepared though, AR's are like crack. I have been up to owning 6 at one time but am now down to 4 again :)
 
Sounds like you want your rifle to look tacticool and shoot it once in a while? If your're shooting 200yds I'd say a reddot isn't the right application. magpul moe kit to give it a cool look and get a decent scope
 
Schmitty19 said:
Sounds like you want your rifle to look tacticool and shoot it once in a while? If your're shooting 200yds I'd say a reddot isn't the right application. magpul moe kit to give it a cool look and get a decent scope
Click to expand...

Well, if it's ringing gongs, a dot is more than enough. If he wants a bit extra, then he can always get a flip magnifier or one of those Bushnell AR 1-4 sights.. Their price will go down the tubes when the new Vortex 1-6 comes out
 
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