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

My line of thinking is as follows.

Big bucks does not guarantee great quality... but it certainly helps give you a better chance of receiving it.

Tight tolerances are not necessarily the only thing to look for in any semi auto rifle, you want it to be within tolerance, so that it can push through dirt, grime, carbon, and things that could slow the operating parts down and cause malfunctions.

Another reason paying more can be a good idea is the quality of all the metal, right down to the smallest pins and springs. Costs can be cut in some areas on cheap firearms in areas most people would not think about, but they can be a pain to fix or replace when they break or wear down. Paying more, providing you do your homework, gives you a much better chance at receiving a product that is built with high quality components from the ground up.

Now with that said, you can have guys with $600 Norincos out shooting guns that cost 5 times more, but given a level platform and a good shooter, the higher quality rifle will outmatch the cheaper gun in terms of long term durability, reliability, and accuracy. Think of it like cars, the norinco is the cheap and cheerful little hatchback of the 90's, they have quirks about them, but they work all the time, but sometimes parts wear out and break that are a bugger to replace. Mid end rifles around $1000 and up are like nice sedans, well built and reliable. The high end stuff going over $2500 are kind of like porches and BMWs, everything machined with awesome tolerances and carefully engineered, and when they work, they are a sight to behold, but they can still go wrong just like anything else.

I've owned Norincos and shot them, and in my opinion, they are an excellent gun to start off with when trying a new platform, ex. AR15, 1911, M14, etc, to see if you like the platform. They tend to have rougher machining all around, and loose tolerances on many parts, but they work and tend to be fairly reliable. Then you can upgrade them to learn about the platform and gain gunsmithing experience. I preferred to buy them, shoot them stock, and if I liked the platform, sell it and move up to a higher quality company.

DD, BCM, and KAC are all favored of mine that are the lowest I would currently purchase, but I hold no grudge against norinco, just be aware that they don't work miracles and can be overhyped just like anything else.
 
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All the guys here made good points for you. I think I will just sum-mate what many here have said more indirectly.
If you are buying a cheaper gun QC is more spotty and you are more likely to have an issue. But maybe not and paying more money is no guarantee. But if you are on a budget and want to get into an AR or other black rifle and you go into it with open eyes it might be you have minimal issues to fix and can even have enjoyment "modding" your adult lego set. :)
So as had been suggested get something from someone who will fix/replace anything that goes wrong or anticipate dropping in some do dads yourself and don't stress it if something should ef up because it was anticipated.
 
Getting a Norinco, is better than no AR at all, go for it and dont look back, your next one maybe more expensive because you will have become a fan of the AR plattform... JP.
 
For plinking on a tight budget I recommend Norinco. I bought the 14.5" DA for $600 and then I liked it so much I picked up a 20" DA for $500. The rifles have run great and I've replaced all of the furniture with Magpul without any problems.
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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.

After all the ar15 I've had
My favorite is my aero precision x15
Most reliable and accurate
They use to run about 1250.00 for basic kit
Saskatoon gunworks sells them
I'd save for that
You won't be disappointed
 
If 500 dollars is your budget, you have very few options. My first AR15 was a CQ-a, always worked, never bawked or bawled. Here's the caveat though,..... I shot it over iron sights the way it came out of the box about 1000 times!

Didn't try to fit a KAC rail worth more than the rifle , breaking pins and parts trying to disassemble and reassemble the possibly out of spec firearm to an "in spec" after market part..
If you will only plink occasionally, the Nork will give a fix to your AR want at around 500ish new plus taxes plus ship plus plus plus still a 700 dollar rifle. just don't throw 1000 dollars in Do-Dads at it and then put it on the EE for 1100 dollars.. Quite funny actually.



Now if you watch the EE closely, or have a fellow shooter with a Nork Mforgery and is moving on to bigger and costlier things, he just might let you have that lightly used Chinese AR with a couple of mag's for 400 -450 in your hands as I did to a co-worker , now here's you deal. Actually I sold it for 500 total, they were still 629 new at the time, I paid 769 when they first came out.

I have a Colt, an Armalite, and an NEA as well. Not much to say about the Colt AR,....the Armalite M15A4 is as pretty in fit and finish as I've seen, don't know if it's in spec or not, only added rear sight to it yet.

The NEA build gun, upper and lower, barrel, and now BCG as well, gets lot of use, shoots superb, just had the charge handle crack today so that will be replaced. My lower does not like the Gen 3 Pmags, with their slight geometry change plus my NEA magwell dimensions???, the follower will not alwaystrip the hold open device and hold my bolt back, my lower is an older one though.

That NEA that was pointed out on the EE, now SPF, was probably your best deal right now.

I've seen several Armalite's on the EE from 850-1000 NIB like mine or 700-850 used. They feel right in the hand and look the part quite well..............

So if 500 is your max, you're probably looking at the wrong rifle right now.

If you find a Nork for this or buy the new one at 529+++, just shoot it over irons, lot's of rounds,... learn the platform on this one, then pass it on to someone on a budget like yourself when you know what the AR is all about and want to move up because your guns gets a thrashing with tremendous wear in competition or just would like something better looking, fit and finish to add "in spec" dodads to.
 
If 500 dollars is your budget, you have very few options. My first AR15 was a CQ-a, always worked, never bawked or bawled. Here's the caveat though,..... I shot it over iron sights the way it came out of the box about 1000 times!

Didn't try to fit a KAC rail worth more than the rifle , breaking pins and parts trying to disassemble and reassemble the possibly out of spec firearm to an "in spec" after market part..
If you will only plink occasionally, the Nork will give a fix to your AR want at around 500ish new plus taxes plus ship plus plus plus still a 700 dollar rifle. just don't throw 1000 dollars in Do-Dads at it and then put it on the EE for 1100 dollars.. Quite funny actually.



Now if you watch the EE closely, or have a fellow shooter with a Nork Mforgery and is moving on to bigger and costlier things, he just might let you have that lightly used Chinese AR with a couple of mag's for 400 -450 in your hands as I did to a co-worker , now here's you deal. Actually I sold it for 500 total, they were still 629 new at the time, I paid 769 when they first came out.

I have a Colt, an Armalite, and an NEA as well. Not much to say about the Colt AR,....the Armalite M15A4 is as pretty in fit and finish as I've seen, don't know if it's in spec or not, only added rear sight to it yet.

The NEA build gun, upper and lower, barrel, and now BCG as well, gets lot of use, shoots superb, just had the charge handle crack today so that will be replaced. My lower does not like the Gen 3 Pmags, with their slight geometry change plus my NEA magwell dimensions???, the follower will not alwaystrip the hold open device and hold my bolt back, my lower is an older one though.

That NEA that was pointed out on the EE, now SPF, was probably your best deal right now.

I've seen several Armalite's on the EE from 850-1000 NIB like mine or 700-850 used. They feel right in the hand and look the part quite well..............

So if 500 is your max, you're probably looking at the wrong rifle right now.

If you find a Nork for this or buy the new one at 529+++, just shoot it over irons, lot's of rounds,... learn the platform on this one, then pass it on to someone on a budget like yourself when you know what the AR is all about and want to move up because your guns gets a thrashing with tremendous wear in competition or just would like something better looking, fit and finish to add "in spec" dodads to.

This ^^^
My NEA lower is a newer one and has worked perfectly with all magazines I've tried so far.
 
Ok, thanks guys. I will take a look at the Norinco. Is the Dominion Arms from CanAm just a rebranded Norinco? Are the Norincos mil spec just in case I ever decide to upgrade the stock and hand guard?

Yes, the Dominion Arms guns are rebranded Norinco. For a cheap entry into the AR world, they are quite decent...I have one of the DA quadrail models and I like it quite a bit. These guns are basically milspec, but be aware...the gas blocks can be murder to get off the barrel Also, the buffer tubes are commercial spec. This shouldn't be a problem however as there are lots of stocks available in this size.
 
Yep. Two S&W M&P 'Sport' models in this household with nary a complaint - 'cept the usual wobbly GI type butt stock. Cured that with a MagPul, ACS mil spec butt stock. Money saved buys add ons.


$900 - Smith and Wesson M&P15

http://ctcsupplies.ca/collections/firearms/products/smith-wesson-m-p15-sport-ar15-223-5-56

A few hundred bucks more than a Norinco - but you'll get a properly coated, in-spec BCG, great trigger, and things that are IN-SPEC, not just "close" to IN-SPEC for all those aftermarket accessories you'll buy.
 
I have owned Colts, Oly's, and a number of Norc's. The crazy thing is that the Norc's would should from a rest about as well as any of them when using ball ammo. It is nuts as to what a person can spend on an AR, but my thoughts these days just might be to buy a Norc and then tinker as you see fit.
 
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