Looking for a great 1st AR15

[BW23]

Hi People!

I'm new to AR15's. I read many of the posts and I see Colt is the top brand. I've yet to find any at the shops around Mass.

I have seen a couple of Stag Arms and Smith & Wesson AR15's.

Any suggestions and reasons why I should get which brand and model? Pictures would be great too. I'd like to have a great AR15 right out of the box with minor mods needed. I'm sure I'll do many mods in the future but got to stick with my budget.

Here's my wish list.....
-Dead nuts reliable
-Easy to maintain & clean
-Gas piston operating system
-Fold down sights
-Quad rail
-5.56 NATO caliber

Does anyone own or have reviewed and shot the new AR15's:
-Sig 556 Patrol Rifle
-S&W M&P 15T Model#811048

Please post your review and pics

They seem to run for around $1,000 which is my limit.

Thanks!
BW

 

[M1911]

That S&W is not a gas piston rifle. It is a standard AR-15 gas impingement design.

 

[55_grain]

IDC in Clinton has Colts.
Probably Undercover Arms in Hudson, too.

 

[M1911]

And one more thing, most gas piston AR15s are well north of $1000.

 

[jasons]

Why do you want a piston?

And by the way, the Sig 556 is not an AR.

 

[chinalfr]

I haven't seen any Sig Sauer AR style rifle in MA.


Sent from my stupid iPad

 

[chinalfr]

And by the way, the Sig 556 is not an AR.

OP probably meant Sig 516 patrol rifle?



Sent from my stupid iPad

 

[Stryker]

I picked up my first AR, a Stag3, this past fall - about 750 rounds through it with no problems - good entry price at $799
Doesn't have any sight but you can pick some up from Magpul ~$100

 

[jasons]

OP probably meant Sig 516 patrol rifle?



Sent from my stupid iPad

Maybe. That's basically an AR but it still has some proprietary stuff on it. Way overpriced too, I'm sure.

 

[SIGPRO 226]

Check out delton and yankee hill machine

 

[track65]

Check out Windham weaponry. It is the old Bushmaster Company located in Windham, Me. Does not have gas piston operation

 

[BW23]

That S&W is not a gas piston rifle. It is a standard AR-15 gas impingement design.

Good to know, thanks! I heard from random conversations that gas piston rifles are the way to go.

 

[BW23]

And one more thing, most gas piston AR15s are well north of $1000.

What brands and models have you seen around in MA? Also, if you can recall the price. I'm just trying to get my head around it all and try to make a decision sooner than later.

 

[M1911]

Good to know, thanks! I heard from random conversations that gas piston rifles are the way to go.

I disagree. Regular gas impingement rifles are just fine for what are most likely your purposes and are significantly less expensive. If you are going to be crawling around in the mud or in the dusty mountains of Afghanistan, then perhaps a gas piston rifle would be better. But for plinking at the range, or home defense, or three-gun, a gas-impingement AR15 is just fine.

What brands and models have you seen around in MA? Also, if you can recall the price. I'm just trying to get my head around it all and try to make a decision sooner than later.

You won't find gas piston AR15s at most (if any) gun shops. They are special order items. If you really want a good one, it won't be close to your $1000 budget:

http://www.lmtstore.com/complete-we...weapons/cqb-mrp-defender-model-piston-16.html
http://www.rrarms.com/catalog.php?prod=GMR556

For your first AR15, just get a decent gas impingement AR15. Trust me, it will work. If you go to any gun club in MA, I'd bet that 99 out of 100 AR15s that you see are gas impingement, not gas piston.

 

[hurley431]

For your first AR15, just get a decent gas impingement AR15. Trust me, it will work. If you go to any gun club in MA, I'd bet that 99 out of 100 AR15s that you see are gas impingement, not gas piston.

This. The reason you overheard that gas piston is the way to go is because if you are firing 1000's of rounds at full auto it's pretty much your only choice. The military uses gas impingement and kills plenty of terrorists... and stray dogs; it's battle proven and reliable unless you are Rambo, and about $700 cheaper.

 

[chinalfr]

S&W do make a piston based AR15 that is MA compliant, model M&P15PS. MSRP $1359. They also sell the upper, M&P15 PS upper assembly, with MSRP $809. With a cheap used lower assembly, you can build a piston based AR15 under $1000. Adam Arms also sell piston upper receiver under $700. So here is your piston AR15 for under $1K.

 

[BW23]

for plinking at the range, or home defense, or three-gun, a gas-impingement AR15 is just fine.

Yeah, i'm just mainly looking for those three reasons. So it looks like I'll be shopping for a good ole gas-impingement system. Now the follow up question would be....what brand and models based on your experiences?

Thus far, one person has suggested StagArms model 3 (just have to buy sights).

Like I said I'm still new to rifles. Can someone post a good link to help differentiate a AR to a non AR? I'm trying to grasp the proper terminology.

And by the way, the Sig 556 is not an AR.

Mentioned the Sig 556 Patrol rifle isn't a AR, what is it then?

What makes an AR an AR? If it's not an AR, is it just a rifle or called something else?

 

[jasons]

Yeah, i'm just mainly looking for those three reasons. So it looks like I'll be shopping for a good ole gas-impingement system. Now the follow up question would be....what brand and models based on your experiences?

Thus far, one person has suggested StagArms model 3 (just have to buy sights).

Like I said I'm still new to rifles. Can someone post a good link to help differentiate a AR to a non AR? I'm trying to grasp the proper terminology.



Mentioned the Sig 556 Patrol rifle isn't a AR, what is it then?

What makes an AR an AR? If it's not an AR, is it just a rifle or called something else?

It's a Sig 556 Patrol rifle. Look at a picture - it doesn't look anything like an AR.

 

[herdbull]

First, go green and then jump on the Rifle Classifieds on here....there are a few nice AR's on here for sale.

 

[chinalfr]

It's a Sig 556 Patrol rifle. Look at a picture - it doesn't look anything like an AR.

In additional, this rifle is not AWB compliance as many evil features such as folding stock, flash hider and bayonet lug. Sig Sauer is not making any MA compliance Sig 556 anymore. Long live Sig 556 SCM.

 

[mac1911]

Im going to through out the RockRiverArms National Match model. I ordered mine through AR15sales.com it was delivered for under 1k. My CMP scores went up 20 points the first time out. Now that Im settled down with it a bit im running mid 400s @ 100 yard reduced targets.
If I had to do it again, knew what I know now I would have started with this. The only thing I had to change was the stock went to a A1 as I needed a shorter length of pull for comfortable shooting with my shooting coat on.
That said I have the STAG model 2 great little gun over 3000 rounds of cheap steel ammo and its going strong.
I also built 2 others from many manufactures parts.
I think the hardest thing is commitment to end use. I was thinking 3 gun on my firsat purchase......that never happened.
I also have a franken gun, assembled with left over parts and odd ball stuff I aquired over the years. This is a range beater it to gets the cheapo steel ammo jammed into it frequently. I will say it has to get frig'N dirty before it starts to have any feed issues. I mean filthy dirty.

Im not a AR expert in any way. Just a observation.
So far most of the jams I have seen with my own eyes are operator error.
I see a lot of jams from 5.56 being shot in a clearly labeled .223 barrel/chamber
I see many mag malfunctions and hear this ofter "clean my mags, why. I keep them in my range bag" or sand bag filled with lint.
I still see guys smother their ARs in WD 40 when they jam up......

 

[chinalfr]

Can someone post a good link to help differentiate a AR to a non AR? I'm trying to grasp the proper terminology. What makes an AR an AR? If it's not an AR, is it just a rifle or called something else?

Here is a link that will help you understand the proper terminology of AR15.

 

[M1911]

Im going to through out the RockRiverArms National Match model. I ordered mine through AR15sales.com it was delivered for under 1k. My CMP scores went up 20 points the first time out.

A dedicated national match model (a lot of folks seem to like White Oak uppers) is certainly the way to go for service rifle competition. But if the OP is more interested in plinking or home defense or three gun, that might not be the right direction for him.

 

[herdbull]

If I were looking for my 1st AR....this would be a great start

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...red-dot-site-and-extras?p=2323975#post2323975

 

[fencer]

This is my Stag Arms Model 2. Brand new off the shelf $900.00 cash - out the door from Zero Hour Arms in Easton. Mil-Spec and chambered in 5.56. Optic is a fixed 3x prisimatic

Here is a link to their website. http://www.stagarms.com/.

 

[BW23]

A dedicated national match model (a lot of folks seem to like White Oak uppers) is certainly the way to go for service rifle competition. But if the OP is more interested in plinking or home defense or three gun, that might not be the right direction for him.

I would love to enter three gun competitions but I know I won't have time. I'll try to compete in random rifle comps but mainly I'm getting an AR for home protection and plinking. Reliability is one of my top attributes for a model.

 

[jasons]

I would love to enter three gun competitions but I know I won't have time. I'll try to compete in random rifle comps but mainly I'm getting an AR for home protection and plinking. Reliability is one of my top attributes for a model.

You probably don't really want an AR for home protection, but that aside any of the midrange models would be fine. Stay away from really cheap and really expensive and you'll do fine. The S&W models are fine guns.

 

[BW23]

This is my Stag Arms Model 2. Brand new off the shelf $900.00 cash - out the door from Zero Hour Arms in Easton. Mil-Spec and chambered in 5.56. Optic is a fixed 3x prisimatic

Here is a link to their website. http://www.stagarms.com/.

Did that come with optics too from Zero Hour Arms? I haven't heard of them. I'll definitely check them out though.

 

[60 buckscash]

For under your $1k budget you could get the following and have a rock solid rifle:

BCM 16" upper $420
BCM bolt $140
Handguards $20
Magpul rear site $50
Charging handle $25
Palmetto State Lower $80
PSA Lower build kit $100

 

[joshh]

unless you are going full-auto in the desert, there is no need for a piston system (even then, its debatable). If your heart is set on a piston setup the ruger sr-556 is a great rifle and they make a MA compliant model. like all other quality piston type tho, its well over $1k.

i have a spikes tactical (gas operated) that i special ordered from them (under $1k) set up exactly how i wanted & had to have for compliance and i am very happy with the rifle. it eats everything for ammo and is very accurate. now that i am more familiar with the platform i will build my next lower and then buy an assembled upper for less $.