Quality basic AR15 for around $500 - is it possible? What would your shopping list be?

Hello,

I'm very interested in getting an ar15 setup for personal use, mostly because it is the type of gun I'm most comfortable with and I'd love to have one.

Just wondering if it is possible to have a good quality no frills setup for around $500? If it is what would your shopping list look like? Basically something that can get rounds downrange and be added to and modified later.

I've been going to local dealers and they are all pretty expensive, I've been looking around online but I'm just not sure what less expensive brands would pass muster.

Any help or opinions very welcome.

reply to post by usmc858


It depends on what type of round you want. You can find a pretty good AR15 LR (.22 cal) for around $500 if you go used. For stopping power, an AR15 with the .223cal (or 5.56mm round), I have seen those around $700 used. Good luck, I hope you find something you like!

Notsure where you are from but here is a good website for Canada
Fire Arms Canada

I'm sorry, I was looking for 5.56/.223. I'm in California. Thanks a lot for the info Canada and Paranoid.

I'm in Cali too and over the past couple years bought/built 2 ar15s. I honestly think that 600 is low but not by much. Luckily prices have stabilized a bit since the Obama rush. I'd say that 800 would probably be a minimum. You can get them at most gun shops now complete w/bullet buttons. Or you can build your own with a little time and research.

What do you plan to use this rifle for?

reply to post by ParanoidMike


For stopping power i would definitely NOT go with the AR 223 round

My personal setup is an AR-10 308 round.......stopping power and distance......fantastic rifle....however its going to run you considerably more than 500 dollars

Remember if your getting something like this for protection or even SHTF situation, you get what you pay for, and if you buy cheap your going to pay for it later when it jams up on you in a bad situation or fails all together

Your name says USMC so you should be aware of all of this, never buy anything for safety that is cheap..........save your money and buy something thats going to take the heat, and be as reliable as your best friend

Cali member here as well.
I have built my rifle and have to say $500 is about half what you would be looking at.
And if you want optic on that rifle look at spending around $1400 total.
That would get you a completed lower, complete flat top upper, barrel w/1-9 twist, back up iron sights, a free float front rail, vertical grip, four magazines, 900 rounds of XM193 military ammunition, a sling, and a nice aimpoint M4 optic with larue quick detach.

All of the above is essential.
A good optic being most essential. The Aimpoint M4 runs 12-14 years on a single battery, just leave it on.
You also need a bullet button installed for california use.

If you want a bombproof rifle for $500, then get a Romanian WASR 10/63 (Also need bullet button) and dont forget to get a scope and some ammo.

.308 or .223 would depend mostly on the end use of the rifle. Unless you desire the ability to take big game or engage targets past 300 yards (500 in USMC) the extra weight is probably not worth the larger round.

OP check out www.calguns.net .

I might go with .308 for a sniping rifle, otherwise too much weight and power for an assault rifle.
I like the 5.56, its a solid round with great velocity that will handle anything within 500 yards.

Although the .308 round does impact enough force to kill a person simply by its shockwave causing hemorrhaging in the brain or other vital organs.

reply to post by TasteTheTruth


mmmmm. . .
hemorrhaging. . .

reply to post by TasteTheTruth


308 is better all around, it might be a bit heavier, but in the long run its the best way to go.....you have to think more rounded....

Yes its great at long range, yes its effective for snipping, yes it can take care of human threats, but even more is it can take down big game too, and if youre in a SHTF situation, eventually youll be coming across bigger game, and the more knock down power you have the better off you are....223 leaves a lot of room for running when taking on something like an Elk, Moose or Bear.......hit one of those bad boys with a smaller round like that and your chasing them for miles, IF you catch up to them.....

I hunt and live in the pacific north west, I hunt very large game, and there is no way id hunt with a 223 round.

You need a round like that to hit hard and drop targets

it is easy.

Get a quality stripped lower receiver. Then get a kit from model1sales.com .

If you can find a lower for 130 bucks you can get a kit for like 465 I believe. So for about 600 bucks you can have a good ar.

Thanks alot, I check out www.calguns.net

reply to post by TasteTheTruth


Thanks for all the info. That is some good to know stuff.

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask



Yes, I was just checking if there are known "quality" lower cost ar setups, Thanks for the info on the .308. That looks pretty nice.

Mostly what I was looking for in this one was to get back on the range and get the skills polished up again.

Man, there are just so many options, it sure is tough.

reply to post by downtown436


Thanks for the info, model1sales.com looks pretty good.

Just a few thoughts - there are always lots of disagreements on the .223 v .308 issue, bottom line and most would agree, it is shot placement. Also, if SHTF .223 will likely be easier to find for a variety of reasons. Unless you are going to spend a lot of time on the range the likelihood of gaining the expertise needed to engadge targets at over 500 meters is not great; therefore, .308 (while I believe is a superior round) is just not needed.

On the cost issue - I just put togeather an AR-15 on Thursday of this week after ordering all the parts (with the exception of the lower) online and the cost was just under $850. I did NOT use the cheapest parts and would not recommend it - buy parts like your life depends on it, because regardless of your intended purpose of your new AR - your life might well depend on it!!

Buck Up and spend the money on a good rifle, move your price out to $1200.00 and your options open up greatly.

My personal choice is a mini 14 ranch rifle.
If you want an assult rifle look you can buy
a kit for about 100$ 5.56mm and you can
throw in the mud and pick it up blast away
without jamming.

I own both the AR-15 as well as the AR-10 platform. There is no comparison on knock down power.

However, I can carry MUCH more 5.56 ammo than I can .308 so my AR-10 is a bug in weapon whereas my AR-15 is a bug out weapon.

As was previously stated, shot placement is critical. I load my own rounds and have seen what a ballistic tip does when it hits its target.

I think your cost requirement is roughly $200 low and that is for a weapon with no optics.

If you want to buy something cheap that is dependable, look into the Saiga line of rifles. They are based on the AK platform rather than the AR platform so the Saiga rifles are generally more dependable right out of the box. They have excellent accuracy as well so they aren't a bad way to go. If nothing else, give them a look.

One of my AR-15s has been extensively modded to increase its reliability. Some may be overkill but I want it to go bang when the trigger is pressed.

Here's a link to the list of recommended mods...although I didn't incorporate all of them: www.2aradio.com...

Best of luck in your search!