New to ARs, what should I get?

[CJ_BG]

This will be mostly for night hunting predators/chick killers. Accuracy doesn't need to be great just good enough for raccoons and coyotes to 150 or so. Will be getting it in 5.56 I just know nothing about the actual parts/guns to look at.

Recommendations? Not new to guns just the AR platform

 

[BWheels]

I’ve had good luck building with aero for pretty good prices

 

[_S_R_]

Please buy best what you can afford. Don’t go for “just as good” lies

 

[glennjones]

I've had really good luck with the PSA rifles. For the price and what you are looking for I think it will be hard to beat.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Mine is from PSA. I think the lower was $90 on sale. The ACOG I put on it cost twice what the rest of the rifle cost (but I do love the ACOG). I was getting about 2 MOA with mine this past week (using AAC 77-grain OTMs).


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[medvedyt]

I’ve had good luck building with aero for pretty good prices

make me cry when i read your comment ... i still have 2 aero lower that were banned before i was able to build new ones ...

 

[TaperPin]

A basic CMMG mil spec AR is so cheap it might as well be free. We don't shoot them a lot, but they always go bang when we do. Law enforcement in the family all like high dollar options, but plinking and varmint use seem ideal for a low cost mil spec rifle.

As a friend says, if you wear this one out then buy something better.

 

[Patrickjr]

I'd suggest building your own lower, then buying an assembled upper, BCG and bolt handle. Lowers are easy to put together and buying an assembled upper avoids any issues with the gas system and barrel install. To assemble your lower, you'll need an armorer wrench, punches, soft face hammer, and a takedown pin tool.

What that would look like is....an Aero M4E1 lower, Geissele SSA-E trigger, and Battle Arms Development Ambi Safety. A lower parts kit (no FCG) from Aero that has the threaded screws for the rear takedown spring and bolt catch, or a CMMG/other lower parts kit and get the screws from Aero. A BCM/B5 stock and Magpul Grip of your choice, Geissele super 42 buffer and a quality buffer tube (with castle nut). If you're lefty, there are some cool mag releases that make it nice for a lefty to drop mags with theit left hand.

An upper from Aero would work and I have two myself that would great. If i were to get another, I'd look toward BCM or Geissele for a complete upper or I'll just get a new barrel for my current upper. Get a Geiselle charging handle and a good BCG from Aero or BCM. Nitrided bolts are nice, I wouldn't pay extra for a Nickel boron one unless it was on sale. 16" is a good go-to. Later on i got a 12.5" to make an AR pistol but I'm not a fan of the brace in general. The 12.5 is very handy with a suppressor though

All the parts mentioned above can be found on sale through the manufacturer and Primary Arms regularaly, don't pay full price for anything except the actual assembled upper. You may have to pay full price for the upper you want, if you get set on something

Cool thing about ARs is you can switch out and upgrade almost anything as you learn what you like.

 

[Taudisio]

This will be mostly for night hunting predators/chick killers. Accuracy doesn't need to be great just good enough for raccoons and coyotes to 150 or so. Will be getting it in 5.56 I just know nothing about the actual parts/guns to look at.

Recommendations? Not new to guns just the AR platform

Literally every AR will do what you are asking. Accuracy is in the upper, but truly the cheapest palmetto will do better than your asking for.

 

[7RemMag]

Please buy best what you can afford. Don’t go for “just as good” lies

A cheap rifle of any kind is obviously not always going to be the same fit and finish as a 1,000$+ firearm. I don't see anyone that has made that claim here. That said, this guy wants something that's going to go bang consistently and be moderately accurate. Most any rifle on the market will do what he's asking. Yes, he could get a "lemon", but that can happen with an expensive rifle, too.

 

[ColPenguin]

Buy a railed PSA Blem for $400-600. Put some sights or an optic on it.

Swap out, and upgrade, what you don't like.

My POV, you may not even like shooting an AR very much. If it turns out you do love shooting it then you can upgrade it's deficiencies and invest more into it.

 

[Cdnance]

make me cry when i read your comment ... i still have 2 aero lower that were banned before i was able to build new ones ...

Banned? What do you mean?

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Banned? What do you mean?

Washington too. Everything AR is banned for sale or buying.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

You can't go wrong with Aero or PSA. They will meet or exceed your accuracy requirements. My last AR build before the ban was all PSA, 6.5 Grendel and I love that thing.

 

[Mattman215]

I think any of the above will work. Psa, Springfield, aero, sig, DD, seekins. Ar-15s are typically milspec and will typically hold 2-3 moa at 100 yards easy. Sole can do 1moa. Price does not always equal better.

If I had to pick I would really look at the Seekins precision nx15 and Springfield saints. Not sure what your budget is.

 

[bdg848]

This will be mostly for night hunting predators/chick killers. Accuracy doesn't need to be great just good enough for raccoons and coyotes to 150 or so. Will be getting it in 5.56 I just know nothing about the actual parts/guns to look at.

Recommendations? Not new to guns just the AR platform

Some will say "just as good". Some will say "don't buy the 'just as good' lies. Get the best you can afford". The truth is that you asked for a rifle that will shoot 2.5 inch groups at 100 yards for coons and yotes and will function reliably when kept clean. LITTERALLY every AR will do that. Now, if you want this to pull double duty as a service weapon or home defense or you are going to go take a bunch of 2000 round defensive carbine classes, then no, they are not all "just as good" but if its just for hunting and you will only be putting a few hundred to 1000 rounds a year through it, there is NO need to spend a ton of money unless you just want to have the best. Any basic setup will do. PSA, Springfield, Aero, Smith and wesson, whatever. Or get a cheap lower just to house the inner parts, throw a mid tier single stage trigger in there for $150 , and get a slightly higher class 20" upper reciever and you'll have a really nice varmint getter.

 

[WCB]

PSA has a visual blemish AR for $470.00 buy that and upgrade the trigger. You can get a huge upgrade in trigger for around $100 vs milspec junk. What ever optic you want and go hunt. Try a few different types of varmint ammo to see what shoots best.
I built my own lower, assembled buttstock onto lower etc. Sorry but for $470 complete gun for a basic varmint close range nothing special application, imo, don't bother yourself with piecing together a rifle. Buy it shoot it...like it and want better, start updating parts or start putting together a whole new rifle "custom".

But I will reiterate upgrade the trigger ASAP.

 

[flyfisher117]

Set a budget and buy the best you can get. Yes any AR will work. As the guy that has 2 cheap guns with mediocre accuracy they just arent that fun to shoot or talk about it. Life’s too short to shoot inaccurate rifles.

 

[wind gypsy]

Set a budget and buy the best you can get. Yes any AR will work. As the guy that has 2 cheap guns with mediocre accuracy they just arent that fun to shoot or talk about it. Life’s too short to shoot inaccurate rifles.

Unfortunately you can get expensive ARs that aren't accurate as well.. Seems to be a lot of focus of reliability over accuracy on many of them. I have a "mid grade" BCM that is a fine example. Not remotely accurate. Had a cheap DPMS upper that shoots tighter but doesn't run as well.

 

[flyfisher117]

Unfortunately you can get expensive ARs that aren't accurate as well.. Seems to be a lot of focus of reliability over accuracy on many of them. I have a "mid grade" BCM that is a fine example. Not remotely accurate. Had a cheap DPMS upper that shoots tighter but doesn't run as well.

That’s true and I’m not only advocating to buy expensive. Just advocating for a budget and then researching within that budget.