Well, I may being going down the AR rabbit hole

[armoredman]

I finally shot an AR15 after 33 years of avoiding them after a bad experience with an M-16A1 in 1984...and I like the thing. I might actually scrape some pennies to see about getting that PSA blem MagPul/MOE lower for $150 in the future. Then I could rescrape pennies for an upper later - the prices are just nuts right now. This is tentative subject to funds availability, of course. Comments/thoughts?

[1SOW]

I had no problems with the early model 16s.  Expert was easy.  I just didn't trust the caliber. 
For fun shooting it's a shooter preference thing.  The low recoil, high cap. and accuracy when set up right can't be denied.  For me,  skip the Colt handle and make it a flat top with optics and it can be a shooter. 

[Vernonion]

After a 33 year hiatus your eyes aren't as young as they used to be. Definitely a flat top with optics tailored to the purpose. What is the Main use of it going to be?
I just finished customizing a cheap DPMS as my first build but I really wished I would have done it from scratch. I my be wrong being so new at it but I think the barrel the trigger and the optics are the goals to shoot for. I went with a general purpose mid range concept. LaRue MBT trigger on sale for 99 bucks (been on sale every holiday but sell out quick). Vortex spitfire optics. I still need to upgrade the barrel to a 16" light weight melonite mid length gas system. The plain steel one is ok for now but I wish I had bought better. My advice is watch the sales and buy a piece at a time.
It sure is fun. Maybe a longer range gun next.... Welcome to the rabbit hole!

[armoredman]

The M16A1 wasn't inaccurate - I did pretty good with it on the 500 meter range at Huachuca...then they told us max effective was 480 meters. Oh well. I just couldn't stand that SPROINNNNGGG!! in my ears after ever shot from the buffer spring. The collapsing stock version I shot Monday had no noise whatsoever. Of course, my accuracy with it would have been MUCH better if the guy had informed me it had a release trigger. He was having a bit of fun with me.
Main use is range plinker, coyote hunting maybe and HD, so, light, handy, and not meant for doing a combat drop with Mobile Infantry into a Bug base.
I've seen some incredible deals, but pennies are tight...always the great prices when I'm broke! 

[nonamehavei]

Have several builds under my belt. The PSA magpul powers are about the best deal going right now. Sign up for the deal blast and they will inundate you with all their weekend deals. Just a couple weeks ago put together a very serviceable m4gery together for a buddy for under $500.

[M1A4ME]

I too had issues in basic and AIT.  Shot expert (like 1SOW said, it was pretty easy) but magazine issues led to feed issues and that spring noise and what they told us about being careful not to break the buttstock or bend the barrel just turned me off to them.  Of course getting to my permanent duty station and shooting the M16A1 against my M14 on a windy day sold me on the M14, too.  I bought my M1A with my tax return money in 1978 and never bought an AR15 (or shot one) for right at 30 years.

I've found ARs to be both accurate and reliable, when they aren't worn out/abused/neglected and you have good magazines.

I still only own the one M1A, but I've built a pot full of AR15's the last few years.  Fun, fun, fun.  Sixteen inch barrels to twenty four inch barrels (don't recommend the 24" bull barrels unless you liked carrying an M60 in the Army).

Good luck with it.  If you don't like something about it, changing it out is usually pretty easy. 

[armoredman]

I used the M-60 in the Navy - worst designed LMG I ever worked on, something like 7 parts you can install upside down or backwards and it seemed like every one would cause a runaway gun. M-14, on the other hand, was a wonderful rifle, a rifleman's rifle by far.
In 1978 I wasn't filing taxes yet...

[Earl Keese]

Start watching holiday sales and you'll save(spend) a bunch buying a piece at a time. 6.5 Grendel is a great caliber for hunting Coyote and longer range fun.

[longgonedaddy]

I use a JP Rifles Silent Capture Spring in my AR.  Will never use a long spring ever again.  It's a few more pennies but it makes shooting an AR so much more pleasant.

http://www.jprifles.com/1.4.7.2_os.php

[gnumadic]

I just went down this same rabbit hole and started with a $500 budget. I ended up spending about $850 on the rifle. If I were doing it again and wanted to be more disciplined, I'd pick up one of PSA's completed MOE parts kits for $300. Just add a $50 Anderson lower and you've got some coin left over for tools or an optic. You also still get the fun and experience of building it from scratch, versus just putting two preasembled pieces together. If all you want to do is shoot you can buy a Ruger AR556 for about $460 online.

[Earl Keese]

I have a Geissele spring in a carbine and a JP spring(non-captured) in a rifle length gun. No sproinggg in either.

[jwc007]

Since your experience with an M16A1 back in your service days, a lot of things have improved markedly!
A lot of parts and Magazines in particular have improved in quality.

I built my first AR15 back in 1987 in basic AR15A2 form with an FN Match Barrel for use in DCM, now CMP, Matches and some general plinking.
Now after many years of use, I'm going to replace it's barrel, which although still working, has lost a good deal of it's accuracy edge.
I'm also tempted to free float it's barrel.
While it's very tempting to further modify it, I may just build a whole other Rifle, and I've built quite a few other AR's for friends supplying their own parts.


AR15A2 HBAR built on PAC West Lower with 2x Scope and Enterprise Arms Muzzle Brake. Bolt has 3 layer Gas Continuous Gas Ring.

In building another Rifle, I'm leaning towards possibly going with a Gas Piston Drive, depending upon finances.
A Flat Top Upper with a Free Floated Nitride Barrel is a given, so far.

[Goju]

If you intend on shooting at intermediate ranges and will also be hunting with it, the 6.5 Grendel is the way to go.

[jameslovesjammie]

Be careful, Mr. A!  AR's are extremely addicting!

At one time I was up around 6, now I'm down to one rifle, two extra uppers, and a non assembled lower.

[WaltherP99]

Yep...tread lightly. I was gonna pick up a lower just to have around and piece together over time BUT I recall what happened the last time I did that...I finished that rifle in a week! LOL