Is this a good budget Ar-15 ?

[ueb_30]

I know Armalite isnt the same as it used to be but this seems like a decent gun for the price..especially in this market! Also love the slimmer handguard!

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[TonyTheTiger]

Every $600-700 rifle I've used was exactly like every other $600-700 rifle. Not saying it's bad, just saying they're all the same and don't expect any one specific brand to have a better entry level rifle than the next.

 

[ueb_30]

basically, looking for longevity and accuracy. Thats all that you can ask for at a budget pricepoint

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Depending on your definition of accuracy, that may be a bit more than you can ask at that price point. As long as it functions you got what you paid for. Anything beyond that is a bonus.

 

[ueb_30]

yea, i was torn between the S&W , Ruger, Diamondback, Radical, and this

 

[iktomi]

It is just fine for what it is.

I wouldn't get captured by the price point.

There are lots of available full builds at low price points.

The challenge seems to have been finding particular parts.

 

[baruch]

IWI Zion got pretty good reviews, $850

 

[BullGear]

The AR15 design is a great design. The difference is in the cost of the components that is used to build it. Many will say that a $700 AR is just as good as a $1700 AR. I can't say that. There are places where 1 or 2 components won't make that much of a difference, but then there are others (trigger, FCG and barrel) that make the rifle.

It also depends on what you're wanting out of the rifle.

In today's market, that Armalite seems like it's probably of the same quality of the Olympic Arms rifles from some 20 years ago.

 

[ueb_30]

The AR15 design is a great design. The difference is in the cost of the components that is used to build it. Many will say that a $700 AR is just as good as a $1700 AR. I can't say that. There are places where 1 or 2 components won't make that much of a difference, but then there are others (trigger, FCG and barrel) that make the rifle.

It also depends on what you're wanting out of the rifle.

In today's market, that Armalite seems like it's probably of the same quality of the Olympic Arms rifles from some 20 years ago.

is that good or bad? lol ...and why did they stop making so many well known brands! like Colt!

 

[RUTGERS95]

it's fine
it's not 1995 any longer and you'll be plenty happy with it I'm sure. You'd be surprised how accurate a low budget rifle can be compared to some more expensive ones. that said, you're probably going to use a lot of standard 55gr fmj for it so accuracy is what it is. If you want more precision, build a rifle and get the barrel you want otherwise, it's really half dozen one or the other. I doubt 98% of the people out there will be able to stretch most budget weapons past their limitations anyway.

As for longevity, pretty much the same view

 

[Vivacious Stallion]

@ueb_30 If you look around and stretch your price point a little, pretty much every BCM rifle or upper I've owned or shot are very accurate (moa to sub moa) and generally considered to be good reliable setups for the price. You can always buy a complete upper and assemble your own lower too.

Besides that I assume the Armalite is probably a fine rifle. This site does bend towards the higher priced gear and I think its good to keep in mind how much/hard you intend to use the gun. If buying a perfectly functional rifle that is less gucci allows you to actually go shoot it and practice with it more, then that is probably the way to go. Plus it is an ar15, you can go systematically replace every part with a slightly nicer part over time until it is a shiny hodge podge gun worth nothing on the 2nd hand market

 

[db2000]

@ueb_30 If you look around and stretch your price point a little, pretty much every BCM rifle or upper I've owned or shot are very accurate (moa to sub moa) and generally considered to be good reliable setups for the price. You can always buy a complete upper and assemble your own lower too.

Besides that I assume the Armalite is probably a fine rifle. This site does bend towards the higher priced gear and I think its good to keep in mind how much/hard you intend to use the gun. If buying a perfectly functional rifle that is less gucci allows you to actually go shoot it and practice with it more, then that is probably the way to go. Plus it is an ar15, you can go systematically replace every part with a slightly nicer part over time until it is a shiny hodge podge gun worth nothing on the 2nd hand market

I agree. There’s “match grade” barrels on here all the time that a smith can swap out quickly and you may or may not even need a new gas block and tube, which are relatively inexpensive. That swap alone would likely improve accuracy a great deal. A nice trigger helps too but like he said, you can do it a little at a time or not at all.

 

[MK20]

Or look at Palmetto's higher end offerings. Their CHF series is pretty good.

 

[db2000]

Or, at your age, just stick your middle finger up to your governor. Buy this and be done with it! Hell, it’s just money and you can’t take it with you…unless you’re buried with it I guess

https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/seekins-dmr-18”-223-wylde-2000.7076421/#post-9486675

 

[RUTGERS95]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone say BCM are moa or better, quite the opposite actually. Did they change barrels?

 

[Vivacious Stallion]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone say BCM are moa or better, quite the opposite actually. Did they change barrels?

I can't say if they have changed barrels at any point. The gun's I've used were made across the last 7 years.

I can only speak for the 1 I've owned and 4 my dad currently has, which I've shot for load development quite a bit. But the 16" light weight one I had was definitely a 1 moa gun with 5 shot groups using 55gr handloads. And hovered around 1.25" to a little more with LC 55gr 5.56. The uppers/rifles my dad has were the same with one 18" gun definitely shooting sub moa with the same handloads.

My biggest complaint with them is that every one of them I've shot is overgassed. One of which my dad has feels like it's beating itself apart, however, it's not my gun to fix and I no longer live close by. Mine was good but I ended up selling it several years back to fund another project.

 

[BCP]

I would get a palmetto blem rifle if you wanna go cheap.

 

[mtrmn]

I've found that the cheapest ARs I own are reasonably accurate (1.5-2 MOA at 100 yds) with ammo they like. Shotgun patterns with ammo they don't like-for instance Wolf which shoots a 5-7" 100 yd group in my Colt. Being a reloader I can tune my loads to each gun if I feel like taking the time and get better results. In other words, ammo can make all the difference in the world as far as accuracy is concerned. And I've never seen an AR that was NOT reasonably accurate with decent ammo. So I wouldn't worry too much about how accurate one brand might be compared to another when you're talking entry level ARs. They're all so far ahead of my old mini14 it ain't even funny....

 

[drewthebrave]

Every $600-700 rifle I've used was exactly like every other $600-700 rifle. Not saying it's bad, just saying they're all the same and don't expect any one specific brand to have a better entry level rifle than the next.

This pretty much nails it. Just pick one that has features you like (barrel length, barrel contour, handguard, accessories, etc) and call it good.

With Black Friday around the corner, it might make sense to wait a little bit longer for a potential deal... I'd keep an eye out for the PSA Premium CHF kits because they come with very well regarded FN barrels that are true mil-spec.

 

[DocRDS]

The AR15 design is a great design. The difference is in the cost of the components that is used to build it. Many will say that a $700 AR is just as good as a $1700 AR. I can't say that. There are places where 1 or 2 components won't make that much of a difference, but then there are others (trigger, FCG and barrel) that make the rifle.

It also depends on what you're wanting out of the rifle.

In today's market, that Armalite seems like it's probably of the same quality of the Olympic Arms rifles from some 20 years ago.

I think that's a little harsh. (i mean Armalites actually work!)

Compared with back in the day, the top end of ARs has exploded with options that just weren't available (Armalite, Bushmaster, Colt and Bushmaster was the go to--my how times have changed). With the market today being as competitive Oly arms (or hesse/vulcan) couldn't stay in business. So the true crap is gone and the whole AR-15 segment is better for it.

Armalite is "the bottom", but the bottom today was "the standard" of the 1990s.

So yes, but no. Its not a 1700 AR.
It will go bang and put bullets on target.

 

[hafejd30]

yea, i was torn between the S&W , Ruger, Diamondback, Radical, and this

The Ruger and Armalite both have slimmer hand guards. I haven’t shot the Ruger but as stated above many AR’s in that price range are very similar

A couple of cheap options I have include PSA and MP15 Sport II. Both are decent guns for the money. Just picked up a Springfield Saint to try as well

 

[RUTGERS95]

I can't say if they have changed barrels at any point. The gun's I've used were made across the last 7 years.

I can only speak for the 1 I've owned and 4 my dad currently has, which I've shot for load development quite a bit. But the 16" light weight one I had was definitely a 1 moa gun with 5 shot groups using 55gr handloads. And hovered around 1.25" to a little more with LC 55gr 5.56. The uppers/rifles my dad has were the same with one 18" gun definitely shooting sub moa with the same handloads.

My biggest complaint with them is that every one of them I've shot is overgassed. One of which my dad has feels like it's beating itself apart, however, it's not my gun to fix and I no longer live close by. Mine was good but I ended up selling it several years back to fund another project.

I had two over the years and liked them. They ran like tops but accuracy varied for me, still plenty good enough for intended purposes. I keep telling myself, 'start reloading' when I retire

 

[huntnh]

I second psa great value if there’s something you don’t like you can always upgrade what you don’t like

 

[Trigger Monkey]

For what I paid for my Springfield SAINT Victor, I'm pretty happy with it. The trigger wasn't all that great but I dropped in a $11 JP spring set and it took a nasty, almost 7lb trigger pull to a nicer, smoother 5 1/2 lb pull. Accuracy wise, it's good enough, I took it out yesterday to double check the zero and confirm the BDC on the Strike Eagle and was banging steel from 200-470 pretty easily with 55gr ball (12" plates at 200-300 and IPSC size steel at 440-470).

 

[n0glock]

For the money if you are willing/able to assemble one the Del-Ton kits are a good deal, the uppers come assembled, I own a ruger it has been reliable and you get a great warranty.

 

[S197]

I know Armalite isnt the same as it used to be but this seems like a decent gun for the price..especially in this market! Also love the slimmer handguard!

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I would pass simply because of the pic gas block and having to buy sights. The S&w mp15 would be a solid choice for a budget ar.
if you can save up til Black Friday you probably find a better deal.

 

[Delicatessen]

If you have basic skills/tools you can generally build the lower and buy a bcm upper for just a little more and probably be happier long term. But functionally most rifles in that range are pretty decent. Main parts to buy/look at are slightly higher quality is bolt group, barrel (and correct gas length/size for config). Others that can be lower price if you build the lower are sons of liberty gun works East Indian, maybe faxon or rainier

 

[S197]

IWI Zion got pretty good reviews, $850

With code IWI60 the price is 739

IWI Zion-15 .223 Remington/5.56 NATO 30-Round 16" Semi-Automatic Rifle in Black (Adjustable B5 Stock) - Z15TAC16 | iAmmo

The Zion sports a 16-inch barrel constructed of 4150 chrome moly vandium, along with a 15-inch free float handguard. A B5 System Stock and grip come standard, as does a 30-round Magpul PMAG. The stock collapses down to 33 inches and pushes out to 36.25 in

www.iammo.com

 

[plt228]

I'd pass on that rifle because of the gas block and handguard. If you look around you can find what I think are better deal. Here's PSA's daily deal $350 for a complete upper https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...eight-m-lok-upper-with-bcg-ch-5165448671.html

 

[hlee]

Pick the rifle apart, piece by piece, and ask yourself what you would change. Now, add the cost of the replacement parts to the cost of the rifle. Don't think that you will be able to sell the cast offs- no one else wants them either. Unless you will be happy with how it is delivered, a cheap rifle can be the most expensive...

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Pick the rifle apart, piece by piece, and ask yourself what you would change. Now, add the cost of the replacement parts to the cost of the rifle. Don't think that you will be able to sell the cast offs- no one else wants them either. Unless you will be happy with how it is delivered, a cheap rifle can be the most expensive...

Truth. I had a choice between $1100 rifles and $1000 cash at a prize table this summer. I chose the rifle thinking I could just leave it alone and shoot it as is. Nope. I'll be $800-900 into new parts before I'm done and I don't even have an optic for it yet. I should've known better and grabbed the money.

 

[rottenruger]

I know Armalite isnt the same as it used to be but this seems like a decent gun for the price..especially in this market! Also love the slimmer handguard!

Armalite M15 5.56 Defensive Sporting Rifle DEF15

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Looks good to me........but then, almost all guns and rifles do.

 

[BKKSW]

I know Armalite isnt the same as it used to be but this seems like a decent gun for the price..especially in this market! Also love the slimmer handguard!

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You might want to consider a decent AR-15 class that shows you many things you might not know about the platform like cleaning, disassembly for cleaning, etc.. In the classes we run we have a half dozen loaners of different types the students are welcome to use and the same number of different optics.. you'll leave with your own opinion of what's good or what fits you best.

 

[BKKSW]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone say BCM are moa or better, quite the opposite actually. Did they change barrels?

BCM uses FN barrels which are some of the best you would want on a duty grade weapon. We have a bunch and they all shoot under MOA with the right ammo and the shooter doing their part.

 

[StLPro2A]

I know Armalite isnt the same as it used to be but this seems like a decent gun for the price..especially in this market! Also love the slimmer handguard!

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I've never viewed ARs...5.56 or 308....as accuracy rifles. They are for firepower at close to mid-range. Spend your accuracy/long range dollars on a bolt gun. There is nothing one can't replace with basic hand tools. Doubting you will be clearing rooms or charging enemy positions....yet...with that AR. Just get into the game. Buy it, shoot it, enjoy it, keep basic maintenance parts package on hand. Upgrade as some part keeps you from enjoying it. Or as you enjoy this one, and decide what is critical to you that this one doesn't meet, save up for another higher on the pecking order. One isn't restricted to a sole AR....at least not at this time. Nike it...Just do it!!!!

 

[BKKSW]

IMy biggest complaint with them is that every one of them I've shot is overgassed. One of which my dad has feels like it's beating itself apart, however, it's not my gun to fix and I no longer live close by. Mine was good but I ended up selling it several years back to fund another project.

They are, and so are many others. But it's an easy issue to compensate for.

 

[BKKSW]

Pick the rifle apart, piece by piece, and ask yourself what you would change. Now, add the cost of the replacement parts to the cost of the rifle. Don't think that you will be able to sell the cast offs- no one else wants them either. Unless you will be happy with how it is delivered, a cheap rifle can be the most expensive...

Funny how that works. Many people end up with 50-60% of their AR on the range and 50-40% of it in a drawer somewhere..

 

[hlee]

Funny how that works. Many people end up with 50-60% of their AR on the range and 50-40% of it in a drawer somewhere..

A budget AR can easily turn into a receiver set + 3rd party parts at the range, and everything else in a drawer…

 

[BKKSW]

I've never viewed ARs...5.56 or 308....as accuracy rifles.

This is sad. There are many accurate AR type rifles and they're commonly used for all tasks including interdiction. I have many sub-MOA AR's and a half dozen or more in the .4-.6moa capability. They probably shoot better but that's the best I can do. Four of my AR-15's are capable of better than .6-.7moa at 1000m, shooting 6.5g, 6mm ARC, and .224 Valkyrie. I'm currently having a blast with my 6mm ARC getting pretty regular .4" groups.. and that's with factory ammo. I'll start handloading for it soon and expect to do better. Keep in mind that the .223 cartridge has been around a while and is well sorted, so most properly assembled .223 AR's shoot MOA or better with the right factory ammo. But the .224 Valkyrie especially takes a lot more effect to achieve the best from it. We live in fun times.

 

[hlee]

Present company excluded, most AR owners buy the cheapest ammo available (m855, m193, m80) and then blame the rifle for the poor groups…

 

[NDAR15MAN]

Buy any 700.00 AR15 rifle. Than take the barrel off and sale it for $70.00. Then put 250.00 with it and buy a white oak barrel. It will shoot under 1 inch with factory ammo. That’s what I did. MD

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Present company excluded, most AR owners buy the cheapest ammo available (m855, m193, m80) and then blame the rifle for the poor groups…

And the twist rate.

 

[mtrmn]

My number one replacement would be the trigger.

 

[DocRDS]

This is sad. There are many accurate AR type rifles and they're commonly used for all tasks including interdiction. I have many sub-MOA AR's and a half dozen or more in the .4-.6moa capability. They probably shoot better but that's the best I can do. Four of my AR-15's are capable of better than .6-.7moa at 1000m, shooting 6.5g, 6mm ARC, and .224 Valkyrie. I'm currently having a blast with my 6mm ARC getting pretty regular .4" groups.. and that's with factory ammo. I'll start handloading for it soon and expect to do better. Keep in mind that the .223 cartridge has been around a while and is well sorted, so most properly assembled .223 AR's shoot MOA or better with the right factory ammo. But the .224 Valkyrie especially takes a lot more effect to achieve the best from it. We live in fun times.

Yeah this (and the comments about shitty ammo). Even my AK (a notorious 'inaccurate' rifle) can hold decent groups and it is well known that the AR lends itself to accuracy over other semi-auto designs.

I don't have an 'accurized' AR but all of mine shoot 'within the dot' at 100 yards--I typically have red dots on the 223s and the biggest factor in accuracy is actually consistently aiming with the dot as its 'bloom' is larger than my groups when I do bench style shooting (also my eyes suck). I even thought of starting PRS with a 223 AR. ARs can be quite accurate--not without their challenges, but I started my journey of better shooting with a 308 DPMS. Hardly a high end system. But it works.

I deal a lot with classic firearms like M-14/M1As. SOmeone will ask "How do I accurize an M1A" and the top answer is "Buy an AR" The platform is sound

 

[ut755ln]

I know Armalite isnt the same as it used to be but this seems like a decent gun for the price..especially in this market! Also love the slimmer handguard!

Armalite M15 5.56 Defensive Sporting Rifle DEF15

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I know others have addressed this but with the wide availability of parts, I would build one from scratch. What you want the rifle to accomplish will dictate what parts you get. If you are patient and hit sales, you will end up with a rifle that performs as good or better than premade ARs costing $1500 plus.

 

[RUTGERS95]

If you are going to buy this and then replace parts, as others here have suggested, you'd be better off building your own.

 

[BullGear]

Just buy a completed lower from a reputable manufacturer and then look for an upper that fits your needs. Once you get both, pull 2 pins, put them together and off to the range you go.

 

[Shoots 700's]

Stop going cheap

 

[clcustom1911]

Funny how that works. Many people end up with 50-60% of their AR on the range and 50-40% of it in a drawer somewhere..

This is why I've never purchased one complete rifle. I've purchased 3 complete uppers, because they were exactly what I was looking for. The rest of the uppers and lowers I built to my needs/wants.

I fail to see the value in buying a complete rifle just to change parts on it.

 

[Ted Brown]

Interesting conversation. I wasn't aware that Armalite has been degraded. I bought five Armalite AR15 NM rifles for the Medford (Oregon) Rifle and Pistol Club's junior rifle team. They shot 36 individual and team National Records with them, many at Camp Perry. They were pretty good for rifles that cost $750 each.