AR-15 Suggestions for a beginner

[btyreprich]

Was thinking of purchasing a pistol to get started shooting, but am now thinking that perhaps a rifle is a better option. A rifle is easier to aim at a target versus a pistol.
My son has 2 AR-15 rifles he built from a kit and enjoys these over the pistols.
Any suggestions as to a good AR-15 for a beginner? Would love to get feedback from others on their rifles.

Did a Google search before starting this thread and the numerous manufacturers and options gave me a headache!

Thanks in advance.

[Custom Eyes]

I went with a DPMS Sportical and am VERY happy with it. I went 7.62/.308 AR-10 model, but the 5.56/.223 model is identical besides the round it shoots. Great gun for the price. It shoots about as accurate as other friend's AR's who built their's themselves and their uppers alone cost more than my complete gun. What really sold me was the more traditional handguard as opposed to a rail system. Much better for target shooting and hunting. You can still add accessories to it if needed.

https://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/bus...ortical-ar-15/

[Rlcrouse]

Ruger and Rock River make good complete rifles also. I usually look at Sportsmans Outdoors.com (on line gun sales) to see whats out there.

[rzep]

I have 18 in barrel Bushmaster. Bought it over 15 years ago. Wife enjoyed shooting when we used to go out to Buffalo range in Ottawa IL...223 feels like shooting 22 ..virtually no recoil

[Husker525]

All of the above listed brands are good rifles. I bought my wife a DPMS, and it is a great rifle for her. I would not want to put 10000 rounds through it, but she won't ever shoot it that much.

I have a Colt that I have put over 20k rounds through, and other than replacing a few very small items,(extractor, gas rings, firing pin,) the barrel is still good and still a minute of angle gun.

You do not have to spend all the dough, there are lots of companies building AR15 style rifles with good results.

[jblezcy3]

Rock Rivers are nice and a good rifle but, they are a little pricy and sometimes hard to get. Stag, Bushmaster, Colt are also very good rifles and a little better price.

[Wall-i-Lama]

Take a look at the Springfield Saint Pistol. It's an AR-15, but is much easier to handle than a full length rifle or AR-15.

https://www.springfield-armory.com/s...ar-15-pistols/

Good luck with your decision!

[Windy City]

Originally Posted by btyreprich

Was thinking of purchasing a pistol to get started shooting, but am now thinking that perhaps a rifle is a better option. A rifle is easier to aim at a target versus a pistol.
My son has 2 AR-15 rifles he built from a kit and enjoys these over the pistols.
Any suggestions as to a good AR-15 for a beginner? Would love to get feedback from others on their rifles.

Did a Google search before starting this thread and the numerous manufacturers and options gave me a headache!

Thanks in advance.

Go to Megasports in Plainfield, they carry all good manufactures stuff. Rock River is a good value, Springfield or Sig a little higher cost but good product.

Don't start with a .308 or 300 Blackout, stick with a .223 for a first rifle.

A bull barrel is great shooting from a rest or prone with virtually no recoil, but standing will be more work.

A collapsible stock carbine can be a lot of fun if you have a good outdoor plinking range.

If you want to put the rifle under glass buy a flat top. There are also "convertibles" out there.

Some rifles are better with the cheap ammo (steel case) than others.

[WallyWarrior]

Cheap rifles shoot cheap ammo the best. Lower tolerances I’m sure.


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[Husker525]

Originally Posted by WallyWarrior

Cheap rifles shoot cheap ammo the best. Lower tolerances I’m sure.


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You are absolutely correct!! I am sure I will get trashed on this forum, but I have A LOT of experience with this style of rifle. Lots of time behind different brands and styles of rifles, with close to a million rounds sent down range., all in a former life.

An AR-15/M4 style rifle is a battle rifle, plain and simple. It was designed to be just that. The MilSpec minimum was 1.5 MOA for the original design. Most all of the reputable companies then built them to be at or around 1 MOA in accuracy. Sub MOA rifles can be built, but come with higher tolerances and less reliability depending on ammo and ambient conditions. Rock River is one of those finicky rifles. Very accurate, but do not like dirt, extreme cold, extreme heat and may or may not eat all ammo types. With so many new companies stamping out, or machining gun parts, and people building their own, each will function differently. For those newbies, an AR gas gun is a dirty gun, no matter what ammo you use. You should get very good at cleaning all the important parts on a regular basis, as reliability will suffer if you don't. Don't get me wrong, you can get them really dirty and they will still function, depending on the tolerances.

We had to re lube our M4's in Asscrapistan daily in the summer. I have never seen an environment that would literally cook the oil right off the components, whether you fired it or not. And the baby powder moon dust permeates everything.

Right before I left, we were issued prototype .300 Blackout piston guns, which we ran suppressed. So much easier to keep clean when running a can. I loved them so much, I waited for them to hit the civilian market 3 years later, and bought a couple.