[Pete63]

I have been eyeing the Palmetto State armory "Blemished models"

I bought one of those, just because. I could see "NOTHING" wrong with it what-so-ever; including a complete tear down, to change out a few parts, including adding a better trigger. Everything tight/staked as should be. On my AR's, "I'm a trigger snob". 🤣

 

[WrongRecroom]

I bought a S&W M&P15TS at Cabelas several years ago. It was somewhere around $1700. The only thing I don't like about it is you can't put a silencer on it (without changing the barrel) and it had a standard rail when I figured a quad rail would've been nicer. Finding a sling for it was problematic also.

Midwest and others make drop in quard rail handguards that are pretty easy to drop in to a normal M4 handguard

Edit what I mean is they fit the ring already in place in a normal M4 uppers style gun so just take the plastic handguards off and put in the Midwest or whatever and click in place pretty easy ..Just note I have seen both drop in and fitting needed model so just keep a look out

 

[oneshot]

I’d go to the Palmetto State Armory website and choose your desired setup from there. IMO there isn’t a better deal out there. I have two of theirs and they are every bit as good as some of the higher end ones I’ve owned and/or fired (BCM, Daniel Defense, etc).
As far as quality and spend, assuming you don’t have a blank check to throw at this, before you plunk down $2000+ on an AR, do some soul searching regarding its purpose. There used to be a guy on here who had top notch equipment. Everything was state of the art and among the most expensive. BCM rifles, Nightforce optics, Geisselle triggers, etc. He’d trick them out till he couldn’t possible spend anymore. I don’t recall his name but he loved to show off his stuff - always posting staged photos of himself using the rifle. Someone pressed him about why he would spend so much - aside from professional shooters and military/LEO who want the best and most durable for a reason, the averages hobby shooter wouldn’t need near this for self defense and target shooting . The guy got real snippy and disappeared shortly thereafter.
My point being - if this is a weekend gun range rifle with potentially self defense applications, sure it would be an ego boost to have the whole range gawk at your setup that cost $5k, but nearly no one needs that. There are tons of great options out there which are cost effective.

I have been eyeing the Palmetto State armory "Blemished models"

I am seconding the PSA(Palmetto State Armory)
I have an ar-10(bought a lower and upper) from them, and its amazing. Paid $720 for it in 2018. It has the 2 stage trigger. Its a dream to shoot. My buddies brother who cannot hit the broadside of a barn from the inside was bullseying at 100yds all day and fell in love with this thing.

https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-gen3-pa10-20-rifle-length-stainless-steel-lightweight-m-lok-str-2-stage-rifle.html

IMHO they make, as stripesdude said, a helluva rifle that can run with the $1500-2500 guns all day.

 

[ctr]

Have owned several, Colts, S&W, and one I built from a Colt OEM.

S&W will do fine for what you want. Not everything on the rifle is mil-spec but you don't need it for your intended used.

Colts are good if you want to sell it down the line.

Biggest decision imo is flattop or A4 style front post sight. This is the crux, will you put a scope or red dot on it? Will you hang tacticool stuff on it and need rails or no?

I am no expert, there are many here about though.

 

[LimaCharlie]

You can spend a little or a lot on them. They come in pistol or rifle versions.

For plinking and potential home-defense, Ruger, S&W, and Springfield make some less expensive versions. Colts are good but you pay for the name. Colts do hold their value the best. Palmetto State Armory built ARs are good plinking guns, but LGS are very wary of taking one in. The LGS gave the guy $400 for the below PSA 300 AAC Blackout pistol on trade and then sold it to me for $400 to get rid of it.

Mine include:

Palmetto State Armory built pistol in 300 AAC Blackout
CZ Bren 2 MS pistol in 5.56 NATO with a Holosun Red Dot
Alexander Arms AR-15 in 50 Beowulf with a Burris Prism Sight
Colt LE 6920 in 5.56 NATO
Cristensen Arms VTAC-15 in 5.56 NATO with a Burris Prism Sight
Springfield Armory Saint Victor in 5.56 NATO with a Burris Prism Sight
Armalite AR-10 in 7.62 NATO with a Burris XTR scope.

 

[Chaplain Scott]

If potential home defense use is possible, adding a light makes lots of sense.

This is on my AR, added after an "interesting" domestic violence call at night. (Surefire X300)

 

[NECCdude]

If potential home defense use is possible, adding a light makes lots of sense.

This is on my AR, added after an "interesting" domestic violence call at night. (Surefire X300)

I watched an Ayoob video where he said he doesn't recommend a light on a handgun or rifle because you may end up pointing your gun at an innocent which could get you in trouble.

 

[WrongRecroom]

One last thing to note is with Colt they are owned by CZ now so if buying for re sale I understand the newest models are different under CZ some have said they dont like the new markings or lack of esp forge markes on the new guns

And on that same note if you looking do note the early Colt rifle can get uh weird if looking second hand .. Ie a lot of the 90s era Colt had a lot of weird stuff added or taken out to make the PC people happy for example a sear block in them to add more work to add a auto sear or the like which is something not needed but makes it hard to put aftermarket triggers in or the early era colts wont take mil spec uppers again some PC think ..So if looking second hand avoid colts unless newer or you know what you are looking at ... The sear block and odd trigger and take down pin ones esp are a pain in the but to deal with with aftermarket stuff

 

[Chaplain Scott]

I watched an Ayoob video where he said he doesn't recommend a light on a handgun or rifle because you may end up pointing your gun at an innocent which could get you in trouble.

I'll take that risk. Using a rifle while trying to hold a light as well, in real world situations isn't easy.

 

[Erich1B]

What are you looking to spend?

I’d base any recommendations off of that!

I am considering the purchase of an AR-15 but I have little knowledge of the platform. I know Smith & Wesson makes an AR-15 but I am unaware of the various manufacturers.

Please give me your recommendations, thoughts on brand, features, etc. that will give me a good start on my research.

Thanks! Bill

 

[Erich1B]

How does having a light on a rifle make that any more likely to happen than without a light?

I watched an Ayoob video where he said he doesn't recommend a light on a handgun or rifle because you may end up pointing your gun at an innocent which could get you in trouble.

 

[Erich1B]

Then this is your AR

I really don't want or need an Ar-15 as I am not a rifle guy. I think I want one just to say "I have an AR-15" and also to get one before Biden outlaws them.

 

[PEF]

This is a pricey option, but you won't go wrong.

DDM4 V7 in 5.56 DDM4®V7®
KAC folding micro rear sight Folding Micro Rear Sight, 200-600 Meter Adjustable - Knight's Armament
KAC folding front sight Folding Micro Front Sight - Knight's Armament

Either of
EOTECH XPS2

EOTECH HWS XPS2™

#html-body [data-pb-style=KF7I3R5],#html-body [data-pb-style=VA8DH2C]{justify-content:flex-start;display:flex;flex-direction:column;background-position:left top;background-size:cover;background-repeat:no-repeat...

www.eotechinc.com

Or
AIMPOINT Red Dot (can stay on for years).

Set it up so the irons are co-witnessed with the red dot sight.

There are so many options out there. I spent hours looking over various platforms, etc. Finally I just picked a Daniel Defense because they have a great reputation and they are in Georgia. I wanted accurate folding sights, and a quality red dot style sight. You buy the above, you will be very happy with the results.

DDM4 V7 Exclusive - First Impressions

I've finally set up the DDM4 V7 with irons and an EOTech. For the irons I am using a Knights Armament 200 - 600 Yard Folding Micro Rear Sight and a Knights Armament Folding Front Sight. The rear sight is adjustable out to 600 yards, and I've set it up for a 50 yard zero. I highly doubt I'll...

www.defensivecarry.com

 

[PEF]

Oh yeah, trigger - just get one with a regular trigger. Mine came with a Geissele SD3G trigger https://geissele.com/super-dynamic-3-gun-sd-3g-trigger.html and I'm going to swap it out with a "regular" trigger. If you get into the AR, you can always upgrade the trigger. But for most a mil-spec trigger is fine.

I'll probably swap my SD3G trigger for this: https://geissele.com/super-semi-automatic-ssar-trigger.html

"Regular" DDM4's come with mil-spec triggers, I don't know who makes them for Daniel Defense.

 

[Erich1B]

One thing to take into consideration with red dot optics is if you have astigmatism the red dot will be blurry.

The retical on a ACOG is etched. So even if you have astigmatism it won’t appear blurry.

My LWRC pistol AR 6.8 SPC with an ACOG.

 

[Rcopu1]

I bought a S&W M&P 15 Sport II. Around $700ish. Put a $150 3-9X42 scope on it and it shoots just fine for me. Not really anything but a fun-gun for me, but it goes bang every time with whatever I feed it. Definitely in the lower price range.

 

[Rcopu1]

Then this is your AR

View attachment 400560

God, that's just wrong in so many ways.....

 

[retired badge 1]

The AR-15 rifle resulted from design work by Gene Stoner and first produced by Armalite about 60 years ago. Submitted for US Army trials, zero interest resulted. All patents and production rights were acquired by Colt, and with far superior weight in political support the M16 rifle won military contracts (first by the USAF, then by US Army and USMC), just about the time that the US was becoming seriously involved in Vietnam.

Most US military units were still in the decade-long process of replacing the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine with the new M14 rifle, a program that was never fully accomplished. President Kennedy was reportedly upset while visiting West Germany to see our troops guarding the Fulda Gap with M1 rifles about 5 years after the new M14 was adopted as the standard service rifle.

I trained on the M14 rifle in 1968, with a required familiarization training on the new M16. I was not impressed (reliability or accuracy). Went to Vietnam in 1969 and was issued a new M16A1 (forward assist mechanism, a few minor refinements), and I remained unimpressed. The common description among the troops was "You can tell it's Mattel, it's swell" (1960s advertising campaign for Mattel Toy Corporation).

In the following half-century I have owned several. Colt SP-1, DPMS AR-15, Rock River Arms, even a Colt M16A2 (LE special purchase, contract overrun for a state agency contract, tax stamp required, of course). Despite the remarkable longevity of military use, plethora of producers on several continents, and massive popularity of the basic design, I remain unimpressed.

Best advice I can give you is to make sure your hearing protection is top notch, those things are incredibly hard on the ears.

For personal defensive use I will continue using a 1943 Inland (General Motors) M1 Carbine .30 caliber. For serious rifle shooting I will continue using a Springfield Armory M1A National Match 7.62NATO.

Have what you like. Enjoy what you have.

Did I mention that I like S&W and Colt revolvers, and regularly carry a .45 caliber M1911 pistol? Haven't been to a Tupperware party for many years.

Tongue firmly in cheek here.

 

[WrongRecroom]

And one last thing I will just add to throw fuel on the fire I would frankly at some point also get a imported rifle as well even if just a basic ie a WSAR10 or FOX or the like only as imports are easier to mess with then USA made .

I am pretty sure imported stuff will dry up way way before USA made .. EO can ban imports easy it happend in 89 and many other times

So right now imop I would also look at imported guns as well

A Tavor or Bren 2 would be very nice if you want AR mags , 223 ..

If you see how much work it takes to import a semi auto rifle now you would understand why I say this

I mean to import a semi auto now it can not have night sights , a bayonet lug a threaded barrel or at least a flash hidder oh and I can not take any mag over 10 rounds so you have to either not mill the mag well or block it and of course no pistol grip or anything ..It takes a lot of work to get ok to import it and even then they might not ok it ( like my understand now is they wont ok any Under folder imports unless it was oked in the past ) and a lot of them are importing them as pistol then rifling them but that is coming under issue as well

So right now me I would get at least import rifle first then a AR if one was worried about gun bans ......

 

[The Old Anglo]

My pick was a S&W AR-15 Sport in 5.56.Over 1,000rnds through and still a Tack Driver!!!.