Updated Feb. 2024: Removed IWI Zion. Added Del-Ton, Colt 6920 OEM, and Aero EPC.
The AR-15 world grows daily. Much like the universe, it’s constantly expanding and growing, becoming more and more fruitful for the AR-15 owner.
It’s also quite fruitful for the first-time owner. Even if on a budget, the massive amount of AR-15s produced has helped drive the price down.
Scale helps, and the AR-15 has become an excellent and affordable rifle platform for shooters seeking a modern, semi-auto rifle.
Today, we dive into both complete rifles and build kits that allow you to get a rifle that’s both affordable and high quality.
Building can save you some bucks, but sometimes, buying saves you some time. That’s why we are bringing you both options, so you can choose.
Keep reading!
THE QUICK LIST
-
Editor’s Pick
-
Best Budget AR-15
-
Best-Optioned Budget AR-15
-
Best Mid-Tier Option
-
Most Calibers
-
Most Reliable
-
Editor’s Pick Kit
Table of Contents
Loading…
How We Chose the Best Budget ARs and Build Kits
I’ve spent a lifetime shooting, starting with a family that hunted every season they legally could. From there, I joined the United States Marine Corps and spent five years as an infantryman.
In the middle of my Marine Corps career, I began writing and have never stopped. I soon earned my NRA instructor certification and used my knowledge to help guide students.
I love shooting, and I love guns — weird guns, old guns, new guns, tactical guns, you name it. I’m a continual student of firearms, and I strive to educate myself to provide the best information possible to the readers of Pew Pew Tactical.
All of the models here have been tested by someone at Pew Pew Tactical. As always, we continually update these lists so if you’re favorite isn’t here, drop us a comment and check back later!
Best Budget AR-15s
If you are looking to buy a complete rifle or just snap a complete upper and lower together to save yourself the hassle, these are our top picks.
1. Palmetto State Armory PA-15
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Entry-level
- Different colors available
- Runs well
Cons
- Basic, lacks advanced features
Palmetto State Armory is one of the companies that made AR-15s accessible to the masses and arguably the most popular. These days they produce a crazy amount of different rifles, handguns, and more.
Their PA-15 remains one of the most affordable, entry-level AR-15s on the market. A base model can be had for $500, and blem models for even less. These guns are very basic but functional.
They come with standard furniture, polymer handguards, and fixed front sights. You can choose your furniture color with FDE, olive, black, and gray options.
They also offer a PA-15 with a mid-length gas system, and I’d spring the extra $30 to get the smoother shooting gas system and longer handguard.
You can save even more money if you don’t mind supplying the lower and snapping the parts together. PSA is well known for its build kits, and this is a great way to get some upgraded features without breaking the bank.
The PSA 16-inch mid-length build kit comes with Magpul furniture for less than $400.
The 16-inch Classic Rifle Kit with a free-floating M-LOK rail and included sights costs just a hair over $400. Add a lower, and you can be into your rifle for less than $500 and have a fairly modern AR-15 variant.
When it comes to affordable AR-15s at various price points, the world of PSA can be a one-stop shop.
What’s your take on PSA? Rate them below!
2. Radical Firearms RPR
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Some modern features
- Good qulaity furniture
Cons
- Long-term reliability might be an issue
For those who want a complete, modernized AR-15 rifle on a budget, the Radical RPR has you covered.
More often than not, budget AR manufacturers cut costs by putting basic furniture on their rifles. Many users often end up spending more money to upgrade or replace these features to have a more modern, comfortable gun.
Luckily, the Radical RPR comes with a chunk of the good stuff already. B5 systems stock and grip and a 15-inch free-float M-LOK handguard ensure that you won’t feel like you are back in 2004 when you take your brand-new AR out of the box.
Worried about quality? Radical has been upping their game recently and is even supplying weapons to Brazilian law enforcement agencies.
All of that goodness still ends up only costing you about $399-$449 from most online retailers. At that price point, it is tough to beat.
3. Ruger MPR
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Good furniture
- Muzzle brake and good 2-stage trigger
Cons
- Slightly pricier
For those looking for something a little more feature-rich or “mid-tier,” we encourage you to check out the Ruger MPR (Multi-Purpose Rifle).
This rifle does come in at a higher price point, around $799, give or take a bit. So what makes it worth the higher price?
To start off, you get a Magpul MOE-SL stock and a Magpul MOE grip. In the front, we have a 15-inch free-float M-LOK handguard. The barrel is cold hammer-forged with a 1:8 twist and is capped off with a radial muzzle brake from Ruger.
Additionally, you get the Ruger Elite 452 trigger. This is a two-stage trigger that offers a crisp 4.5-pound break and is a welcome upgrade over the standard mil-spec trigger found in most budget builds.
With the furniture, the muzzle brake, and the upgraded trigger, we feel like the MPR justifies the price.
4. Sig Sauer M400 Tread
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Strong feature set
- Good reliabiilty
- Lightweight M-LOK handguard, free-floated barrel for accuracy
Cons
- Pricier than other models
Budget is as budget does, and for less than $1,000, it’s tough to get better than the Sig M400 Tread series.
The Tread represents Sig’s attempt to create a good beginner’s rifle. If you want a rifle that works out of the box and does so with style, then the Tread is hard to top.
Sig has a whole series of Tread rifles at different price points, but for this article, we are looking at the standard Tread.
It is a 5.56 caliber rifle with a standard 16-inch barrel, but it departs from most budget ARs by embracing some fancier features and furniture.
This includes a lightweight M-LOK modular handguard and a free-floated barrel for better accuracy. Sig teamed up with Magpul to provide a very supportive and comfy six-position SL-K stock, and it is complemented by a solid ergonomic pistol grip.
A stainless steel 1:8 twist barrel provides solid accuracy and is topped off with a 3-prong flash hider. The trigger isn’t crazy, but it s a solid single-stage design with polished parts for a nice smooth pull.
All in all, the M400 Tread isn’t the cheapest rifle, but you still get a lot of gun for the money. Check out our full review of the M400 Tread here.
5. Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Offers a wide variety of calibers under $500
- Option for side-charging uppers
- Affordable entry into less common calibers
Cons
- Quality may vary
If you are looking to stay under the $500 mark, you should take a look at Bear Creek Arsenal’s offerings.
Not only does Bear Creek offer affordable AR-15s, they offer them in a wide variety of calibers. Looking for a .300 Blackout, .350 Legend, .223 Wylde, .450 Bushmaster, or even a .50 Beowulf? BCA has complete rifles in all of these calibers under the $500 mark!
Another cool thing is that they also offer side-charging uppers, which is far less common but interesting nonetheless.
Also, if you want to save even more money, you can purchase a complete upper and lower separately and shave off about $50. You can cut even more costs if you go for a stripped lower and install the lower parts kit yourself.
Bear Creek Arsenal now offers complete uppers with cold hammer-forged barrels for very reasonable prices.
Whether you are looking for a specific configuration on the cheap or just want to dip your toes into a new caliber, Bear Creek probably has what you are looking for.
6. Smith & Wesson Sport II
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Reliable and backed by a great warranty
- Well-made with attention to small, important details
Cons
- Non-Mil-spec trigger
The Smith & Wesson Sport II has long been one of the favorite options for shooters on a budget. It’s a simple rifle but a very reliable option backed by a great warranty.
Smith & Wesson produce numerous models of the Sport II, including a plain Jane gun, an optics-ready model with a Crimson Trace red dot, and a Magpul model with Magpul furniture.
These are all affordable options ranging from $500 to $650. The Sport II guns feature a front sight base, an optics-ready design, and some fairly simple features. Smith & Wesson has produced a ton of these guns, and the company name, combined with the low price, has made it a favorite among shooters.
They tend to be reliable and well-made with the right features in place. This includes a staked castle nut, a Carpenter 158 BCG with a staked gas key, and a properly timed muzzle device. Getting the little things right goes a long way.
The little things are what can typically cause issues in budget brand AR-15s. With the S&W Sport II, most of these aren’t a major concern.
The one downside is the use of a non-Mil-spec trigger. It’s a MIM design, but spending $25 on a Mil-Spec trigger isn’t a big deal if you save money on the rifle. If you don’t like purchasing online, these are super common rifles that occupy the shelves of most gun stores.
To learn more, check out our video review below or head over to the written review.
7. Aero EPC
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Affordable PCC option
- Customizable as a build kit
- Glock magazine compatible
Cons
- Limited to 9mm and .40 S&W currently
Many rifles have undertaken pistol calibers and now wear the moniker pistol caliber carbine or PCC. The Aero Precision EPC, or Enhanced Pistol Caliber, takes the cake for the most affordable and innovative AR-style PCC.
While it’s not as absurdly fancy as the JP series of PCCs, it also doesn’t cost several thousand dollars.
Aero Precision is all about the build kits, and EPC specifically refers to the upper and lower receiver combination. With those in hand, you can build the EPC to be whatever you want, from an AR pistol to a defensive carbine or competitive rifle. It’s really up to you.
Aero and its affiliated companies make nearly every part you need if you want to keep it in-house. The magic really does come from the receiver sets. They are Glock-compatible and designed from the ground up to deal with the Glock magazine and the challenges PCCs face.
This includes reinforcing the pins in the lower parts kit to deal with the rough blowback action. Its receiver set has proprietary bolt-hold open devices, one of the few that work well with Glock magazines.
Aero also topped the gun off with an extended magazine release that makes reloads easy, and the flared magazine well definitely help.
It’s important to remember due to the design of Glock magazines, Aero couldn’t use the standard LRBHO. Their proprietary model is placed in the upper receiver and not the lower. You need both the upper and lower to make the magic work.
It’s a well-put-together receiver set, or you could buy a complete rifle or pistol. I went with the build route and designed a modern and affordable PCC. The EPC currently comes in 9mm and .40 S&W, but Aero is also looking to get into .45 ACP and 10mm in the near future.
We reviewed the EPC, so catch up on our complete thoughts!
8. Del-Ton Dissipator
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- True Dissipator design
- Smooth cycling
Cons
- Basic features and furniture
Del-Ton is the only company I’m aware of producing a real Dissipator.
A dissipator happens when you trim a 20-inch barrel to 16 inches but don’t move the handguard or gas system. You are left with a shorter barrel but longer sight radius, longer handguard, and smoother cycling weapon.
Most companies advertising dissipator uppers or rifles use a standard carbine or mid-length gas system in their rifles. This is fine, but it leaves out one of the most important traits of the dissipator — the super smooth nature of a rifle-length gas system. Del-Ton doesn’t leave that out and provides a reliable gas system with a 16-inch barrel.
If you shop smart, finding a complete Dissipator kit for less than $400 is easy. Add on your own lower, and bam. You can be into it for less than $500.
Dissipators are fairly rare but provide an alternative option to the standard carbine. The rifle-length gas system does make a huge difference when it comes to recoil.
It’s buttery smooth and super soft. The Del-Ton Dissipator upper comes fully assembled with a plastic handguard and fixed front sight base. I’d ditch the plastic handguards for some Magpul rifle furniture for the M-LOK slots. The kit also comes with a standard M4 style stock, which is completely usable but is a quick and easy upgrade.
It’s simple and not a fancy kit, but it keeps things affordable and functional. After the lower receiver, you only need a rear sight or optic, and you’re off to the races.
Dissipators, and I mean true Dissipators, are awesome carbine options, and I’d love to see more companies making real Dissys.
For now, we have Del-Ton, and Del-Ton does offer some awesome affordability.
9. Colt 6920 OEM
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- More affordable option within the Colt lineup
- Allows for customization
Cons
- Lacks some parts
A Colt on a list of affordable AR-15s? It doesn’t seem likely, but the 6920 OEM 1 and OEM 2 won’t require you to crack your safe. The 6920 is built to the same specifications as the military M4.
For high-end AR aficionados, that might not seem so great compared to your deck out Knight’s Armory, but it’s an established specification that does mean the rifle will run and run well. It won’t be fancy, but it will run, be reliable, and do 99.99% of the things an AR 15 is designed to do.
These are typically fairly expensive rifles, but the OEM series offers a more affordable alternative. It’s technically a complete rifle that will fire and cycle, but you’ll need to add a few parts.
The OEM series shaved some cash off its price point by not including the stock, handguard, magazine, or even the trigger guard. If the pistol grip didn’t hold a spring and detent in, it probably wouldn’t include that either.
Swapping out handguards and stocks is one of the top customizations done by AR owners. By not including these pieces of furniture, the end user can pick and choose exactly what they want.
It’s a standard carbine with a 16.1-inch barrel, a carbine gas system, a flat-top upper receiver, and standard Mil-Spec controls. It’s basic but about as simple as it gets for an affordable Colt Carbine.
The OEM 1 comes with the front sight base, and the OEM 2 comes with a low-profile gas block. These weapons typically sell for a little over $700.
How to Build a Cheap AR-15
For those wanting to save a few dollars, have more customization options, or simply want the experience of building a budget AR-15, this section is for you.
Remember, it’s way easier to build an AR-15 than you might think. See for yourself and check out our build guides below!
Now, let’s talk about parts.
Parts You Can Skimp On
Like anything else, sometimes you pay more for a name than the materials and manufacturing, and with AR-15s there are a few parts that you can go the cheap route with and be just fine.
Lower: I like cool-looking lowers as much as the next guy, but a lower is a lower. There’s not a huge amount of difference between the $30 ones, and the $300 ones aside from aesthetics and strength, but you shouldn’t be doing anything to your lower that could break it anyway.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Check out our Best AR-15 Lowers for more info.
Handguard: This one is a toughie, but in general, you can get by with a basic A2 handguard at the minimum. Comfort and the ability to add accessories is the main factor here, but a good free-float handguard can help with accuracy too.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Check out our Best AR-15 Handguards if you want to ball it up a little more.
Stock: A cheapo stock will be just fine. You can swap them out with about five minutes’ effort, and there are tons of options out there. A2 and M4 style stocks are almost literally a dime a dozen, and if they’re good enough for our armed forces, they’re good enough for us.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
If you want a complete breakdown and review of a bunch of stocks though, read the Best AR-15 Stocks.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Lower Parts Kit: Most of them are the same anywhere you look, and other than the trigger, you are never gonna notice a difference. Some LPKs come with a grip and trigger, so that can save you money and extra steps.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Parts to Spend Your Money On
Trigger: The trigger is your primary interface point with your rifle, so it makes sense to start there if you’re looking to get something a little nicer with better performance. Try to aim for a lower parts kit with no trigger so you can pick your trigger yourself.
Make sure to do your research before buying the trigger that is right for you. A great starting point is our Best AR-15 Triggers article.
When it comes to bang for your buck, I highly recommend the Rise Armament AR-15 Rave 140 since it is super easy to install, cheap, and is a great trigger.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Barrel: After the trigger, the barrel is going to be your biggest accuracy bottleneck, so if you’re going to upgrade, this is your second stop. Faxon is often at the top of our list for barrels, with their Gunner profile being the top of the top.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Again, this is one of the critical parts — so take some time and read through our Best AR-15 Barrels & Manufacturers before choosing the barrel that is right for you.
Final Thoughts
Affordable ARs can be tricky. You can certainly get some junk if you aren’t careful. Even with that said, the platform has become so popular and so widely produced that truly bad ARs are getting less common.
The biggest downside to most affordable AR-15s is dated furniture, which in practice doesn’t have that big of an effect on the rifle’s usefulness and effectiveness.
The good thing is that the market makes it plenty easy to upgrade along the way!
What do you think of our list? Already have a great affordable AR? Let us know in the comments below! Want to learn more about the AR-15 platform as a whole? Check our page, AR-15 Rifles [The Definitive Resource]!
44 Leave a Reply
How come we never see any Anderson AR’s. Get your opinion on this gun.
Sorry, but ... I like the old school M16-A1 style. The barrel cover was smooth and triangular. It felt great, and the hold was perfect. I have picked up the new modern one's, but they feel like wood rasps. Nasty.
When are we going to get to see a review on the Diamondback DB15?
How about the upper, BCG, buffer/spring/Kit? Or is that posted separately? Just wanted to see your recommendations on those as well.
Thanks
I thought the Smith & Wesson Sport 2 would have made the list.
Why didn't it?
Great question, John. The S&W Sport II was a serious consideration since it has been the go-to budget recommendation for well over a decade. While it is still a stellar gun, we feel like the features are a bit dated at this point, given that the price hasn't really gone down. There are some other great AR-15s out there with M-LOK rails and nicer furniture that shoot just as well out of the box for the same or less money.
I learned a lesson buying a "Cheap" AR. When I bought my first AR 12+ years ago, I knew nothing about the platform. An aquaintance recommended a DPMS Oracle. The gun was DPMS's bottom end, and it was a mixture of Civilian and Mil-Spec parts. Needless to say, it functioned, but it was hastily thrown together at the factory, and their Torque Wrench must have been broken, because not a single one of the torque recommendations was close to where they should be. The furniture was cheap, and except for the M1913 rail on top of the upper receiver, there were no other mounting surfaces and iron sights only ended up with about a 9" radius, so accuracy was not up to my standards.
Over the next couple of years, I replaced parts. From the flash hider to the end of the buttstock, I ended up replacing nearly every part on the gun, to the point, all that's still original on the gun, is the upper and lower receivers.
Now, it's a decent gun, accurate, looks and functions without a Hiccup.
I originally spent $450 for the gun, but the cost of replacing all those parts, cost nearly $600. I would have been better off spending more on a better gun.
I'm not saying that all of the "budget" guns highlighted in the article, are as bad as my Oracle was, but I urge anyone buying a new AR, take the extra time and do a little research on the gun you're looking at, before you buy it.
One positive of my experience, is I can totally strip, and reassemble an AR from just the parts.
Recently built my own and really like the Aero M4A1 lower because the holes that accept the bolt catch pin and safety detent spring are threaded, so you never worry about the safety spring popping out and you'll never scratch the lower when installing them. Also like the fact that it has an integral trigger guard so no forcing those stupid pins in to hold the trigger guard! The LPK is so easy to install once you find a good video online to follow. Also like being to pick out my own furniture and trigger.
Great article, I have 2 of these (PSA & Sig) both are solid options I would trust my life with. I also have 2 upper tier AR's (DD& BCM) and let me tell you the sig isn't that far off. It's heavier for sure and doesn't shoot as flat but its a tac-driver. My PSA is in .300 so not comparing apples to apples and would say while it always goes bang it feels alot further off then the high end stuff. Not exactly a fair comparison when my psa was $500 and my DD was $2,500. love that you included the Zion, feel like it is criminally under RATED! Also would include the Smith and Wesson on this list. Solid gun you can always trust your life with.
John, it sounds like you got nearly all your bases covered! The Zion-15 is an excellent newer entry into the world of ARs, and we definitely agree that it is criminally underrated. The Smith & Wesson almost made the cut, but the price is a bit high for the older feature set these days. As proven as they are, we feel like it is getting harder for it to compete with guns like the PSA or Zion these days.
Why no 80 o/o receivers.?
Build your own rifle is the name on the post.
Hey, Bruce. We kept it separate because we have another entire article dedicated to 80% receivers. You can check it out here!
Palmetto State Armory PA-15... out of all the rifles in this article this rifle is actually the better deal and not because of the low price for what is a very solid rifle. Its because the price gives you a 'money cushion' that will let you turn this into a high end expensive feeling and operating and looking with a few changes and you can use the 'money cushion' on those changes and come out with a rifle that if it had a high end rifle brand name on it would cost a few thousand more.
John, the PA-15 is definitely a great starting point for those that want to upgrade over time. It is always nice to have a solid gun that will keep running as you tinker with it along the way.
Building my AR15 my first rifle also, have had some pistols and shotguns, I'm just a little concerned about our country and the state it's in
Not a bad article. A few thing to important things to know though. First of all, any one who decides to build their own AR-15 should know that when they purchase the lower receiver they will need to also have to register it like any other fire arm at the time of purchase.
Second, if building your rifle get a set of spec’s and take a set of pin, blade gages , and a miccromitor with you when buying your pieces . Parts are easier to check before you buy and install. Less costly too.
On the upper reviver pin gage the gas release port. It is a Pin size hole on the bolt side to the just behind it. This hole is often under checked. The port is actually out of spec and is either not deep enough and/or wide enough. Awhile back a engineer altered the design call outs instead of having a machine fixed . It is important that this hole is to pre 2000 spec.
Former Quality Control AR-15
Bear Creek Arsenal has pistol ARs for $350. I have never had a problem and I have uppers and completes that work flawlessly on the range. I wouldn’t take a $350 AR into combat but I highly recommend them to budget conscious shooters
What are your thoughts on ceratac kits? I built one of theirs on a savage lower and I have zero complaints. It’s as plain as they come but fit, function and accuracy have all proven great in my case.
Thanks man.I wanna build my first ar.This is the only site I found after a month of looking that had gate ways to all the info I was looking for.Truely helpful information.
:D Glad we could help, take a look at the AR-15 Definitive Resource section for a ton more info!
How about Aero they make affordable lowers. Standard Gen 2 lower is usually 72.99 and the M4E1 is 89.99.
I began my AR relationship with the purchase of a Colt Sporter II (.223 only). I then purchased a DPMS Oracle with I stripped down to receivers and barrel, and reconfigured all of the furniture, changed the forward assist, charging handle, trigger guard, etc. My third AR, was built. Matt Collins is correct, ARs are waaaaaay easier to build than most people think. I built an AR pistol, 7.5" delta Team Tactical assembled upper for $159, 80% lower from Tennessee Arms $40, Primary Arms LPK for $35-ish, and a full-auto BCG from PSA for $49.99. I strung my purchases out over the course of a year, and purchased on holidays and big sales days. The 80% lower ending up developing a crack, so I abandoned that and purchased the "Enhanced" Anderson lower for $60. I added many upgraded components, because I prefer Strike Industries controls and muzzle devices. Initially this was a sub-$350 build. Once I finished adding my Strike Industries stuff, painting, single point sling and optic, I was sub-$450. I'm happier than a pig in mud. it's pretty accurate, runs everything I've fed it so far, doesn't mind shooting fast, no FTF/FTE yet.
Post parts list sounds like you got it going on. Please sir.
Enjoyed your article on AR -15’s, been looking to buying my first and this was very informative. I believe prebuilt well be my way of going but, I now have a better knowledge of different manufacturers.
Ordered a $350 DA Arms complete build kit with an 80% lower, on Cyber Monday. Still awaiting its arrival. Any input on them?
I have a stripped lower, I'm planning to use so the 80% will be a future project.
I did my 'carbine' upper for $350; the lower for $270; Drop in trigger is definitely worth it. Cost me MORE to transfer the lower than buy and ship it...bummer; Beware the barrel; got a defective one, but did get a full refund....added a good dot sight and we are 'off to the races'....shoots GREAT....and I MADE IT....
Great article. I love how you made it clear where you can cut corners to save money.
I might suggest that even though a forearm or stock maybe go for military use. It’s not necessary going to be comfortable for everyone. You may want to point out to get the least expensive furniture that is still comfortable and makes you want to shoot the rifle.
As usual on PPT, excellent article. Thanks.
Del-Ton? I've had pretty good experiences with them, several for under $500.
I just bought a PSA lower on sale for $129 ($30 FFL trasnfer fee) and an upper on sale for for $240. Add in the $40 magpul rear sight and $12 magazine and I'm into the AR game for $451.
You keep listing Spikes in the "Cheap" category of AR's. Have you been to their website and looked at their prices?
So if I did the math right on each of your budget parts to complete a build, the total is $489 ... which is $10 less than the complete PSA budget AR. So tell me again why I'd want to "build" vs. "buy"? (Rhetorical Question).
My real question is ... if you were going to re-jigger this article and call it "Building the BEST AR-15 from Scratch" ... and trying to get a great balance between "value" and "quality" ... what parts would you recommend? That would be a really interesting follow-on article.
What is your thoughts on Stag Arms? They sell complete or kits and also offer a left hand version.
Stag is good to go and one of the few brands that offer and stock left-hand versions.
I did my research when I started looking to get an AR and I ended up getting the Stag Arms 'Retro' mostly because it looks pretty much like the M-16A1 I carried in my Marine Corps days. I admit, I was being nostalgic. It has the heavy profile barrel, so it's a tad nose heavy, but it is a beautifully built rifle and fires extremely well. It isn't in the cheap range $(860), but those guys build a real solid gun without it being completely out of range. Just my 2 cents.
"...need something more reliable than a Hi-Point". Like what exactly? They are a lot of things but unreliable is not one of them.
If your paying over $400 for an ATI Hybrid you didn't look hard enough. I've seen them on sale for $350. Don't worry about the plastic lower, I've built several and they seem to be holding up. I bought all of the parts for my latest build on sale and with patience came in under $300 with a goal of the cheapest build I could for kicks and that included a muzzle break
I have one ati poly lower and two ati poly uppers, one came with the lower as a whole rifle, but the second i bought as a stripped upper and finished with a 9inch free float quad rail over a 10.5 inch 223 wylde barrel from bear creek arsenal originally $150 black friday special price of $45. Love my ati poly receivers!
How to Build a Cheap AR-15:
PSA Kit with complete Upper (that really is complete and assembled) and lower parts kit that has everything but the stripped lower.
Anderson Stripped Lower ($30 all the time if your LGS isn't ripping you off, $25 if you catch a sale)
What building manufacturers do you recommend for a AR-10 build in a .308 WIM?
I am wondering if I just got lucky with the two Bear Creek Arsenal uppers I have purchased or if others have had the same results. I bought a 7.62 x 39 upper that shoots 1 to 1 1/2 MOA groups and a 6.5 Grendel that I have shot several 1/4 MOA groups and averages well under 3/4 MOA with 95 gr. V-max. I have purchased one 5.56 PSA upper, it runs well but seldom shoots under 1.5 MOA.
I don't think so. I have 2 of the Bear Creek uppers and both work fine for me. I've read on other forums about how bad or cheap they are but I have no complaints so far.
I have a barrel from them that i love, they make a lot of parts that are very reliable, for way less than anyone else.
I wonder why the entry level Ruger and M&P AR's were not included here since yup can get them both for around the same price (under $600).
I really gotta say, I was on vacation in Jamaica and got an email from PSA with their $259 (shipped) M4 Freedom Rifle kit staring me in the face and thought, "Sure, why not?" I came home and the UPS driver dropped it off on Christmas eve afternoon. With a $40 stripped PSA lower I had sitting in my garage and a UTG/Leapers carry handle sight, I still sat at my dining room table and had a decent enough AR sitting in my lap a half hour later for under $400. People can say what they want about Palmetto State Armory, but I'm confident that it will hold its own at the range against any of my more expensive rifles. It's not like the AR15 is designed to be a sub-MOA tack driver in the first place.