Anyway, I’ve always been a pistol guy but decided to foray into the AR realm. I’ve started with an entry level platform as it really will be mostly for range plinking. It is the 5.56/223 version. My main question is what is your preferred caliber? My biggest priority is price per round and recoil. Again my main focus is plinking at the range with it. I’ll most likely throw an inexpensive red/green dot on it or just stay with the iron sights as I doubt I’ll ever go past 50 yards.
Let me say that from my limited research, the .223 is the way to go. Lower pressure and lower cost.
For all practical purposes .223 and .556 are the same thing, at least as far as ARs go. .556 though is usually cheaper. Depending on the twist rate usually the .62grain is more accurate than lighter bullets at longer ranges. But don't be shy about trying different ammo.
The AR platform is a lot of fun. Good luck with it.
Liberty''s Blog
"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom." John F. Kennedy
Last, I saw an ad for an off-brand AR being sold there for under $400.00 I paid way more than that but I bought high quality...you pay for greater quality, but for your purposes not necessary.
Plus, both Cabelas and Academy have sales on these things.
Good luck and when you decide tell us what you bought.
Abraham wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:21 pm
You're in a buyers market.
Check with Primary Arms.
Last, I saw an ad for an off-brand AR being sold there for under $400.00 I paid way more than that but I bought high quality...you pay for greater quality, but for your purposes not necessary.
Plus, both Cabelas and Academy have sales on these things.
Good luck and when you decide tell us what you bought.
Sportstman's Guide had the DPMS Oracle on sale for $379.00, plus there is a $50.00 rebate and it comes with a decent 2 rifle soft sided case. Retail around $50.00 as well. I know it's a low end budget firearm, but as you say, for my purposes I think it should be just fine. I can see running 30 - 60 rounds per month or so on average through it... Between the overall good ratings and all of the youtube videos I've watched it seems like a pretty decent gun for the money.. I'm not into tricking out my firearms.. Except maybe for better grips and maybe some sights that's about it...
As I said in my original post, I have always been a pistol guy.. I have around a dozen handguns but in rifles I have a Ruger 10/22 and a Mosen Nagant carbine.. And that one I've not even shot yet... I've always kinda wanted an AR, but not enough to justify spending a lot of cash for one... I just saw this deal and figured the price point, rebate and free case it was a good time to go ahead and get one....
Abraham wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:21 pm
You're in a buyers market.
Check with Primary Arms.
He already bought the gun. He was asking about ammo.
As a shooter, I don't notice any difference between .223 and 5.56 in terms of recoil and noise. Both are soft shooting rounds from a rifle. I buy whatever is the cheapest brass case ammo from a reputable manufacturer for general plinking. You can get steel case ammo but the price difference isn't worth it in my opinion.
I'm in a good place right now
Not emotionally or financially
But I am at the gun store
Whoops...sorry. I wasn't reading carefully enough. My only excuse, been working outdoors, spraying, mowing and generally getting overheated. I still think I'm 25, but no, I'm now so old if my body was furniture I'd be an antique....
Abraham wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:21 pm
You're in a buyers market.
Check with Primary Arms.
He already bought the gun. He was asking about ammo.
As a shooter, I don't notice any difference between .223 and 5.56 in terms of recoil and noise. Both are soft shooting rounds from a rifle. I buy whatever is the cheapest brass case ammo from a reputable manufacturer for general plinking. You can get steel case ammo but the price difference isn't worth it in my opinion.
I'm no expert, but from what I've observed. .223 is typically more expensive, but it also comes with more options and like boat tail and hollow point etc. The OP stated he wanted ammo for plinking with iron sights and pretty close range almost any ammo will work. I would avoid commie brands or steel case, but maybe its just me. Any gun rated for .556 will shoot ,223 just fine.
Many many guns that are sold are .223 are also blessed by the manufacturer to shoot .556. The Ruger series is one manufacturer that comes to mind with their mini 14. The target mini 14 model is the one notable exception.
Liberty''s Blog
"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom." John F. Kennedy
Buy bulk 5.56MM at around $300/1000 (brass-cased, reloadable 55gn FMJ) to your door. Look for buying opportunities with free or low cost max shipping charges and factor that in to the overall cost. You shouldn't have to look to far or long for a deal at $300/100 rounds. You can sometimes find deals $15 or 20 cheaper if you are willing to wait and shop a bit.
Russ
Stay aware and engaged. Awareness buys time; time buys options. Survival may require moving quickly past the Observe, Orient and Decide steps to ACT.
NRA Life Member, CRSO, Basic Pistol, PPITH & PPOTH Instructor, Texas 4-H Certified Pistol & Rifle Coach, Texas LTC Instructor
Abraham wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:21 pm
You're in a buyers market.
Check with Primary Arms.
Last, I saw an ad for an off-brand AR being sold there for under $400.00 I paid way more than that but I bought high quality...you pay for greater quality, but for your purposes not necessary.
Plus, both Cabelas and Academy have sales on these things.
Good luck and when you decide tell us what you bought.
Sportstman's Guide had the DPMS Oracle on sale for $379.00, plus there is a $50.00 rebate and it comes with a decent 2 rifle soft sided case. Retail around $50.00 as well. I know it's a low end budget firearm, but as you say, for my purposes I think it should be just fine. I can see running 30 - 60 rounds per month or so on average through it... Between the overall good ratings and all of the youtube videos I've watched it seems like a pretty decent gun for the money.. I'm not into tricking out my firearms.. Except maybe for better grips and maybe some sights that's about it...
As I said in my original post, I have always been a pistol guy.. I have around a dozen handguns but in rifles I have a Ruger 10/22 and a Mosen Nagant carbine.. And that one I've not even shot yet... I've always kinda wanted an AR, but not enough to justify spending a lot of cash for one... I just saw this deal and figured the price point, rebate and free case it was a good time to go ahead and get one....
30-60 rounds through an AR is about 10 minutes range time even shooting slowly! You’re going to get hooked and go through 300 per range trip!
Congrats on your new rifle.
The left lies about everything. Truth is a liberal value, and truth is a conservative value, but it has never been a left-wing value. People on the left say whatever advances their immediate agenda. Power is their moral lodestar; therefore, truth is always subservient to it. - Dennis Prager
Abraham wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:21 pm
You're in a buyers market.
Check with Primary Arms.
Last, I saw an ad for an off-brand AR being sold there for under $400.00 I paid way more than that but I bought high quality...you pay for greater quality, but for your purposes not necessary.
Plus, both Cabelas and Academy have sales on these things.
Good luck and when you decide tell us what you bought.
Sportstman's Guide had the DPMS Oracle on sale for $379.00, plus there is a $50.00 rebate and it comes with a decent 2 rifle soft sided case. Retail around $50.00 as well. I know it's a low end budget firearm, but as you say, for my purposes I think it should be just fine. I can see running 30 - 60 rounds per month or so on average through it... Between the overall good ratings and all of the youtube videos I've watched it seems like a pretty decent gun for the money.. I'm not into tricking out my firearms.. Except maybe for better grips and maybe some sights that's about it...
As I said in my original post, I have always been a pistol guy.. I have around a dozen handguns but in rifles I have a Ruger 10/22 and a Mosen Nagant carbine.. And that one I've not even shot yet... I've always kinda wanted an AR, but not enough to justify spending a lot of cash for one... I just saw this deal and figured the price point, rebate and free case it was a good time to go ahead and get one....
30-60 rounds through an AR is about 10 minutes range time even shooting slowly! You’re going to get hooked and go through 300 per range trip!
Congrats on your new rifle.
BIG SIGH. I know. I’ll keep trying to convince myself that I won’t. But I know me pretty well. Already have 1000 Wolf on order. Along with 500 9mm, 200 .380, 500 7.62x39, 500 22lr. I was going to add some 45 and 38spcl, but I just bought 500 each about 3 weeks ago. I have a membership to frisco gun club and am meeting the owner of Mission 160 outdoor range tomorrow to pay my first year dues.
To summarize. Hi, my name is mike and I’m an addict.
As a general thing, I’ve found bulk purchased milsurp 5.56 ammo to be the cheapest way to go. That said, some ranges won’t let you shoot FMJ. I’ve found inexpensive remanufactured loadings from time to time of 55 and 60 grain soft points loaded by companies like Freedom Munitions, in recycled brass, using Nosler Partition soft point bullets. For example: https://www.freedommunitions.com/ammuni ... reman.html. These would not only work for ranges where FMJ is verboten, but also could be used for small game / varmint hunting.
BTW, check out Primary Arms for inexpensive optics of pretty good quality for that price point. You’ll like your AR much better with a 3X or 5X fixed power, or a 1-6X variable power scope on it. And PA’s ACSS reticle is pretty good.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
Check out Holosun for inexpensive red dot. I was fortunate enough to get to go to SHOT Show in 2017 where I first saw them. They figured out Aimpoint circuitry so battery life is similar in years. They have a model with solar panel on top so get both solar power if light available or battery as needed, and it also adjusts intensity of the dot based on ambient lighting. I have two and they are half the price of my Aimpoints. Bought mine on Amazon
The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.
Abraham wrote: ↑Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:21 pm
You're in a buyers market.
Check with Primary Arms.
Last, I saw an ad for an off-brand AR being sold there for under $400.00 I paid way more than that but I bought high quality...you pay for greater quality, but for your purposes not necessary.
Plus, both Cabelas and Academy have sales on these things.
Good luck and when you decide tell us what you bought.
Sportstman's Guide had the DPMS Oracle on sale for $379.00, plus there is a $50.00 rebate and it comes with a decent 2 rifle soft sided case. Retail around $50.00 as well. I know it's a low end budget firearm, but as you say, for my purposes I think it should be just fine. I can see running 30 - 60 rounds per month or so on average through it... Between the overall good ratings and all of the youtube videos I've watched it seems like a pretty decent gun for the money.. I'm not into tricking out my firearms.. Except maybe for better grips and maybe some sights that's about it...
As I said in my original post, I have always been a pistol guy.. I have around a dozen handguns but in rifles I have a Ruger 10/22 and a Mosen Nagant carbine.. And that one I've not even shot yet... I've always kinda wanted an AR, but not enough to justify spending a lot of cash for one... I just saw this deal and figured the price point, rebate and free case it was a good time to go ahead and get one....
30-60 rounds through an AR is about 10 minutes range time even shooting slowly! You’re going to get hooked and go through 300 per range trip!
Congrats on your new rifle.
BIG SIGH. I know. I’ll keep trying to convince myself that I won’t. But I know me pretty well. Already have 1000 Wolf on order. Along with 500 9mm, 200 .380, 500 7.62x39, 500 22lr. I was going to add some 45 and 38spcl, but I just bought 500 each about 3 weeks ago. I have a membership to frisco gun club and am meeting the owner of Mission 160 outdoor range tomorrow to pay my first year dues.
To summarize. Hi, my name is mike and I’m an addict.
