New to the AR platform, questions also san antonio specific

[Texas Bulldog]

So I have the AR itch and am looking at just about everything and anything. I went to Texas guns and although their selection was good their prices seemed high and they seemed very pushy on selling me on what THEY wanted me to buy... I told them by budget $1500... and everything they showed me was 2k+... its like they couldn't understand what i was getting at.

SO... selection in San Antonio? DPMS, Bushmaster? colt even? heck, how about the new Ruger 556?

I understand that sometimes its cheaper in the longrun to buy something with more done to it as a package but right now more of a bare bones system would be great since i can add on as i go.

Also, I would really like to shoot this thing A LOT im thinking because of the popularity i should stick with .223?

Am I on the right track? And if so, can someone suggest another shop to check out?

THanks

[Reloader]

Here are a few I have dealt with over the 35 years I have been in san Antonio.Both have excellent gunsmiths. Both are reliable and good customer service oriented:

Dury's Gunshop-IH 37 and Hot Wells 50 years old
Nagel's Gun Shop- one of the oldest San Pedro and Recoleta

Might check with Academy, Cabela's, and other chain stores, don't know if they carry these

[joe817]

Have you considered the AR platform that Andy posted about earlier in the week? $600.00 sounds like a heck of a deal to me. But then again, I know next to nothing about AR's.

[mrvmax]

Buy online and get it shipped to an FFL, you will probably get a better price. I would stick with a Colt 6920, Daniel Defense or LMT. Those are all excellent guns and stay under your budget. You can also read below for info on AR's
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/co ... &key=XV-M4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/co ... =M4CARBINE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://sgcusa.com/product_info.php?products_id=726" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/co ... ey=HGSTD16" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://forums.officer.com/showthread.php?t=81462" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=7355" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[The Annoyed Man]

Another consideration might be to roll your own. You can buy a stripped lower somewhere in SA, and then order everything else you need online, and either A) save yourself a whole lot of money (maybe even enough to buy yourself another pistol with the difference); or B) have a $2,000 AR for $1,500. You would wind up having exactly the AR you want, tailored to your needs, and with the custom features you want — not some more generic version of that, marketed to a wider audience.

The first two ARs we bought were factory built varmint rifles — a Bushmaster, and a Rock River Arms. They are both pretty nice rifles and quite accurate. But after having built two more myself, I'll probably never buy another factory built AR — regardless of whether I'm looking for a national match gun, a QCB carbine, or a coyote rig. It's just too much fun to build your own, and it's just too much cheaper not to build it yourself.

[Texas Bulldog]

Another consideration might be to roll your own. You can buy a stripped lower somewhere in SA, and then order everything else you need online, and either A) save yourself a whole lot of money (maybe even enough to buy yourself another pistol with the difference); or B) have a $2,000 AR for $1,500. You would wind up having exactly the AR you want, tailored to your needs, and with the custom features you want — not some more generic version of that, marketed to a wider audience.

The first two ARs we bought were factory built varmint rifles — a Bushmaster, and a Rock River Arms. They are both pretty nice rifles and quite accurate. But after having built two more myself, I'll probably never buy another factory built AR — regardless of whether I'm looking for a national match gun, a QCB carbine, or a coyote rig. It's just too much fun to build your own, and it's just too much cheaper not to build it yourself.

I would be 100% up to building my own, but I just don't know anyone with one and am not familiar with them. So that leaves me a tad nervous about starting a project like that and just kinda being on my own. If I could get some Guidance from a local (i would supply ammo/drinks/food/ect) I would love to build my own... in fact i would prefer it but i am a little apprehensive about it since it is my first ya know?

but heck, maybe i should just look into that route anyhow and then when the time comes maybe find someone to help me out?

JOe

[ELB]

Couple thoughts:

It has been three years since I lived in San Antonio, so haven't been 'round the gun stores as much as I used to, but when I lived there, Texas Guns was definitely the more expensive gun shop. I'm not saying this is a negative, necessarily: Jerry usually had a pretty good selection, and I did buy some guns from him. One used revolver I bought there turned out to have a problem with the cylinder timing when shooting rapidly, and he had it repaired at no cost to me. (In fact, I sold it two years later to one of his employees at a gun show for what I paid for it, so it was a good deal all around.) But he was a little pricey overall for my budget.

If you are new to ARs, I found the following link very helpful in figuring out what the choices are when specifying and ordering an AR:
http://forums.officer.com/showthread.php?t=81462" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is focused on a tactical carbine for police officers, but it covers a lot of nomenclature and technical info on the AR. The author there also recommends separately buying the upper and lower and saving the federal gun tax. I found it very helpful. (Altho I ended up buying an AK).

[The Annoyed Man]

Another consideration might be to roll your own. You can buy a stripped lower somewhere in SA, and then order everything else you need online, and either A) save yourself a whole lot of money (maybe even enough to buy yourself another pistol with the difference); or B) have a $2,000 AR for $1,500. You would wind up having exactly the AR you want, tailored to your needs, and with the custom features you want — not some more generic version of that, marketed to a wider audience.

The first two ARs we bought were factory built varmint rifles — a Bushmaster, and a Rock River Arms. They are both pretty nice rifles and quite accurate. But after having built two more myself, I'll probably never buy another factory built AR — regardless of whether I'm looking for a national match gun, a QCB carbine, or a coyote rig. It's just too much fun to build your own, and it's just too much cheaper not to build it yourself.

I would be 100% up to building my own, but I just don't know anyone with one and am not familiar with them. So that leaves me a tad nervous about starting a project like that and just kinda being on my own. If I could get some Guidance from a local (i would supply ammo/drinks/food/ect) I would love to build my own... in fact i would prefer it but i am a little apprehensive about it since it is my first ya know?

but heck, maybe i should just look into that route anyhow and then when the time comes maybe find someone to help me out?

JOe

I live in Grapevine, in the DFW metroplex, or I would be glad to help you out; but I'll bet there's at least a half dozen members on this board who live in your area and would be glad to guide you through building one if you're supplying the "beverages." Look at it this way: these rifles were designed to be soldier proof and easy to understand in an army made up largely of civilians with no firearms experience prior to their service. If this 11 year old girl (below) can do it, so can you.
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=irykjLjuKo8[/youtube]

[ghostrider]

>If this 11 year old girl (below) can do it, so can you.


That's kinda like a 'triple dog dare' isn't it? :-)

[pbwalker]

Another consideration might be to roll your own. You can buy a stripped lower somewhere in SA, and then order everything else you need online, and either A) save yourself a whole lot of money (maybe even enough to buy yourself another pistol with the difference); or B) have a $2,000 AR for $1,500. You would wind up having exactly the AR you want, tailored to your needs, and with the custom features you want — not some more generic version of that, marketed to a wider audience.

The first two ARs we bought were factory built varmint rifles — a Bushmaster, and a Rock River Arms. They are both pretty nice rifles and quite accurate. But after having built two more myself, I'll probably never buy another factory built AR — regardless of whether I'm looking for a national match gun, a QCB carbine, or a coyote rig. It's just too much fun to build your own, and it's just too much cheaper not to build it yourself.

I would be 100% up to building my own, but I just don't know anyone with one and am not familiar with them. So that leaves me a tad nervous about starting a project like that and just kinda being on my own. If I could get some Guidance from a local (i would supply ammo/drinks/food/ect) I would love to build my own... in fact i would prefer it but i am a little apprehensive about it since it is my first ya know?

but heck, maybe i should just look into that route anyhow and then when the time comes maybe find someone to help me out?

JOe

Hey Joe (no pun intended - I always feel like ending that salutation with a "where ya going with that gun in your hand?" lol)

I am in San Antonio, live and work on the NW side. I would be happy to help you out! Feel free to PM me and we can exchange email addresses!

[TLE2]

I know this is an old post, and I'm sorry to resurrect it.

Could we have an AR-15 sub-category in Rifles and Shotguns?

I would love to "roll my own" AR-15. I especially like the idea of not having to plunk down big bunks all at one time. Plus is does look like fun.

It would be nice to get ideas on parts, what's worked, what hasn't...

Any possibility??

[flintknapper]

As suggested build your own.

Go here and read all about it: http://www.ar15.com/forums/board.html?b=3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Chuck TX]

As suggested build your own.

Go here and read all about it: http://www.ar15.com/forums/board.html?b=3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

+1 to that. Building one yourself is not only easy and fun, but it'll give you a good understanding of you rifle. Handy if you ever have a problem, want to change something out like the trigger, or shoot enough to require maintenance replacement of parts. However, there is no way, EVER, that you can stop at building just one.

[TLE2]

I'm also considering building an AR.

I watched the Bushnell's videos on building an AR. It seems that you need a lot of specialized tools: the full AR armorer's toolkit cost more than a low-ball AR-15.

But the videos were informative.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=1100 ... R-15_Video