I’ve got a budget of about $1,500-$1,700.
I’m looking for a more “general purpose” rifle that can do a bit of everything. I’m looking to be able to hit out to around 600M.
It’ll have a 1-4x optic on it eventually.
What pre-built rifle do you guys recommend? I’m looking at options from BCM and Daniel Defense currently.
I’d like a pre-built because generally when it comes to anything custom… I kinda have bad luck.
Though I do have a build list for a rifle I put together a while ago.
Any suggestions/ ideas appreciated!
AR build list, cost ~1500-1600 w/o assembly cost
-AERO Precision stripped receiver set, anodized
-Midwest Industries SSM M-Lok 12" RIS
-YHM Machine flash hider (This may change)
-CCMG Lower Parts Kit
-Faxon Firearms 16" SOCOM Profile barrel
-Rainier Arms nickle Boron match grade BCG
-BCM/ Vltor mod 4 medium charging handle
-Magpul K2 Pistol grip
-Magpul ACS Carbine stock
-Magpul MBUS Gen 2
-Geiselle SSA-E Trigger
-V-Seven Titanium gas block .750
-Vltor buffer tube & spring/ guide
-BCM mid length gas tube
Id like to go with a higher end rifle currently. I already have a I’d say… “cheaper” rifle for me to beat up. I have a Troy already so buying a Colt wouldn’t really be much of an upgrade.
I have money set aside for ammunition and about $600 for a scope.
Ummm… I’d rate a real Colt (69xx series, not the licensed “Colt Competition” cheap stuff) as an upgrade over most brands with the exceptions of KAC and LMT. Colt created the platform and has it thoroughly debugged. You may want to read some past threads for discussions of relative brands and what differences exist, even if they aren’t flashy.
Anyway, make the rifle you want, it’s a buyer’s market.
If you already have an AR, and have a $1700 budget, and want it to do things that your current rifle doesn’t, why not take advantage of the inherent modularity of the platform and get a higher-end upper receiver?
Options from lots of places inside that budget that will get you pretty far.
I get it if you want to do a whole rifle, not trying to lecture.
In your list you are starting with Aero. Ok for clone, but that rifle will always be an Aero frankngun.
Start with a colt OEM2 if you don’t do the 6960. Put the rail of your choice, triggers, furniture, Etc. It will always be a colt and worth more.
Should be able to end up with a nice colt based rifle and have some money left over for a starter optic.
The other options are Daniel Defense or LMT. Used to be you could get LMT complete lowers pretty economically, they’ve gone up a bit. But their lower with the two-stage trigger is still a decent value.
For what it’s worth I’d probably rather have your proposed Aero based Frankengun than the majority of the Troys I see.
My view is with the recent deals on Colt OEMs it’s just not worth fiddling with anything else. You’ll pay more with generics and have a rifle that’s worth less.
If you just hate the idea of a colt, I’d just have BCM or Sionics build exactly what you want. Won’t be much if any cheaper though.
A lot of good advice here. Your budget leaves a lot open as far as quality weapons is concerned. Colt, BCM, Sionics, LMT. If none of them have the exact weapon you are looking for pick one of their lowers and then pick an upper from another company. My 1st AR was a LMT lower with a BCM middy upper. The only complete weapons I have are a Noveske SBR and a LMT MWS. The rest are either complete builds I did myself or or combination uppers and lowers. They all came in less that you budget amount except for the Noveske and the LMT
Lowers aren’t too hard to fill out. I personally assembled all my own lowers, and had Dave Laubert over at Defensive Creations (http://www.defensivecreations.com/) build out my DI uppers using parts that I selected.
The LWRC IC DI guns are definitely going for very cheap right now (very easy to find for <1100 USD). On one hand, it’s a turnkey solution it gives you a true ambi lower from a relatively reputable manufacturer. However, you’re also locked into their proprietary Monoforge uppers, which means your handguard selection is extremely limited.
This is easy… Get a BCM SS barreled upper with the handguard you like from BCM and a BCM lower with the furniture and trigger you like from Grant. Nothing to it.
This ^^^^^. I’m a big fan of BCM, but Sionics is worth your serious consideration. I had some questions about their new MLOK rail and when I called Sionics they put we through to the guy who was on in the shop assembling the rifles. I ended up purchasing a complete Patrol 3-E upper (w/ MLOK Rail, Magpul MBUS Pros, BCG & CH) & LPK with enhanced trigger from Sionics last month. Added a Sionics stripped lower from Tombstone Tactical and the total for everything was $865 shipped.
Does your budget need to include optic? I’d echo Sionics or BCM. I have both and they are great. The LWRC DI can be had for under $1K, but so can a Sionics.
I just picked up a KAC SR-15 Mod1 a couple of weeks ago for ~$1600. If you look around, you could score yourself a KAC or maybe look at a LMT CQB. As others have also said, you can’t go wrong with a DD, Colt, Sionics, BCM, etc.