AR15 help! Buyer spinning like - err - something that spins a lot

**b20** · 23-09-2019, 11:19

Originally Posted by Grant9

Why not buy an airsoft gun if you just want something that looks cool,

Its cheaper,
You can have it now,
And you can mount it on the wall...

Not really helpful though as it completely misses the point of my original post. I want an AR15. I also want to like what I am buying.

**singh17** · 23-09-2019, 11:49

So I bought a CQA a few years ago, very similar intentions to your OP. I want it and I want to LOOK like the Tacticool ones in the movies.
I had it all. Scope with a Reddot on top, lazer on oneside nextorch on the other, vertical grip. I even had a bipod. This AR looked like something out of a movie, fully kitted.
Fast forward a few years of only a few DMG shoots and everything I wanted on it for the LOOKs has been sold or is collecting dust.
The A post is gone, low profile gas block in. flash hider off, muzzle break on, full lenght handguard installed and only a 1-6x power scope fitted, it is now so much more fun to shoot.

If you are going to use the AR15 at all forget the looks.
It is more fun shooting an AR vs looking at it.

**pdh** · 23-09-2019, 11:58

Originally Posted by singh17

So I bought a CQA a few years ago, very similar intentions to your OP. I want it and I want to LOOK like the Tacticool ones in the movies.I had it all. Scope with a Reddot on top, lazer on oneside nextorch on the other, vertical grip. I even had a bipod. This AR looked like something out of a movie, fully kitted.Fast forward a few years of only a few DMG shoots and everything I wanted on it for the LOOKs has been sold or is collecting dust.The A post is gone, low profile gas block in. flash hider off, muzzle break on, full lenght handguard installed and only a 1-6x power scope fitted, it is now so much more fun to shoot.If you are going to use the AR15 at all forget the looks. It is more fun shooting an AR vs looking at it.

This x100

**b20** · 23-09-2019, 12:47

Originally Posted by singh17

So I bought a CQA a few years ago, very similar intentions to your OP. I want it and I want to LOOK like the Tacticool ones in the movies.
I had it all. Scope with a Reddot on top, lazer on oneside nextorch on the other, vertical grip. I even had a bipod. This AR looked like something out of a movie, fully kitted.
Fast forward a few years of only a few DMG shoots and everything I wanted on it for the LOOKs has been sold or is collecting dust.
The A post is gone, low profile gas block in. flash hider off, muzzle break on, full lenght handguard installed and only a 1-6x power scope fitted, it is now so much more fun to shoot.

If you are going to use the AR15 at all forget the looks.
It is more fun shooting an AR vs looking at it.

Hey man

I completely understand where you are coming from and why you are saying this. So I take all your points.

I agree that a rifle must be shootable and functional. My worry with making my original post was always that the keyboard warriors would take issue and deride me for wanting to be tacticool. (Get an airsoft

...)

My only point was - my intention is to set up my AR in a certain way. I don't want to overload it with accessories and I am not ONLY interested in how it looks. Hence why am trying to do as much research as possible around what is a good AR to start with as a base and upgrade this in line with how I want to. I just know that if I spend my money on rifle that I don't actually like - then I will regret it and then what's the point?

For me, an AR with a vertical foregrip, short (7 inch) rail, and optics - seems appealing. And I like how the a2 front sight looks as part of this combo. So I am just trying to figure out the best route to take to get there..

So my primary questions as summarised from the initial post are:

1.) What is a good base rifle to start with for this project? (Feel like I might be trending back towards the MP15 Sport 2); and then
2.) What kind of upgrades would one make - rail (most pressing), trigger, stock etc in line with my intentions?

I do appreciate the sentiments you have expressed and am taking this on board.

**Bjorn881** · 23-09-2019, 12:58

Originally Posted by pdh

The key thing about an AR is that you can replace things and make it your own.

Buy the M&P sport, a few mags, lots of ammo and some accessories.

As you said, you won’t be shooting this thing a lot and I would even say that instead of a red dot, get a nice 1-6/8 scope to go along with your rifle.

+1 on this recommendation and advice!

Originally Posted by singh17

So I bought a CQA a few years ago, very similar intentions to your OP. I want it and I want to LOOK like the Tacticool ones in the movies.
I had it all. Scope with a Reddot on top, lazer on oneside nextorch on the other, vertical grip. I even had a bipod. This AR looked like something out of a movie, fully kitted.
Fast forward a few years of only a few DMG shoots and everything I wanted on it for the LOOKs has been sold or is collecting dust.
The A post is gone, low profile gas block in. flash hider off, muzzle break on, full lenght handguard installed and only a 1-6x power scope fitted, it is now so much more fun to shoot.

If you are going to use the AR15 at all forget the looks.
It is more fun shooting an AR vs looking at it.

@b20 I went through the exact same decision making process a few months ago in terms of brand of AR15, actually the decsion making process started over a year ago before I eventually decided on a S&W M&P15 Sport 2 at the beginning of this year, due to the level of quality that you get for the price you're paying (R16k+-) which is unmatched in SA at that price point. The furniture that come on it is run of the mill (IMHO the ideal AR15 is something like the Colt 6720 OEM2 which ships with no furniture) which allows people to shoot it out of the box as is the furniture on similar priced AR's.

The reason for doing this is to avoid increasing the cost by adding on fancy stable stocks and quad/free floating rails as everyone has different tastes as highlighted by your initial post! Hence the consumer can choose what to upgrade and spend money on instead of being forced to buy an AR15 with expensive fancy accessories which you don't want.

IMHO I've extensively searched the forum and online web on the topics pertaining to AR15 upgrades and I've come to the realisation that it is best to listen to other informed opinions who have made mistakes and learn from them! @singh17 is a prime example, the advice offered by @singh17 is extremely pertinent if you're going to shoot it! You will soon realise after shooting an AR15 with a quad rail that it is extremely heavy, doesn't allow you to utilise the full area along the barrel to get a better grip or even add more accessories (although this generally isn't recommended), you're limited to those 7 inches, a grip using a full 15 inch free floating rail is superior to that of a vertical grip, while the free floating rail also increases your accuracy and the list goes on... You will learn all this by searching the forum, listening to informed opinions (not sales-people working at a Gun Shop), learning from others mistakes, searching the web etc, it will save you an immense amount of time and especially money!

My AR15 will look something similar to the latter version of @singh17's as even although I don't get as much time as I would wish to go to the range and participate in sport shooting activities, I still wish to be able to fully utilise it when shooting it. With this in mind, then... only then should you start thinking about looks and choosing accessories to align with the best practices to achieve the optimal performance from an AR15!

**Davidc** · 23-09-2019, 13:10

Buy a Troy A4 SPC in the mid 20k range and add a optic. Nothing else needed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Bjorn881** · 23-09-2019, 13:23

Originally Posted by b20

So my primary questions as summarised from the initial post are:

2.) What kind of upgrades would one make - rail (most pressing), trigger, stock etc in line with my intentions?

I do appreciate the sentiments you have expressed and am taking this on board.

IMO upgrade everything if you wish to actually shoot it optimally! Except obviously the internals and barrel as this what you are actually effectively paying for when you purchase an AR15 at that price point, otherwise if you want to upgrade internals e'g. BCG etc you may as well purchase an off the shelf AR which has a higher quality etc.

The caveat to all of this is that no amount of upgrades is ever going to make you shoot an AR15 more accurately without A LOT of ammo (which is pricey) and a bit of instruction/a course, so add this into your consideration and budget. I.e. will you be able to afford enough ammo after all the upgrades!?

**The Beast** · 23-09-2019, 13:32

More people taking A2's off guns than putting them on. I bought a CQA a few years back. Couldn't afford much more.

Really cool to shoot a standard looking gun. FFW a few years and almost everything is changed on the outside. A2 cut off, free float fitted, new trigger etc. That changed it from a stock gun to something that runs at twice the pace it did before.

If you can afford it buy better than the bottom. I got hammered at the DMG nationals 2017 due to not having a free float rail. Rested the rifle on the forward hand-guard still attached to the barrel and A2. missed all the plates past 100m. I was stumped as I have mad hits with the gun at those ranges with ease before. If you want accuracy at anything past 100m consider this.

The longer hand-guard has also drastically improved the handling and stability shooting freehand. Now I'll takes shots (and make them) standing that I would not have considered before.

I love my CQA and it's been ultra reliable.

If you do a few competitive shoots you will soon start liking the more sportier look as they are faster for a reason.

All things said it's your gun. Buy what you like. Everything is modular so you can chop and change the gun as your preferences change. It may just cost a bit more, but it really comes down to money. Maybe buy the second one as a sporty gun.

**bodhi_** · 23-09-2019, 14:16

As much as I like the red dots rather go for a small scope like suggested by others, you are buying a real full-length rifle not a hand carbine. In the multi gun events that I go the rifle targets are 100m or further, I struggle to hit the target at that distance with a red dot when compared to iron sights or scopes.