What is a good price for an AR or M4 ?

[tsafa]

I know that the prices will vary based on a lot of things. For one thing I might go new or used... 20" barrel or 16"... modern or Vietnam era... So please give some details for the prices you post. Feel free to post any opinion on one configuration over another. It will help me with my buying decision. Thanks.

[steviesterno]

there are too many variants to even get close. you need to let us know what you want to use it for.

For instance: I built a nice 20 inch to play with for $450
My current 16 inch competition has probably $1500 into it including optics.

what do you want to do with it?

[tsafa]

Thanks Steviesterno. That is the feed back I am looking for since I am not sure yet how I will use it. I want to know what people paid for and how they use it.

I like the idea of spending $450. Tell me more about that and what it can do... also what I would be giving up by not spending $1,500. Thanks again.

[shortthrow50]

I bought my bushmaster m4 type (collapsible stock, 16" barrell, etc) brand new for about 800 out the door a few years ago. Works as good as any other ar (all milspec parts). Great gun for shootin paper and or just tearing crap up. Some neighborhood commandos install all kinds of tactical accesories and that can run some bucks.

[steviesterno]

well for the cheapy...

I just kept my ear to the ground and picked up a virgin lower for like 70 bucks. same thing with a LPK and stock. I was in for about 150 for all that. then I happened on a deal on an upper (the guy needed money fast) and I got a complete upper for $250. It was not the ideal set up, but it was cheap and the first that I "built" myself. all that stuff is easy to do, and there is enough online resource to do it. shoot me a PM i'll explain further.

for the competition one... Started life as a bushmaster flat top. did some stock/handgrip changes, added a surefire light and mounts, aimpoint, and recently did a complete trigger job myself. That price is the value of parts, I always paid less than MSRP. But I wanted this to be a straight shooting, totally reliable, very accurate, HD and competition AR and now it is

[ishoot4fun]

tsafa - In order to get a decent reply you're going to have give a lot more information for the forum browsers to use. There's just way to much variety and choice in the AR market to say what is a good price. It's all relative. That being said...the most common uses IMHO for ARs tend to be plinking, target shooting, competition, and home defense. Some states also allow hunting with semis, so I've seen some great looking varmint ARs.

Personally, I have a Stag Arms Model 2. It cost $875 when I got it a year ago. My primary uses are target shooting/plinking. Although I'd love to use it at sometime in a three-gun match. And as shortthrow50 said, I plead guilty to being a neighborhood commando...though I live on a farm. The accessory options are too numerous to list. An AR15 is to men as Barbie is to girls.

For prices, check out gunbroker.com. I think they tend to run a little high, but will at least get you thinking.
Here's a brief list of manufactures (please feel free to add): Colt, Bushmaster, Rock River, Stag Arms, Olympic Arms, LRWC, Ruger, LMT, ArmaLite, DPMS, Noveske, Bravo Company, Daniel Defense, Smith & Wesson, Knights Armament, Sabre Defense...I can't even think of them all right now. Each has their own contribution to the market, with their own tweaks and perks, and the prices vary widely. And this doesn't even count the owners who build their own.

Bottom line...think about why you want an AR, then what your price range is (both for the rifle and accessories), then let us know. The forum users were great in guiding me to the Stag I have now, and I love it.

[tsafa]

Bottom line...think about why you want an AR, then what your price range is (both for the rifle and accessories), then let us know. The forum users were great in guiding me to the Stag I have now, and I love it.

I want the AR chambered for .223/5.56. I plan to use it for plinking. I will probably just go with iron sights for now, but I do want upgrade capabilities.

[NikeBauer21]

Simple answer: $500 and beyond.

The prices have come down quite a bit since the scare for basic, cheaper models.

[tsafa]

What is the difference between A1, A2 and A3 sights. I have herd those terms thrown around a bit.

How easy is it to change from a 20" to 16" barrel? Is it just a matter of changing the barrel? or the whole upper?

I am probably looking to spend $500 to $700 on something that is upgradable. In terms of upgrade-ability, what should I be looking for... or are all ARs modular and upgradable.

Thanks for advice everyone.

[animalmother85]

What is the difference between A1, A2 and A3 sights. I have herd those terms thrown around a bit.

How easy is it to change from a 20" to 16" barrel? Is it just a matter of changing the barrel? or the whole upper?

I am probably looking to spend $500 to $700 on something that is upgradable. In terms of upgrade-ability, what should I be looking for... or are all ARs modular and upgradable.

Thanks for advice everyone.

some where around this forum is the "M4 Sheet" (it shows what M4/AR's have what features out of the gate) or some dog squeeze of that manner, search for it, then use "the google", that should help narrow down what you want much faster then waiting for us to reply. Then ask more direct questions once you have a better idea.


Also, you can look into places like Snipershide.com(under the semi-auto section), barfcom(ar15.com), and m4carbine.net for ideas. I stay away from the last two, to many people who type about their rifles way more then they shoot them.

You can change barrels or you can change uppers. Changing uppers is much easier.