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AR-15 Recs for a Beginner
Posted on 11/17/25 at 6:53 pm
Posted on 11/17/25 at 6:53 pm
Heading to a gun show on black FRI, hoping to leave with an AR of some time. Any recs/advice appreciated!
13
Posted on 11/17/25 at 6:58 pm to TopekaTiger
What are you looking to do with it?
For a beginner complete rifle, the S&W M&P 15 Sport is a very good AR.
For a beginner complete rifle, the S&W M&P 15 Sport is a very good AR.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 7:15 pm to bbvdd
Mostly target shooting and maybe home defense depending on how comfortable I get with it. Thanks for your input
Posted on 11/17/25 at 7:22 pm to bbvdd
quote:
S&W M&P 15 Sport
Heard great things about this rifle
Posted on 11/17/25 at 7:37 pm to TopekaTiger
quote:
Heading to a gun show on black FRI, hoping to leave with an AR of some time. Any recs/advice appreciated!
My recommendation is not to let anyone talk you into something that costs more than $1,000. You can find reliable, accurate ARs for almost half that price and they’ll do everything you want them to.
Exhibit A: https://www.redteamarmory.com/product/smith-wesson-mp-15-sport-iii-16-5.56-1-30rd?source=gundeals
This post was edited on 11/17/25 at 7:41 pm
Posted on 11/17/25 at 7:44 pm to Theduckhunter
Get a Ruger or a S&W.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 7:51 pm to bbvdd
quote:
S&W M&P 15 Sport is a very good AR.
This is the easy button.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 7:52 pm to Jack Ruby
What he said.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 7:57 pm to Theduckhunter
quote:agree.
My recommendation is not to let anyone talk you into something that costs more than $1,000
This post was edited on 11/17/25 at 7:59 pm
Posted on 11/17/25 at 8:48 pm to TopekaTiger
Honestly, if you go look on the Black Friday deals on palmetto state, the lower with the EPT and find you an upper receiver you are going for caliber/length wise. Pieced one together for my BIL last year as a beginner rig for him and he added a red dot, sling, a few hundred rounds of 300blk ammo for under a grand. Thing shoots like a dream for the price.
The M&P sport was my first rifle though. I take it out from time to time now. It’ll eat any ammo you throw in it.
The M&P sport was my first rifle though. I take it out from time to time now. It’ll eat any ammo you throw in it.
This post was edited on 11/17/25 at 8:52 pm
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:00 pm to Big_country346
It used to be possible not all that long ago to get a PSA blem lower and blem upper for sub $400 all in. Not sure if thats still the case, but thats a plenty good enough rig for plinking and home defense. The one I have will shoot under 3 MOA with a red dot and ammo it likes and has been 100% reliable.
Definitely no need to spend big money on a general purpose AR. I think the m&p 15 is a better rifle than the bottom of the barrel PSA just because its likely to be more accurate and is still affordable. Both are good options though.
Definitely no need to spend big money on a general purpose AR. I think the m&p 15 is a better rifle than the bottom of the barrel PSA just because its likely to be more accurate and is still affordable. Both are good options though.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:38 pm to TopekaTiger
This is easy for me.
I started with a Smith & Wesson MNP sport.
And then I bought a Palmetto State for around $500.
These are where you start.
I started with a Smith & Wesson MNP sport.
And then I bought a Palmetto State for around $500.
These are where you start.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 9:49 pm to TopekaTiger
I love my S&W Sport.
I also love my Palmetto State AR10 if you want something heavier but also under $900.
I also love my Palmetto State AR10 if you want something heavier but also under $900.
Posted on 11/17/25 at 11:40 pm to TopekaTiger
LINK
Go get this for a basic starter AR. Learn what you like and don’t like. If you have buddies with other ARs, try and shoot those for comparison.
There are TONS of options and this is a good vanilla starter. Watch a lot of youtubes, read a lot on here, and consume as much info as possible. Get you a cheap red dot and get good at 100 yds.
After you put 500-1000 rds through it, maybe try an upgrade (trigger, bcg, buffer, etc). The beauty of ARs is they are easy to work on and modify.
Go get this for a basic starter AR. Learn what you like and don’t like. If you have buddies with other ARs, try and shoot those for comparison.
There are TONS of options and this is a good vanilla starter. Watch a lot of youtubes, read a lot on here, and consume as much info as possible. Get you a cheap red dot and get good at 100 yds.
After you put 500-1000 rds through it, maybe try an upgrade (trigger, bcg, buffer, etc). The beauty of ARs is they are easy to work on and modify.
Posted on 11/18/25 at 5:32 am to DownshiftAndFloorIt
I got a PSA M4 blem for $470, I still see those on the sale email often. It's fun to shoot, accurate. Put something you like on top. I don't have any grand plans for one, just like to shoot it and would shoot hogs with it given the chance.
Posted on 11/18/25 at 6:25 am to TopekaTiger
I just wouldn't buy at a gun show.
M&P Sport III, ideally from a LGS.
M&P Sport III, ideally from a LGS.
Posted on 11/18/25 at 7:59 am to TopekaTiger
quote:
Heading to a gun show on black FRI, hoping to leave with an AR of some time. Any recs/advice appreciated!
You've gotten plenty of good advice; I'll give you one more piece. Don't do anything to your purchase for a year or two. Don't buy any doo-dads, magic-bullshite selector switches, custom anodized trigger guard, none of that stuff. Just shoot it. In two years you'll know how much you're actually going to use it on a regular basis and what you like & don't like about it.
Posted on 11/18/25 at 8:13 am to Flats
quote:
Don't do anything to your purchase for a year or two
I can agree with this except when it comes to the trigger. It’s hard to enjoy shooting an AR with a heavy trigger. A spring kit is cheap and easy to install.
Posted on 11/18/25 at 8:29 am to TopekaTiger
OB with great advice as always. Find a good set of hearing protection to go with your new gun purchase and enjoy 
Posted on 11/18/25 at 8:39 am to Theduckhunter
quote:
I can agree with this except when it comes to the trigger. It’s hard to enjoy shooting an AR with a heavy trigger. A spring kit is cheap and easy to install.
A spring kit is going to have a marginal improvement. The stock trigger is bad because of geometry; you can polish it all you want, replace the springs, whatever, and it's still going to be bad. You need to spend $100 on a drop in (at the low end) to really upgrade the trigger.
I do agree with you that a replacement trigger would be purchase #1, but it's not a requirement for normal use. Shitty triggers worked fine in the desert.
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