I don't currently own a rifle and after seeing my brother get his AR-15 last month, and hearing about how one of my co-workers has a few and loves them, I got the itch to research and see what would be best for me.
My thoughts behind it are mainly 2 fold---
- Home defense/zombie apocalypse.
- Fun.
That's about it.
I don't intend to enter into any competitions, nor am I hoping to become the worlds next greatest sniper.
After all my research, I have concluded that the Black Rain AR-15 Spec 15 Fusion Bronze Battleworn 5.56 30rd Mag 10.5in as seen above would fit all of my needs quite nicely.
Through my research I've found that lower priced guns will have polymer (plastic, instead of metal) lowers and maybe even the uppers, on the really low end. That's not good for the longevity of the gun itself, nor the guns reliability.
In a home defense situation, reliability is everything.
I mean, think about it...you're walking around your house because you hear an intruder, you go to pull the trigger and.....nothing happens! That would be an extremely scary situation for anyone to be in, let alone against an armed intruder whose gun probably will fire.
So I said absolutely no to the entry level Ar's.
Rifles above this BRO model, you'll find competition rifles and ones that can shoot a mile down range. Neither of those are my goal, nor was shelling out over 2k or more for one that had capabilities I didn't need or want.
This BRO model comes in at a hefty $1299.99 sticker price, along with tax and shipping. I'd probably guess around 15-1600 hundred all said and done, and that's before stacking up on ammo and eventually getting some sort of optics system which can run anywhere from around 100-600.
For me, not an easy decision to drop that kind of $$$ on something that more than likely will not get a ton of use, but could end up being the difference between life and death.
Here are the full specs of this specific rifle:
Brand : Black Rain Ordnance
Model : Black Rain AR AR-15 Spec 15 Fusion Bronze Battleworn 5.56 30rd Mag 10.5in
Model # : BRO-FUSION-P-BB-BLADE
UPC : 680490949036
Caliber : 5.56MM NATO
Barrel : 10.5
Stock Material : Polymer
Stock Finish : Black
Receiver Material : Alloy
Receiver Finish : Bronze Battleworn
Capacity : 1-30 Round
Front Sight : None
Rear Sight : None
If you know anything about guns and/or AR's specifically, please lend me your input, I would greatly appreciate it.
Is there anything else I should be considering before pulling the trigger on purchasing this AR?
Thanks for reading.
sources
How much experience do you have with firearms in general? If the answer is relatively little, maybe a Ruger 10/22 Takedown instead?
Says the guy with relatively little experience…
I would say I'm more advanced than most. Definitely not a noob. I've owned many a hand guns in my life and still have a few, but never a rifle that I could call my own, def shot some though, same goes for shot guns.
Also have my permit to carry, held that for most my adult life.
I’ll check out that Ruger for sure, thanks for the tip bud!
You own any at all?
laughs in wild west
I know I know I know, you don't have to rub it in bro, lol.
A 10/22 is a fantastic carbine, although not ideal for deer-sized game or self-defence. One belongs in every home arsenal though IMHO, and that takedown model is perfect for backpacking. Wish I had one.
Do @farm-mom a big favor, please be careful, a gun like that one will take your foot off, if in fact you shot yourself in the foot.😀😁😂🤣
I promise I'll be careful @farm-MOM!!! lol
That was exactly what I was thinking at first, don't shoot your eye out.
Love that movie, the best was the leg lamp. hehehehehe
That's a lot of money, but then we live in crazy times right now, so it may be the new normal. I was in your situation a few years ago and opted to buy a cheap (but quality) AR-15 to start with ($599 at the time, but I am aware that may not be available now). Once I had become a little more familiar with the platform I couldn't help myself and started building my own. Assembling your own really adds to the experience IMO. Of course lowers and build kits are thin on the ground too now, but hopefully that situation will improve soon.
I would love to build one for myself one day, but currently, I don't have the time nor the patience.
This one I posted about is as close to what I would build anyway, sans a scope, and I can add that whenever, so I'm content buying off the shelf.
Thanks for chiming in with your comment. I see you're new here, welcome! Lots to learn and understand, but it's all worth it, so stick it out if ya feel drained or not content :)
I don't know what the market is right now post-election, but a few years back,you could get a solid AR with an aluminum lower for under $1000. You might also consider buying a lower and a parts kit, and shopping uppers separately to get a combo that suits you, but sometimes a prebuilt gun is just the simpler option, too, so I get that.
Minnesota is one hell of a nanny state when it comes to modern rifles, so be aware that legal issues may arise. You might consider a more traditional-looking Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle for around $1,000. Mags will be a bit more expensive, but hoplophobic Karens might be less triggered. I hear quality control has improved, and they can be quite good carbines nowadays.
MN is not CA/MA/etc bad. A permit to purchase is required for a long gun with removable magazines + pistol grip, which is stupid, but permits are free to obtain and usually don't take long. Carry permits count as permits to purchase.
If it please the crown, might I purchase a modern musketoon?
Yeah, maybe in the future I'd go that first route, but "just gimme the damn thing", is about where I'm at right now. I told the wife I'd wait until one of crypto investments could cover it before I'd get it...hoping that's only like a week away, or less 🤑
We are king of the nannies. Unless of course you're hosting the super bowl, then Sunday liquor sales are made legal immediately. We had only been wanting that for decades before the SB came and made it happen. As they say, money talks.
I don't think there are any legality issues though regarding this particular gun. It's being sold here in MN for starters, so what did you have in mind as far as possible legal issues?
I'll check out that Ruger, you're the second person to recommend a Ruger, albeit a different model.
You just have a lot of hoplophobic Karens in your state legislature, and 6-decade-old ergonomic carbines scare them.
Roger makes a decent rifle in any category, although they do have some historical QC issues and political missteps. The 10/22 is one of the most customizable rifles out there, and it's a fine plinker. The takedown model is, as already noted, ideal for backpackers. The Mini-14 is basically a scaled-down M14, and can be a solid tactical carbine with a traditional-looking wood stock.
I’m not a book of gun knowledge by any means but I would say go ahead and pull the trigger on this one
I couldn’t help myself
I have been considering picking up an AR myself but also considering having one built... Mainly just thoughts no actions have been taken toward these ideas.
did it again
Well there's one vote for me to pull the trigger...couldn't help myself either @splatts, hahaha.
Building one sounds like a lot of fun, but it's time and energy I just don't have at my disposal at the moment.
Let this be me, giving you, the green light to pull the trigger on your AR build :)
oops, I did it again. Cue Britney!
Black Rain ARs are probably reliable, although they tend to prioritize aesthetics which ends up being a reason for their high price. Also might be the reason they're more available because less people are interested in buying them. The "Let it Rain" on the inside of the dust cover is pretty plebeian.
Sometimes you can find a good AR with a free floated barrel in stock at sportsmans.com, which is shipped free to the store in Coon Rapids, with no FFL fee either. Right now they have a free-floated 10.5" barrel pistol with a better brace from a good budget brand in stock: https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/handguns/ruger-ar-556-556mm-nato-105in-matte-black-pistol-301-rounds/p/1530952
Bass Pro/Cabelas has the same fee-less process going for it. If you don't see one you like, maybe browse their AR listings and add a bunch to a wishlist and check it a couple times a day. (Edit 3: Bass Pro's online AR selection is shit) If you want something solid and good for the money sooner rather than later, that Ruger from Sportsman's might be the better bet. It might take a couple weeks to get to you, but a lot of online gun stores are going to take a while these days. Also, Sportsman's will usually sell you at least a box of ammo for the gun you're buying at a fair price.
By the way, there is a slowly growing community you could cross-post to, check it out: https://peakd.com/c/hive-139358/created Edit2: oh I see you did already :)
Edit: And oh, of course budget for a good optic. Just don't be a pleb and get a cheap piece of shit like Sightmark ;)
Irons are good, glass is better, both is best for backup. Vortex makes some decent stuff.
Checking back on that Ruger AR-556, looks like it's sold out. But if you wouldn't mind a shiny rifle-length barrel, this comes with some nice addons including an optic that I consider bare minimum of what I'd use (I have a couple on 22LRs): https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting-gear-gun-supplies/modern-sporting-rifles/sig-sauer-m400-tread-coil-556mm-nato-16in-black-semi-automatic-modern-sporting-rifle-301-rounds/p/1638408
Hey bud, first off, thanks for the long reply and all the info, much appreciated.
That 556 from Ruger actually looks like it might fit the bill, I just can't ascertain for sure if the lower is Poly or not, it says the upper is metal, but doesn't mention the lower, unless I missed it. That's one of the boxes I need checked for sure.
Now, that Sig is pretty sexy, but idk how I feel about the shiny barrel, the length, or the fact that it's almost the same price as the BRO. Granted it does come with a sight...lots to think about for sure.
I would never go cheap on my sight, that's for certain. If you have any advice on something in the 2-500 range, lmk :)
I did post on the pew page, got reprimanded a lil bit by Galen, but it's all good, lol. Now just anxiously waiting to see what he has to say as I know he shoots a lot.
Most 5.56 ARs will have aluminum receivers. Even the cheap ones from good budget manufacturers like Ruger, S&W, etc. Avoid Del-ton, Diamondback, DPMS, anything owned or recently owned by Freedom Group. From anecdotes, QC isn't their strong suit.
That Sig is a nice package if you just want everything in one go. Fancy lower receivers aren't a necessity, especially if you're right handed and aren't doing tactical moves like firing from your support side. But having those ambidextrous controls and built-in QD sling mounts are nice touches. What is really nice is having an upgraded trigger. I don't know how that specific trigger is, but such upgrades usually run about $100-150 at a minimum.
The Sig Romeo5 it comes with is a pretty good red dot, especially for its price range. It's fairly durable, lightweight, has a very long battery life (4 years+ on) which is extended with the motion sensing "shake awake" feature, and holds zero well. It's at the bottom of optics I would use on an AR aside from irons, but they're a solid choice especially if your budget runs out in the low 4-digits. Of course they can bought separately and mounted to any AR you get, doesn't have to come with the rifle. They can be had for about $120-130. You can always upgrade later if you want. Something to consider if your budget won't fit something $400+ which is what I consider the next tier of good red dots (Aimpoint PRO, Trijicon MRO, EOTech 512).
Aside from maybe getting lucky at a local gun shop, Sportsmans is a pretty good place online to shop if you're within acceptable distance of their store in Coon Rapids. Search their Modern Sporting Rifles category if you can stand getting a 16" barrel, or if you want a pistol, hit their Handguns category and filter by "Modern Sporting Pistols" and then hit the exclude out of stock filter.
I forgot to mention, because it seems from your post you just want to get something ready to go, but there are more Lego-like options for putting together an AR.
Easiest would be to get an already-built complete lower, and complete upper assembly separate and hook em together. Sometimes "complete uppers" aren't sold with bolt carrier groups (BCGs) though and decent BCGs have been difficult to find in stock lately. Bolts are important so I stress decent.
Moving up the difficulty ladder is assembling the whole thing from parts. Doable if you're handy but takes time to build and some specialized tools (roll pin punches, AR-specific vice blocks and a barrel nut wrench if the handguard doesn't come with one). Then there's the time and effort shopping for all of that.
And if you're really feeling handy and have the tools to do it, you can get an 80% lower and a jig and mill out your own, home-made receiver. Then build the rest with parts.