AR15 Must Haves?

[danielocean03]

One more question, what kind of ammo you guys use for just practice? Or target shooting

I've had good luck with the "black box" American Eagle 55gr FMJ AE223. If you catch it on sale at Gander Mtn. for $29.99/box of 100, it's a pretty good deal. I've ran about 4-500 rounds through my Spike's AR without a single failure with that ammo, and it's more accurate than I am.

 

[sgreen3]

Alright thanks fellas ill look into those

 

[Fordtough25]

Madison Outdoors has PMC .223 brass ammo on sale right now, along with PMC green tipped penetrator 5.56mm for a dollar more a box. Not too bad of a deal, I shoot about anything I can get my hands on, Wolf, Federal, lake city, etc... Shoot clean, shoot clean, repeat over and over. And I second the grip change, at first I loved the standard A2 grip, and still do like it but the Magpul MOE grip is a great grip for not much cash. Much improved feel and grip!

 

[Fordtough25]

I've had good luck with the "black box" American Eagle 55gr FMJ AE223. If you catch it on sale at Gander Mtn. for $29.99/box of 100, it's a pretty good deal. I've ran about 4-500 rounds through my Spike's AR without a single failure with that ammo, and it's more accurate than I am.

Agreed also, this stuff works pretty well.

 

[revsaxon]

How practical is a supressor for most people? For the money spent on the supressor and stamp. Someone new to the platform would be better off buying ammo, and getting some training. To properly learn how to use the rifle. My

No-where did it say PRACTICAL must haves Though it could be argued that it is a useful thing for someone new to the platform to get, as a supressor on mine was the only way I could get my ex to shoot one (it was to loud without).

That said your right, and if your operating on any kind of a budget, ammo and training should win out every time.

 

[LPMan59]

Must haves? Assuming you have a flattop and are using it as more of a general use/SHTF AR that is not a KISS rifle, I'd say you probably would want

1) a good set of BUIS
2) a decent low or non-magnified optic such as an EoTech, Aimpoint, etc
3) PMags (and ammo of course) and a method of carrying a few of them
4) Sling

Secondary would be:
1) flashlight
2) Vertical grip/AFG
3) hardware upgrades - stock, grip, trigger, etc

 

[U.S. Patriot]

My Bushie really likes PMC, AE223, and M193. I'll never buy Remington, that stuff is about as accurate as a meth head trying to shoot a golf gall from 2 feet away. I will also never buy Olympic ammo. It's loaded with 193, but I had some feed issues with it. As for premium ammo, I have had really good luck with blue box Black Hills and Hornidy TAP. As another member said, watch for when Gander has the Federal on sale. I buy it locally for $38, but you figure in gas to drive to Greenwood, it's the same price. I have also ran a couple of boxes of MFS, they use zinc plated steel cases, but I had no issues with it, and it was pretty accurate.

As for magazines, just as a heads up. I'm not happy with Colt or Bushmaster 10 round mags. If you load 10 rounds, the first round will not feed. The Bushmaster 30 rounds mags have worked really well, along with Military surplus, P-Mags and Tapco.

If you want to learn how to shoot it, just let me know

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Also, before you do a bunch of upgrades. Get some trigger time, and decide if you like it stock, or you think it could use some improvement. I mean more than one trip to the range. Get it poperly sighted in. Start at 50 yards until you can consistently place every round center mass with iron sights. Then move over to 100 yards. My Bushmaster in an M4A2. I like the clasic look and iron sights. I was able to hit 1" stickers at 50 yards with iron sights, and my rifle is bone stock.

 

[LPMan59]

Also, before you do a bunch of upgrades. Get some trigger time, and decide if you like it stock, or you think it could use some improvement. I mean more than one trip to the range. Get it poperly sighted in. Start at 50 yards until you can consistently place every round center mass with iron sights. Then move over to 100 yards. My Bushmaster in an M4A2. I like the clasic look and iron sights. I was able to hit 1" stickers at 50 yards with iron sights, and my rifle is bone stock.

good advice right here. otherwise you end up like me....some mall ninja with $3k worth of gear who can't hit the broad side of the pentagon.

 

[Psode27]

good advice right here. otherwise you end up like me....some mall ninja with $3k worth of gear who can't hit the broad side of the pentagon.

Haha that's me too... I need to shell out some money on a class! Great thread!

 

[Fordtough25]

good advice right here. otherwise you end up like me....some mall ninja with $3k worth of gear who can't hit the broad side of the pentagon.

This . Good advise all around for sure!! Nothing beats practice, and practice makes perfect.

 

[sgreen3]

Madison Outdoors has PMC .223 brass ammo on sale right now, along with PMC green tipped penetrator 5.56mm for a dollar more a box. Not too bad of a deal, I shoot about anything I can get my hands on, Wolf, Federal, lake city, etc... Shoot clean, shoot clean, repeat over and over. And I second the grip change, at first I loved the standard A2 grip, and still do like it but the Magpul MOE grip is a great grip for not much cash. Much improved feel and grip!

How much a box were they? Were is that place out in Madison, Im gonna have to stop in there

 

[Socomike]

My short list for a newly built rifle goes light this

-AMMO!!!!
-Training!!!!
-Good quality BUIS
-Rail system (either freefloat or not)
-vertical grip or angled foregrip
-CTR stock
-Aimpoint M2/M3

 

[tazl3oy]

Hey guys I'm new to the ar world to I picked mine up at the last 1500 showi was reading all of your points but have some Q's 1 keep ammo on hand I have 500 fmj on striper clips how much ammo is good to have 500-1000
2 training good point but I didn't see any where recommended. For the training?
3 what's your thoughts on how mny mags we should have on hand now I have 2 bushmaster gi's and a pmag all 3 are 30rnds
4 anyone know where I can take it & shoot 223 I live in zionsville and will never step foot in Don's
thanks for any and all info!

 

[justanotherjarhe]

forget all the wing ding crap you can slap on your rifle. Learn your iron sights and you will love them. You will come to know so much more about this platform if you use your rifle as it is. I do recommend swapping grip as mentioned before. I prefer the ergo grip but there are many options. Tactical lights, fancy slings, quad rails, collapsable stocks, expensive optics, high tec coatings. None of this stuff will save your life or make you a better shooter. But you might look cool at the range.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

forget all the wing ding crap you can slap on your rifle. Learn your iron sights and you will love them. You will come to know so much more about this platform if you use your rifle as it is. I do recommend swapping grip as mentioned before. I prefer the ergo grip but there are many options. Tactical lights, fancy slings, quad rails, collapsible stocks, expensive optics, high tec coatings. None of this stuff will save your life or make you a better shooter. But you might look cool at the range.

Speaking of looking cool at the range. The other day, I was at the range with my Bushmaster. I had two guys to the right of me with top dollar AR setups. The one guy did not even know how to lock the bolt the the rear. I also heard him say that he was on paper with his scope, but could not site it in. All I thought was this. Know how to use your gear, before you go to the range. Siting in a rifle is not rocket science. What is the point of all that expensive equipment, if you do not even know how to use it.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

taz,

1. The answer is always more ammo. You will burn through nearly 1,000 rounds in just one class. Have oodles of it around. Ammo converts money into skill.

2. We are blessed with many fine training opportunities. As you live in Boone County, you are in the hub of all kinds of instructors that pass through the Boone County Sheriff's Department in Lebanon.

3. You should have a box car full of magazines, you have then separate them into training mags, reserve mags, mags that you keep loaded for TEOTWAWKI, inter alia.

Training should be your first priority as when you go to school you will gain better insight into the weapon and how to use it. What you gain at the range, the gun store or INGO pales in comparison to the gains you will make at school.

 

[iChokePeople]

taz,
Training should be your first priority as when you go to school you will gain better insight into the weapon and how to use it. What you gain at the range, the gun store or INGO pales in comparison to the gains you will make at school.

^^

Before you blow through $500 of bullets learning nothing, or worse, getting bad habits, "invest" in some training. Whether you're investing your money with professionals or your time with more experienced friends, you will get more long-term bang for your buck from learning a little and applying what you learned than by just blowing a few thousand rounds downrange hoping you accidentally stumble onto the better ways to do things. Or instead of paying a bunch of money for training, join the Marine Corps (1st choice) or Army (2nd choice) and GET paid to learn how to use that fancy bang-stick of yours. Yeah, I know, I ignored the squids and zoomies, but we're talking about learning to use firearms, so... there you have it.

And I'd submit that once you've done that, SOME of those gadgets everyone mocks WILL help you be better, faster, more accurate than you would without them. In fact, I think arguing that they (yes, SOME of them...) don't is downright silly.

 

[40calPUNISHER]

Mags and ammo.

 

[Dead Duck]

^^

Before you blow through $500 of bullets learning nothing, or worse, getting bad habits, "invest" in some training. Whether you're investing your money with professionals or your time with more experienced friends, you will get more long-term bang for your buck from learning a little and applying what you learned than by just blowing a few thousand rounds downrange hoping you accidentally stumble onto the better ways to do things. Or instead of paying a bunch of money for training, join the Marine Corps (1st choice) or Army (2nd choice) and GET paid to learn how to use that fancy bang-stick of yours. Yeah, I know, I ignored the squids and zoomies, but we're talking about learning to use firearms, so... there you have it.

And I'd submit that once you've done that, SOME of those gadgets everyone mocks WILL help you be better, faster, more accurate than you would without them. In fact, I think arguing that they (yes, SOME of them...) don't is downright silly.

Perfect Practice makes Perfect. Thats whats being said here. You can practice wrong all your life and get nowhere. You need a base platform to work from. Be it from classes, government training, a veteran uncle with that scar, even some books.(not playboy) Take them with a grain of salt or take at 100% but be cautious. Some teachers may have benefited greatly from the training they received but don't know the first thing about teaching a class on their own.(remember your science teacher in 6th grade)
You can take pieces of what you've learned from different sources and modify to what fits you best or what goal you had in the beginning. You will hit some plateaus that you don't think you'll get by and that's when you modify your training to get past them. (same with working-out and diets, piano, ninja 101, etc...)

Oh - and when all that doesn't work then - mags with lots of ammo.
Have fun with your new gun!