Looking at getting my first AR15

Barry J said:

I read an article in a gun magazine about a year ago. It said to stop buying off the shelf models and build your own. Figure out what parts you like and use those parts in your build. They said you come out ahead by doing that instead of buying off the shelf and changing a bunch of parts to suit your style of shooting.

Click to expand...

Agreed *

There are good reasons to build and there are good reasons to buy. Building allows you to get what you want the first time. It allows you to buy the parts over time as your budget allows. But while you are getting the parts together, you only have a pile of parts. If you buy, you have to either buy big or buy budget. Buying bigger means a bit of cash up front. Buying budget and upgrading may cost more in the long run but you have a functioning rifle the whole time. This is also true for building a budget rifle except you don't have a manufacturer standing behind the weapon in case there's an issue.

If you need a rifle now and have a tight budget, building or buying a budget rifle and upgrading over time may work best. If you don't need a rifle now and have a tight budget, collecting the parts and building later may be the way to go. If you aren't on a budget, this may be a moot issue. You can build a premium rifle or find a manufacturer that already has one that meets your specs.

That being said, my first AR was a Rock River Arms. All of my other rifles have been built with a specific purpose in mind.