You can get a pretty nice one. You can also build yourself a custom one pretty cheap. Buy a cheap lower receiver (the part that is legally a firearm) like an Anderson through a licensed dealer doing the background check and everything. Don’t worry about the “quality” of the lower - it’s just a piece of milled aluminum that everything attaches to. Think of it as your PC case. It just holds the parts that matter.
Then you can buy the rest of the parts piecemeal and build it out. Though for a lot of people the better option is to buy a pre-assembled upper (includes the barrel, gas block, etc) since it requires a few more specialized tools to assemble and is the easiest part to fuck up, a lower parts kit (with it without trigger - milspec lower kits with triggers are cheap, but buying a nicer trigger is one of the best upgrades you can do easily), buffer tube assembly, stock, and mags.
An Anderson lower is gonna cost about 40-60 bucks online, plus whatever the locensed dealer you use charges for a transfer fee (it’s shipped to the dealer who does all the paperwork, has the background check run, etc. Usually between 20 and 50 bucks. Sometimes they’ll already have them in inventory for cheaper than the cost of online plus transfer fee).
Looking at parts packages on Palmetto State:
Basic assembled upper: about $200 Lower Parts kit: There’s a great deal on a lower parts kit with trigger, buffer tube assembly, stock, and red dot for $219 Bolt Carrier and charging handle: $90 Mags: 10-15 buck each
So you’re looking at $600-ish starting to build your own complete package. Higher priority upgrades for a beginner would be better triggers, barrels, and optics. But don’t spend a ton on fancy barrels and bolts and shit if you’re just gonna be shooting cheapo ammo. The most-precise AR in the world doesn’t mean much if your ammo isn’t consistent enough to shoot a tight group.
For $1000 and otherwise the same package, maybe get a magnifier for the red dot, a better drop-in trigger, and maybe step up to an upper package witha barrel with 1/7 twist (stabilizes heavier ammo than the 1:9 that’s more standard) and .223 wydle chamber (a little better than 5.56 for reasons that would take a long time to explain).
Or even better, just spend the money on ammo. It’s the actual expensive part of shooting. You’d be amazed how quickly you can turn $500 into noise at the range.
Also don’t cheap out on earpro. Wear plugs and earphones. ARs are stupid fucking loud and single shot can permanently damage your hearing, and even suppressed they can cause damage over time.
takeda@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
Even spinning rust drives are expensive. Fuck this shit :(