Really need advice - tactical rifle under $900 ideally

[piston10]

I'm a newbie also, I just lucked into the deal on the lower from a member here, and a smoking deal from a family member for the upper. The barrel is way to long for my liking, but I found a guy that can cut it down for me, another member, or I am trading with a friend of mine for a shorter one. This is my first rifle outside of my ruger 10/22's. I have always been a handgun guy. Don't laugh, but here it is.

View attachment 20626

 

[SMS]

2000 rounds over the life of the gun? If you aren't going to shoot much (2K is not a lot of ammo) and just want something to shove under the bed for comfort factor, you could buy yourself the cheapest 5.45 AK you can get along with a case of ammo and be done.

But, if you are truly looking for a "SHTF" gun, do you really want to rely on a 'bargain bin' anything? What about the 'total cost' of training and the ammo required to conduct such training? No rifle and stockpile of ammo is worth a damn if you can't run it hard under pressure, repeatedly.

I swear by the AR platform, mostly because that's what I'm comfortable with and trained on...you will get a million opinions, buy X or stay away from Y, and all have some validity but you will have to do a lot of your own research to sort fact from opinion.

Figure out what you really want the rifle for and go from there.

 

[piston10]

2000 rounds over the life of the gun? If you aren't going to shoot much (2K is not a lot of ammo) and just want something to shove under the bed for comfort factor, you could buy yourself the cheapest 5.45 AK you can get along with a case of ammo and be done.

But, if you are truly looking for a "SHTF" gun, do you really want to rely on a 'bargain bin' anything? What about the 'total cost' of training and the ammo required to conduct such training? No rifle and stockpile of ammo is worth a damn if you can't run it hard under pressure, repeatedly.

I swear by the AR platform, mostly because that's what I'm comfortable with and trained on...you will get a million opinions and all have some validity but you will have to do a lot of your own research to sort fact from opinion.

Figure out what you really want the rifle for and go from there.

So what would need to be purchased to be not considered bargain bin? He is looking for advice. Mine is crap, was not saying its not, I was offering options to him for his budget.

 

[kennedy]

Talk to steve at cold hand arms...honest as they come and great prices. He can help you build an affordable but quality AR

 

[SMS]

He got my advice Piston....I'm not trying to be an ass. He just needs to refine his actual need, "SHTF" means a lot of different things to different people. He's all over the map from a kel-tec to 5.45 of 7.62 AK, to ARs...that cuts a wide swath. Define the mission and then get the equipment and skills you need to perform it.

If you want something to shove under the bed to make you feel good, you can get by with one thing. If you want a rifle you can take out and shoot a few hundred rounds every once and awhile, you can get by with another. If you want a rifle you can shoot hard, run through more than one 1,000 round weekend training course without puking and trust your life with, you need entirely different beast.

Everyone has their own tastes, needs, opinions, and definitions of "reliable"...we've had some long threads on here about that subject...so it would be foolish to say "buy this" even if the need is refined. Crap, maybe I should've stayed out of this one.

 

[stevie_d]

He got my advice Piston....I'm not trying to be an ass. He just needs to refine his actual need, "SHTF" means a lot of different things to different people. He's all over the map from a kel-tec to 5.45 of 7.62 AK, to ARs...that cuts a wide swath. Define the mission and then get the equipment and skills you need to perform it.

If you want something to shove under the bed to make you feel good, you can get by with one thing. If you want a rifle you can take out and shoot a few hundred rounds every once and awhile, you can get by with another. If you want a rifle you can shoot hard, run through more than one 1,000 round weekend training course without puking and trust your life with, you need entirely different beast.

Everyone has their own tastes, needs, opinions, and definitions of "reliable"...we've had some long threads on here about that subject...so it would be foolish to say "buy this" even if the need is refined. Crap, maybe I should've stayed out of this one.

I'm open... what fits into the "trust your life with" category? I'm ready to hear any suggestions.

 

[english kanigit]

Also, as you are getting responses from people (and hopefully doing a bit of research on the answers you get! ) remember: "Realize the difference between 'best value' and 'best price'. The two are rarely the same."

Your money is hard-earned I am sure, especially these days. You want the greatest possible return on it.

As several others have suggested, figure out your needs and then choose your tools accordingly.

Ek

 

[stevie_d]

I

Also, as you are getting responses from people (and hopefully doing a bit of research on the answers you get! ) remember: "Realize the difference between 'best value' and 'best price'. The two are rarely the same."

Your money is hard-earned I am sure, especially these days. You want the greatest possible return on it.

As several others have suggested, figure out your needs and then choose your tools accordingly.

Ek

Again, I agree... I want "bang for buck"... not "cheapest". What would you do? That's the opinions I'm looking for.

 

[dak]

$900 excluding mags and ammo? Save more for a Colt 6920 or grab a Bulgarian/Russian 5.45x39 and a tin of ammo for the $900. Realistically an AR will eat a lot of money in accessories unless you have the will power to leave it bone stock with no optic and other crap on it.

Bang for your buck? A WASR, 6 mags, a case of ammo, and a training class.

 

[stevie_d]

$900 excluding mags and ammo? Save more for a Colt 6920 or grab a Bulgarian/Russian 5.45x39 and a tin of ammo for the $900. Realistically an AR will eat a lot of money in accessories unless you have the will power to leave it bone stock with no optic and other crap on it.

Bang for your buck? A WASR, 6 mags, a case of ammo, and a training class.

$900 for gun + mags. Not for ammo. Although I am eyeing the 5.45, 5.56, 7.62x39, and 7.62x51 because of their bulk pricing!