Sorry it took me a month to get to this... despite COVID, my internet'ing has taken a back seat to actually living.

You actually just asked my single-most favorite question in the world next to "What's a good handgun to buy?" The answer is Glock 19, for those paying attention.

But since you asked about AR15's, allow me to pontificate. Unless you have well over $1000 to spend, don't buy an assembled gun. The $1000 pricepoint is completely arbitrary on my part, but overall is a magical point of convening where every penny more you spend results in zero additional value, and whereby if you spent that much on parts and built your own gun, would have "the best" money can buy. But I think you want the "Glock 19" type of answer, so allow me.

Anyways, that's what I would have told you over the last couple years... but today, you're down to very few choices. The problem is inventory. Nobody has it. Even the most regularly reliable online retailers have borderline bare shelves. What you will find are the "how fast can we make them" mindset, which means limited model selection and a heavy markup. Those paying attention and who understand the "Aero Precision blemished stripped lower" acting as a benchmark for "what things cost" has doubled in the past year, and have been OOS for months. You can't even find regular stripped lowers likely because they're selling all the complete lowers they can make as fast as they can assemble them. In fact, if you go the Aero Precision website right now, you will find exactly 3x complete lowers and 3x complete uppers in stock. Funny that they won't sell you a complete rifle. You may also see that SchuylerArmsCo, everybody's favorite Aero Precision discount place is basically barren of their wares. NOTHING IS GOING TO GET ANY BETTER OVER THE NEXT YEAR, SO BUY NOW BEFORE IT GETS WORSE. IF YOU READ BACK MANY YEARS INTO THIS THREAD, YOU'LL SEE THAT I'M USUALLY RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING. UNTIL BIDEN SHOWS THAT HE'S GOING TO PUT GUN-CONTROL ON THE BACK BURNER, YOU WILL NEVER SEE PRICES COME DOWN... might take years.

Palmetto State Armory seems to have done some planning ahead and has a lot of inventory... plenty in stock and the highest prices I've ever seen them charge for anything by about 30% above a year ago.

You can always walk into a gunstore and pay their asking price for whatever production gun they have on the shelf. There is plenty of LGS/local inventory.

Remember that when it comes to AR15's, you have some things to replace every 3000-5000 rds (springs mostly) and a barrel about every 10,000rds. People who actually shoot enough $0.30/ea bulk FMJ to wear out a barrel are in for $3000 worth of ammo through their $500 gun... so take that data-point and tuck it away.

But I'll tell you... if you wait to buy when the price comes down, you're gonna miss out on the REVOLUTION, BABY!!!!! We're taking this country back!!!! I told my wife the other day... "Woman, hold my beer, I'll be back when...." blah blah blah.

Anyways. The answer is always Aero Precision. You will never regret buying their stuff no matter what you pay. If you see something in stock and like the look of it, just do it.

ALSO... if you're only going to buy one gun, tuck away an extra $200 and SBR the lower. You can register online with the ATF and e-file with a credit card in about 20 minutes. The only real pain is visiting your local Sheriffs office or wherever to get some fingerprint cards made. When you do, have them print you out a half-dozen... should be totally free for as many as you want. Hint, walk in dressed for success... maybe some chinos and an polo... you'd be amazed at the doors that open at the Sheriffs reception desk if you look like a respectable human being. At some future point, you may want to explore a shorter barrel or a suppressor setup... having the SBR already in-hand makes everything easier. It's a no-brainer for $200.

Oh... and there is no understating the magic of a good trigger. I put ALG Defense QMS triggers on all my AR's unless it's a dedicated hunting rifle (Rise Armament Super Sport)... the ALG QMS's are 80% of a Geissle for 1/3 the price. Granted, that extra 20% is fucking next-level grand master elf magic straight from Rivendell, but when on a budget...

Oh yeah... and every dollar you spend on store bought ammo is a shit-waste. I simply don't understand people who are in to guns and have been alive for the past decade who don't reload... Granted, you can't reload .22lr, but I've seen morons spend $50 for a 325pk of Federal Automatch and then NOT buy when they're back to $16.

Also... don't forget about a good sling. A sling is honestly the most overlooked accessory for an AR. I can't tell you how many buddies I know who have a few AR's for the apocalypse and plan on (as my OCS drill instructor would say) "SHOULDER.... ARMS" as they walk the wastelands.

Optics are such a shit-show... so much crap out there and nobody ever buys what they really need. Unless you plan to engage humans at distances farther than you can shout to them, decent irons are all you need. My bedside gun has Magpul flip-sights and a Surefire whatever that is like the core of the sun when I need it... and a pair of 40rd coupled PMAGS.

Blah blah blah... what else you got?

Is there really any advantage to having an SBR lower when pistol braces are a thing? My friend said you can just shoulder the brace like a stock

Optics is really the only thing I'm going to disagree with you on... A good optic, and some training, will make just about anyone faster and more accurate, even up close. And you can focus on the threat, rather than trying to find an AR front sight... in the dark. That said, most people buy cheap-ass optics. Stick an Aimpoint PRO on there... once it's zeroed, leave it on and change the battery once a year.

I agree that none of this is going away any time soon. I'm afraid its going to get a lot worse...

I wouldn't be surprised if the ATF changes their position and rules administratively against braces not too far in the future if Biden takes over.

[QUOTE=Roda;1587801I wouldn't be surprised if the ATF changes their position and rules administratively against braces not too far in the future if Biden takes over.[/QUOTE]

It was going to happen in a Trump administration as well. They already started laying the groundwork for it. I would post some links, but just worked a 12 hour night shift and replying to this is holding up my drinking...

Oh, as far as an AR, other than my 80% lower silenced pistol the only AR I own is a Colt 6724 stainless HBAR Elite with a 24" barrel. It will reach out an touch someone even with my shitty handloads.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...60f162d4b2.jpg

If?.....you mean When?

It’d be a shame if my friend was using his AR pistol and the recoil pushed the brace into his shoulder, everyone knows that 5.56 stuff is 2.5x more powerful than .223

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b24b2df05.jpeg
Here’s my two, Left: Colt 6721 HBAR police roll-marked. Magpul stock and grip, Viking free float, P223 3-9 optic, Miculek muzzle brake, PEPR mount
Right: PSA 10.5 pistol with SBA3 and Holosun ACSS dot

We already lost bump stocks in the last 3 years, and those weren't legally ambiguous. I wouldnt hold out hope for braces not being retroactively illegal.

WTF happened to ammo prices and availability? Good thing I’m sitting on a bunch of stuff from a few years ago but prices are like 2-3x what I paid before AND everything is sold out. Guess I’ll be shooting a lot of my 22lr 🤣

Covid, and fear of Democrats.

Piece of plastic = Machine gun
Nothing ambiguous there...

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c4899e04e5.jpg

Picked up a new addition to the S&W family this week... Model 14 K-38 Masterpiece, circa 1965. The Model 14 was S&W's flagship bullseye revolver for decades, and for good reason.

I loaded up some light .38 target loads (148gr DEWC over 3.2gr HP38), and headed out to test fire it this morning. It didn't disappoint.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0e5496d6_c.jpg

Finally, someone in here who speaks my language

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...a6aecc5909.jpg

They've seen some shit, but are still great shooters.

Oh, yeah... love me some S&W revolvers. :likecat:

Even with lots of good, honest use, they'll still outshoot most of the people behind the trigger.

Our 14s and 19s are opposites... I have the combat trigger/hammer on the magnums and my 14 has the target trigger/hammer.

Here's my 19-3 trio:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d2f9c8cb_c.jpg

My 1955 S&W K-22. Still in the box. Was told it was never shot but dry fired a few times. Has some finish issues.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7acb29ae23.jpg

Super nice set Roda!
I just have to ask...
How have you kept the drag marks off of the cylinder in the shorty??
It looks "un-fired" and "un-rotated" which helps the collector value immensely...

I've only had that gun about a year, and I have my suspicions that the cylinder was re-blued, though it does have a faint turn line. If the cylinder was refinished, it was done very well, as it's a perfect match to the rest of the gun, which appears original. It would be strange to refinish a cylinder when the rest of the gun is nearly perfect. I don't have original boxes for any of them, and all of them are shooters, so I don't consider them prime collector guns although just about any pre-1980 S&W has gone up 20-40% in the last two years.

I went for the GP100 instead of a Smith, but I do have a Model 41 which is just fantastic, I think it’s a 1987 made with the most amazing bluing I’ve ever seen (minus my smudges)

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1fa0dca4e.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...bca26d9c6.jpeg

Beautiful 41!

I've been eyeing 41s, but I was always a little partial to the High Standard target .22s, and they haven't really started the collector price climb yet. I'll probably end up with a Model 17 first anyway. :p

Technically this is incorrect. The top firearm is a pistol but not a handgun.

Also, Steve Carell is really not an ATF agent.

I finally picked up a Stoeger M3k. Figured guns aren't going to get any cheaper anytime soon, and shells are the only ammo that's readily available around here. For some reason I didn't realize how ridiculously long this gun is, relatively lightweight at just over 7lbs though