Which AR15 to get?

MMH

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 17, 2013
310
51
Looking for a cheap AR15. Not as a precision rifle, but just to stock up while they are cheap. Gander has two on sale for $700: A S&W M&P Sport (includes 4 mags & has a MAGPUL MBUS) & a DPSM Panther Oracle. Are these decent guns? Are there better deals out there?
 
As long as your just looking for a entry package no bells and whistles they are all a good option. If you can grab a smith ar for 700 that would be my 1st pick.

Dpms

Delton(I've owned one great gun for 700) for 700 she was a beast.

Both make great started guns.
 
Those are both excellent entry level AR15's, but way overpriced. Remember you still have to add tax to that 700.

The Oracle is available elsewhere for $519 and the M&P Sport is $549. Shop around, or buy online and have them ship to a dealer close to you (add $20 for shipping and $10-30 transfer fee from the local dealer).

That $200 difference will pay for some accessories/ammo.
 
Also, remember the M&P Sport isn't quite a true AR-15, like the Oracle is.

The M&P Sport has no forward assist, no dust cover, and a fixed trigger guard. The DPMS equivalent is called the Sportical, and usually sells for about $40-50 less than the Oracle.

The Oracle is more of typical base-model AR15. Some people have no interest in the benefits of the forward assist, dust cover, and pinned trigger guard; so the extra bit of savings goes into something else.
 
I just did what you are looking to do. Pick up some beater AR's to keep in the safe for a rainy day and shoot the crap out of for fun. I tend to baby my high end customs. I found an M&P sport locally for $654 and bought it. The Sport came with a magpul BUS and one Pmag. I also picked up a PSA complete 1:7 upper with BCG on sale for $289 and bought a complete lower locally for $300. So for under $1300 I have two "entry" AR15's.

Last weekend I took them out to run them on private property. After sighting them in (Primary Arms Microdots) I rand 8 mags through each with not one malfunction. The last three mags each where mag dumps. All I did was lub the rifles. Not to shabby for $650 AR's. I'm very happy with my purchases. They are reliable and fairly accurate for 16" carbine gassed rifles. I could care less about the lack of dust cover and FA on the sport. Both of these do the job so why pay more? The PA micro dots where $90 plus a riser for $15 to bring them co-witness with the irons.
 
Last edited:
Also, remember the M&P Sport isn't quite a true AR-15

That is a strange statement coming from a guy named gunknowledge. :D So an AR is not a true AR since it does not have a dust cover or FA? Did you know Stoners origional design did not have either?

Unless our crawling around the deserts of Afghanistan you hardly need a dust cover and I can't remember the last time I used forward assist. The Sport operates like an AR, looks like an AR so I'm pretty sure it's a true AR. :cool:
 
I would vote for S&W over DPMS just on reputation of companies. And if the M&P Sport is built to the same standards as the other models, the lack of a forward assist and dust cover will not be a problem.
 
for the best bargain (unless used) you have to break it up - anything that is sold with the lower is subject to the excise tax - for 70-100 you should be able to get a lower locally and save the FFL fee - then a complete completion kit from Delton or other, a chrome lined barrel is worth the up charge