YAGT: EDIT: Bought S&W M&P 15 Sport. Any "must have" accessories?

[DayLaPaul]

You live in a hurricane prone area (at least that is what you have for your location, Atlanta Georgia). If you ever have to use the rifle to protect yourself and your family, do you "really" want to use one of the cheapest rifles on the market?

Hopefully we will never see another Katrina, but if we do, do you want a cheap AR with no forward assist as your home defense weapon?

If you want a S&W, Academy has the S&W M&P on sale for $899 - its in the Sunday sales paper of my local newspaper. Put some flip up sights on it, and your ready to go.

A lot of people say "I just want to use it for target shooting". But when they have a hurricane or earthquake, they are going to wish they had bought a better quality weapon.

Dude, if there's ever another Katrina, it's better to have a cheap AR. That way you aren't out as much after the cops confiscate it from you.

 

[irishScott]

Dude, if there's ever another Katrina, it's better to have a cheap AR. That way you aren't out as much after the cops confiscate it from you.

Pretty sure that's against the law in several states.

 

[lokiju]

Thoughts and opinions on this Bushmaster before buying the S&W M&P Sport? http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/1050/products_id/61658

I don't have a FFL of course so would need to ship to a dealer and pay their fee also. There's a pawn shop close to me that's listed though on Buds that says last fee was $20 which isn't all that bad. http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/1050/products_id/61658

 

[Texashiker]

Dude, if there's ever another Katrina, it's better to have a cheap AR. That way you aren't out as much after the cops confiscate it from you.

Just because you live in a Socialist state, does not mean everyone does.

After Katrina, some states passed laws forbidding the confiscation of firearms. In Texas, its forbidden by state law for officials to confiscate firearms without due process.

Thoughts and opinions on this Bushmaster before buying the S&W M&P Sport?

Unless you want a mil-spec rifle, go ahead and get it the S&W. I have a Bushmaster made in the mid-1990s.

In that price range you are getting a budget / consumer grade rifle. But depending on what your going to be doing, there is nothing wrong with that.

There seems to be a mindset in the AR community that everything "has" to be mil-spec. I see nothing wrong with buying a consumer grade AR.

 

[lokiju]

Just because you live in a Socialist state, does not mean everyone does.

After Katrina, some states passed laws forbidding the confiscation of firearms. In Texas, its forbidden by state law for officials to confiscate firearms without due process.



Unless you want a mil-spec rifle, go ahead and get it the S&W. I have a Bushmaster made in the mid-1990s.

In that price range you are getting a budget / consumer grade rifle. But depending on what your going to be doing, there is nothing wrong with that.

There seems to be a mindset in the AR community that everything "has" to be mil-spec. I see nothing wrong with buying a consumer grade AR.

Probably right. I don't think the S&W is a bad choice for $650. I guess it's a good way to get into the AR side of firearms and see how it goes from there. Will probably just order a cheap-ish Primary Arms Red Dot and call it a day.

 

[Texashiker]

I don't think the S&W is a bad choice for $650. I guess it's a good way to get into the AR side of firearms and see how it goes from there. Will probably just order a cheap-ish Primary Arms Red Dot and call it a day.

If the $650 range is what you want to spend on this project, then by all means do so.

I see nothing wrong with buying a consumer grade rifle, as long as you get something of quality in return. The S&W may not be mil-spec, but then again, you do not plan on taking the rifle into a warzone are you?

One thing that irritates me about the ar15/m4 fan sites, if its not mil-spec then it must be junk. I guess people are supposed to break the bank buying a rifle?

Set a budget for the project, do your research (looks like you already have), and go from there. If you want a S&W, I would go ahead and get it and not look back.

If you decide you want a mil-spec rifle later on, then you have 2 ARs for some kind of Katrina event.

Personally, I have been looking at the S&W M&P to go along with my Bushmaster. The three companies I was looking at were Bravo Company, Spikes and S&W. But BC and Spikes are a bit more expensive then the S&W.

 

[lokiju]

If the $650 range is what you want to spend on this project, then by all means do so.

I see nothing wrong with buying a consumer grade rifle, as long as you get something of quality in return. The S&W may not be mil-spec, but then again, you do not plan on taking the rifle into a warzone are you?

One thing that irritates me about the ar15/m4 fan sites, if its not mil-spec then it must be junk. I guess people are supposed to break the bank buying a rifle?

Set a budget for the project, do your research (looks like you already have), and go from there. If you want a S&W, I would go ahead and get it and not look back.

If you decide you want a mil-spec rifle later on, then you have 2 ARs for some kind of Katrina event.

Personally, I have been looking at the S&W M&P to go along with my Bushmaster. The three companies I was looking at were Bravo Company, Spikes and S&W. But BC and Spikes are a bit more expensive then the S&W.

Yeah I spent a lot of time last night on AR15.com and it's no joke. So many people are completely against anything that's not mil-spec. It's like a illogical fanaticism at times.

I was doing some reading on optics specifically and one person even said something along the lines of how he spent $800 on a scope for his $650 AR. WTF? How does that make sense? I guess to each their own. I could see spending $200 on a optics set up give or take but more than the AR itself seems a bit nuts IMO.

Speaking of optics though and maybe I should do a different thread but I'm wondering if I should go with something that has magnification or not.

I was doing some pretty good reading on the optics and true 1x (usually noted at 1.1x) vs often when 1x is noted it's actually 1.5x which causes issues with aiming with both eyes open.

I like the idea of having a magnification option but having never used a red dot or scope with magnification I'm not sure what is the best optics set up.

Primary Arms for example has a number of Red Dot options that are nice but then you have to add the magnification later on if you want. Then there's swing arms to get it out of the way so you can just do only the Red Dot.

Is there something out there that's affordable that's a red dot that can do true 1x and up to 3x all as one piece?

 

[lokiju]

Bought the S&W M&P 15 Sport on lunch!

 

[Texashiker]

Bought the S&W M&P 15 Sport on lunch!

Now you need a $600 EO Tech scope.

I have a Tasco red dot scope that cost around $40 on my AR, but you need to spend at least 600 or 700.

 

[IGemini]

Now you need a $600 EO Tech scope.

I have a Tasco red dot scope that cost around $40 on my AR, but you need to spend at least 600 or 700.

No magnification = not a scope. EOTech and red dots are not scopes.

As for attachments...depends on what you want to do. AR-15s are the veritable "barbie doll" for rifles. Any forward toys like lasers, grips or lights, get a quad-rail. If you want to hit something up to ~300m out, red dot optics work well. More than that, an ACOG ($$$) or a high-powered scope.

 

[olds]

It's all a matter of opinion on accessories.

Get a cleaning kit and a bore snake.

I have a Primary Arms red dot, bipod (attaches to bayonet lug and I rarely use it), sling, and BAD lever on mine. On the sling, I have a single, double and now one that works as either single or double.
No for-end items like grips or lights. I will get a picatinny handguard for the for-end when they come down to reasonable prices.

I like using the front sight tool versus a bullet or something like that.
http://www.amazon.com/AR-15-Front-Si...1903812&sr=8-3

I also like the mag loader.
http://www.amazon.com/Lula-Loader-fo...1903737&sr=8-1

 

[spidey07]

Magainzes, lots and lots of magazines. Get some 20 round ones as well, easier to shoot prone.

 

[olds]

And stay away from paintball accessories. UTG I think they are called. All crap.

 

[lokiju]

Now you need a $600 EO Tech scope.

I have a Tasco red dot scope that cost around $40 on my AR, but you need to spend at least 600 or 700.

Heh.

Thinking of getting this

https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_Micro_Green_Dot_Reflex_Sight_p/pamr.htm

and this

https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_14X_24_Illuminated_Scope_p/pa 1-4x.htm

Will probably do the scope 1st then the red dot for fun.

 

[lokiju]

And stay away from paintball accessories. UTG I think they are called. All crap.

Yeah. I'm looking to not spend more than I did on the AR for a single accessory but I'm also not looking to go so cheap that it's pointless even buying in the end.

Everything I can find seems to confirm that Primary Arms is pretty darn good for the money though not equal to. They themselves don't hide this. They have a really good amount of info on ar15.com direct from them as well.

 

[DayLaPaul]

Pretty sure that's against the law in several states.

I'm pretty sure that's against the law in EVERY state, yet it still happened.

 

[schneiderguy]

IMO you should be proficient with ironsights before getting a scope/red dot. If you already are, ignore and go ahead :awe:

 

[davmat787]

Congrats on you new AR.

Just my opinion, but I think you should always become proficient with irons sights on a rifle before moving to optics. Irons sights won't fail you, unless you run over the rifle or something and then your iron sites are probably the least of your worries anyway.

Maybe I am biased because I love iron sight shooting, but red dots are awesome too.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Good choice, been considering one myself...would love to get one from cabela's at that $599 price!

tax brings it up to bud's pricepoint though, haha.

 

[lokiju]

Congrats on you new AR.

Just my opinion, but I think you should always become proficient with irons sights on a rifle before moving to optics. Irons sights won't fail you, unless you run over the rifle or something and then your iron sites are probably the least of your worries anyway.

Maybe I am biased because I love iron sight shooting, but red dots are awesome too.

As I've learned in MW3 after someone drops a EMP, you can't always depend on electronics

I kid!

But really, just dropped $704 today for this after tax and 1 box of 2 rounds of 5.56mm ammo so I'm not going to be buying anything much for it anytime soon.

Hoping to take it out for a test drive this weekend and absolutely won't have any optics prior to that.

The iron sights are actually pretty damn good on this thing. Better than what I've seen on most at this price point.

 

[Texashiker]

Irons sights won't fail you,

Yes they will. In low light conditions, iron sights fade away.

If you are serious about iron sights, get some tritium sights. I am looking at replacing the sights on my FN/FAL with a tritium set. One deer hunting trip last year ruined me on iron sights in low light conditions.

 

[davmat787]

Yes they will. In low light conditions, iron sights fade away.

If you are serious about iron sights, get some tritium sights. I am looking at replacing the sights on my FN/FAL with a tritium set. One deer hunting trip last year ruined me on iron sights in low light conditions.

I think you know what I meant by that.

But you are right, tritium would be even better of course, good point.

 

[boomhower]

Good choice on the Smith. For a cheap RDS PA is the way to go. They are cheap but hold zero well. From there the cheapest I would go is to get a real Aimpoint at $400 for the Aimpoint Pro. Skip the $150-$200 Vortex's and such, to much for a mediocre site. I do have a real Aimpoint on mine but my usage supports spending the money on it, I bet my life on it. But I am looking at getting one of the PA 1-4x scopes to play around with at the range.

My suggestion is to learn the iron sites well first. Run at least 500 rounds through it with the irons before going to an optic.

To those looking at the $599 Bushmaster, skip it. It's a plastic lower and complete junk.

 

[Specop 007]

Heh.

Thinking of getting this

https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_Micro_Green_Dot_Reflex_Sight_p/pamr.htm

and this

https://www.primaryarms.com/Primary_Arms_14X_24_Illuminated_Scope_p/pa%201-4x.htm

Will probably do the scope 1st then the red dot for fun.

I think I would pass on a red dot and just get a good 1-4. Maybe move up to a GRSC?

http://www.grscinc.com/

 

[Texashiker]

I think you know what I meant by that.

I was just messing with ya.

To those looking at the $599 Bushmaster, skip it. It's a plastic lower and complete junk.

Glock fans say plastic is just as good as steel, unless your talking about anything besides a glock.

As long as its a glock, plastic is good.

If its not a glock, plastic is junk.

I guess glock makes the best plastic firearms in the world, maybe glock as some kind of patent on plastic firearms that "magically" makes them better then everything else.