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

[JEDI]

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

cool.. buy m855 steel penetrators (green tip).
goes thru 1/4" steel plate no problem.

recently on sale $.30/round shipped

 

[Phoenix15]

totally unrelated, but I'm excited to be picking up my M&P 9mm tomorrow. Hoping to take the shotgun and the M&P to the range on Sunday. Got 500 rounds of 9mm delivered yesterday, so I'm ready to head out.

I hav ethe same gun. GREAT gun, had it for over a year and zero problems.

 

[schneiderguy]

I was just messing with ya.



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.

The difference is that Glocks were designed to be plastic. The AR-15 wasn't designed to have a plastic lower receiver.

 

[corwin]

Of course I need ammo but over at AR15.com they have some pretty food resources for finding the best per bullet cost. Looks like I can pretty easily get around ¢18 a round when buying 100 rounds or more of either 223 or 5.56mm.

Where did you see any deals that good? Looked around myself and best deals they were touting right now were around ¢27rd...and those are some BF prices

 

[JEDI]

Where did you see any deals that good? Looked around myself and best deals they were touting right now were around ¢27rd...and those are some BF prices

steel .223 has been $.18/round shipped for a long time. but in lots of 1000

 

[lokiju]

Where did you see any deals that good? Looked around myself and best deals they were touting right now were around ¢27rd...and those are some BF prices

http://www.gun-deals.com/ammo.php

 

[Specop 007]

So I'd get a 1-4 variable power scope, BUIS that fold down (Both front and rear), a railed free float fore end if you dont have one and a good light in a detachable mount. That should about cover it, that and lots of mags.

 

[spidey07]

So I'd get a 1-4 variable power scope, BUIS that fold down (Both front and rear), a railed free float fore end if you dont have one and a good light in a detachable mount. That should about cover it, that and lots of mags.

A guy at the range had a really nice front grip that had a built in bi-pod. That was pretty slick. You would release the bi-pod that was housed in the front grip. Sure it's not super steady, but it looked like it would do the job.

 

[lokiju]

A guy at the range had a really nice front grip that had a built in bi-pod. That was pretty slick. You would release the bi-pod that was housed in the front grip. Sure it's not super steady, but it looked like it would do the job.

That sounds pretty awesome.

I stripped it all apart. Cleaned it, oiled it and put it all back together.

Things easer to take apart than any other gun I own, really impressed with how easy and well thought out it is. I LOVE that the pins don't fall out. That is so beyond great and I can't help but wonder WTF all guns don't do that.

I really like the iron sights on it just playing around with them at the house. Of course the true test will be at the range. Sucky part is the closest range around here that will allow me to fire this thing indoors is so damn dark down at the end where the two rifle lanes are. One of the reasons I want a variable magnification scope.

Figure I'll start off with that 1x-4x PA scope and then I can always upgrade to something much better down the road if I want and slap that on my plinker 22 Marlin 10 round semi auto rifle. That thing already shoots incredibly dead on and consistent but would be nice on that one as well to see further down the lane.

 

[Specop 007]

A guy at the range had a really nice front grip that had a built in bi-pod. That was pretty slick. You would release the bi-pod that was housed in the front grip. Sure it's not super steady, but it looked like it would do the job.

I dunno, those seem kind of gimmicky to me. I used to have a front grip but just dont use it much. I do like using it as a marker for where to hold my hand but I can do that with a rail cover just as easily.

 

[JEDI]

should have waited?
black fri special:

16” M4 1x7 Moly 5.56 Sight tower, 4 Rail
Handguard, A2 flash hider, 4 Position stock
on Surplus Ammo lower receiver. See
options for CA legal setup.

$ 500.00 ea

 

[boomhower]

I was just messing with ya.



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.

You don't know WTF your talking about. Do some research on the Carbon or Plum Crazy lowers and see how well they are working out. The AR wasn't designed around plastic, Glock's were. Polymer handguns are fine, whether that's a Glock, XD, M&P, etc. As long as it's a properly designed gun there isn't anything wrong with a ploymer pistol. Would I rather have steel, yeah. Am I perfectly OK carrying a tupperware gun everyday, yeah but off-duty I carry steel.

 

[corwin]

http://www.gun-deals.com/ammo.php

Thanks, will add to my list of places to look

steel .223 has been $.18/round shipped for a long time. but in lots of 1000

1000 not 100...got it

 

[lokiju]

should have waited?
black fri special:

16” M4 1x7 Moly 5.56 Sight tower, 4 Rail
Handguard, A2 flash hider, 4 Position stock
on Surplus Ammo lower receiver. See
options for CA legal setup.

$ 500.00 ea

Link? I'm sure there's cheaper guns but if nothing else maybe someone else here can get in on the deal.

 

[olds]

Link? I'm sure there's cheaper guns but if nothing else maybe someone else here can get in on the deal.

Google search...
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_7_142/930947_.html

 

[corwin]

Google search... http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_7_142/930947_.html

Actual web site link...www.jsesurplus.com

 

[Texashiker]

You don't know WTF your talking about. Do some research on the Carbon or Plum Crazy lowers and see how well they are working out.

In case you could not tell, I was mocking people and their double standards, not the glock.

The AR wasn't designed around plastic, Glock's were.

Like the above statement.

Its kinda like when cars started being made out of polymer, instead of steel. Everyone in the 1980s and 1990s knew steel was superior to plastic.

And now, polymer cars with their improved crumple zones do better in crash test then steel cars.

I see the bushmaster polymer as a step in a new direction. The rifle may not be perfect, but maybe, just maybe, the design can be improved.

If polymers are good enough for lexan (bullet proof glass), kevlar (bullet proof vest), cars,,, why can't someone build an AR out of it? When something new comes out, its usually human nature to reject it. Who knows where this new direction in AR technology is going to go.

~~~~

Hey OP, even though there might be some good sales on black friday, don't regret your purchase.

Take it as a life experience and move on.

There are many rifles out there, but that rifle is yours.

 

[olds]

Actual web site link...www.jsesurplus.com

Ya, no.

http://www.jsesurplus.com

 

[lokiju]

In case you could not tell, I was mocking people and their double standards, not the glock.




Like the above statement.

Its kinda like when cars started being made out of polymer, instead of steel. Everyone in the 1980s and 1990s knew steel was superior to plastic.

And now, polymer cars with their improved crumple zones do better in crash test then steel cars.

I see the bushmaster polymer as a step in a new direction. The rifle may not be perfect, but maybe, just maybe, the design can be improved.

If polymers are good enough for lexan (bullet proof glass), kevlar (bullet proof vest), cars,,, why can't someone build an AR out of it? When something new comes out, its usually human nature to reject it. Who knows where this new direction in AR technology is going to go.

~~~~

Hey OP, even though there might be some good sales on black friday, don't regret your purchase.

Take it as a life experience and move on.

There are many rifles out there, but that rifle is yours.

Oh I have don't regret it. I asked every local shop I checked with if they were having any black friday sales on any of their AR's and non-locally are. I'm OK with that. I still got a very nice AR for a great price IMO.

To the polymers comment, my co-worker built a AR last year and has a polymer lower and has no complaints or issues with it to date. He said it's held up well and has a different sound to it when fired than the "ping" metal lowers have.

I see no issue with polymers as long as it performs as well and is as reliable.

Kind of like the chrome vs melonite arguments out there. It's more a argument of traditional vs new but no one can really show anything solid otherwise that one is inferior to the other.

 

[Texashiker]

Oh I have don't regret it. I asked every local shop I checked with if they were having any black friday sales on any of their AR's and non-locally are. I'm OK with that. I still got a very nice AR for a great price IMO.

For ammo, I have been buying the American Eagle from the local walmart. Academy has the American Eagle, but Academy is like $1 or $2 more then walmart.

Academy has monarch steel cased 223 that goes on sale from time to time. I bought about 1,000 rounds over the course of a year as a backup surplus. A few years ago the monarch was $2.89 for a box of 20. I think its in the $4.99 range now.

But now I am stockpiling the American Eagle brass cased 223.

 

[Specop 007]

I generally use steel cased ammo due to being cheaper than brass case. I dont get near the reloads out of it though but thats life.

I do keep a few mags of the good stuff loaded up for social engagements though. Figure it never hurts to have a few ready just in case.

 

[lokiju]

For ammo, I have been buying the American Eagle from the local walmart. Academy has the American Eagle, but Academy is like $1 or $2 more then walmart.

Academy has monarch steel cased 223 that goes on sale from time to time. I bought about 1,000 rounds over the course of a year as a backup surplus. A few years ago the monarch was $2.89 for a box of 20. I think its in the $4.99 range now.

But now I am stockpiling the American Eagle brass cased 223.

According to Academy's site the American Eagle is $6.99 for 20 rounds. That's still 35 cents a round. Pretty pricey when you look at per round shipped cost available.

If I could get closer to 20 cents a round locally I'd do so but seems unlikely.

 

[lokiju]

I generally use steel cased ammo due to being cheaper than brass case. I dont get near the reloads out of it though but thats life.

I do keep a few mags of the good stuff loaded up for social engagements though. Figure it never hurts to have a few ready just in case.

Can you give some education on how to get into doing reloads yourself? I'm sure there's plenty of info out there but would like hearing from a fellow ATOT'er gun enthusiast some feedback.

Is there a ratio when it doesn't add up cost wise to do your own reloads vs just buying online at 20 cents a round? For example, do I need to go to the range on a weekly basis or something like that for it to pay off buying the equipment and learning how to do it?

I'd be very interested in doing it if it didn't break the bank to get started and could easily save money.

 

[corwin]

According to Academy's site the American Eagle is $6.99 for 20 rounds. That's still 35 cents a round. Pretty pricey when you look at per round shipped cost available.

If you care to brave it they have a BF deal on it for $5.49 a box, might give it a try myself just to see if I can score a dozen or so boxes

 

[Specop 007]

Can you give some education on how to get into doing reloads yourself? I'm sure there's plenty of info out there but would like hearing from a fellow ATOT'er gun enthusiast some feedback.

Is there a ratio when it doesn't add up cost wise to do your own reloads vs just buying online at 20 cents a round? For example, do I need to go to the range on a weekly basis or something like that for it to pay off buying the equipment and learning how to do it?

I'd be very interested in doing it if it didn't break the bank to get started and could easily save money.

Thats hard to really nail down because theres so many variables. Having said that I'll give some general info on the matter and then address specific questions from there.

The break even point really depends on what caliber you are reloading and how much you invested in your reloading setup. I have a good friend who went with a VERY cost effective reloading setup and he has paid for it many times over. He was reloading 270 I think which is fairly expensive. I think he said it was something like 300 rounds to break even, and then he realized savings after that.

Now when you start looking at calibers where there are bulk/mil surp options available it takes a lot longer to break even.

For my reloads on 223/556 the easiest way to explain it is my cost to reload is roughly the same as the cost to buy Wolf ammo. The difference is in the quality. My reloads are a much higher quality ammo for the same price.

Now if you want you can also end up with a slight cost savings as well but to get the full benefit you almost have to buy supplies in bulk. You dont buy enough supplies to reload 50 rounds, you buy enough supplies to reload 5000 rounds.

So without spending half the morning really hunting down the best deals heres an example...

http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

Ramshot TAC - 8 pounds - $125 (Less $20 hazmat and shipping)

Hornady 55gr FMJ - 1000 - $106

Wolf primers - 1000 - $15

So just so you understand the math theres 7000 grains per pound of powder. As a ballpark lets say you run 25 grains of tac per round.

125/8 = $15.63 per pound.
15.63/7000 = .0022 per grain*25 grains = $.055

Powder = .06
Bullet = .11
Primer = .02

So right there you're at 19 cents per round and thats not counting brass costs, time and equipment. That said that would be a much higher quality round than what you could buy for the same cost. That also doesnt factor in shipping and hazmat either.

You could shave that down a bit by shopping around and buying in larger quantities to get bulk discounts and such but it gives you an idea. I'd say if you REALLY shopped hard you could shave 5, maybe 6 cents a round.

But again, that doesnt account for your time or equipment. If you dropped $400 on your reloading setup and are saving 5 cents a round you have to pull that handle a long time to break even.......


TL;DR

Reloading for mil surp available calibers (9mm, 223) you have to be a very high volume shooter to break even if you desire plinking rounds. If you are looking for benchrest quality ammo the numbers change however but that doesnt seem to be your desired goal.