What to do, what to do?

[Rated21R]

The internet is proving to be a pain in my arse. The more I read and the more I look at various builds, completes, etc. the more I am not sure what I should do for my first AR. I could buy a Noveske (Low Pro is what I drool over). I could buy a DD XV or a complete BCM. I could put something together (LMT, BCM, etc.) What barrel length, 16/14.5/shorty? So many decisions, how do people decide?

[sjohnny]

Depends on the intended purpose of said rifle.

[rob_s]

There are three aspects of any decision like this:
1) What do I want/need to do with the thing?
2) How much do I have to spend?
3) What's the best quality?

These apply whether you're talking about cars, guns, golf clubs, or ball gags. It doesn't matter.

Answer #1, and then find those products that meet that need. From there further reduce the field by answering number 2. From there further reduce it still by answering #3.

Fortunately with guns #2 and #3 are most often inter-related (not so much with cars) to the point of being answered simultaneously.

If you know that BCM, LMT, Noveske, DD and Colt all meet your needs, quite frankly you may as well put them all on a dartboard and throw a dart at them. The differences are small enough that most people will never realize them, and by the time you do you'll be ready for a second carbine as a backup/spare/loaner/wife gun anyway and you can buy the new one based on your experience.

[spamsammich]

Prices are pretty reasonable right now. If you can afford what you "want" get that. If you can only afford what you need, buy what fills a need. I don't really put much stock into the middy vs carbine length debate. Got two of each so I'm pretty much done buying, my need to experiment with builds is over. If you don't get exactly what you want now, you will just rationalize yourself into getting it eventually.

[Rated21R]

There are three aspects of any decision like this:
1) What do I want/need to do with the thing?
2) How much do I have to spend?
3) What's the best quality?

If you know that BCM, LMT, Noveske, DD and Colt all meet your needs, quite frankly you may as well put them all on a dartboard and throw a dart at them. The differences are small enough that most people will never realize them, and by the time you do you'll be ready for a second carbine as a backup/spare/loaner/wife gun anyway and you can buy the new one based on your experience.

I want a general purpose/home defense/SHTF rifle. I would prefer a 14.5 inch barrel and the ability to add a can later if I so choose to. I could go as high as 2k but would prefer to stay around 1500 or so. As far as quality the brands you have listed are on my list and as you said, I just have to choose it seems. Any favorites?

[spamsammich]

having drilled and pinned two 14.5" barrels, I would go with a 16" despite the slight weight savings and compactness of the shorter barrel. You lose out on a lot of flexibility in terms of configuring the rifle with a pinned flash hider. If you are in a state that allows SBRs, go with something like a 11.5" barrel if you really need a compact HD rifle. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my pinned 14.5" barrels (LMT and Noveske Afghan), but only because that is the shortest I can go in Washington without being LE or resorting to an annoying AR pistol.

These are my current favorite rifles, I've got an ACS coming for the Noveske build so it won't sport the CTR for much longer.
http://web.me.com/supermarkus/iWeb/Site/Noveske%20Afghan%20build_files/IMG_4028.jpg

[Rated21R]

I thought about going with an 11.5 or 12.5 but I was told that getting a SBR for my first AR was not a good choice. I have owned other rifles and shot my father's AR as well as my duty (Air Force) M4 plenty. So it wouldn't be brand new to me in that sense.

[Rated21R]

obtw that Noveske is like exactly what i want.

[spamsammich]

The drawback to the route I chose is that the rifle is pretty damned heavy with a lot of the weight forward. The barrel itself weighs two pounds, I'm hoping the ACS helps to balance it better. If I had been more patient, I would have had G&R build me an upper based on an N4 14.5" barrel to save a bit of weight. The upside is this Afghan is a great shooter, though I'll likely never see the benefit of it over an N4 barrel, I'm just not that good.