PrimaryClone
19 March 2009, 19:29
Evenin' all (or whatever the case may be),
My name is Rob, I'm 25, and in the Navy. I've come to the decision that it is vital to my continued existence that I own an EBR (more on the reasoning later). I've been a hunter since I was biting ankles, so basic gun terminology, safety, and operation is not lost on me. However, the world of the AR platform is entirely new, so things like brand names, specific features, and even component nomenclature are foreign to me. I know that the AR-style weapon system is versatile - home defense, sport, tactical education, and hunting - in many ways; hence, my interest. In my recent investigatings, I have come up with a few questions that, although they have been asked in the past, need asking again due to "changing times."
First - My preference and background. The things that matter to me are weather durability and reliability. I do NOT care about brand XXXX if the cheaper brand YYYY will be just as good. I'm not looking for a showpiece. I want my .223 to work. Brings me to the purpose - the firearm I want to purchase will be an all-arounder. Home defense and hunting. (As an aside, I shoot a rem 700 police as my primary whitetail rifle). I just don't believe in single-task rifles, so it will ruck with me through the woods and to training classes et al.
Second - I have a very distant (and very expensive) vision of the AR platform becoming (for me) something akin to the T/C Encore idea. Again, I know it is expensive, but there are several viable upper swaps that can make excellent hunting variants (a fact I'm sure is lost on nobody). The reason I bring this up is to reinforce 2 points. One, that this is a LEARNING rifle. I need to become familiar with the platform, the mechanics, the idiosyncrasies oh how an/my AR behaves. Two, it emphasizes the need for nothing fit for a king. If I can train with it, shoot it, clean it, and give it the golden rule treatment, I'm ok with whatever name is tacked on the side.
I made these two points to ask the be-all, end-all question, and list my thought process behind it.
Build or Buy?
I dont even want to list my perceived pro/con behind both building and buying. But the reason I bring up the tired old question is this - I feel like if I built it I'd have a more intimate knowledge of the firearm, BUT, my real question is - is building an AR still considered cheaper than getting one off-the-shelf? There are a few features I know I'd like; flip-sights, short rail, foregrip, certain stock, etc. But I don't know, with the current buying craze, which way is more efficient.
So, all of that being said and thrown around, I appreciate any links, advice, or /haha's tossed my way.
And it's good to be here!
-R.
My name is Rob, I'm 25, and in the Navy. I've come to the decision that it is vital to my continued existence that I own an EBR (more on the reasoning later). I've been a hunter since I was biting ankles, so basic gun terminology, safety, and operation is not lost on me. However, the world of the AR platform is entirely new, so things like brand names, specific features, and even component nomenclature are foreign to me. I know that the AR-style weapon system is versatile - home defense, sport, tactical education, and hunting - in many ways; hence, my interest. In my recent investigatings, I have come up with a few questions that, although they have been asked in the past, need asking again due to "changing times."
First - My preference and background. The things that matter to me are weather durability and reliability. I do NOT care about brand XXXX if the cheaper brand YYYY will be just as good. I'm not looking for a showpiece. I want my .223 to work. Brings me to the purpose - the firearm I want to purchase will be an all-arounder. Home defense and hunting. (As an aside, I shoot a rem 700 police as my primary whitetail rifle). I just don't believe in single-task rifles, so it will ruck with me through the woods and to training classes et al.
Second - I have a very distant (and very expensive) vision of the AR platform becoming (for me) something akin to the T/C Encore idea. Again, I know it is expensive, but there are several viable upper swaps that can make excellent hunting variants (a fact I'm sure is lost on nobody). The reason I bring this up is to reinforce 2 points. One, that this is a LEARNING rifle. I need to become familiar with the platform, the mechanics, the idiosyncrasies oh how an/my AR behaves. Two, it emphasizes the need for nothing fit for a king. If I can train with it, shoot it, clean it, and give it the golden rule treatment, I'm ok with whatever name is tacked on the side.
I made these two points to ask the be-all, end-all question, and list my thought process behind it.
Build or Buy?
I dont even want to list my perceived pro/con behind both building and buying. But the reason I bring up the tired old question is this - I feel like if I built it I'd have a more intimate knowledge of the firearm, BUT, my real question is - is building an AR still considered cheaper than getting one off-the-shelf? There are a few features I know I'd like; flip-sights, short rail, foregrip, certain stock, etc. But I don't know, with the current buying craze, which way is more efficient.
So, all of that being said and thrown around, I appreciate any links, advice, or /haha's tossed my way.
And it's good to be here!
-R.