A couple people had expressed interest in this topic, and I have a bit of extra time for a couple days, so here goes:
Bona fides: I am a former infantry NCO and sniper, hunter, competitive shooter, reloader, hobby gunsmith, sometimes firearms trainer and currently work in a gun shop, mostly on the paperwork/compliance side. Back in the day, was a qualified expert with every standard small arm in the US inventory circa 2003 (M2, 4, 9, 16, 19, 249, 240B, 21, 24, 82 etc.), and today hang around the 75th percentile of USPSA classifications. I've shot Cap-and-Ball, Trap and Sporting Clays badly; Bullseye and PRS somewhat better and IDPA/USPSA/UML/Two-gun with some local success. Been active in the 2A community since the mid-90s, got my first instructor cert in high school, and have held a CPL for almost twenty years now.
I certainly don't claim to be an expert in every aspect of firearms, there's huge areas that escape my knowledge base, but if you've got questions I'll do my best to answer.
Technical questions
Gun control proposals for feasibility
Industry
Training
Wacky opinions
General geekery
Some competition links (not my own) just for the interested.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=U5IhsWamaLY&t=173
https://youtube.com/watch?v=93nEEINflXE
https://youtube.com/watch?v=utcky0zq10E
Jump in the discussion.
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Notes -
In your opinion, best way to get into the AR game? I feel like it's time to get one, I don't envision the market on them improving for consumers in the near future, etc. Uses would be range toy, home defense, TEOTWAWKI/SHTF; probably never hunting, as I have guns I like for that already.
I'm in a position where I can drop what I imagine to be reasonable money on it, $800-1k shouldn't be overly problematic, but much more than that will lead to wife questions. I've shot poorly for a really long time, so I'm used to guns but no champion.
I'd actually put "aftermarket trigger" after red dot and before light in terms of things to buy.
The advice I've gotten and believe is that most ARs are the same. Even a cheap $600 PSA example has a lot more commonalities than differences with a $2k rifle. You purchase the latter for cachet or running like a dog. I've done that and am not ashamed of it, but you absolutely don't need to.
However, the change an $80-150 trigger can make in your shooting experience is fucking enormous. Hopefully most of those more expensive rifles come with a LaRue/Geissele equivalent trigger (the latter of which I've purchased at that $150 mark and love but believe the LaRue will do the same thing for $80).
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No one way, but there's some solid options out there for under 1k. Offhand, Aero Precision, Ruger's MPR, even a SIG Tread if you can find one.
Get a free-floated M-lok handguard, skip the paint jobs.
Aftermarket: in order of priority sling, red dot, light. Everything else may be marginally useful, but not a game changer.
Do you have anything to say about PSA uppers that could be printed on this christian website?
Sure, they're decent for the money. IMO the best of the budget companies. You've got a slightly elevated chance of getting a lemon, but other than that, if you don't ride 'em hard and put 'em away wet, it's a fine option. It's not a duty-grade gun by any means, so it's up to you whether that meets your needs. For range toys? PSA all day baybee. For anything serious? DD, BCM etc.
If you're looking to dip your toe in the world of building ARs, PSA is your first stop. Just don't bet your life on your first homemade gun.
Hey, I've gotta get my gambling fix somewhere, and it's definitely a cheap way of doing it!
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