Alright guys – this is my favorite type of firearm. I grew up in a family that kept guns in the home (mostly for hunting) but after joining the Marine Corps and having some initial success at shooting an M16a2 service rifle – I fell in love with it almost immediately.
The AR15 is the civilian version of the rifle. I say civilian version only because even the M16A2 service rifle had a 3 round burst selector switch (safety) – this is not offered to the general public (thanks NFA). Worth Firearms has the AR15 for sale that fits your budget and needs.
What is an AR15?
The AR in AR15 stands for ArmaLite (the company that designed the platform). The media might have you believe it means “assault rifle” but it doesn’t – ArmaLite created the rifle and later sold it to Colt.
The AR15 is just a platform in a long line of civilian semi automatic rifles that is used for shooting sports and home defense. This popular rifle platform is great because it’ll utilize many different calibers for shooting sports. Popular rifle calibers include the 9mm, 5.56, and 300 Blackout.
Read: The Best Beginner AR15
While the platform or “upper receiver” and “lower receiver” do not have to change between calibers, the rifle’s barrels do, and that’s what makes the AR15 the most popular platform for shooting sports.
Parts of an AR15
There are many ways of separating the various pieces of an AR15. Today we’ll dive deep but we’re not identifying all the tiny springs, detent springs, and tools to assemble an AR15. If you want to learn how to assemble an AR15:
- Find a parts list online for everything you’ll need. You can buy anything you need from Worth Firearms:
- Upper receivers
- Lower receiver
- Handguards
- Lower parts kit (you may want to buy a new trigger but one is included)
- Barrel (be sure to choose the right caliber)
- Sights or optics
- Bolt carrier group – Learn More
- Charging handle
- Buffer tube
- Buffer spring
- Buffer
- Stock
- Look online for the tools you’ll need to assemble your platform.
- Find a site with step-by-step instructions on assembling your AR15. I used instructions for AR15.com
As of this writing, the lower receiver is the only part affected by the NFA (national firearms act) and is a controlled item that only FFL dealers can distribute. Depending on your barrel length, you’ll need to buy a butstock/buffer tube/buffer spring, buffer that can accommodate the brace or a normal buttstock. Your local armorer and FFL should be able to tell you the guidelines for federal and state laws.
I say state laws because I almost moved to a state that SBR’s (short barreled rifles) were against the law (Michigan – this is a rule in several states). Not only would you need a tax stamp from the ATF for your SBR, you’d need written permission from the state of Michigan as well.
Worth Firearms carries “builder sets” from Aero Precision in various Cerakote patterns for your to build your own AR15. The rest of this article will focus on purchasing a AR15 made from top manufacturers like Aero Precision, Daniel Defense, and LaRue Tactical.
Now I mention these top manufacturers because they’re ones that I have experience with. You could also find Smith & Wesson, Sig Sauer, Palmetto State Armory, Colt, Springfield Armory, and various other manufacturers. At Worth Firearms we’ll transfer any firearm you purchase, and stock ones we have the best experiences with.
Which AR15 should I Buy?
This is a tough question. Here’s an easier way to help you decide. Ask yourself:
- Why am I buying this? Is it for self-defense, tactical shooting, shooting on the range, hunting, or playing soldier?
- Which caliber do you need to achieve your answer to #1? Can you afford that ammo? Can you find a .22 rifle that will satisfy your range needs? 9mm would even be a good option over the current cost of .223 Remington/5.56 ammo.
- How far do I plan to shoot? A 5.56 mm caliber round will go further than a 9mm.
- What accessories do you need with it? I.e. – Will you buy a budget $500 rifle but put a long distance Leopold scope on it?
- Again – do you need the scope if you’re only shooting 100 yards?
- How much am I willing to pay after accessories? A lot of people want to do long distance shooting, are you buying a budget gun with expensive optics? Or vice versa? Mid quality on both? Can you buy a rifle with better quality parts and use an old optic?
I can tell you this – with ammunition as expensive as it is right now – I’d rather budget for that versus optics that I already have from different rifles. I also don’t run my gun as hard as someone like Garand Thumb. The guy puts AR15 rifles and pistols through a 10k round torture test – he’s breaking internal parts (springs, bolts, charging handles) but I doubt you’ll shoot an AR15 that much even in a year.
Barrel Length and Most Rifles
When selecting a barrel length – keep in mind what your goal is for the AR15. Will you use it for home defense when there’s an intruder with it? Are you going the “tacticool” route and shooting targets at lightning speed? Are you spending the day at the range shooting 500 yards or more?
Short Barreled Semi Automatic Rifles
The ATF considers a short barreled rifle to be any rifle where the barrel is less than 16 inches or an overall length (if barrel is 16 inches or more) of 26 inches – length from the buttstock to the tip of the barrel. While this is important for any armorer or “gunsmith” putting together their purchased gun parts – FFL dealers (gun dealers) will know if a rifle is an SBR.
Especially since a special license is required to stock SBR’s. To purchase, you’ll need a tax stamp and a lot of patience – the lead time for tax stamps are at least three months.
While SBR’s requires a barrel length of 16 inches, an AR15 upper and lower receiver with a barrel less than 16 inches and a pistol brace as its stock is considered a pistol braced AR15. Not a rifle.
If pistol braced and normal length rifles don’t sold your home defense needs – perhaps a home defense pistol will!
Is there a difference between popular rifle barrel lengths?
I cannot find a large difference in different barrel lengths. The common understanding is that a longer barrel will help with accuracy. A shorter barrel won’t shoot as far because it’s not getting the same amount of gases behind it (through rifling). I’ve read stats and data contrary to both of these beliefs. I believe you should focus more on the quality of your rifle (free floating handguards vs fixed) and ammunition quality (match grade vs some steel “wolf” or soviet rounds). If you focus not these areas of interest, you’ll be all set and have only yourself to blame if you miss a target. Get out there and train – you’ll learn what really drives your accuracy and range.
What Rifles Do We Carry?
It’s a common misconception that gun dealers make bank with selling firearms. Also, it’s wrong. It’s a low margin item. Think of it like appliance sales – the real money is made with warranty add-on’s, accessories, and service plans. Do your gun dealer a favor – buy a magazine or two.
Starting off we will carry some budget, mid range, and high end rifles. Budget rifles will have a low price around $800. Mid range will be between $1,200 – $2,000. High end will be in excess of $2,000. We are able to special order any rifle you may want – please ask us about buying a rifle for you. We can find any difficult to find rifle for you and give you a list of options for pricing from our distributors or gunbroker.com.
The Future of America’s Rifle
Honestly – we’re running a risk of people being appointed in government that will make subjective rules about firearms and limit your future selection. If you don’t own an AR15, you owe it to yourself to own it. You may not have the chance to own one in the next two or three election cycles. We may be one mental health tragedy from losing our 2nd amendment.
Not only are AR15’s at risk – high capacity magazines and standard capacity magazines are at risk. Worth Firearms has your back for all your high capacity and standard capacity AR15 magazine needs.
