[Cazper23]

I found an ar15 made by dpms for 600$ brand new at a lgs. No optics or iron sights but my father inlaw has a set of irons I can use till I get optics... what does everyone think should I get it or continue saving. This will be my first ar and I just plan on plinking with it once or twice a month..

[BenLuby]

It would really depend on a few things. Your budget. Do you plan on shooting only brass case ammunition, ranges you're shooting at, and is it just for plinking or for home defense as well?

[Tackleberry1]

Originally Posted by Cazper23

I found an ar15 made by dpms for 600$ brand new at a lgs. No optics or iron sights but my father inlaw has a set of irons I can use till I get optics... what does everyone think should I get it or continue saving. This will be my first ar and I just plan on plinking with it once or twice a month..

Brace yourself...no less than a dozen members WILL endevor to tell you that you can build a better quality AR for 600. They will also tell you that DPMS are on the lower end of the quality spectrum.

Perhaps they are but if it's for casual plinking I'd say it's plenty well built for your purpose. A couple of things I'd look for are:
1. Chrome lined barrel. This is a must for reliability in the AR PLATFORM. If it's not a chrome or chrome lined barrel then pass.
2. Forward Assist. There a few DPMS models with no forward assist. I think there called "slick side" or "smooth side" because they lack the bump out on the starboard side for the forward assist and brass deflector. If this is missing, pass.
3. Milled receivers. Don't know about DPMS but there are folks offering AR variants with polymer upper and or lower receivers. If there not both milled aluminum then pass.

If the rifle meets items 1 through 3 above, then 600 is not a bad price but it's not fantastic either. I recently saw an add at one of my local chain dealers for a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 for 650.

Good luck,

Tack

[BenLuby]

Not to be insulting, as Tack is exactly right, but if you don't know what a forward assist is?



You may never need it. But then again...you just might.

[jjfuller1]

tack with the number one answer.. thats probly the best advice you can get

[AgentTikki]

I would argue that:

If you are only planning on running a couple hundred rounds a month, chrome lining is not really necessary. Its best served for high round count, shooting. If you like doing mag dumps, full auto rapid fire type shooting, a chrome lined CHF barrel would best suit your needs.

I use a forward assist almost every time I'm at the range. I like to chamber / safety check my rifles and use it to re-seat the round if my Ar's hot.

All metal recievers are milled to some degree or another, but forged units are usually stronger milled billet units. I'd shy away from plastic uppers, save for maybe a cheap lightweight .22lr build. Plastic lowers are interesting, but I would not use them for a high round count, serious roles (duty/defense)

[Quentin]

Probably ok for light use but in the low end I'd go for the S&W Sport instead. Remember almost everyone upgrades quite a bit in the first year especially. It's easy to double the price of a $600 AR and many later realize they could have done better buying a high quality rifle that already has the stuff you'll figure out you need. Problem with this? Well it means you've got to research now and become a SME before buying anything.

[my4angesl]

I have an M&P 15 and love it I only paid $700 and with a few add on accessories you can't ask for more and so far no issues with it, well one thing it don't like a certain brand of ammo "wolf" silver casing.

[lbwar15]

I also have an m&p 15. I got about $1400 in it. I love it only bad thang about it is my wife stays mad at me bc I can't put it down. She says I can't go a day without talking about it or guns at all for that mater and she is right. I thank the longest I have went without shooting it when im home is 3 days.

[Cazper23]

It had the forward assist but didnt have the chrome liner in barrel. I'm a slow shooter when I shoot my father inlaws ar. But thats also because we shoot at a range that requires us to have atleast 2 seconds between each shot... The upper from what I could tell was metal too. My budget is me saving 50$ a week and im at 400 now.