Thinking about 1st AR and some questions

[Daps]

Been going back and forth on this. Had decided to get a pocket gun but made the mistake of looking at AR's again and hope they run some Christmas, end of the year sales,so a few quick questions.

I don't hunt I don't like wild meat taste so I wouldnt use it to hunt even though I have thought about going with an uncle when he comes back this way who hunts that way someone could have the meat, if I could hunt with it what could I hunt with a .223? rabbits? coons?, not sure in TN if you could hunt deer with a .223, I've heard .223 wasnt good enough and then I heard ppl say they use it. Actually all I plan on doing is punching holes with it maybe twice a month, not taking any tactical training, not doing the tacticool setup. I just want one of those evil black guns because I can own one :)

I figured I better go ahead and do something this year because this time next year dealers may decide to raise prices when we see who's in the running for President and if talk of AWB2 comes up I'm sure stuff will go up.

What's the difference between an A1 and A2 sights?

I know it's not popular but I want the carrying handle on mine. I like the look and it reminds me of my M16 air rifle I had as a kid. Like I said I don't plan on putting all the tactical stuff on it.

I would like to add a cheap scope or reddot/speed dot though. I know I would have to buy a mount rail something like the one cphilip has on the pict I posted below. That the type of look I'm going for,

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w126/Dapss/cphilip.jpg

I don't know a lot about scopes/dots but was looking at the following:

Leupold Scope
http://www.swfa.com/pc-3413-99-leupold-3-9x40-rifleman-riflescope.aspx

Super Sniper
http://www.swfa.com/pc-4304-231-super-sniper-10x42-30mm-rifle-scope.aspx

Burris Speeddot
http://www.swfa.com/pc-8299-629-burris-1x35-speeddot-sight.aspx

Burris Speeddot Tactical
http://www.swfa.com/pc-8301-630-burris-1x35-xtreme-tactical-speeddot-sight.aspx

Any other suggestions that would work on the carry handle. Trying to stay in the $300 or below range for either the scope or dot. Remember I'm not a hunter, not taking any tactical course, just having fun.

Now the other choice is do I buy a complete lower(dont want to do the stipped thing) and complete upper separate and snap them together. I can build a complete Stag for $774 +/- $20(maybe lower with the holidays) including the ffl transfer, background I think the lower has a free mag tossed in for this sale but I'm waiting to Dec to do anything the advantage to this route is I can just buy one or the other which ever goes on sell the cheapest and then buy the other part later and not tie all my $$ up at one time

Seen a Bushmaster at Atlantic Arms for $780.99 + $20s/h +$25 for my FFL transfer/BGCk but what about the rifle tax? How much is it(TN)? I know if you buy a complete rifle you pay a rifle tax but no idea how much it is, but it includes 1 mag and case this price isnt too much off the price I could do a Stag for for, read some place the guy said they had them for $750 at one time
http://www.davidsonsinc.com/consumers/subsites/inven_product.asp?dealer_id=837399&item=BCWA1F-16M4&instock=all&manufact_combo=Bushmaster&mod_ser_combo=None&category_combo=None&model=None&g_type=None&act_type=&finish_type=None&calib_combo=None&sight_class_combo=None&price_range=None&left_handed=&youth=&Offset_rec=0&num_rec=50&item_num=


Seen an Olympic Arms for $719.00 $20s/h +$25 for my FFL
http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/programming/expand.asp?Prodid=294
Not bad but it has 4140 chromemoly steel but I heard not to get a chromemoly. Should that matter given my plans? Though the could later change but I doubt it. How good is Olympic Arms

I'm just trying to go the low cost route it's going to be just a toy for me and just to have an AR in my gun collection. I'm a single dad with no C/S coming in. going to have a little free money for Christmas/End of year this year from busting my butt working 2 jobs and want to buy something as a gift for me because I normally feel guilty spending this much on something for me when I could spend the money on my kids(already got the wii and bikes for Christmas and put up), 1 stays with me and then I have one by another woman, talked to her about it and she says you're a good dad and do for you kids you deserve to spend that money on something you want. Maybe I should've kept her and left #2(i have custody of the kid from this one) alone hahahah I'll probably buy a scope/dot sometime next year

I've looked on ar15.com but it seems some of the guys there get kind of beside themselves when a newbie asks a question and this is more of my home board :)

[desertfox]

A1 sights are on the firearm in your photo. no elevation adjustment. A2 sights have and elevation adjustment on them. as you can see in this photo.

http://www.cavalryarms.com/galleries/CR/MKII/14.jpg

Personally I do not mind a carry handle, but really do not like having a magnified optic or red dot optic on top of the carry handle. if you go with a red dot, I would suggest thinking about putting it on a mount in front of the carry handle, like this one:

http://www.cavalryarms.com/galleries/CR/MKII/08.jpg

all the rifles you stated are not bad. the only barrels from oly I have messed with besides the 9mm are the SUM (heavy match barrel) barrels and those are nice. Chromemoly barrels are not bad barrels, alot of barrels are that....the real question is wether or not to find one that is chrome lined. if you do mind cleaning your weapon after you shoot it, none chrome lined should be fine....but there really is no price difference these days between chromed and none chromed.

[Daps]

Thanks for the info desertfox.

If you dont mind my asking what brand of mount and scope do you have there.

That Olympic may be something I look at then. I just have to wait for the christmas/new year deals and then decide from there.

[Akita]

Deer hunting in TN is indeed illegal with a 223. I believe the bullet must be .24 or larger.

Dont buy a 'cheap' scope- youll be throwing your money away. Save up and get a good one if you must. That said, anything that starts with Leupold and contains the phrase 'lifetime warranty' is a winner. I also Love Eotechs. Others prefer Aimpoints. Tomato/Tomahto. See what you prefer.

Shop around- I've seen TN Bushys for $700-750 at gunshows (notably the Morristown Dec RK show) lately. I don think theres much diff in most brands, but the Public does, so a Bushmaster will resell better than almost anything except a Colt. Again for those that dont read well and are poised to cirticize me- any lower except a Hesse/Vulcan is a fine AR lower.

[Daps]

Thanks Akita....

I'll look around but won't I have to pay sells tax at the gun show? Our sales tax here is 10 cents on a dollar so that adds up and wouldnt have to pay that if I ordered online...

Also do you have any ideal how much the rifle tax you have to pay when buying a complete rifle.?

Like I said I dont plan on hunting so the deer thing is no lost, but what could u hunt with an AR here in TN

[QNman]

Like I said I dont plan on hunting so the deer thing is no lost, but what could u hunt with an AR here in TN

Moonshiners? ;)

FWIW, I got my first AR a couple months ago - a DPMS Panther.

Since then, I LOVED it SOO much, I have actually bought another lower (gonna buy the new upper later). You won't regret your decision to get one - they ROCK!

[MrMurphy]

You could also buy an A4/flattop receiver, and add the carrying handle. If you want optics, remove the handle. If you don't, leave it on for the classic AR look.

[Daps]

ssssshhh no one is suppose to now about the moonshine haha

I've been wanting one, like I said I had decided and researchin on getting a pocket gun but got to looking at AR's and well I said to myself, you got a carry gun but u dont have an AR.

I have probably another 4 or 5 weeks before I buy anything, trying to wait for any end of the year deals that may be out

[Daps]

Now if I can get some answers to the rifle tax question i'd be golden. I guess I could call a shop and find out

[WolfiePacker]

I know in NC if you order a complete AR from a manufacturer there is a 60.00 tax added to it. I think that was a federal tax so it should be the same in Tenn. Im not 100% positive though.

[Daps]

Thanka Wolfie Ive been wanting to know that question that definte helps

[Riflemanz]

.223 will kill a deer dead! Just make a good shot on the deer.Keep the shots close in yardage and you'll be fine.Use a winchester 64gr power point bullet.