Where would you spend the $?

So, I am buying both a ccw Handgun and an AR15 in the next few months. I cannot buy the premium model of both guns due to finances but can afford my favorite in one of them. If you were in this position would you spend the premium money on an AR or a Handgun?

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Figure what will you use more? If you can get a CCW permit in your state/area, then plan for a good solid CCW pistol, like a CZ PCR, and also budget $100 for a good holster and spare magazine. If you already have a CCW pistol, then you’re buying a backup, and it can fit the same gear you have now.You can get decent AR15s now for less than $500, like the Freedom series from PSA, so it goes back to budget and what you expect to actually use more.

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I would buy a reliable cow in the caliber of your choice. But keep in mind if you have to use it it is as good as gone.

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Better one good gun than 2 bad ones. I always feel bad replacing something I have an “almost good enough” model of. So, I’d rather have one thing I want and an empty spot to fill later than 2 things I don’t really want. I agree with the others that that the pistol for CCW would be my first priority–something reliable with night sights.

What do you want the AR15 for? I’ve found I don’t really care for them in terms of recreation. They are pain to clean, overpriced, and less accurate than a bolt gun. I picked up a .223 TC Compass for $200 after rebate recently and it is much more fun than my AR.

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I want to get into three gun to see if I like it. Also, I have always wanted an AR and think it is a good idea to buy one now while prices are low and I can still purchase one legally. I know I can get a very good AR for a reasonable amount of money, of course when I look at them I end up wanting a great free floated barrel, an excellent trigger and BCG and the price jumps dramatically. I think AR’s are only overpriced when you get into the upper-mid-tier guns, otherwise they are the most reasonably priced military/sporting rifle on the market.

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I did not own an AR until right before the election

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. I got an Armalite and then six months later won a Daniel defense at a NRA banquet that had all the up grades already on it.

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WoW! Very nice! I have been looking at POF and FN for my AR.

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Well if you want to get into three gun your CCW isn’t going to be much help , and the AR is a good value right now though your choices are kinda different directions , FN’s offerings are more mil-spec style /the nicer version and POF are piston kinda 3 gunish rifles ,but you could easily start without spending 2k on your AR remember you need a shotgun and a good competition level pistol too . Personally I like the Walther 5" PPQ’s for pistols if you aren’t going to go with a CZ but then you can go with a 930 Mossberg which isn’t crazy expensive less than a grand for a comp ready one and the new AR’s from Mossberg are supposed to be pretty good as well and sorta made for competition , anyway if you have 2k to spend you can buy a really nice CCW and a very good AR too you just need to shop around and be specific about what you want to use it for. Ask lots of questions and don’t buy the first thing you see .

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A good EDC hand gun is and should always be your priority. Realistically, rifles are just for sports. Get the hand gun. I recommend the LH9N MKII. You won’t regret it. Speer GDHP’s for carry, brass FMJ’s for the range/classes. Check ammo-seek.com each week/month to see what’s available.

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I am not an AR fan as it is is to small to be effective on the dangerous game up here.
I however WANT some good quality 10 mm handgun for in the field. So I would spend the more money on a top quality HIGH CAPACITY 10 MM 1911 and the lower amount on an OK (above average but not the top quality) AR platform in the highest caliber available. I have .22’s and .17’s for plinking, any firearm I get is for serious use as hunting defense or whatever.

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What’s your budget first. You can get a real good 3 gun comp AR 15, if you build it yourself, or get the upper & lower already built. PSA makes great rifles, so does BCM. They way I see it is that I have a FrankenAR
Specs
Upper Areo Precision Complete.
Hand guard Odin Works 15.5" K Mod HG
Barrel BA Hudson 16.1 .223 Wydle 416 r stainless steel with Nordic Corvette brake came with stainless steel mid-length gas tube & low profile gas block that’s screwed & pinned onto the barrel. http://ballisticadvantage.com/16-inch-223-hanson-mid-ss-premium-barrel.html

Tacticon flip up BUIS
Optic: Vortex Strikefire II red/green
Charging handle: Strike Industries AR 15 with extended latch
BCM Keymod vertical grip
ADE Advanced Keymod 1" light mount https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MZ8N1TC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Acid Tactical 250 lumens modified single switch white light.
Aim Surplus Nickel Boron BCG with BCM Extractor upgrade kit.

Lower:
Ruger AR556 lower
Strike Industries lower parts kit minus trigger group
Trigger is PSA Nickel Boron trigger with JP Enterprises Reliability spring kit.
Anti rotation Hammer & trigger pin set
PSA Buffer Tube kit Mil-spec
Strike Industries Flatwire recoil spring
BCM H buffer
MFT Minimalist Mil spec Stock

I model this off a 3 gun AR I found in a magazine cause I was thinking the same thing about getting into 3 gun competition shooting. I have $700 dollars in this build & it shoots like a champ. I did the upper without BCG or charging handle for $340. I got the optic for Christmas this year, the butt stock was a gift also. If you build this rifle as in now looking at about $600 in just the upper without the charging handle & butt stock unless you could find a blem sale from Odin works or BA Hudson barrels.

20171224_214926

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Do you want to COMPETE in 3 gun or SHOOT in 3 gun matches to improve your shooting ability? I’ve SHOT in 3 gun matches with an M&P sport, Glock 19 and bone stock Mossberg 500. Was I the fastest person there? Not by a long shot. Did I learn what skills I needed to work on, i.e. reloading, transitions and non dominant hand shooting? YUP. Buying “race guns” before you master the fundamentals is pointless. The gun will ALWAYS out shoot you, but you’ll always be looking for a piece of gear to improve your poor shooting.

Also, don’t discount used firearms. There are plenty of “police trade ins” from distributors. You can get a used CCW pistol, that really wasn’t shot all that much, for a bargain.

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I would love to try 3 gun yes. I have been shooting for over 20+ yrs. I have competed in rifle shooting iron sight shoot out with .22 mag when I was younger. I have taken some classes in shotgun, rifle & pistol. I would just like to try it out, I am sure that I would suck but that’s not the reason I want to try it. I just didn’t put together a race gun & not know how to use it. I am (not bragging) really good with that rifle, I have used irons mostly my whole life also. I also started with a M&P 15 sport gen 1. I have had so far in the last 4 yrs 6 AR 15 rifles & several AK 47.
I am happy with the gear that I have. Got the M&P 2.0 9 mm pistol also a modified H&R Pardner Protector 12 ga shotgun that I have been practicing with for the last year. I just need some mag holders & work on shotgun reloading. If I used the Shotgun I would remove the current stock on it & replace it with the standard one that came on it for 3 gun.

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Thanks for all the great feedback guys. Just a couple of thoughts. Someone asked my budget…the two guns I most want would cost a total of 3 grand including tax…my budget is probably more like $2000. Seems like the consensus is to get the CCW I want and then spend less money on the AR. I think that makes sense. Also, I think 3 gun would be a good way to force you to train on a broad spectrum of weapons and their styles of use.

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You can easily get a good CCW and AR for $2K. That is assuming you’re not looking at some Nighthawk custom 1911 or Agency arms Glock as a CCW. Like I said, if you’re not looking to COMPETE in 3 gun but rather use it as a learning tool, you do not need race guns.
The S&W M&P-15 competition has an MSRP of $1579, retail is $1299, and would make a decent base to start from. You can always upgrade over time as budget allows. That leaves $700 from your budget for a CCW.

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I highly agree, the build before this was a Hog hunt build, I took most of the parts off of it & used them on this. It had a Magpul rifle length stock Vortex 4x12 scope, but I wanted to make it lighter. So I sold most of it then it kinda did take on the role of a race gun, still would need a better trigger I think to really make it into a true 3 gun race gun. At my friends when I can shoot out there he has his land setup like a 3 gun course cause he does shoot 3 gun, so I get to hook up with him about twice a year to shoot. I just like doing it for really the fun, get to run & gun style of shooting. That’s one reason why I lighten up this current build cause the first time I shot with him it was step up for hog. I put a Bushnell 1x4 scope on it & shot, but it was still heavy, with that Magpul rifle stock & the offset sights I had on it also the mount I was using, with the 1x4 was a bit heavy also.

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If you are determined to get an AR15, why not the Ruger AR-556? From all I have seen, it is reliable and accurate (enough), and you should be able to find it around $600 USD.

For a ccw, what about a Walther PPS M2 (in 9 mm)? They have been on sale a lot lately - low to mid $300’s USD. I have this gun and love it. Very reliable and reasonably accurate. Recoil is modest, too. Takedown and reassembly - both easy, too.

Then, use the rest of your budget for ammo and targets.

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Tthanks for the input. Things have changed now that H&K have lowered the price of the P30. I can now afford to buy the handgen that fits me best by far AND the AR I want.

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Well whats your overall budget?

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