Buying an AR-15...

[Glock 'em down]

So I'm thinking I should go ahead and purchase an AR-15 while they are at their cheapest right now.

I've narrowed it down to two rifles and frankly, I can't decide which would serve me better.

Smith & Wesson M&P-15 Sport.
Sturm Ruger AR-556.

They seem to be quite comparable to each other with seems like the only difference being the absence of the dust cover and FA on the S&W.

Any other major diffs that I might be missing? Anybody own both and like one over the other?

 

[tRidiot]

Mark's? Hell, a full setup for like $450?

Or buy the PSA full rifle kit in the classies and throw a lower with it?

Unless you're just set on a full rifle from one of those manufacturers or something?

 

[Shiredude]

Most likely, the S&W will be worth more based on the name in a few years. Just something you may want to consider?
Other than that, most of your 10-12 "mid to upper mid class" AR's are gonna run flawlessly and there are not much differences. But when you start getting up into Noveske, LMT, LWRC, etc, etc, etc, you'll start getting into more options and more user specific stuff.

 

[O4L]

Mark's? Hell, a full setup for like $450?

Or buy the PSA full rifle kit in the classies and throw a lower with it?

Unless you're just set on a full rifle from one of those manufacturers or something?

Mark's? Sure, if you don't mind having a polymer lower, that is. No thanks.

I've seen the M&P Sport as low as $499.99 lately. That's a much better rifle for the money.

PSA has also had some good deals.

Here are a couple of deals I found on the Ruger and Sport.

https://www.okshooters.com/showthread.php?p=2789256

 

[Glocktogo]

S&W over the Ruger, IMO.

 

[bsmith918]

I'd pass on a polymer lower right now, especially with how cheap AR's can be had.

 

[Shadowrider]

My M&P15 shoots right at MOA with 55gr Hornady FMJ handloaded ammo. I've never even benched a premium bulleted heavy or stretched it's legs just to see what it will do because it will ring steel at 300 all day long with just that plain old FMJ ball stuff and that's all I need it to do. It's the plain old M4 clone model.

 

[audiophile]

My son has the M&P 15 and it has run flawlessly. We have run prob 1000 rounds through it with no issues. Shoot great and very accurate.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[swampratt]

How would the DPMS Panther stack up against the Smith or Sturm ?

 

[Gideon]

Just a few things to note:

M&P15 Sport is an odd duck, because they seem to have a good quality 1-7 twist barrel, but everything else is cheap.

AR556 has a weird proprietary gas block and a thread tightened delta ring instead of the spring type, which means they may not be compatible with a lot of aftermarket items.