When it comes to firearms (ARs especially), in my experience, there are three types of purchasers.
You have the type who wants the cheapest equipment they can find, those that want the most expensive equipment they can find, and you have a third group who wants the best “bang” for the buck.
There are plenty of internet arguments as to what manufacturers and components are best for certain types of applications. You have the crowd who will argue that the cheaper components are “just as good” as the more expensive ones. You’ll also have the crowd who will argue that the “poors” only say that in an attempt to justify their poor purchasing decision (pun unintended).
The biggest thing to remember when it comes to firearms manufacturing is every manufacturer can have both good and bad products go out their doors. Maybe the inspector at the high-end brand manufacturing facility did not have his coffee that morning and missed something on final inspection, or maybe the inspector at the lower-price point manufacturing facility was running at 110% all month.
The fact remains: people are people, and mistakes and excellence both happen.
The thing to key in on is how often are poor quality products going out, and what is a given company’s response in an attempt to make things right.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m a SDI graduate and a gun shop owner.
I have had countless customers come through my shop with cheap components that always go “bang,” but I’ve also seen just as many of those cheap components not be within given specifications or have other issues.
I’ve also seen a few rifles from high end manufacturers come in with varying issues and, upon further inspection, have found some assembly issues.
One of the biggest issues with going the cheapest possible option is that there is often a greater potential to have issues. But on the positive side, you can have a potentially great rifle for sub-400 bucks (pre-covid craziness pricing). I always recommend ensuring you gauge and spec things with a bit more scrutiny on these components since the higher potential for error, issues, etc. is there.
When it comes to the crowd that may like to purchase things that are a little more expensive, the obvious con is the amount of money you will spend. However, there’s often a much lower chance you’ll have an issue arise from the factory. Typically, you’ll see some better-quality barrel and bolt material from higher-end manufacturers, which will lead to a higher round count before you need to replace a barrel.
If you fall under the third category, those who are on the hunt for the best “bang” for the buck (this time, pun intended), one of the biggest cons can arise from trying to do your due diligence in finding a product that fits all your needs/wants and falls within your budget.
There are so many different articles of “the best rifle for under a grand” that it can be tough to make the final decision. However, the biggest pro comes from knowing that you are getting the best product for the money you are willing to spend.
No matter which category you fall in, there is no doubt how much fun can be had spending the day at the range with friends and family. Exercising our Second Amendment rights will never get old, and never stop being fun. Over the next few articles, we will discuss a bit more in depth about some of the products that fall within these three categories. We will also discuss a bit on building vs. buying your rifle.
What do you think about the three types of purchasers? Please share this on Facebook and Twitter and let us know!
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