What MUST HAVE upgrades should I get for my new AR?

[Used To Hunt]

Found them at northwest armory for $10/ea. Loaded up on 5 of them.

MORE MAGS! I see no sign of scopes being banned in the near future. 30rd magazines on the other hand, have a target on them. I am guessing you weren't a gun owner during the Brady bill so take advice from the dozen plus members who all said buy mags. Spend your entire optic budget on them and then figure out a way to fill them.

Also buy a sling, light and learn to shoot. The flood is coming

 

[DirectDrive]

Ohhhh send me a link. That's just down the road and I can pick them up soon. Don't need 10 tho

MORE MAGS! I see no sign of scopes being banned in the near future. 30rd magazines on the other hand, have a target on them. I am guessing you weren't a gun owner during the Brady bill so take advice from the dozen plus members who all said buy mags. Spend your entire optic budget on them and then figure out a way to fill them.

Also buy a sling, light and learn to shoot. The flood is coming

Ohhhh send me a link. That's just down the road and I can pick them up soon. Don't need 10 tho

OP :

1) Mags over 10rds could be banned in the future as mentioned above.

2) Mags have a "service life" (feed lips get worn out, etc).

3) Mags are inexpensive right now.

4) A firearm designed to use mags is a single-shot firearm without mags.

That is why many of us are serious about mags.

In Russia they have so many mags, they use them for roads.
These "Bakelite" AK mags sell for over $100 each in this country.

Full disclosure :
I see that these mags have their guts removed.
The feed lips are probably worn out and the guts were salvaged.
Probably a Russian (or Soviet) military base.

 

[3MTA3]

Top upgrades:

Good optic. Red dot, LVPO, prism.

Maybe a better trigger, maybe.

Magazines, lots of magazines.

A good sling.

Range time, lots of range time.

This. Period.

Unless ammo comes down and is more available soon get a 22LR conversion kit so you can get that range time in without shouting "pew!" every time you pull the trigger.

Skip the muzzle break on an AR. Totally not needed. Spend the money on ammo.

 

[WAYNO]

I endured a lot of training at one time in my life. We didn't have any of this crap on our M-16. How did we survive?

 

[nwslopoke]

Either red dot and keep it lightweight or 1-6 or higher variable optic. If you like a lighter trigger but you can run into light primer strikes. If it's a true defense weapon leave the functionality alone. Rattle can it, obviously.

 

[Member 53328]

Either red dot and keep it lightweight or 1-6 or higher variable optic. If you like a lighter trigger but you can run into light primer strikes. If it's a true defense weapon leave the functionality alone. Rattle can it, obviously.

Oh yea! I second the rattle can. All of my rifles get painted and not with that fancy cerecokte. Haha.

 

[Camelfilter]

I get 'em here ($13.98)

Lancer L5AWM 5.56mm 30-Round Translucent SMOKE Magazine

Get the reliable and durable Lancer L5AWM 5.56mm 30-Round Translucent SMOKE Magazine from Botach. Made in the USA with a polymer and steel hybrid construction.

botach.com

Before the naysayers chime in, I've never had a single problem with Botach except slow shipping waaay back in the day.

Fun fact :
Lancer Mags
The only polymer mag that can run 458 SOCOM

FYI all, Lancers are $12.80 @ Midway. On special, just got an email.

Plus ship. There may be a shipping promo code around, dunno.

Lancers are pretty decent, however we run pMAGs just fine…

 

[DirectDrive]

FYI all, Lancers are $12.80 @ Midway. On special, just got an email.

Plus ship. There may be a shipping promo code around, dunno.

Lancers are pretty decent, however we run pMAGs just fine…

That is a good price for Lancers, but the next time you turn around Midway will be back up to $20ea.
Botach typically has the lowest every day price on Lancer mags.

Lancers are actually better than Pmags because of their integrated steel feed lips and stiffer body material.
Pmags are fine for 5.56 as are Lancers, but Lancers excel for 458 SOCOM, 300BLK and for longer service life.

My top three AR mag ranking would be :

1) Okay SureFeed (USGI)
2) Lancer (best polymer)
3) Pmag (best budget polymer)

 

[edzz]

OP mentioned right off an intention to get Sig M400, don't remember ever mentioning what it's to be chambered in.

Lancer is my go to mag for 300 blk. They work without modification for 300blk subs unlike the standard Pmag (yes there are now 300blk Pmags).
The other reason I like the Lancers for 300blk is they feel different than Pmags.
I also fit "The Original Magpul! MAG001" to my Lancer magazines as an additional touchy-feely indicator to insure I don't stuff a 300blk into one of the 5.56 guns.
So for me I use Pmags for 5.56 and Lancers for 300blk.


What do you get when you fire a 300blk in a 5.56?

 

[Cerberus Group]

My thoughts on muzzle brakes...

 

[bgdawgrr]

I love Lancer L5 And rate them just above Pmags because of the feed lips.
Colors are nice and I love the feel of the polymer they use.
Only reservation I have is that I find it harder to seat a Lancer on a closed bolt vs Pmags. Makes me understand some ppls 29 round theory.

 

[Member 53328]

My thoughts on muzzle brakes...

View attachment 981532

People with muzzle brakes/compensators have no friends.

 

[Graingodguy]

Ohhhh send me a link. That's just down the road and I can pick them up soon. Don't need 10 tho

Oh yes you do! I'm over 30 and still adding.
My 2 cents

 

[Cosmoline]

People with muzzle brakes/compensators have no friends.

Jerry Miculek has a brake on his tho...

 

[American123]

Jerry Miculek has a brake on his tho...

He always shoots that solo though

 

[Member 34319]

At one time I ran muzzle brakes. They can and do basically make an AR stay completely flat while shooting. They are however, completely obnoxious.

Flash hiders are much more beneficial in my opinion.

Or a suppressor.

But if one was to ask for a recommendation, id say get a flash hider.

 

[Cerberus Group]

I did an instructor class a couple years ago for some Thurston County LE agencies, and one attendee had a 11.5 barreled rifle with a comp. It cracked the loudest I ever heard. Sometimes one can stand behind the shooter to lighten the concussion, not this time. Needless to say, I gave him options...take it off, or change rifles.

A few days after the class, I contacted some hearing specialists and went over the above scenario with them. Their response...even though you may wear both plugs and muffs, the concussion alone is still able to damage your hearing.

Henceforth, I do not allow comps on my range or anywhere I'm hosted to instruct.

If you're having problems with recoil, there are ways to get an AR to recoil less and flat without a comp.

I'll take a flash suppressor over a comp any day.

 

[Stomper]

I'm getting my first AR soon. Gonna try to get a Sig M400. I wanted to hear some thoughts on what I should be upgrading first. Obviously I have a budget, but simple things I can do myself that will help the performance of the gun would be appreciated. Also any tips for a first time AR owner?? What would you add to this gun to make it better? Let me know make/model/reason why of attachment so I can look into it.
So far this is what I was thinking:
- Burris TAC30 with fast fire 3 optics
- Vg6 gamma muzzle brake
- folding vertical fore grip
- extra mags
(Pic because it's cool)

View attachment 980637

To answer to OP thread title:


IMHO, forget about all the Gucci parts…. acquire ammo, and magazines….. as many/much as you can afford…. or find.

 

[Stomper]

I did an instructor class a couple years ago for some Thurston County LE agencies, and one attendee had a 11.5 barreled rifle with a comp. It cracked the loudest I ever heard. Sometimes one can stand behind the shooter to lighten the concussion, not this time. Needless to say, I gave him options...take it off, or change rifles.

A few days after the class, I contacted some hearing specialists and went over the above scenario with them. Their response...even though you may wear both plugs and muffs, the concussion alone is still able to damage your hearing.

Henceforth, I do not allow comps on my range or anywhere I'm hosted to instruct.

If you're having problems with recoil, there are ways to get an AR to recoil less and flat without a comp.

I'll take a flash suppressor over a comp any day.

Yeah, one method is called,
"DO MANY, MANY PUSH-UPS" and build up your muscles and stamina…

 

[powermad]

The AR gas system while not adjustable for the most part, can be tuned to not be as harsh as a lot of them are to start with.

An over sized gas port and a carbine action with a standard buffer can make the action work a lot harder than it needs to.
A brake does not fix that.

I'm liking the Vltor A5 action over the carbine.
It smoothed out my PSA carbine gas barrel out quite a bit.
I just swapped out the barrel for a mid gas 16" but haven't had the chance to shoot it yet.

Mine is pretty much bare bones as far as accy's go.
1-8 LPVO, no BUIS and a sling.
Radian Raptor charging handle gives me a bit more to grab with a scope, I like the BCM Gunfighter with the large latch also.
I'm running a BCM polished trigger in mine but have a CMC single stage and a nice 2 stage in others.
I was going to get an Inforce light for it but seen the new Olight LEP light and will most likely get that when it goes on sale.
I got tired of having mags in my back pocket so got some mag pouches for my gun belt as well.