Now more than ever shelves are full of black rifles. However it seems like retail on most rifles jumped $100 or so. I find myself without a semi-auto and that seems improper. Many would consider me tight if not downright cheap when it comes to firearms so filling my black rifle need at current prices is tough.

I've broken it down into three options all having positives and negatives.

1st. Buying used or very cheap bottom line model $600 or so. Most are non-mil spec have not so great following so accuracy/liability may be lacking.

2nd. Build. Delton kits are dirt cheap but quality is suspect. PSA seems like the company to build but there prices are now at $650 for the complete kit, add a lower for $100, magazines and sights and would be pretty deeply invested into a decent home built rifle. Additionally I can't stand when lowers and uppers don't match with ft and finish. So I'd have to track down a PSA lower that takes a while. I am also assuming to buy a stripped upper and building out would cost more than a PSA kit.

3rd. Suck it up and buy a colt 6920. Think I can get one new for under 1k. Piece of mind in the name but really is it twice as good as a DPMS oracle.

Rifle will be a throw on the ranger and ride around or for run and gun nature walks around the farm.

Could get an RRA for 1K or less too.

I am in the same boat as you sir, really interested in the info that comes up.

Consider who is being negative about the cheaper AR's, and be honest with yourself about how you will use it.

Sure, the professionals (people's whose lives do or very well may depend on their rifle) or the people who really put a lot of rounds through a rifle may be down on the cheaper rifles. Do you fit in the professional category or is this a just to have eotwawki, plinking rifle?

For plinking every once in a while a lower cost AR will work fine. Buy what you can afford and enjoy. Also add in tool costs with a build.

Just saw for cyber Monday PSA is throwing their MA premium rifle with $400 optic for $1000 but it may be today only.

Don't forget resale value. Pay now and laugh later; buy the Colt.

This is a good point. I am personally looking for an AR for home defense. I do not want any bells or whistles, just iron sights, good trigger, and a dependable rifle. Am I better off buying an AR rifle or building one?

I also looked into building a lower then buying a complete upper, that seems to be a nice option too.

Dpms AR will satisfy your requirement of being cheap and still serve useful purpose

Whatever you do, go with quality parts. This is just my opinion, but if I were buying/building something that may be used for self-defense, I would want the satisfaction of knowing the parts are rock solid.

Buy a complete spikes upper and build out a lower

delton builds a good kit with a great warranty

It is hard to beat Palmetto State. I have one of their uppers and wouldn't hesitate to get another. If you shop them wisely, you can get FN manufactured barrels with Midwest Industries hand guards for around the $500 range with BCG.

Check gunbroker for deals on a used one. I was watching a bushmaster and an olympic arms go for $500 each a few days ago.

As far as lowers go, only a few companies forge them and all the other ones buy them and roll their stamp on them. Machined ones are obviously going to be different but these cost roughly 2x more than the forged lowers. I would say these are no more reliable than forged, but they look cooler :P

All of the "name" brand ARs are going to be quality. You're mainly just paying for the name (resale value) and bells and whistles (or lack thereof). PSA has a lower plus parts kit for $80 right now. You can find uppers for anywhere between $350 and $1000 or more depending on what you want. The lower receiver is the only thing that requires an FFL transfer. The upper and lower parts kit will ship directly to your house. Building an ar is extremely easy with a complete upper. Just need some roll pin punches to put together the lower. You can do it without the punches but it's harder.

Check Classic Firearms. I was looking at their site not too long ago and they were selling complete uppers and complete lowers that would set you back something like $550 all together.
Can't speak to anything about the quality, but price sure seemed nice.

Have you looked at the S&W M&P 15 Sport? It isn't mil-spec, but it is accurate and reliable. It is missing some "features", such as the ejection port cover and the forward assist, and folks argue back and forth about these being truly needed. If you look around the net, you can find them as low as $550. That is a complete rifle from a well known manufacturer, with a lifetime warranty.

Please pardon me for being blunt. You are considering a Lamborghini or a Yugo and it sounds like you are only going to the grocery store down the street on Sundays. If I had the money I would just buy a BCM and be done with it. If I didn't have the money I would buy the DPMS Oracle or a kit rifle and be done with it.
I have or have had Bravo Co, Bushmaster, Colt, CMMG, DPMS, Kaiser Defense, Olympic Arms, Palmetto State, Para Arms, Rock River, SOG and Spikes Tactical. Some of them have been complete factory weapons and some have been builds and some have even been Model 1 kits. Up until about 4 yrs ago I averaged about 20k rounds per year downrange. As of late I have shot about 6k rounds per year. I run my weapons hard. After a small amount of tuning which I do to every AR I own I have almost no issues ever. A good extractor and spring, proper buffer and spring and good magazines and ammo and all will shoot fine for home defense and plinking. If you want a good cheap carbine buy a DPMS lite 16 and be done with it. If you want a good combat weapon buy a Bravo Company or a Colt. If you want to be envied, buy a Noveske or Larue.
You can get The A2 cheaper than an A3 upper but you may want to put optics on later. Decide if a permenant carry handle and A2 front site are ok and if so that cuts the price right there. If you don't want the permanent carry handle,(A2) then it opens up to other options. Decide the configuration you want then look at your options.
Just my opinion.

And remember

You get what you pay for.

Colt 6920 and be done with it. You will not look back...it's quality, worth every penny at current prices, and will hold its value. Same situation with BCM, Daniel Defense, and LMT.

I don't have any "just plinking" firearms and have never bought one under that thinking.

Core 15?

I'd go for the Colt. In a couple of months you'll forget about the money spent but you'll be glad you've got a nicer rifle. Better yet, shop around for a used Daniel Defense. I had a 6920 but sold it to fund my DDM4. They really make a top notch rifle.

PSA builds good rifles on the cheap. I wouldn't get a bushmaster. We've got one in one our ranch trucks and it's terribly inaccurate.

One of my co-workers, who is a bona fide AR15 nut, has built three Del-Tons from kits. I've shot them all. I don't think there's anything suspect about the quality. There's nothing FANCY or SPECIAL about the quality, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with a DTI.

It's not like you're building a service rifle for your mercenary deployment in Afghanistan. You just want a relatively inexpensive AR15 to knockaround with, right? Well... This sounds like a good option for your stated purposes: http://www.del-ton.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RKT117

Might be a dumb question, but if I buy this upper can I switch out the hand guard? I am looking to do a FDE hand guard so I was thinking of buying this upper then buy a FDE Magpul carbine MOE kit.

The Magpul MOE handguards will be completely interchangeable with those included in the Del Ton kit HOWEVER you will not use the carbine length handguards with the rifle in the link since it has the mid-length gas system. You will (obviously) need the mid-length MOE handguard. The MOE grip is actually an enormous upgrade over the "builder grade" parts kit grip for not very much money, as is the buttstock and I would probably recommend that you swap them out whether or not you want FDE accents.

Don't forget that you'll need to buy a lower separately if you order that kit.

NOTE: The Surplus Arms SA15 stripped lower from AIMSurplus will match the Del Ton upper. The Spike's tactical stripped lower will not.

BCM, Colt or Daniel Defense in no particular order.

http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?display=home

This guy has forgot more than most of us know about AR's

He is a straight shooter no BS kinda guy. Ask Grant about a build or one off the shelf he sells.