ok guys i don't wanna start a battle, but my budget is 1300 and less out the door, i am wanting to be able to hunt deer with it, so I was thinking 6.8... with that said, what would y'all recommend going with and what would you do to it?

If you are buying the rifle strictly for deer hunting then a 6.8 should do the trick. However, I would stick with 556 when buying an AR. Lots of variety in ammunition and isn't too expensive to shoot (at the moment). I'm not sure I'm much help on the subject.

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as far as what caliber, I'm only guessing with the 6.8.. seems like it would do the job, but if you guys have better advice please let me know

Buy a PSA lower and upper and then build a 300 Black Out upper. You can practice with cheap ammo using your factory trigger, then hunt with the 300 Black Out come deer season.

You can build and buy with optics for under your budget.

If you are not afraid to build one I'd go that route personally. Get a better built for the same money. Things like a trigger or optics can be splurged on and still stay in budget.

Build one I built this one for $1250 I believe just a few months back

Yeah I'm a total newbie on how to build one or where to go to do it. By the way tanner I love that rifle you have there

I'm quite happy with our Smith and Wesson M&P15 Sport's in 5.56. I can't find any fault with how they shoot or their reliability with heavy use and little care. At $599 to $650 you can keep it plain or add all of the trick stuff you want - and still be under your budget. I often suggest to first time buyers: get one to try out - find out what you do or don't like. Being a factory built gun, you won't lose much if you decide to sell.

Take a look at this: S&W M&P15 Sport - beat it up

Yes, I know that this utility model isn't considered "worthy" by some folks, but talk to people who own them and shoot them on regular basis.....

I bought mine here for $639: AGL
This guy sells them for $599:Tactical Advantage

Marc

If ur in the dfw area I could help u put one together ..... And that rifle I built for my dad , he loves it .

Build one, I was worried about building one too but I put mine together a few months ago no problem.

You can build them much cheaper than buying.

I disagree , u can't buy some for $5-600 ready to roll. But like most u will want to change most everything on it . And will end up spending more than what u would building one. Get exactly what u want the first go round so ur less likely to want to change up the rifle .

I wouldn't say cheaper, but you can definitely build one better and exactly how you want it the first time without having a bunch of extra stock take off parts and ending up spending the money in the long run to change everything. Quality isn't cheap, buy once cry once.

$1300 budget you could build a match grade gun easy.

^^^^ LOL Tanner great minds and stuff!!!!

Build it. It's not that hard. AR's go together like legos. You can have way more gun for the same money if you put it together from parts rather than buying a complete gun. Plus it's fun.

I say buy one from a great guy on the forum! Get a .308 and be done with it. That's my advice!

Haha you trying to unload your CMMG??

I really really REALLY hate to but I have GOT to get a bow and shotgun with enough time to practice some with both. I friggin love this thing

Sorry for the hijack. Lol. Especially when I know building them is so much fun!

For a deer hunting caliber in an AR15, I would say 6.5, 6.8, or 300blk. 6.5 shoots flat and long. 300blk might be the most versatile in bullet weight. Plus you can suppress it later and shoot subsonic rounds.

I've never been able to build an AR15 for cheaper than buying one (unless you are talking really high dollar rifles). But I will say mine are much better than most rifles you can buy. It always starts off with something, then I see that I can get a better one for a little more money, or an even better one for a little more money, OR I can buy this one that is one of the best available and be done with ever upgrading. Do that on a couple of parts and your budget is blown and doubled.

If you ever plan on selling it, buy one off the shelf. It is a lot easier to sell a complete name brand rifle than it is to sell a Franken-rifle you built. If you plan to keep it forever and have it look exactly how you want, then build the rifle. A happy medium is to buy a complete upper and then build the lower. You can sell the upper and keep the lower.

Ive never even used any of those calibers aside from .308... called a couple gun shops today and 300blk wasnt even suggested.. probably cause we were primarily talking 6.8 and .308.. he had mentioned that the 6.8 was kinda fading out and not as easy to find, and that the .308 was a much more versatile round. how does that compare to the 300 blk?

Others with more experience will chime in but I'm very pleased with my blackout so far. It is an sbr though and that opens up a whole other discussion.

If you're wanting a smaller/lighter rifle I'd go with 300BLK or 6.8. The 308 is the big brother to the AR15. Different receivers and parts. Bigger heavier than the AR15.

I personally have a 5.56 10.5" SBR and a 16" 308 setup for longer range. Both use the same suppressor. I personally wouldn't shoot a deer with 223/5.56 so if you're wanting to go with the smaller/lighter gun I'd go 300BLK or 6.8. Since I have a 30cal suppressor id probably go 300BLK just to shoot subs for fun but wouldn't hunt with them. If you don't have a suppressor and don't plan on getting one I'd go 6.8.

Hence the shameless plug for the 308. Lol He said he wanted to hunt with it and I'm not too keep on 223/556 for deer. Let's not start a 223 argument though. If I were to deer hunt with an AR, I'd go 6.5 anything or any caliber with the same bolt face as the 308.

I've shot hogs , varmints , whitetail, blackbuck , and axis with the 6.8 ... It does what it's intended to do