Right now? Whatever you can find? Go to your local gunstore and see what they have. You can build one with better parts for less money, but you need to invest in the tools and the know-how. You may have someone local who has the tools and know-how who can set you up.
Seriously, you're in the golden age of AR15's, most of them just work. Get good mags, for which everyone has their own preference ... DI/Labelle/Lancer/Okay Industries/ Magpul/etc. (I prefer Magpul) and go. Don't worry about optics right now. Get a rifle with iron sights or get good iron sights (that's another topic though you can't go wrong with Spike's, Magpul, Fab, Midwest, Troy).
Stick with 5.56/.223 for your first ... every other caliber has some nuance to it that is just a pain in the ass to start with.
Your gun store probably won't have any of these except maybe Colt, but these are among the best: BCM (Bravo Company Machine), PWS (Primary Weapon Systems), Noveske, LMT (Lewis Machine & Tool), Daniel Defense, LWRC, Larue, Colt, POF-USA (Patriot Ordnance Factory), H&K (Heckler and Koch), Knight’s Armament, Midwest Industries, Barrett, Rock River Arms.
Next tier down would include major manufacturers such as: Smith and Wesson, Springfield Armory, Aero Precision, Palmetto State Arms, Sig Sauer, Ruger, Stag Arms, Somebody I'm forgetting.
Right now? Whatever you can find? Go to your local gunstore and see what they have. You can build one with better parts for less money, but you need to invest in the tools and the know-how. You may have someone local who has the tools and know-how who can set you up.
Seriously, you're in the golden age of AR15's, most of them just work. Get good mags, for which everyone has their own preference ... DI/Labelle/Lancer/Okay Industries/ Magpul/etc. (I prefer Magpul) and go. Don't worry about optics right now. Get a rifle with iron sights or get good iron sights (that's another topic though you can't go wrong with Spike's, Magpul, Fab, Midwest, Troy).
Stick with 5.56/.223 for your first ... every other caliber has some nuance to it that is just a pain in the ass to start with.
Your gun store probably won't have any of these except maybe Colt, but these are among the best: BCM (Bravo Company Machine), PWS (Primary Weapon Systems), Noveske, LMT (Lewis Machine & Tool), Daniel Defense, LWRC, Larue, Colt, POF-USA (Patriot Ordnance Factory), H&K (Heckler and Koch), Knight’s Armament, Midwest Industries, Barrett, Rock River Arms.
Next tier down would include major manufacturers such as: Smith and Wesson, Springfield Armory, Aero Precision, Palmetto State Arms, Sig Sauer, Ruger, Stag Arms, Somebody I'm forgetting.
Thank you, sincerely. I appreciate every word