Cheapest AR-15 Complete Rifles & Builds
Want an affordable, reliable AR-15? We cover the best complete AR-15s and build parts so you can shoot on a budget.
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The AR-15 world grows daily. Much like the universe, it's constantly expanding and growing, becoming more and more fruitful for the AR-15 owner.
It's also quite fruitful for the first-time owner. Even if on a budget, the massive amount of AR-15s produced has helped drive the price down.
Scale helps, and the AR-15 has become an excellent and affordable rifle platform for shooters seeking a modern, semi-auto rifle.
Today, we dive into both complete rifles and build kits that allow you to get a rifle that's both affordable and high quality.
Building can save you some bucks, but sometimes, buying saves you some time. That's why we are bringing you both options, so you can choose.
Keep reading!
The Quick List
- Jump to details ↓Editor's Pick:PSA PA-15, 16"
- Jump to details ↓Best Budget AR-15:Radical Firearms RPR 5.56
- Jump to details ↓Best-Optioned Budget AR-15:Ruger AR-556 MPR
- Jump to details ↓Best Mid-Tier Option:Sig Sauer M400 Tread
- Jump to details ↓Most Calibers:Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 16" 5.56 NATO Rifle
- Jump to details ↓Most Reliable:Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport II
- Jump to details ↓Best Bare Bones:Colt 6920 OEM
- Jump to details ↓Editor's Pick Kit:Aero Precision EPC-9
Table of Contents
How We Chose the Best and Cheapest AR-15 Rifles and Build Kits
I’ve spent a lifetime shooting, starting with a family that hunted every season they legally could. From there, I joined the United States Marine Corps and spent five years as an infantryman.
In the middle of my Marine Corps career, I began writing and have never stopped. I soon earned my NRA instructor certification and used my knowledge to help guide students.
I love shooting, and I love guns — weird guns, old guns, new guns, tactical guns, you name it. I’m a continual student of firearms, and I strive to educate myself to provide the best information possible to the readers of Pew Pew Tactical.
All of the models here have been tested by someone at Pew Pew Tactical. As always, we continually update these lists so if you're favorite isn't here, drop us a comment and check back later!
Best and Cheapest AR-15s
If you are looking to buy a complete rifle or just snap a complete upper and lower together to save yourself the hassle, these are our top picks.
1. Palmetto State Armory PA-15 - Editor's Pick
Pros
- Beginner-friendly
- Different colors available
- Runs well
Cons
- Basic features
Palmetto State Armory is one of the companies that made AR-15s accessible to the masses and arguably the most popular. These days they produce a crazy amount of different rifles, handguns, and more.
Their PA-15 remains one of the most affordable, entry-level AR-15s on the market. A base model can be had for $500, and blem models for even less. These guns are very basic but functional.
They come with standard furniture, polymer handguards, and fixed front sights. You can choose your furniture color with FDE, olive, black, and gray options.
They also offer a PA-15 with a mid-length gas system, and I'd spring the extra $30 to get the smoother shooting gas system and longer handguard.
You can save even more money if you don't mind supplying the lower and snapping the parts together. PSA is well known for its build kits, and this is a great way to get some upgraded features without breaking the bank.
The PSA 16-inch mid-length build kit comes with Magpul furniture for less than $400.
The 16-inch Classic Rifle Kit with a free-floating M-LOK rail and included sights costs just a hair over $400. Add a lower, and you can be into your rifle for less than $500 and have a fairly modern AR-15 variant.
When it comes to affordable AR-15s at various price points, the world of PSA can be a one-stop shop.
What's your take on PSA? Rate them below!
Readers’ Ratings
4.98/5 (2339 Votes)Your Rating
2. Radical Firearms RPR - Best Budget
Pros
- Some modern features
- Good furniture
Cons
- Long-term reliability is unproven
For those who want a complete, modernized AR-15 rifle on a budget, the Radical RPR has you covered.
More often than not, budget AR manufacturers cut costs by putting basic furniture on their rifles. Many users often end up spending more money to upgrade or replace these features to have a more modern, comfortable gun.
Luckily, the Radical RPR comes with a chunk of the good stuff already. B5 systems stock and grip and a 15-inch free-float M-LOK handguard ensure that you won’t feel like you are back in 2004 when you take your brand-new AR out of the box.
Worried about quality? Radical has been upping their game recently and is even supplying weapons to Brazilian law enforcement agencies.
All of that goodness still ends up only costing you about $399-$449 from most online retailers. At that price point, it is tough to beat.
3. Ruger MPR - Best Value
Pros
- Good furniture
- Muzzle brake and two-stage trigger
Cons
- Somewhat expensive
For those looking for something a little more feature-rich or “mid-tier,” we encourage you to check out the Ruger MPR (Multi-Purpose Rifle).
This rifle does come in at a higher price point, around $799, give or take a bit. So what makes it worth the higher price?
To start off, you get a Magpul MOE-SL stock and a Magpul MOE grip. In the front, we have a 15-inch free-float M-LOK handguard. The barrel is cold hammer-forged with a 1:8 twist and is capped off with a radial muzzle brake from Ruger.
Additionally, you get the Ruger Elite 452 trigger. This is a two-stage trigger that offers a crisp 4.5-pound break and is a welcome upgrade over the standard mil-spec trigger found in most budget builds.
With the furniture, the muzzle brake, and the upgraded trigger, we feel like the MPR justifies the price.
4. Sig Sauer M400 Tread - Best Features
Pros
- Feature-rich
- Reliable
- Lightweight M-LOK handguard
- Accurate free-floating barrel
Cons
- Expensive
Budget is as budget does, and for less than $1,000, it's tough to get better than the Sig M400 Tread series.
The Tread represents Sig's attempt to create a good beginner's rifle. If you want a rifle that works out of the box and does so with style, then the Tread is hard to top.
Sig has a whole series of Tread rifles at different price points, but for this article, we are looking at the standard Tread.
It is a 5.56 caliber rifle with a standard 16-inch barrel, but it departs from most budget ARs by embracing some fancier features and furniture.
This includes a lightweight M-LOK modular handguard and a free-floated barrel for better accuracy. Sig teamed up with Magpul to provide a very supportive and comfy six-position SL-K stock, and it is complemented by a solid ergonomic pistol grip.
A stainless steel 1:8 twist barrel provides solid accuracy and is topped off with a 3-prong flash hider. The trigger isn't crazy, but it s a solid single-stage design with polished parts for a nice smooth pull.
All in all, the M400 Tread isn't the cheapest rifle, but you still get a lot of gun for the money. Check out our full review of the M400 Tread here.
5. Bear Creek Arsenal BC-15 - Most Calibers
Pros
- Lots of cartridge options
- Side-charging upper receivers available
- Affordable
Cons
- Hit or miss quality
If you are looking to stay under the $500 mark, you should take a look at Bear Creek Arsenal’s offerings.
Not only does Bear Creek offer affordable AR-15s, they offer them in a wide variety of calibers. Looking for a .300 Blackout, .350 Legend, .223 Wylde, .450 Bushmaster, or even a .50 Beowulf? BCA has complete rifles in all of these calibers under the $500 mark!
Another cool thing is that they also offer side-charging uppers, which is far less common but interesting nonetheless.
Also, if you want to save even more money, you can purchase a complete upper and lower separately and shave off about $50. You can cut even more costs if you go for a stripped lower and install the lower parts kit yourself.
Bear Creek Arsenal now offers complete uppers with cold hammer-forged barrels for very reasonable prices.
Whether you are looking for a specific configuration on the cheap or just want to dip your toes into a new caliber, Bear Creek probably has what you are looking for.
6. Smith & Wesson Sport II - Most Reliable
Pros
- Reliable
- Well-made
- Great warranty
Cons
- Non-mil-spec trigger
The Smith & Wesson Sport II has long been one of the favorite options for shooters on a budget. It's a simple rifle but a very reliable option backed by a great warranty.
Smith & Wesson produce numerous models of the Sport II, including a plain Jane gun, an optics-ready model with a Crimson Trace red dot, and a Magpul model with Magpul furniture.
These are all affordable options ranging from $500 to $650. The Sport II guns feature a front sight base, an optics-ready design, and some fairly simple features. Smith & Wesson has produced a ton of these guns, and the company name, combined with the low price, has made it a favorite among shooters.
They tend to be reliable and well-made with the right features in place. This includes a staked castle nut, a Carpenter 158 BCG with a staked gas key, and a properly timed muzzle device. Getting the little things right goes a long way.
The little things are what can typically cause issues in budget brand AR-15s. With the S&W Sport II, most of these aren't a major concern.
The one downside is the use of a non-Mil-spec trigger. It's a MIM design, but spending $25 on a Mil-Spec trigger isn't a big deal if you save money on the rifle. If you don't like purchasing online, these are super common rifles that occupy the shelves of most gun stores.
To learn more, check out our video review below or head over to the written review.
7. Aero EPC-9 - Best Kit
Pros
- Affordable
- Customizable
- Takes Glock magazines
Cons
- Limited to 9mm and .40 S&W
Many rifles have undertaken pistol calibers and now wear the moniker pistol caliber carbine or PCC. The Aero Precision EPC, or Enhanced Pistol Caliber, takes the cake for the most affordable and innovative AR-style PCC.
While it's not as absurdly fancy as the JP series of PCCs, it also doesn't cost several thousand dollars.
Aero Precision is all about the build kits, and EPC specifically refers to the upper and lower receiver combination. With those in hand, you can build the EPC to be whatever you want, from an AR pistol to a defensive carbine or competitive rifle. It's really up to you.
Aero and its affiliated companies make nearly every part you need if you want to keep it in-house. The magic really does come from the receiver sets. They are Glock-compatible and designed from the ground up to deal with the Glock magazine and the challenges PCCs face.
This includes reinforcing the pins in the lower parts kit to deal with the rough blowback action. Its receiver set has proprietary bolt-hold open devices, one of the few that work well with Glock magazines.
Aero also topped the gun off with an extended magazine release that makes reloads easy, and the flared magazine well definitely help.
It's important to remember due to the design of Glock magazines, Aero couldn't use the standard LRBHO. Their proprietary model is placed in the upper receiver and not the lower. You need both the upper and lower to make the magic work.
It's a well-put-together receiver set, or you could buy a complete rifle or pistol. I went with the build route and designed a modern and affordable PCC. The EPC currently comes in 9mm and .40 S&W, but Aero is also looking to get into .45 ACP and 10mm in the near future.
We reviewed the EPC, so catch up on our complete thoughts!
8. Colt 6920 OEM - Best Basic
Pros
- An affordable Colt
- Easy to customize
Cons
- Incomplete AR-15
A Colt on a list of affordable AR-15s? It doesn't seem likely, but the 6920 OEM 1 and OEM 2 won't require you to crack your safe. The 6920 is built to the same specifications as the military M4.
For high-end AR aficionados, that might not seem so great compared to your deck out Knight's Armory, but it's an established specification that does mean the rifle will run and run well. It won't be fancy, but it will run, be reliable, and do 99.99% of the things an AR 15 is designed to do.
These are typically fairly expensive rifles, but the OEM series offers a more affordable alternative. It's technically a complete rifle that will fire and cycle, but you'll need to add a few parts.
The OEM series shaved some cash off its price point by not including the stock, handguard, magazine, or even the trigger guard. If the pistol grip didn't hold a spring and detent in, it probably wouldn't include that either.
Swapping out handguards and stocks is one of the top customizations done by AR owners. By not including these pieces of furniture, the end user can pick and choose exactly what they want.
It's a standard carbine with a 16.1-inch barrel, a carbine gas system, a flat-top upper receiver, and standard Mil-Spec controls. It's basic but about as simple as it gets for an affordable Colt Carbine.
The OEM 1 comes with the front sight base, and the OEM 2 comes with a low-profile gas block. These weapons typically sell for a little over $700.
How to Build a Cheap AR-15
For those wanting to save a few dollars, have more customization options, or simply want the experience of building a budget AR-15, this section is for you.
Remember, it’s way easier to build an AR-15 than you might think. See for yourself and check out our build guides below!
Now, let’s talk about parts.
Parts You Can Skimp On
Like anything else, sometimes you pay more for a name than the materials and manufacturing, and with AR-15s there are a few parts that you can go the cheap route with and be just fine.
Lower: I like cool-looking lowers as much as the next guy, but a lower is a lower. There’s not a huge amount of difference between the $30 ones, and the $300 ones aside from aesthetics and strength, but you shouldn’t be doing anything to your lower that could break it anyway.
Check out our Best AR-15 Lowers for more info.
Handguard: This one is a toughie, but in general, you can get by with a basic A2 handguard at the minimum. Comfort and the ability to add accessories is the main factor here, but a good free-float handguard can help with accuracy too.
Check out our Best AR-15 Handguards if you want to ball it up a little more.
Stock: A cheapo stock will be just fine. You can swap them out with about five minutes' effort, and there are tons of options out there. A2 and M4 style stocks are almost literally a dime a dozen, and if they’re good enough for our armed forces, they’re good enough for us.
If you want a complete breakdown and review of a bunch of stocks though, read the Best AR-15 Stocks.
Lower Parts Kit: Most of them are the same anywhere you look, and other than the trigger, you are never gonna notice a difference. Some LPKs come with a grip and trigger, so that can save you money and extra steps.
Parts to Spend Your Money On
Trigger: The trigger is your primary interface point with your rifle, so it makes sense to start there if you’re looking to get something a little nicer with better performance. Try to aim for a lower parts kit with no trigger so you can pick your trigger yourself.
Make sure to do your research before buying the trigger that is right for you. A great starting point is our Best AR-15 Triggers article.
When it comes to bang for your buck, I highly recommend the Rise Armament AR-15 Rave 140 since it is super easy to install, cheap, and is a great trigger.
Barrel: After the trigger, the barrel is going to be your biggest accuracy bottleneck, so if you’re going to upgrade, this is your second stop. Faxon is often at the top of our list for barrels, with their Gunner profile being the top of the top.
Again, this is one of the critical parts --- so take some time and read through our Best AR-15 Barrels & Manufacturers before choosing the barrel that is right for you.
Final Thoughts
Affordable ARs can be tricky. You can certainly get some junk if you aren't careful. Even with that said, the platform has become so popular and so widely produced that truly bad ARs are getting less common.
The biggest downside to most affordable AR-15s is dated furniture, which in practice doesn't have that big of an effect on the rifle's usefulness and effectiveness.
The good thing is that the market makes it plenty easy to upgrade along the way!
What do you think of our list? Already have a great affordable AR? Let us know in the comments below! Want to learn more about the AR-15 platform as a whole? Check our page, AR-15 Rifles [The Definitive Resource]!