Everybody should have at least one custom AR-15 rifle in their collection. But you’re probably only going to buy one truly premium AR-15 in 2022 unless you’re loaded in more ways than one. So you have to get it right.
This is the quest for the best AR-15 in the world, without getting into crazy expensive bespoke guns anyway.
So what do you buy if money really isn’t an issue? It’s time to check out the best in 2022. Get your credit card out, the good one…
The Best Custom AR15 on Sale in 2023
1. LWRC IC-A5 Enhanced
- Price: $2,541.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total Length: 32-35.25inch
- Weight: 7lb
LWRC International rifles, SBRs and the AR15 pistol are the stuff of legend and the LWRCI IC-A5 is a peach.
A gas piston rifle that can change to direct impingement with a few screws and a couple of minutes, just switch uppers and you have a whole new rifle.
This is the result of customer requests for an adjustable gas block that is simple to operate, durable as a tank and an absolute tack driver when it counts. This is competition spec with some seriously neat touches.
The fluted barrel saves 20% of the weight of a standard replacement, without giving up strength. The increased surface area also helps cooling, which is good for heavy fire and also consistency for sport shooting.
Patented Piston System
That
It is also a winner with sport shooting enthusiasts.
Monoforge Receiver and M-LOK Rail System Saves Weight
The Monoforge upper receivers and integral M-LOK rail system saves weight and strengthens
It’s basically the same new AR-15 technology as the more expensive guns here, to a price point.
The
LWRCI Firearms do some pretty neat lines of aftermarket AR-15 accessories for projects you’re building. Including a Nickel-Boron coated single stage trigger.
You can buy some of them off the shelf for your ow DIY build and they also do a badass line of SBRs and other assorted firearms. This is about as custom an AR-15 as we can find off the peg though.
2. Lead Star Arms Prime AR-15
- Price: $1,829.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Weight: 5.3lb
Race guns haver a very specific purpose and can be worth the extra money when it comes to competition.
Or, you know, you just might want one because it looks cool. Both are valid life choices really….
A Lightweight AR-15
The Lead Star Arms Prime has been engineered from the ground-up as a featherweight. It’s also designed to cycle faster than a standard AR and provide exceptional accuracy. . That gives the owner of this fine weapon the critical edge in competiiton. It’s a pretty solid start.
You’ll have to adjust that fixed stock to your liking. And the looks aren’t for everybody, but this is absolutely spectacular custom work.
Everything, from Lead Star’s patented Truss system for added rigidity without added weight through to the dust cover are pretty much perfect. Even the flash hider is tuned for reduced recoil and faster, tighter grouped shots.
It is flashy, but also pretty awesome. And the Lead Star Arms Grunt is always there if you want something that isn’t quite that Gucci…
3. Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 Pro
- Price: $1,789.00
- Barrel length: 18 inch
- Total: 34.75-37.25″
- Weight: 7.4lb
Calling the DDM4 V7 Pro custom work might stick in your craw just a touch. But it is certainly a designer label.
The DDM4 V7 was already great, but the finishing touches turn this into an exceptional competition AR-15. Customer testimonials are just as good as the online reviews.
You get a Geissele trigger set and a longer barrel. They turn ‘good’ into an absolute champion.
4. Christensen Arms CAFive6
- Price: $1,499.99
- Caliber: .223 Rem/5.56 NATO 16
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total Length: 32.5 inch
- Weight: 5.9lb
Christensen Arms has become a major force in recent times with lightweight rifles.
From bolt action snipers through to high end ARs, the company has reinvented the classics with carbon fiber and other new materials.
This is seriously high-tech stuff and a collection of new products and new thinking. You can apply this stuff to your own project too.
This comes with a matched set of complete receivers machined from billet that offer a flared
CF Barrel is Next Level
The optional CF barrel and absolutely CF handguard help balance the gun and cut weight hanging out up front. The tri-lug muzzle device is cool too.
The BCG is Black Nitride finished, you get a single-stage match-grade trigger with an adjustable break from 3.5-4.5lb. The stock is a BCM Gunfighter, which we all know is about as g
The Christensen Arms was a left-field choice at its original RRP with the CF barrel. Now, at this price? It’s a bargain and one of the best premium AR-15s for sale in 2022.
5. ZEV Technologies Core Elite AR-15
- Price: $1,892.99
- Caliber: .223 Rem/5.56 NATO
- Barrel length: 16 inch
- Total Length: 33-37 inch
- Weight: 6.67lb
ZEV Tech is better known for its work with custom Glocks. This might be one of the most under-rated new arrivals on the AR scene.
It isn’t the most expensive here, not by a long shot, and yet it’s a great gun that can mix it with them all. The ZEV Tech Core Elite is pretty much perfectly formed. It’s a competition spec AR-15 that can hold its own with anything in the shooting sports world.
Top Tier Gunsmithing on Great AR-15
7075-T651 Aluminum billet is used for the best AR15 upper and lower receivers. ZEV Tech’s work with Glocks, which has now resulted in the all-metal ZEV Tech 0Z9, is obvious here.
A flared magwell and integrated guard are just right and it contains an AR Gold special recipe two-stage competition trigger from ATC.
ZEV Tech Set for Success
The Handguard is a Wedgelock system, and a stressed member. The adjustable gas blocks, gas tubes etc come from Superlative Arms, the grip and stock are Magpul and in many ways this is just the ultimate AR15 custom build done for you.
It is also based around perfectly engineered billet receivers and a match-grade barrel. Look at the triple-port muzzle brake, the full length rail, the H3 carbine buffer that offers six adjustable positions, and the M-LOK rail system. It’s all perfect.
This is a good, honest gas piston AR-15 that you could take into competition, range shooting and just about anywhere else. It’s an all-rounder that will do just about everything well and we think it’s one of the dark horses of the industry.
6. F-1 Firearms BDRX 15
- Price: $2,049.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total Length: 35.25″
- Weight: 6.5lb
Do you want a skeletonized AR that looks truly unique? Here you go, the F1 Firearms BDRX 15.
The BDRX 15 receiver set gets the royal treatment, including a Hiperfire 24C competition trigger, an MFT Minimalist stock and that trademark F-1 skeletonized grip.
Fashion and Firearms Combine
F-1 Firearms make some spectacular weapons that go beyond personal defense. It is a little bit bling, but it is also an absolutely top quality firearm. With this quality manufacture facility and the dedication on show, you know you’re getting the best.
If you want skeletonized everything, including muzzle brakes, well this might just be what you’ve been looking for. It’s an extreme custom build, you know it too.
7. Geissele Super Duty
- Price: $1,994.99
- Caliber: .223 Remington/5.56 NATO 16″
- Action: Gas-Piston Operated
- Barrel: 16 inch.
- Length: 32.25-36 inch
Geissele make some of the best triggers for the best AR15s. So it can’t make bad products.
The Geissele Super Duty is inevitably brilliant. The company focused on abstract concepts like durability, corrosion resistance and perfect reliability. But really this is a collection of the best parts, screwed together with love and care
It is obviously an advert for the high-quality trigger sets, which appear in high performance custom builds. So it has to be that good.
And you can order this Flat Dark Earth model, or Drab Oliver Green, Black and more.
8. Wilson Combat AR-15 Protector Carbine
- Price: $2,099.99
- Caliber: .223 Wylde Chamber/ 5.56 NATO
- Action: Direct Impingement
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total Length: 37.25-40 inch
- Weight: 7lb
- Capacity: 20+1
Wilson Combat was well known for its custom workow it has absolutely stormed into the best AR-15 custom sector with effectively limited edition runs.
If everything here is designer goods, this is catwalk fashion..
Full Range
There are other premium AR-15 options that are lighter, and cheaper. The Supe Sniper offers a 20 iunch barrel and three are rifles for your specific needs. BUt this is the one most of you will want.
The Protector Carbine AR-15 is a great AR-15 and sniper in one package.
It is also a really expensive varmint hunter for small game hunting. If you want to be cynical. But it’s so much more than that. I mean even the trigger guard is an accent piece.
An Expensive AR15 Rifle and Exceptional Value in One Package
This is expensive, but at the same time it is good value. You can see where the money goes.
Aluminum receivers were machined from billet. They are lovingly matched to a stainless steel barrel, and you could easily order a shorter barrel.
Transform your lightweight patrol rifle into a DMR with an Armorer’s Wrench. Of course, you could order the AR-15 Urban Sniper too. It’s your money…
An AR-15 For Sniper Style Hunting
That’s a mighty impressive range and could turn this into a viable small-medium game hunter at slightly lesser distances.
It comes with a carbine-length gas system that powers the direct impingement action. And a
The iconic starburst design on the pistol grip is the cherry on the cake. What more do you want from your AR-15?
A Firearms Manufacturer That Make the Best
Wilson Combat makes some of the best rifles on the planet right now. If you have the money and you want something special, treat yourself and prepare to discover an expensive habit.
This is definitely one of the best AR-15 rifles here and it could become your favorite gun in no time for hunting, range time and shooting sports. Wilson Combat also has some AR-10 based snipers.
Buy Wilson Combat
There is no getting round the fact that these cost a lot of money. They are worth it, but you might want to start with some simple gun parts from this legendary manufacturer. Buy high tech AR-15 barrels, M-Lok rails, triggers and that Rogers Super stock here.
9. Battle Arms Development Authority
- Price: $1.616.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Weight: 5.5lb
The Battle Arms Authority line is fast turning into the expert’s choice in this price range.
You get a machined billet receiver set with integral, ambidextrous controls, and enhanced Nickel Teflon trigger groups. The skeletonized hand guard isn’t bad either.
From Parts to Good BAD rifles.
BAD made its name with parts, like complete uppers, matched upper and lower receiver sets, and peripherals. Inevitably, the home-brewed components are excellent.
BAD will now sell you a selection of long guns that gets more interesting all the time.
10. PSA Custom Billet
- Price: $1,399.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total Length: 32-35.25inch
- Weight: 7lb
Imagine if we’d told you to drop more than $1,000 on a Palmetto State Armory about a year ago.
You would have laughed. Admit it. But here we are.
The PSA Custom line-up offers a massive amount of, well, customisation. The spec sheet is insane, too, and you seem to get a lot more for your money. On paper at least.
Forget Flat Dark Earth or a battle worn finish,, fancy accesories, muzzle devices and basic options. This one comes with a pencil barrel, 3.5lb Flat Bow trigger and other goodies.
Teflon Coated Receivers
The billet upper is Teflon coated, the handguard is carbon-fiber, the bolt carrier group is Nickel Boron finished and that’s just the start of the custom parts. A fully ambidextrous charging handle and bolt release
It reads like the spec of a $3,000 rifle, for half the money. That’s kind of the Palmetto State Armory way, always has been. That recipe works at $500-$750. So does it translate to high-end firearms?
Kind of.
PSA a Polarising Force
Palmetto State Armory has always been one of the most divisive companies out there. And yet it is one of the biggest suppliers of build kits, stocks, accessories and build parts in the firearms industry.
This move into the premium sector was always going to fan those flames, and we are kind of enjoying the show.
There’s a perverse pleasure in seeing one of the best names in budget guns going mad with the custom parts for an AR15 custom build. For that reason alone, we like it.
.
11. Rock River Arms LAR-15M R3 Competition
- Price: $1,412.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total Length: 35.25″
- Weight: 7.5lb
Rock River Arms has fast established a legendary reputation in the budget sector. The R3 Competition is slightly higher priced than the average Rock River Arms offering, but it’s worth the money.
The DEA and FBI both use Rock River Arms as their official assault rifle, which is a pretty decent endorsement to be honest. Both law enforcement departments hardly shop at the Dollar Store and their affiliation has helped Rock River Arms to a devoted following in the civilian sector.
The built in rear sight and EOTECH system mean you can co-witness and there are all kinds of other premium touches. Right down to the sling mounts. Rock River Arms has this reputation for a reason.
12. Heckler & Koch HK MR556A1
- Price: $3,233.99
- Caliber: .223 Remington/5.56 NATO
- Barrel: 16.5 inch
- Total Length: 33.9-37.68 inch
- Weight: 9.1lb
- Capacity: 30+1
The Heckler & Koch HK416 is still a legend and the HK MR556A1 is a direct descendant of the icon that SEAL Team 6 used to pop the proverbial cap in Osama Bin Laden.
Delta Force was another happy customer for the HK416 that was basically a new and improved version of the Colt M4.
The HK MR556A1 has the same proprietary HK gas piston system that uses a piston and a pusher rod. That keeps waste gas out of the receiver entirely and it’s an improvement on the original Eugene Stoner design.
HK Uses a Pusher Rod
That’s great for reliability and it’s also cool tech. HK has a reputation to uphold and has led the way with short stroke gas piston systems. The HK G36 is loved to this day, then the HK416 and now this follows in its footsteps.
It’s no pale civilian imitation either. The Heckler & Koch MR556A1 has a lot of the best AR15 accessories and assemblies that were developed for the HK416. The AR-15 upper can slot comfortably on to the HK416 lower receiver and you’re good to go.
Interestingly, as you get to the upper echelons of the AR-15 world, you get an unlined barrel. In the mid-range, with cheaper AR-15 rifles for sale, that would be unthinkable.
Proper Engineering, No Cheating
HK argues that a chrome-lined barrel hides imperfections in the basic engineering and
The barrel is swagged, basically fractionally smaller at the muzzle end, which gives it that competitive edge when it comes to accuracy. It’s a great AR-15, without doubt, but it does come with one fatal flaw.
HK AR-15 is a Heavyweight
9.1lb makes this a heavyweight AR-15. This was built to withstand the toughest challenges, like a real war. Sometimes, that’s too much for us back home.
If not for the weight, it would be hard to argue against this being the best. But yeah, the weight is a deal-breaker for people that want to shoulder their weapon all day.
Elegant Rail
The four-quadrant HK Free Floating Rail System (FFRS) handguard has 1913 Picatinny rail systems to hang basically anything you want on there. The rail system up top is machined in and the little touches are awesome here. The pistol grip looks hewn from granite and is just a cut above.
There’s a two-stage AR-15 trigger group, you can tighten the adjustable stock with a key to eliminate play and that means it’s a super precise platform that a lot of competition shooters love.
13. Noveske 5.56 G4 Light Recce
- Price: $3.536.99
- Caliber: .223 Rem/5.56 NATO
- Barrel: 16.1 inch
- Total Length:
- Weight: 7.2lb
In some ways, both good and bad, Noveske Rifleworks reminds me of Apple right now. It was the ultimate innovator, but it was also a dictatorship and the passing of John Noveske at a tragically young age in a car accident robbed the industry of
It still makes great products, but it has fallen back on engineering excellence and the name to command the high prices rather than the mad professor style tech breakthroughs of days gone by.
Noveske Uses Machine Gun Steel
The Noveske G4 uses M249 enhanced forged steel. That is normally reserved for machine gun barrels, with a heavy chrome-lining that it claims is 2-4 times thicker than a Colt M4. That’s a lot and the barrel should stay creamy smooth for years to come, we guess.
The lower receiver is machined from billet 7075-T6 aluminum. It gets a black Cerakote finish, a Magpul stock, Raptor charger, a low profile gas block with a properly staked gas key, an extended feed ramp and plenty of other goodies.
There are more groundbreaking guns here. But the Noveske G4 is still a great name.
Just Get the Spares for Upgrades
Alot of this custom AR 15’s parts are available and the company offers a pistol too.
14. Smith & Wesson Performance Center Competition AR-15
- Price: $1,299.99
- Barrel: 18 inch
- Total: 38 inch
- Weight: 7.38lb
Is this relatively straightforward direct impingement action AR-15 a designer firearm? Well it’s certainly a custom rifle and a solid starter competition AR-15 for 3 Gun and other shooting sports disciplines.
Smith & Wesson is part of the tapestry of American history. Like Levi Strauss, Jack Daniels and Budweiser, it’s a great American label that we don’t really want to ignore.
Aside from that, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center is a stunning piece of engineering and a long-range sniper at the shooting range and in other shooting sports.
We tend to love S&W Performance Center guns in all their forms round here. The hunting handgun revolvers are awesome. Also t
3 Gun AR-15 Ready to Shoot
This AR-15 is aimed at the 3-Gun competition shooting sports crowd and is a complete rifle. It comes with a longer barrel, without a huge weight penalty. That’s thanks to aluminum receivers and a carbon steel barrel, button rifled for additional accuracy.
Smith & Wesson Performance Center is the skunkworks of the firearms manufacturer. It’s a shooting team of brilliant minds, backed up by the engineering capability and quality control of a mainstream high-quality manufacturer.
You get a VLTOR imod stock, a two stage trigger group with a sweet trigger pull and match grade everything. The Smith & Wesson can stand toe-to-toe with those costing twice as much and is among the top tier in terms of value for money. It’s not quite custom built, but it is really.
Hunt With an AR-15? Yes You Can
Check this. The additional power of the Performance Center does turn it into a proper killer and a genuine hunter. Spend a little more and it appears to pay you back with sheer punch. Food for thought…
15. Colt Retro Carbine
- Price: $4.080.99
- Barrel: 16.1 inch
- Total Length: 32 inch
- Weight: 6.5lb
A retro reissue of the original Colt Commander is cool in anybody’s book.
So, if you just want a nostalgic Vietnam style special forces semi-auto, there really can’t be any other choice.
Retro With Military Stamp
If you served in Vietnam and held one of these, it’s a fair bet you were an elite soldier. Or you worked in the armory. It’s one or the other.
Either way, even if you’re just a military firearms fan, then you need to have at least one of these guns in your collection.
The retro collection is literally designed to twang the emotional heart strings and there is something in there for most vintage firearms enthusiasts.
Now these will never be authentic, or pure, or whatever. They’re not trying to be. They’re a taste of an old world, packaged up so you can actually enjoy it today.
Custom Retro AR-15 Has Character
And that’s what designer AR-15s for sale
The Colt LE6920 in various forms and the Colt LE6940 are probably better value and both could lay claim to being the the
But this is cooler.
Trip Down Memory Lane
If you went to the trenches with one of these in your hands and lived to tell the tale, chances are you have enough put away to relive the good old days, as you may remember them by now, and buy yourself a semi-automatic Colt Commander.
Of course it’s modular and flexible, so if you want to run a red dot sight on this then you’ll get a seriously accurate range shooter. Iron sights? Go for it…
It is designed to capture the spirit of the original, not just the look. So it is loud and it does kick back. But then you’re buying into the retro chic dream.
Others here will outperform this tribute act. But this is a unique and charming package.
16. FN SCAR 16S
- Price: $3,236.99
- Caliber: .223 Remington/5.56 NATO
- Barrel: 16.25 inch
- Total Length: 27.5-37.5 inch
- Weight: 7.4lb
- Capacity: 30+1
The FN Special operations
The SCAR has drawn its share of criticism since its introduction in 2004 and the US military looked set to ditch the Fabrique Nationale Herstal. SOCOM
It was better, that much was certain from the comparative tests. At long range and short. But it wasn’t by enough of a margin to serve up SCARs and spares packages to military and specialist law enforcement units
The Colt M4 is the most popular of the first world fully automatic assault weapons
US Army Seal of Approval
Still, serving as an armory staple for the US military, even for a short while, is a pretty badass performance to be honest.
It does have to be said, though, the slightly evolved FN SCAR 17S in .308 was the gun that the US military generally preferred. Now that is a serious assault weapon.
Still One of the Best
Perhaps this is the safe option, but we think the FN SCAR 16S is at least one of the best AR-15s for sale in 2023.
The folding stock means you can almost pack this thing in a bag. It’s seriously short, bullpup short, and you can carry it almost like an AR pistol. That means you can swing it freely round corners, which makes it an awesome tactical firearm.
Brutal and Strong, Not Pretty
This is also one of the most iconic profiles in the firearms world and will always get a knowing nod of approval at the range. Is it pretty? Personally I don’t think so, but then that’s a subjective thing and some people love the pure brutality of the FN SCAR.
They are famous for taking tens of thousands of rounds without the need for major
New SCAR Has Tougher Hinges
The new ones are stronger, it has to be said, and you’ll really have to beat the crap out of a modern FN SCAR to make things fall off. Is the FN SCAR fragile? It was, but not now. For civilian use, it’s more than enough.
And that’s basically it. This gun is the right weight, it’s practical, it’s well balanced and its one of the most accurate AR-15s for sale. There’s pretty much no muzzle climb and the felt recoil is somewhere between nada and zero. The quad rail system is solid too.
Muzzle Brakes are Slick
The titanium muzzle brake works wonders. But it does look a touch angry from the side as it redirects gases rearwards and out the sides. It’s loud too, really loud.
It’s a chrome-lined 16′ barrel and you get a tall front target sight and that intriguing tulip up front.
You get a short-stroke gas piston system that is as reliable as anything you’re likely to see. That legendary polymer stock, meawhile, is adjustable for the height of that comb and the length of pull.
That comb gives you new ways to brace and there is a lot to like about the FN SCAR 16S. Is it worth the money? Well, that’s up to you really.
17. Faxon Firearms ION Ultralight AR-15
- Price: $1,575.99
- Caliber: 5.56 NATO
- Barrel: 14.5 inch + welded can. NFA Compliant.
- Weight: 4.95lb
Faxon Firearms has followed in the footsteps of ZEV Tech, making its name with AR and Glock aftermarket parts.
The Pencil Barrel is 14.5 inches, but the permanently attached slimline muzzle device will keep the NFA at bay. For now…
A carbon fiber handguard with an M-LOK rail system should give you all the options you need for your tactical gear. With a 4.95lb weight, though, don’t hang too much off it or you’ll kind of defeat the purpose…
Lightweight to the Core
This is a lightweight AR-15 to its core, right through to the Faxon Gunner Lightweight BCG, a Superlative Arms Adjustable Bleed-Off Gas Block and a Radian Weapons Raptor LT Ambi Charging Handles.
You get a Hiperfire EDT3 trigger group, a Magpul MOE grip, MFT Minimalist stock, Radian Arms safety selectors and Lancer magazine.
All the parts they haven’t supplied themselves are the finest aftermarket gear for sale in 2022. Right down to the side charging upper and complete uppers.
The Faxon Firearms Ultralight is a great rifle. It’s really that simple.
18. Lewis Machine & Tool LMT CQB MARS NZ16
- Price: $1,889.10
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total: 36.5
- Weight: 6.5lb
The New Zealand military contract winner really shouldn’t be that big a deal. But the commercial version of the Lewis Machine & Tool New Zealand Reference has become an absolute star.
And now it costs half the price of the original, custom touches included, we think it’s going to be a sales hit.
American Firm Making Waves Down Under
LMT is actually based in Iowa and is American as apple pie and all that jazz. It has supplied a number of American specialist military units with custom guns for a while.
So why has this gun made such an impression? It’s a fair question.
The size of the contract is impressive. LMT will supply 9040 in a $59 million contract. And then there is the semi automatic rifle that you can buy right now.
High Tech AR-15 With Outstanding Range
So what are the main selling points of this AR-15? The patented Monolithic Rail Platform, which gives you a complete upper and quad rail system as one unit, is the big news here.
That one piece milled unit is seriously expensive, and gives added rigidity. This is an increasing trend in the world of high-end AR-15s and one piece upper receiver and M-Lok rail units might be the future.
AR-15 With a 500 Yard Range? Really…
Why? That additional rigidity translates into range, with this AR-15 comfortably hitting 500 yard targets in expert hands.
A double spring extractor in a lobster tail layout joins forces with an enhanced BCG with a longer travel. Additional venting holes allow you to run a suppressor while the mid-length gas system essentially balances itself.
Replace and Zero Barrel in Seconds
You can detach, replace and zero the barrel in basically one smooth motion. That means you can carry full on caliber conversion kits. Or just different length barrels, cryogenically treated.
So there’s a lot of tech and there are some absolutely stellar touches that mark this service weapon apart from the crowd.
The semi-automatic New Zealand MARS is winning rave reviews from the specialist press.
The Lewis Machine & Tool NZ16 New Zealand Reference Rifle looks a cut above the cheaper AR-15s for sale. That’s because it is.
We like the fold up iron sights, too, although we concede this gun will probably get something more serious in your hands.
19. Kaiser US X-7 Monarch Skeletonized BCG Lightweight
- Price: $1,710
- Barrel: 16 inches
- Weight: 4.5lb
The Kaiser US X-7 Monarch Lightweight is pretty much the best plastic AR-15 on the open market right now.
Yup, AR-15 plastic receivers. Well, carbon-fiber and polymer over aluminum inserts, which sounds like a pretty decent solution. It also means a matched set of receivers weigh in at 10oz.
Modern Plastics are Up to the Task
There’s no reason modern plastics cannot do this job. Modern boats, planes and the Indy 500 winner are made out of carbon matting and resins, so this isn’t ridiculous. And look at the final weight…
That’s 4.5lb, for less than $2,000, and the user reviews are amazing. Don’t overlook the lightweight BCG or other neat touches. This is a custom gun, built on plastic foundations. And that’s pretty cool.
20. Taran Tactical Innovation John Wick TTI TR-1 Ultralight
- Price: $2,098.99 (Discontinued)
- Caliber: 5.56 NATO
- Barrel: 14.5 + Welded Muzzle can (NFA Compliant)
- Total Length: 32 inch
- Weight: 6.4lb
Seriously, this is the gun John Wick wielded to deadly effect in the Catacombs scene in John Wick Chapter 2. So if you’re wondering what AR-15 John Wick uses and you found us through the magic of the Google machine, now you know…
Bet you didn’t know that Taran Tactical had a heavy hand in both the AR-15 and the Benelli M4 shotgun, as well as the John Wick Combat Master Package for the Glock 34 that is right up there with our favorite custom Glocks of 2022. Check out our separate post on the Guns of John Wick 2 when you’re done.
Devastating at Close Range
Well this AR-15 is a custom job and it is absolutely brilliant at close quarters. Taran Tactical Innovations basically designed this gun for the world’s greatest underworld hitman and then trained Keanu Reeves over months and years to use it in the most devastating manner possible.
Reeves is a seriously competent 3-Gunner now, having turned up as a rookie before the original John Wick film. This is a concerted effort by TTI boss and multiple time and discipline world champion sport shooter Taran Butler to improve the firearms knowledge in Hollywood. He worked on John Wick from the start and the results speak for themselves.
He has trained Steven Spielberg, Reeves and now Hollywood legends are queuing up after watching Keanu Reeves do things they simply can’t. If you have the money he’ll probably train you too. But back to the actual gun…
Guns Gone Wild
It’s a Taran Tactical Innovations Lower Receiver with a VLTOR MUR-1 AR-15 receiver and a match-grade Bravo Company Manufacturing BCM barrel. The handguard is another BCM special, but then they are the best.
The John Wick AR-15 uses BCM KMR Alpha handguard with M-Lok rail system, stock with an integrated cheekrest and more. The pistol grip comes with grooves and this gun is all about close quarters combat and 3 Gun competition. Basically everything that works in the competitive arena makes it an absolute peach of a defensive AR-15.
The internals are just as good and you get HIPERFIRE 24 3G match-grade trigger and a 3 inch rail system up top for a red dot or scope. Just…
Short Barrel Plus a Can
The pinned and welded compensator gets round the NFA and the triple port finish is gorgeous. But there’s no getting round the fact that 14.5 inches of barrel is less than 16 inch and this isn’t for long-distance shooting.
It is an almighty home defense weapon, it will be surprisingly accurate thanks to the sheer quality of the components and you’ll have the AR-15 that Jon Wick uses in the Catacombs. Get the same scope and it will be pretty hard to miss at short, if not long range. It’s a gun you can compete with too, although that might turn into an expensive TTI addiction…
Admittedly the John Wick AR-15 is on backorder only at Brownells right now, but this is just about as designer as guns get, endorsed by the world’s most dangerous hitman.
TTI Parts Kit Can Enhance Your Existing AR-15
You don’t have to go full John Wick to feel the benefit of Taran tactical Innovation AR-15 upgrades. You can buy individual components, a new spring for your buffer or a full TTI parts kit from these suppliers.
21. Bravo Company MK12 Mod 0-A5 SPR
- Price: $2,599.99
- Caliber: .223 Rem/5.56 NATO
- Barrel: 18 inch
- Total Length: 38 inch
- Weight: 6.5lb
The US Navy works in some pretty shitty conditions when it comes to keeping mechanisms alive. Salt water, sun, biting cold, they see it all. So it’s telling that they turned to Bravo Company Manufacturing for their specialist AR-15s and assault weapons.
This is the sort of Mil Spec weapon the elite Navy SEAL teams take into action, so it’s probably a good idea that they work. The Bravo Company Manufacturing MK12 Mod 0/1 SPR went into the field in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom. So this semi-automatic has serious desert time under its belt.
More Accuracy Than Outright Range
A slightly longer barrel hints at Designated Marksman Rifle pretensions and long-range sniper status, but really it’s about pinpoint accuracy at the limits of the range when the special forces have a clean shot from a distance. It’s also about simplicity and weather-proofing.
It’s a direct impingement, which seems a little weird when you can get a great gas piston system for about $1000 less. But then this is what makes the BCM MK12 Mod0/1 SPR special, kind of.
That direct impingement action also makes it lightweight, which is a priority for the world’s elite fighting teams that can haul their gear tens of miles through terrain that would claim most of us in days. They need all the help they can get, and that isn’t always a heavyweight gas piston system.
The stock is different to the standard MAGPUL fare and you will certainly cause a stir if you take this AR-15 custom rifle to the range.
Where to Buy BCM For Your AR-15
BCM make some AR-15s. You can buy a small parts kit, receivers and more.
Complete lowers, stripped lowers, sling mounts and more? Get em here.
22. Knights Armament SR-15 Mod 2
- Price: $2,883.99
- Caliber: .223 Remington/5.56 NATO
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total Length: 33.5-36.5”
- Weight: 6.55lb
- Capacity: 30+1
The SR-15 is, Knights Armament claims, the ultimate incarnation of Eugene Stoner’s classic design.
It is built around a proprietary mid-length system and direct impingement, which is a bit cheeky in this price range. But it’s reliable enough for law enforcement agencies around the world.
The Knights Armament SR-25 Designated Marksman Rifle chambered in 7.62x51mm has a bigger reputation, considering how many are out there. But the Knights Armament SR-15 might just be the best 5.56 NATO AR15 custom rifle for sale in 2023.
Competition Barrel and Receiver
You get a chrome-lined barrel, everything is Mil-spec and beyond. A round-lug bolt reduces wear and tear and extends the life and just improves the engineering. Ambidextrous controls and two-stage competition trigger join forces with three-pronged flash suppressor.
The Knights Armament SR-15 isn’t a design revolution. It is just the best AR-15 in the world in its traditional direct impingement form. You’re not paying for the technology, more for perfection in the execution and invidividual components.
Gas piston set-ups are available for a lot less, but this is a great all-rounder and you will love this AR15 custom off the peg.
23. Steyr Arms Aug A3 M1 High Rail
- Price: $1,699.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total Length: 28.25 inch
- Weight: 8.9lb
We know this is pushing the very concept of an AR-15 for sale beyond all reason, but then this is a designer guns post, this does come with a 16 inch barrel and it shoots 5.56 NATO. So we think it’s good here.
The bullpup design, with the ham fist size trigger guard, is truly unique here. And this is one of the few bullpups that
Switch the Scope For a Red Dot
The Austrian manufacturer has a nailed-on hit with the Steyr Arms AUG A3M1 with the raised rail. The big USP was the integrated scope, but we thing it’s best to leave that one to the military and go with your own red dot.
That turns this Austrian beast into a weapon of urban warfare, in semi-automatic form of course. It isn’t the prettiest 5.56 NATO here, but it is one of the longest serving and respected.
It has been in active service since 1977 and this short stroke gas piston bullpup has simply got better over the years. It’s also unique and even the charging handle feels different. So get one.
Want a Cheaper AR 15 Rifle For Sale?
We love these guns. But sometimes you just can’t justify a $3,000 custom rifle or pistol and you have to sort by price low to high, not price high to low.
Now you might not need CF buffer tubes and the best receiver parts. You might just want the best-selling Ruger AR-556. We got you covered as well..
Get the Best For Your DIY AR-15 Build
Are you inspired by the AR-15 custom rifles here? Well you can build your own dream AR-15, for a fraction of the money. Devil Dog Concepts, American Resistance, Black Rifle Customs LLC, Wilson Combat and Geissele are all waiting to take your money.
Watch out for gun sales when you’re building an AR-15. That can be a custom options pistol or rifle. Sort by price and you’ll be shocked what pops up sometimes. Keep an eye on the discounts and build over time with a series of well-planned upgrades. That’s the idea anyway…
What might happen is that you’ll end up with a selection of complete uppers, buffer tubes everywhere, receiver parts, muzzle upgrades and those stripped upper receivers you got cheap and you’re definitely going to shoot soon. One day. Then there is the collection of barrels, complete lowers and more.
That will add to the cost of building AR-15 rifles, pistols and more. But you will have a depository of magazines, stocks, accessories, muzzle devices, optics, sight, sling mounts and more. We all do…. Maybe even a pistol brace or two for that parallel project…
Get Valuable Life Lessons, Not Just Engineering
None of that matters, though. Because you’ll learn more about your AR-15 custom options as you fettle and upgrade with the armorer’s wrench. Then read crazy blog posts like this and shop online again.
That’s the beauty of a DIY AR-15. It gives back more than it can ever take from you. Like raising a child. Or a dog. I’m better with dogs…
Learn to search for the right price for gas blocks, gas tubes etc. Get an ambi charging handle, stripped uppers, receiver sets, and the best AR15 barrels and magazines. Check out these links and grab yourself a bargain for your home build, from Windham Weaponry through to a BAD handguard.
You will find everything for your rifle build, from FDE MAGPUL MOE furniture through to full-size fluted AR10 barrels from Aero Precision for the DPMS AR10 et al. Then there are caliber conversion kits, titanium takedown pins, a Rogers Super Stock and more.
Get an American Resistance Custom Pistol Build or a Long Gun
There are companies out there waiting for your order. Bespoke builds from the likes of American Resistance Custom can give you the high performance custom AR15 of your dreams. There the only limit is your budget and imagination, as American Resistance Custom can build the firearm from scratch.
Honestly most of us don’t know enough to feel the benefit of these high end guns, but you can still order an American resistance custom and find out what the fuss is about. Get multi caliber kits, too, and you can mix and match your custom gun for the occasion.
You can also get weird and funky with things like a We the People handguard, which is extravagant and offers design ideas that might have Eugene Stoner turning in his grave. A We the People handguard can offer the Stars and Stripes, tribal themes and even your favorite animal. The design team is unique, we’ll say that.
If you’re doing a home build, cheap parts are part of the fun, and the inevitable pain. It’s good, though, and you should do it. Some of it will sit in dust covers for years and you’ll end up with a closet full ofr bufer tubes, build parts and build kits. That’s fine as well.
Where to Find Small Parts, And Big Ones For Your Modern Sporting Rifle
- Brownells: Deals, new barrels, complete uppers, buffer tubes or MAGPUL MOE, side charging handles, AR15 magazines, muzzle brakes, stocks, accessories, muzzle devices, optics, sights, billet aluminum receiver parts, forged receiver, M-Lok rail systems, free float handguards, stocks, buffer tube, handguards, accessories etc. Buy a ADPMS AR10, AR10 barrels, parts, a range bag, they got em all.
- Primary Arms – Hassle free shopping with a great site. An enhanced forged barrel nut or a carbine buffer tube? Complete uppers? Parts & Upper receiver, a matched receiver set? What about an M-Lok Rail System or a Sig Sauer P320?
- Deals, new parts, Upper parts kits, triggers, gas blocks, gas tubes and a new gas port diameter, too and maybe a Rogers Super Stock, Magpul MOE or a range bag. Maybe a DPMS AR10? Every rifles custom work and products, AR15 parts, sights, dust covers and more.
And More…
PSA – Awesome handguards, accessories shop, products, Cleaning supplies, complete uppers, buffer tubes, folding stock, complete parts kits, trigger guards etc.
Get handguns, too, like a Sig Sauer P320. From a DPMS AR10 to Wilson Combat. Billet aluminum receiver parts, triggers and lower parts.
Caliber kits, dust covers, buffer tubes, everything really. Everything you need with custom work, including a chance to view cart and review, and the best customer service.
Faxon Firearms – Accessories, shop products including AR15 barrels, upper parts, triggers, AR15 pistol parts, takedown pins, bolt carrier groups, charging handles, gas blocks, trigger guards, buffer tube, an M-LOK rail system with Lok slots, folding stock, red dot sights.
Aero Precision – Legendary barrels, build kits for a rifle or pistol, Aero Precision makes drop in barrels for a Windham Weaponry or a POF. Magazines, muzzle devices too. Free shipping on big orders. It’s good.
American Resistance Custom – Some great small parts on offer from American Resistance Custom, work including options you might not have considered for rifles, pistols etc. Dust covers and other accessories too.
And the Official Stuff
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