I’m not a big AR guy so I don’t really have an opinion. What do you guys think of this guy’s list?
Nose rings 
He’s just naming low cost AR’s and I wonder if he has experience with any of them. Generally you get what you pay for. You can’t expect a $500 base AR to perform or last as long as a $1K or more AR. I have a Bear Creek Arsenal barrel and BCG in one build (Aero Precision receiver set) and it’s fine. Did have a problem with the extractor pin failing after a couple thousand rounds but they shipped a replacement for free.
He doesn’t mention why not to buy any of these except for accuracy so I don’t know what else to say about the matter. Entry level is entry level.
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I have not looked yet, but I bet the list will be provocative so it gets shared and the creator gets a lot of money making clicks.
He really doesn’t explain the reasoning behind his picks. I’m guessing QC. I’ve never owned any of the supposed top five but, I only have one AR and it’s pretty much all Geissele now. 
You get what you pay for with budget firearms. Parts quality is going to be lesser (which may or may not be an issue depending on your use case) but QC is going to be all over the map. You’ll have plenty of good ones on the market, but you’ll have just as many ones that just don’t work.
The beauty of the AR platform is that it’s standardized. Unfortunately that means anyone can put one together, regardless of whether or not they know HOW the gun works. Slapping various parts together may or may not give you the results you intended.
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I think it depends on the times. During Trump’s first presidency, ammo was cheap and guns even cheaper. After 18 months in office, prices actually deflated. PSA and others were selling some reliable ARs dirt cheap, I think the lowest I recall seeing was $399- for a basic carbine, and for $500- you could get a decent one. On-line retailers were desperate to clear inventory.
A budget firearm is a budget firearm, whether its $399 under Trump or $499 under Biden. It still doesn’t have all the QC checks that a $1000 Colt or $2000 Daniel Defense does.
It’ll still work for 99% of users, but it’s not “just as good”
It doesn’t matter what he lists. He’s going for clicks.
He could just as easily do a post on 9mm vs .40 vs .45 and get loads of interaction regardless of which one he says is better.
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He didn’t specify any particular issues other than price or QC. but a $ 300 AR will kill you just the same as a top tier gun. I’ve had Anderson stripped uppers and lowers that had amazing fit and finish for the price. jmho
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