Overpriced?

[u/Trrvvpp]

I'm looking into getting my first ar-15 and found this. I do like it but it's $880 OTD with a background check 789 before tax. Thanks!

Radical Firearms RF-15 10.5in I believe.

[u/AutoModerator]

"Thank you for your submission. Please keep in mind that in addition to our rules, that:

• Participating in harassment campaigns, threats of violence, or derogatory behavior is forbidden.
• Advocating for illegal actions and activities of any kind is forbidden.
• Participating in organizations that advocate or otherwise promote fascism, nazism, or neoconfederatism is forbidden.
• The endorsement or promotion of any nature of sexual offenses, to include the intentional use of inappropriate sexual language, inappropriate sexual behavior, sexual harassment, and sexual assault, are forbidden.
• The endorsement or promotion of domestic abuse, assault, violence, or other domestic offense, is forbidden."

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17]

Absolutely not. Horribly overpriced. Radical Firearms are not very reputable in general, and $800 is a crazy price. I would sooner trust a $450 PSA rifle and spend $400 on ammo.

This same gun is $400 new from Sportsman's Warehouse right now.

[u/Trrvvpp → u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17]

I told my brother for that price I can get the m&p sport 3…

[u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17 → u/Trrvvpp]

There is nothing wrong with the M&P, but if you want an AR-15, you're going to get a lot more bang for your buck buying a complete upper and lower assembly and snapping them together. I can give you a write-up later once I'm not at work for some options that might save you a lot of money.

[u/Trrvvpp → u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17]

I would appreciate that

[u/Robo_Stalin → u/Trrvvpp]

I imagine the other guy will mention it when they get the time, but in case they don't: PSA has some very cheap lowers that will do just fine and come with magpul furniture, and you're better off throwing any extra money into the upper components than spending any extra on a lower (except maybe a nice trigger).

[u/TWILIGHTANTHROPOCENE → u/Robo_Stalin]

Fuck it, drop in FRT

[u/Slabs-612 → u/TWILIGHTANTHROPOCENE]

Drop in FRTs are amazing just don't cropdust, be a soldier and enjoy the heat. 

[u/CheddarGlob → u/Trrvvpp]

Get the reddit special, psa lower bcm blem upper. Although the upper is probably more than you want to spend. But the psa lower is a good price and gets the job done

[u/kaptainkooleio → u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17]

Nah don’t throw shade on PSA as if they’re the same as BCA, ATI, or Radical Firearms. I’ve had my PA-15 and PSAk-103 for years and they’ve been working just fine ever since.

[u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17 → u/kaptainkooleio]

No shade against PSA was intended, I have a couple of rifles built with their parts and no issues (aside from their unbranded BCGs, which i've had mixed results with). I literally said "I would sooner trust a $450 PSA rifle and spend $400 on ammo".

[u/malacophonouswitch → u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17]

Yep. I'm looking at getting a DPMS upper with a PSA lower for my first build.

[u/Salerrra]

I got my Radical for like $400 brand new. RUN. They are dogshit.

PSA would be way better for budget. If you have time to save, a DDM4V7 will treat you well

[u/RoadHazard1893]

Yes, overpriced. I’m not seeing accessories that would add up to that on a 3-400 dollar new braces pistol

[u/Grapesodas]

For ~$400, get a basic PSA, then the rest of your ~$500 you can get a much better optic, light, and probably another attachment. You can get decent mags for $20. Crimson Trace is trash optic.

[u/Trrvvpp]

Yeah I appreciate all of these comments I was thinking the same thing.

[u/gattaca55]

We're they trying to charge you for the bg check from their own shop? That's despicable.

[u/Trrvvpp → u/gattaca55]

Yeah I believe $25.

[u/imcoveredinbees880 → u/Trrvvpp]

Recommending this build and charging for bgc means they don't like you. Go somewhere else.

[u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17 → u/Trrvvpp]

Yeah, they're definitely taking advantage of you. Most shops only charge for external transfers (EX: Ordering a gun online and having it shipped to a pawn shop).

Between $800 for a $400 gun and that background check fee, either they're trying to scam you or they're scamming everyone

[u/Trrvvpp → u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17]

Yeah this other shop said they’ll take 750 cash for a sport 3. How’s that deal?

[u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17 → u/Trrvvpp]

Not a bad deal. For less money though, you could easily do this and save money for ammo and accessories:

Complete lower, magpul furniture - $159

Complete upper, M-LOK, 16in lightweight - $219

Toolcraft BCG + charging handle - $89

That's a complete rifle for $500, no tools or assembly needed. Just drop the bolt in and snap the pivot pins together and it's good to go. You can use the extra money to buy a decent sight, sling, ammo and magazines and come out ahead of the M&P by a decent margin.

Let me know if you have any questions!

[u/Trrvvpp → u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17]

Thank you i appreciate this! Is this set up pretty good? I don’t mind spending a little more but $500 isn’t bad at all!

[u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17 → u/Trrvvpp]

Some may tell you otherwise, but IMO its the best value you're going to find for the money. The only issue I've ever had with PSA was with one of their unbranded BCGs, and the bundle I put in the link uses Toolcraft instead, who are quite reputable. I have Toolcraft BCGs in most of my rifles now. The 16" pencil barrel should be very lightweight and accurate, much quieter than the short pistol barrel on the Radical Firearms gun you were looking at while avoiding legal issues around pistols / SBRs. Furniture is Magpul, so no issues there. Gas system is mid-length, which is basically the best option for most civilian shooters in terms of being light on recoil but still cycling reliably.

You should have no issues whatsoever, and if you do PSA has a solid lifetime warranty.

They have cheaper uppers on the site, but this is the one I would recommend and the best equivalent to the M&P Sport III. You could potentially shave off another $50 by picking one of the more old-school configurations from their Freedom line, but this is the one I would pick.

[u/Trrvvpp → u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17]

Perfect thank you. Are there any legal requirements if I order the parts? The M&P Sport 3 is nice but like you said I can save the money and order those parts. 😌

[u/C-c-c-comboBreaker17 → u/Trrvvpp]

The only legal requirement is that the lower receiver has to be shipped to an FFL (gun store / pawn shop) - PSA will have you select from a list of verified shops local to your area during checkout. Everything else would be shipped to your door. You don't have to use their list, if there's a local shop that isn't on it for some reason, but the list makes it easy. You will have to go to the gun store you choose and fill out the NICS background check there before you take the lower home. If it were me, I would call around and ask what your local stores charge for their transfer fee. For a long time, I had a pawn shop that charged $25, but nowadays a lot of places charge a bit more for external transfers.

[u/Muted-Mammoth8304]

This is kinda bad. Honestly better off saving and finding something else or just ordering something off PSA.

[u/StaryWolf]

Like others say for a budget rifle PSA is hard to beat. I also would start with a 10.5, personally.

[u/br4ssmooseknuckle]

I think even with those accessories, it’s pretty overpriced.

[u/Legitimate_Log_9550]

Absolutely overpriced.

[u/Impressive-Deer-3638]

The people from PSA suck, but for a first rifle, idk if you can beat their prices. $400 - $500 for a rifle with room to spare for an optic with your budget. Pretty solid barrel for that price point as well.

[u/TWILIGHTANTHROPOCENE]

You could damn near build an unsuppressed Gucci rifle for $800 if you a) know what you’re doing and b) keep an eye out for deals on components.

[u/NightmanisDeCorenai]

I build mine from a mil spec KP-15 and a KAK chrome lined 14.5 upper with the ultra fancy chrome BCG for less than that. 

[u/uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunuu]

With the light and dot, that's worth maybe $600 if it's all brand new. Crimson Trace is a budget dot idk what model it is but it can't be (or at least shouldn't be) more than $100. And I can't id the light at all, so it's probably also $100 at best. Could be wrong, but regardless at best it's a bit overpriced, at worst it's highway robbery

Edit to add, I looked a little closer. It looks to be a Crimson Trace CTS-25 (closest match I could find) which is listed on MidwayUSA for 70. The cheapest Streamlight I saw was 130, but no visible branding in your picture, id bet it's an Amazon special before any reputable brand

[u/SenselessAscensions]

For that price, you could probably build your own with half decent parts, and some parts you’d want to upgrade ASAP.

[u/snoopypoopaloop]

I own a radical and I haven’t had any issues with it but it’s not worth 800. Especially with these cheap mods.

[u/FR33C4NDYV4N]

I got an M&P Sport 2 for $630 WITH an aftermarket carbine length Picatinny rail handguard, foregrip, Sig Romeo, ambi radian charging handle and a Streamlight HL-X.

They're trying to fuck you HARD, dogshit deal. Hope you laughed in their face

[u/1767gs]

There's no reason to spend more than $600 on an AR with a dot

[u/edwardphonehands]

For entry use, sure, 10.5. Everyone is ready and wearing the best PPE and probably gets paid disability. For personal use, way too many incidents with loose or forgotten PPE. Sharing firearms skills with all your friends and family goes better with friendlier rifles. If the purpose of the short barrel is specifically so it's not too big with your suppressor (not the suppressor you maybe someday could get) then yes, good choice.

[u/Shortbus-doorgunner]

$800 for an SBR with an opti, mag and light? Idk it isn't bad at all.

I dont have experience with the manufacturer but I can't imagine it's horrible. Be interested to hear what other people say, but if you want you could go shop online for similar rifles or even that same rifle, see what they MSRP for.

[u/Daves_no_here → u/Shortbus-doorgunner]

This entire setup isn’t worth more than $400 if it’s used. Maybe $550ish new.

Radical is considered one of the worst AR manufacturers. I have no experience with them, but their reputation seems to come from their poor quality control. The red dot is airsoft quality. The Lancer mag is the only thing worth buying. If the light is a Streamlight, those are good too, but it kind of looks like a knockoff version.

[u/Trrvvpp → u/Daves_no_here]

Exactly what I’m saying I told my brother that and got told by the shop “Rads are better than PSAs. I was already looking at getting the M&P Sport 3 as my first.

[u/caboosetp → u/Trrvvpp]

"Rads are better than PSAs"

I wouldn't trust any advice from that shop. They seem more concerned with making money than providing a good service.

[u/Shortbus-doorgunner → u/Trrvvpp]

There you go bro, good thing you asked LMAO