Best budget battle rifles for preppers

Over the past few years, I have done many firearms reviews. I try to give my honest opinion on those firearms as they relate to being prepared for dangerous situations, their use for self-defense, etc. As a result, I receive emails asking my opinions are all sorts of firearms. And generally, the majority of questions are about “Battle Rifles”.

Let’s face it, firearms are probably one of the most popular topics when it comes to prepping. And with the media’s hysteria about “evil assault rifles”, more and more people are looking at picking one up. Hence the emails asking about them.

Firearms, for me, is not just a hobby. It is a part of my job. My career. And yet it is a passion of mine. I have dropped serious money over the years on firearms and accessories. I have no problem spending more money to get high quality firearms. As I have said before, some day my life might depend on it.

But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t budget friendly rifles out there that are decent quality. I have several budget friendly “battle rifles” in my safe at home. So I thought that I would compile a list of the better “budget-friendly battle rifles” on the market today.

While I usually advocate making your own AR, there are those folks out there who will say, “I’m a driver, not a mechanic. I want to shoot the gun, not build it.”

Ok, fair enough. Then in that case, this list is for you.

Before I get started, let me throw out a few disclaimers:

First. every rifle on this list is one that I currently own, have owned in the past, or have put at least put several hundred rounds through it. I wouldn’t feel right putting rifles on this list that I have not personally had experience with. With that being said, keep in mind that I have excluded a few rifles from this list for that same reason.

Second, this list is in no particular order. I have my preferences among this list, and will say so accordingly. But this list is not set in any specific order.

And finally, these rifles may not be of the same quality as LMT or BCM. But in my humble opinion, these offer the best bang for your buck on a budget. I believe that with these rifles you are getting decent quality and durability at an affordable price. These rifles might not might have all the bells and whistles of the high end models, but they will hold up well in most all conditions. For a prepper on a budget, I can confidently say that these rifles will serve you well.

Palmetto State Armory – Freedom AR15

I have been a huge PSA fan for many years. And I have owned several, including a Freedom line AR-15. As an “entry level” AR-15, you are getting decent quality at a very wallet friendly price.

The lower is forged with 7075-T6 aluminum. It accepts any type of AR magazine. The “16 barrel is Chrome Moly steel with a 1’7 twist. Many budget ARs come with a 1’9 twist. Or they use a lesser grade steel. Both are cost cutting moves that PSA doesn’t do.

The bolt carrier group is full-auto profile, and it is shot-peened Carpenter 158 steel. The carrier is chrome lined and phosphate coated. This is completely mil-spec and is particle and pressure tested. I have owned several of these and have never had any issues or problems with them.

The phosphate coating of the rifle is fairly durable. It’s not the best out there, but for most folks it will work just fine. Keep your rifle clean, and it should last a long time.

The trigger is a standard mil-spec….coming in at around 6lbs. I am a trigger snob, (I love my Giessele) but for a entry level rifle, it is acceptable.

Should you have an issue with the rifle, PSA offers an unlimited lifetime warranty. This warranty follows the gun, not the owner. So if you pick up one used, you are still good to go!

There are a few drawbacks for me, but these are not major. The first would be the carbine length gas system as opposed to a mid-length gas system. But that is just personal preference on my part. I like the mid-length gas system more on “16 inch barrels. This is because it lessens the recoil impulse, and helps make sure that the rifle is not over-gassed.

The other drawback is that there is no rear sight. You will need to mount one…or mount an optic. So this rifle is not ready right out of the box. But for about $60 you can get a decent Magpul rear sight.

While I have no problems recommending this AR as a budget friendly AR, I will say that if you have a little wiggle room in the budget, my suggestion in to step up a bit more and get their Premium rifle. This barrel is cold hammer forged and chrome lined. It is also thicker. This means that the barrel will be a stronger, more durable, and have a longer life. For a budget AR, this one (the Premium) is probably one of my favorites.

Still for $450 (at the time of this publication) you can’t go wrong with the PSA Freedom AR. When I went to the range with it, it held about a 1.5 MOA at 100 yards using Federal 55 grain .223 ammo. It had zero issues with a variety of mags and ammo that I tried with it. It works well, and it is at a price point that most folks can afford. (The premium barrel held a bit better MOA for me, around 1.25.)

Smith and Wesson M&P Sport II – AR 15

The Smith and Wesson M&P Sport I was the first AR that I have ever purchased. (Click here to read my review on it.) I liked the rifle a lot, and had no issues recommending it to others. So when Smith and Wesson came out with the II version, I was very interested in testing it out.

This version (the Sport II), unlike its predecessor, does have a forward assist and a dust cover. The barrel is now a 1’9 twist as opposed to a 1’8 twist that some of the earlier Sport I models had. Otherwise, these rifles are about the same as far as I can tell.

The “16 barrel is nitrite finished, which for a budget barrel is not bad. It is a bit heavier than a standard M4 profile barrel. But this was not really noticeable when firing. It has the standard A2 muzzle brake. The gas system is carbine length. But the recoil on it was not bad at all.

The trigger is not mil-spec. It’s not terrible, but it did feel a bit mushy. Still, for a entry level AR it works ok.

The bolt is made from Carpenter 158 steel, and is particle tested. So it is good to go. However, the carrier is not full auto but is semi auto. This isn’t a huge deal, but it does cause a tiny bit more recoil. Most folks prefer the full auto version. But again, for an entry level AR this is not bad. The gas keys I saw seemed to be well staked.

Due to the twist rate, I just shot the 55 grain American Eagle 5.56 ammo. She ate them like candy with zero hiccups or malfunctions. At 100 yards I held an MOA under 2….maybe around 1.75. Not bad at all. While I would prefer a better twist rate, the Sport I and II were both fairly accurate at 100 yards.

There are a few drawbacks to this rifle that you should be aware of. The first is that the hand guards are not heat shielded. If you put a few magazines through this rifle, it won’t be a big issue. But mag dumps (like in the video below) will cause the plastic to melt. For more than an occasional trip to the range, you might look at replacing them.

I mentioned the trigger not being mil-spec, and I mentioned the bolt carrier not being full auto. Again, this is personal preference for me. I consider these to be drawbacks, but it might not bother you at all.

Currently, (as of this publication) I have seen these rifles going for around $650. If you go this route, you are getting a decent rifle. Smith and Wesson has been in the game a VERY long time, and these rifles have an outstanding warranty.

Aero Precision AC-15

As far as budget entry ARs, this one is probably at the top end of the spectrum….meaning it costs a bit more than the others on this list. But it is excellent quality for an entry level AR. This is also an AR that I do not (or have not previously) owned. But I have shot a few over the past several years, and have always been impressed by the accuracy of these rifles. I had access to an AC-15 a year or so ago, and I put about 300 to 400 rounds though it.

Like the ARs listed above, this is a ’16 Chrome Moly steel with a 1’7 twist rate. Each barrel is high pressure tested and magnetic particle inspected. This tests for any imperfections in the steel. Some budget friendly AR manufacturers will batch test them, meaning they pick one out of a group and test it. But Aero tests each one individually.

The gas system is a mid-length gas system. Another nice feature is the flared mag well on the forged 7075-T6 aluminum lower. I really like this as it allows for easier magazine reloads.

The bolt is machined from Carpenter 158 steel, and like the barrels, each one is high pressure tested and magnetic particle inspected. And yes, the carrier is a full-auto profile carrier.

This AR is a bit lighter than the others listed above, coming in at around 6.25 lbs. (The Smith & Wesson Sport for example weighs about 6.8 lbs.)

The last time I shot one, I used Federal 62 grain Steel core ammo. The AC-15 had no problems or issues, and at 100 yards I got about a 1.5 or so MOA.

As with the other rifles listed, there is a drawback or two. The first is that it does not come with a rear sight or a magazine. So you will need to order these before you head to the range. The second one is that this AR is out of stock sometimes. That means finding it can be difficult. But that also means it is popular, and for good reason.

This rifle uses the higher quality aluminum on their parts, ie the lower receiver, buffer tube, etc. The quality-control is also excellent. In reality, for around $700 you are getting a excellent quality AR. I have no issues recommending this AR. I actually consider this rifle as a mid-tier rifle. But since you can sometimes find them on sale, they are certainly worthy of this list!

PSAK-47 Liberty G2

If you have followed this website for any length of time, you will know that I am an AR guy. The first 3 rifles listed here are ARs. But that does not mean that AKs are lesser rifles. AKs tend to be more durable. They also tend to be a lot more forgiving about a lack of cleaning and maintenance than ARs. This is something that appeals to a lot of preppers, especially if we were to ever face a prolonged “grid down” or WROL (Without Rule Of Law) scenario.

With more and more companies getting into the firearms market, it is becoming easier to find more accessories for AKs. This is increasing their popularity in the US market.

AKs typically fire a bigger, heavier round. They are very good at turning cover into concealment! They are the most popular battle rifle on the planet, and have been around for over 70 years. The AK has that longevity for a reason!

So with that in mind, I thought I would be remiss if I did not include at least one other option aside from ARs. And Palmetto State’s PSAK-47 Liberty fits that bill. At the time of this publication, you can get a PSAK-47 ZHUKOV for $499. The premium version, the MOEKOV is $599. It has improvements like a cold hammer forged carrier, Melonite 4150 steel treated barrel, cleaning rod, etc. Either way, these are great entry level AKs. (Click here to read my review on it.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULWb-83QW_c&t=800s

Del-Ton Echo 316M AR-15

This is another rifle that I have shot many times, but do not personally own. However, my brother’s AR has a Del-Ton upper on it. He has since removed the plastic hand-guard (which was heat shielded) and replaced it with a UTG Pro Super Slim Free Float Rail. Much like me, he prefers the free float rails because it is easier to accessorize and aids in accuracy.

The Del-Ton Echo 316M is a ’16 inch AR rifle produced by Del-Ton, a North Carolina based company. The Echo 316M is produced to be a budget friendly rifle, but still has several great attributes that push it into the “quality” category.

The barrel is a chrome moly vanadium steel barrel, and comes in a 1’8 twist. This allows it to handle a wide variety of grain sizes, and is a nice touch. Like a few other budget rifles, it does have a carbine length gas system. As I said before, that’s not my preference, but it certainly isn’t a huge issue.

The bolt carrier group is made from Carpenter 158 steel, and is particle tested and magnetic-particle inspected. It ‘s not a full-auto however. But as I said before, this may not a huge issue for you.

My brother and I can consistently get between 1.5 and 1.75 MOA at 100 yards with this Del-Ton upper. It handles multiple types of ammo with no issues, though we have found that it likes the 55 grain rounds the most.

On Del-Ton’s website, the Echo 316M is listed at $821. But I have found it online for under $600. For a budget and/or entry level AR, the Del-Ton certainly qualifies as a quality AR at an affordable price.

Final Thoughts

Yes, I realize that there are many decent budget-friendly rifles not on this list. But before all you Mosin-Nagant, SKS, or “brand not mentioned here” fans grab your torches and pitchforks, please remember what I said at the beginning of this article. The rifles on this list are rifles that I have personally had a lot of experience with.

Yes, I have shot an SKS ocassionally. But I have not put enough rounds through them to feel qualified to talk about it here. In addition, I have deliberately excluded higher priced rifles. The title, “Budget Battle Rifles” should be self-explanatory.

With the 2nd amendment under attack by the media and politicians alike, now is the time to get a proven battle rifle. At the prices listed here, they have never been more affordable.

What are the budget friendly battle rifles on your list? Let us know in the comments section below.

Stay safe out there!

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