Should I Have Just Bought The SCAR-16?

Something to keep you honest about your low-cost AR.

Make a spreadsheet and list EVERYTHING you've added to the gun.

It's actually an accounting ledger.

Count the things that are present, subtract the things that aren't.

That $400 AR kit and $50 lower sure balloon fast when you start upgrading parts.

People forget that all that Magpul furniture they added later made the gun more expensive.  Mirroring the selector?  Extra cost.  Finger-tip strong hand bolt release?  Extra cost.

It adds up.  Don't forget shipping and FFL fees!  I tend to skip things like optics though...

Since a SCAR 16 is MSRP of $2,995 and can be found on Gunbroker for $2,600 buy it now, even my most expensive AR, Sabrina, at $1,355.08 doesn't touch it, but that one is more expensive by design because of all the collector-expensive vintage parts.

Next most expensive is Dottie at $1,230.53, but she's in 6.8, so not really a good comparison.  Add $326 for the optic and $200 for the light.

Kaylee is the closest equivalent to a SCAR 16 here.  Just $1,159.66 and that includes a $200 tax-stamp.  I could make Kaylee twice for what a SCAR would have run me.  Even adding $736 for the optic and $200 for the light I'm still ahead because I would have bought them for a SCAR as well.

But Kaylee is not the $675.37 carbine I first bought either.  It also took me nearly 10 years of tinkering, swapping, trading and research to add about $500 to her.