What is the best AR for under $1,000?

I built one, started with a 'naked' lower receiver and went from there, it was not at all difficult and I only had like $450-500 in it. Then I gave it away for Xmas. Long ago Uncle Sugar paid me to carry one, technically that one was an XM16E1. I wasn't that impressed with it. I'll stick with my Steyr AUG if I have to shoot 5.56 mm at anyone.

Springfield Saint 5.56 seems to be pretty nice off the shelf and MSRP is ~ $900 +/-. I am sure you could pick up a new one for less. The Saint "Edge" rifle seems to be better in many ways EXCEPT for one major area ... NO heat shielding on barrel! I have no idea how many 5.56 rounds I have put down range from an M-16 and the M-4 but it must be in the high hundreds of thousands. Reviews state that the Edge forearm becomes uncomfortably hot after 90 rounds whereas it takes a fast dump of multiple magazines to achieve the same from the older Saint. In some firefights on semi-auto (that is the setting elite infantry mostly use) I have burned through 10+ mags in a very short period. You could not do that with an edge unless you were wearing an M-60 barrel changing glove. So stay with the original.
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2016/11/1/springfield-armory-saint-ar-15/?NRARelatedContent=true

I have about 6 ARs at this time and compete in NRA Service Rifle and Match Rifle. I agree with Cpl. McMiiler, except I would add Ruger. You can't go wrong with Colt or Ruger. High end, Daniel Defense, Wilson or Larue.

where does the average army M4 fall into the current price range of ARs? i fired everything from M16A1s to the newest generation of M4s and never had any serious problems. just curious where do they fall in the price range.

I built an A2 style AR15 for about $900. It has a heavy 20 inch barrel 1/7 twist (standard length for an A2) and using 75 grain bullets I can hit steel at 1000 yards with it. I don't remember all the parts, but I think the upper and barrel are Rock River Arms. Good stuff.

Build your own the way you want it. Start with a stripped lower and go from there.

Bushmaster makes a very affordable AR in rifle and carbine models. Good firearm for the price!

Your question is far more complex than you know. The AR platform is like the lego set of the gun world. So there are many additional questions that would need to be asked to fully answer this. Many of the questions simply come down to personal preference as well. All that being said, you can pick up a bare bones one for a few hundred. You can then mod it as you like. My first one was a commercial spec DPMS i got for like $400. I then upgraded the parts on it over time. My second one, I built. I bought a stripped lower from a pawn shop and later acquired the parts to complete it. That build ran me about $260 for just the base rifle not counting toys. Most of the parts i bought were from PSA. You can get good deals if you catch them on sale.

When I first began lookin to purchase my first AR I had less money to spend and there weren't as many options on the commercial market. I found the best way for my to comfortably purchase the one I wanted was to build my own a piece at a time, thus avoiding the financial strain of dropping 1500 dollars at one time. I found out very quickly how much fun I could have building and customizing my own weapons while learning basic gunsmithing along the way. My current cache includes a AR pistol (~550), a carbine (~325), and an AR 10 (~750) all built with my own hands. I think I enjoy shooting those more than any of the shelf weapons I've ever owned.

Without giving away too much personal info, I'd suggest looking into assembling or building from a variety of "kits" and/or individual uppers/lowers/BCGs, etc. IMHO some components are pretty universal in terms of quality/functionality...but you absolutely don't want to scrimp on things like your choice of barrel, twist, BCG, trigger, etc...and oh yes, optics are what you pay for, but there are cheaper ways to get the good stuff if you do some homework. I'd advise against the carbon fiber, "pencil" barrel plinkers... and think a LOT about possible future mods like weapons lights and cans (if you're up to doing the paperwork and paying for the stamps).