Posted on 07/31/2012 6:14:16 PM PDT by usconservative
Ok, gotta admit I've wanted an AR-15 for awhile, and now the State of Illinois is looking to ban "assault weapons" and trying to make political hay out of the Aurora, Colorado shootings last week. I'm opposed to government gun control, and I'd like to add a nice AR-15 to my collection. Problem is, I'm not well versed on them, and my budget is about $1200 for one.
I've looked at the Smith & Wesson AR-15 Sport and think it's "ok" but I'm interested in something a little more.
bookmark for later
Select Walmart stores are now selling AR rifles. They’re selling the DPMS Sportical for $520. No forward assist, no dust cover, but other than that it is 100% AR at AK prices.
Kalashnikov had the most bragging-rights with the higher-caliber standardized for it.
AR manufacturer's have pretty-much caught-up to the reliability-levels of any AK's in this current tactical market.
From 2011 onwards, Advanced Armament Corp (AAC) finally bridged the levels of caliber size, knockdown power, subsonic-suppressed shooting and middle-class affordability with the .300 Blackout
OK, here’s a bit of a tip:
You can buy completed uppers, with the barrels mounted to the upper receiver, the foreend on, the gas tube in, etc.
You can buy them in multiple calibers and slap them on a conventional AR-15 lower.
If this sounds like anything you’d like to do, you might want to get a lower that is labeled as “Multi” for the caliber instead of just “5.56” or “.223.”
You could have one lower and play switch-top, putting on a long-barrel .223, a carbine-length barrel, a 6.8 SPC barrel, a .300AAC, yadda, yadda, yadda.
As for quality: The little-known issue about “quality” in the AR world is that when you start climbing up the producer chain, you find out that a lot of the forgings for the receivers go back to perhaps only four companies. A lot of companies buy receiver forgings in the raw from the foundries, machine them and put on the anodizing or powder coat, plus a rollmark, serial #, etc. If you have an issue with a forging or the metal quality, you’d better check out where your lower was really produced, because you could find that several alternative companies you’re considering as a source in fact obtain their forgings from the same place you’re not impressed with the metal quality.
That said, the biggest issues I have with some less-than-perfect AR receivers (both uppers and lowers) are the depth of the anodizing and the tolerances on the machine work.
For the money mentioned, Colt is your best bet.
Closely followed by Windham Weaponry, then Rock River.
The 16” barrels are all the rage now, but you will get more velocity from a 20” barrel, and with the little 223 pill, speed is what you want.
You could always get a rifle and a spare upper assembly so you could have 2 different barrel lengths, or calibers if you prefer.
That 300 AAC Blackout chambering looks interesting, and uses standard AR15 mags and bolt assy.
I like my Stag Arms. Not badly priced.
Yeah, I got a RR with a Vortex red dot sight. Quick target acquisition at 50-75 yards, I love it.
If I could just find someone to pay for the ammo. Hey, wait, I need ammo, so it must be a “right”; logically it follows that the government should provide it to me for free.
Rock River is good. Most all are decent; it’s the toys that muck things up, usually, and a user that doesn’t understand the limitations of the weapon or the toys.
I’ve had a good many AR’s over the years, and I keep hanging on to the Bushmasters. Solid, well priced, and damned reliable, in my experience.
I stay away from steel case ammo, and I buy and sell magazines to keep my stock within a year of new. Other than that, clean it and use it.
AR Ping
I’ve spent literally hundrds of dollars at Model 1 Sales. Great Texas firm to do business with.
I’ve spent literally hundreds of dollars at Model 1 Sales. Great Texas firm to do business with.
fyi: I have seen Colt Ar-15s in Walmart for 1100 bucks. 16 inch barrels, tele-stocks, flat top reciever.
I don’t care what you buy, but beware of Bushmaster. They’re fine arms but they tried to stiff people that ordered, and even paid for their weapons, just before and during the debates on the ‘94 gun ban. Many people waited months before their orders were filled and it wasn’t because they couldn’t meet production - they were playing politics and waiting to see which way the wind blew. As proof, when the ban passed, they asked some paid customer for more money to complete their order. That’s just plain greed and dishonesty. It wouldn’t matter to me if they made their arms out of solid gold - they just ain’t solid Americans if they are willing to stiff people over politics - especially the 2A which is their bread and butter.
Fact is that DPMS, Sig, Remington, etc, are all good in the 7.62 caliber. The problem with Armalite is that they use proprietary mags. You can't just use any 308 mag.
I can help.
Please send me $1200 and I will make the purchase and deliver to you via my canoe over Lake Michigan.
I do not want to piss off any bushmaster owners BUT they are not what they once were. Not terrible, but no longer in the top tier or even the top couple tiers. I would avoid it for your first and possibly only battle/patrol rifle.
TIER 1
Noveske, Wilson, Les Baer, Larue Tactical (and maybe L.W.R.C) are all Top Tier no brainers if you can afford them.
* I also really like the FN SCAR 16 which might come close to giving you the HK panache at a lot less money + Gas Piston which I have come to prefer and cannot recommend enough for everything except a scoped AR for match purposes.
TIER 2
If you have to stay close to your stated budget and want very high quality but not top tier, Look at LMT, Daniel Defense, COLT and then anything by BRAVO Co.
TIER 3
A little less money but still a very good AR would be RRA, Smith & Wesson and then Stag.
* I would not go below this : )
SIG 516. Piston operated, no break in, accurate and reliable right out of the box. It might be $1400, though. It’s a gas piston system that is just as light as a regular AR
The Ruger 556 is too heavy.
If you want something you can rough around in realistic competitions and not come appart, you will have to go with LMT, LWRC which are pricey
DPMS are fine and cheap but do not have the rugged treatment resiliency of the others.
This chart might help...
http://gunfacts.webs.com/M4Chart1.gif
Colt
BCM
Daniel Defense
Noveske
LMT
(Spikes)
(LaRue)
Yep, the SIG 716 is bad a$$... and it is light for a 762, lighter than some ARs in 556 out there. Pricey, though.
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