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.
I like the S&W AR-15 Sport, but I'm an HnK guy, and I really like the HnK 417, but think that's out of my price range.
While my personal loyalties are with Armalite, there are a myriad of manufacturers out there right now making equal quality rifles. With the availability of components nowadays, probably the best rifle for the $$ would be one you assemble for yourself if you're willing to invest the time to do so.
This thread won’t get any replies. /sar
I think the others are OK but I would get a Colt. I once had 4 of them and thought the workmanship was superb.
Colt has also gotten much more civilian customer friendly in the last few months.
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Good work getting advice. Bad idea buying the same week you make a decision. Once you set your sites on a particular AR wait ten days, see how you feel then. JMO. |
Look at DPSM, Rock River.
Help us help you. What is your price range? What is your primary purpose for this weapon? How long of distance are you shooting for? pardon the pun. Any relevant info would be appreciated.
http://www.bushmaster.com/catalog_xm15_BCWA30816MLMOE.asp
I have a Bushmaster and it works just fine.
Research it online and see it's benefits over 5.56/.223 in urban parameters.
For battle-grade toughness, go with:
Daniel Defense
Noveske (pricey but afghanistan-grade ironclad)
Palmetto State Armory
What do you want it for and in what caliber and configurations>
Defense, target, hunting, SHTF, or just to say you have one?
“Sun Devil” Lower with a “DPMS” upper.
Go to a Gun Show this weekend in your area. Look’em all over.
I agree. I have a Colt target model, iron sights, that I bought in 1995 and a Bushmaster m-4 flat top that I bought 3 years ago. Both are excellent weapons and the Bushmaster is suprisingly accurate for a carbine. You can’t go wrong with Bush or DPMS or Colt and you’ll still have money left over for some decent optics.
I would also advise people to get the .22 cienor kit for the AR. Saves tons of $$$$$$$
I went with the (affordable) Bushmaster and bought a very nice EOTECH holographic sight. All within your budget.
You put the red dot on the target and the rifle puts the round RIGHT THERE.
Non vehere est inermus.
Someone above asked what my budget was, in my post I said $1,200. Can go up a bit if I need to.
I also like the Bushmaster AR-15, but honestly can't tell the difference between it and other AR-15's out there to justify the upcharge for the Bushmaster.
I have abused the HELL out of my S&W M&P15 but I have yet to have a malfunction of any kind.
I would def buy it again and again.
Bump
I just put my 3rd RRA AR together last week. This one for a son in law. They are top notch and very good to deal with. Also, I live very near them. I built one for a stepson who is a dwarf and they went overboard helping me fit it to his special needs.
Colt 6920
Not to hijack a thread but I have been thinking about getting a AR-10 .308 type for hunting and also just to have one. Do all the same recommendations also fit? I was looking at the Remington R-25.
I also looked recently at the Windham's. Nice things coming from that shop.
Which Bushmaster and what options did you put on it? Anywhere I look up here in the People's Socialist RepuliK of Illinois the Bushmaster's are going at a premium, I can't even think about any decent optic's for it at $1200....
$1200 is a nice price for a middle of the road model that will last you a lifetime. I am actually considering building my own just because I am weird that way.
Of course, the obvious S&W, Colt, Rock River, etc are recommended, but you can also consider going through Model 1 and ‘build up’ your own gun to your own specifications. Because you are choosing individual pieces, you can often get great quality for less cost.
http://www.model1sales.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=177
It would probably max out your budget, but to go up a notch, check out Stag Arms.
http://www.stagarms.com/index.php?cPath=13_22
I probably will be laughed at, but they do make some good stuff. Check out Red Jacket.
http://www.redjacketfirearms.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=46&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6
Aren’t you scared to have the pitbull of weapons in your home? /s
http://www.model1sales.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=shopping.basket&Product_ID=966
the best all-round gun is the 22LR followed by the AR15. Not too many suburbanites are going to be taking out elk deer in a SHTF situation.
Consider small game and defensive. 22LR hands down.
I have both.
Get a Daewoo DR200 (.223) or DR300 (7.62X39).
Better design, combines best of the Matty Matel and the AK designs.
Also, once you have determined what you want, I would price it out at Guns America.
http://www.gunsamerica.com/Default.htm
You can find dealer inventory from across the country and even have models shipped from one dealer to another.
When Springfield bought out Bushmaster, they gave the founder a 5 year noncompete contract and a five year promise not to move.
At the end of 60 months, they closed the factory and moved to New York. After all, the Boss was 77 years old, what was he going to do?
What he did was come out of retirement, re-open the former Bushmaster factory, hire back all the guys, and start making AR rifles.
Mine's on order. Check it out.
Don't piss her off, she's lethal with that thing.
GMTA
A good holo sight is worth its weight in gold.
I will never be without one again.
Thanks for that link!
??? We’re talking AMERICAN here! Not Chinese or Korean.
Support the AMERICAN gun industry.
The AR platform is fantastic ergonomically speaking, but I would get a gas piston version of whatever AR I kind I chose.
Shot one years ago and was very impressed. Didn’t think you could still get one.
Good knockdown power on man and beast, but not the optimum weight for human comfort in hunting, post-Collapse society, runnin'-'n=gunnin', etc.
If You can get an AR-10, feel free to do so. But if You like the .308 bullet in a 5.5.6 commonality AR-type platform, then the .300 Blackout is where it's at.
['rant off]
Rock River. It’s made right here in Illinois.
SCAR-17 (Special Operations Forces [SOF] Combat Assault Rifle) A little pricey though.
http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/fn-scar-17/
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
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