Need recommendation on ARs

[mot7981]

I'm with the folks that suggested the budget S&W. Bud's has the M&P 15 SPORT II for $599 with 1:9 twist, forward assist, dust cover and sights. All with free shipping. I don't have one (mine are cheap PSA/Aero Precision self builds) but I have a neighbor that LOVES his and you get S&W customer service.

[Bitter Clinger]

One note about PSA-built guns........

My son worked as a gunsmith in a well-established shop, under the supervision of a very well known gunsmith/custom rifle builder. They had a PSA rifle brought in to them to have a barrel swapped out. The owner delivered it to the shop in the condition he had received it, having done no work on it himself. The barrel nut had been so over-torqued by PSA that no safe amount of counter-torque force would loosen it. They notified the owner, and he said to go ahead and put as much torque on it as needed to release the barrel nut. They went ahead with the job, and it was so over-torqued that it actually tore the upper receiver apart when they tried to loosen the nut.........like literally tore the receiver almost in half.

PSA's guns are very affordable, and lots of people have bought them and experienced zero problems. My son has purchased some of their stuff himself and never had a problem with it, but that was before the above mentioned experience. Never again since. I suspect that PSA keeps the pricing down by either not paying the people who assemble their guns a very good wage, or by automating the build process to the point where QC takes a back seat to fast and dirty assembly......and so sometimes, you're going to get what you pay for.

I don't even check their website anymore after having heard about the experience directly from my son, who witnessed it.

Interesting. We had the exact opposite problem with a PSA upper during a recent tactical class. The barrel was loose and actually had to be tightened. Must be an assembly issue at PSA. Something like a calibrated torque wrench shortage?

[ELB]

.... They went ahead with the job, and it was so over-torqued that it actually tore the upper receiver apart when they tried to loosen the nut.........like literally tore the receiver almost in half...

.... The barrel was loose and actually had to be tightened. Must be an assembly issue at PSA. ...

Popeye works morning shift. Barney Fife works afternoons.

[The Annoyed Man]

.... They went ahead with the job, and it was so over-torqued that it actually tore the upper receiver apart when they tried to loosen the nut.........like literally tore the receiver almost in half...

.... The barrel was loose and actually had to be tightened. Must be an assembly issue at PSA. ...

Popeye works morning shift. Barney Fife works afternoons.

And both are hitting the Grappa before the sun is above the yard arm.

[Bitter Clinger]

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php ... -AR-Brands

[warnmar10]

My wife and I have his and hers Rock River operators. Hers is a LEF-T. They are quite heavy so not your best choice for infantry but for an old fat guy defending his stuff they're terrific.

His: https://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm ... ory_id=628



Hers: https://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm ... ory_id=548

[TexasFlash]

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php ... -AR-Brands

this web page (2007) links to a no longer posted chart (2012)...?? or maybe it's just me/my computer. hmmmm..
Dave

[Lynyrd]

I've put over 5,000 rounds through my Stag without a single hiccup. They are priced right, and very accurate.

[Bitter Clinger]

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php ... -AR-Brands

this web page (2007) links to a no longer posted chart (2012)...?? or maybe it's just me/my computer. hmmmm..
Dave

He appears to have taken the chart down as he was no longer maintaining. But the background info is still extremely useful.

This is a circa 2012 version of the chart that I had saved to my hard drive:

[TexasFlash]

thanks!

[AJSully421]

I just got everything put together on a BCM 16" middy for my dad. Test fired it today: Flawless.

I usually build my own out of a RRA upper and lower, and then put whatever that I want in them, but when a BCM comes completely ready to go will all of the trimmings done right... all that I do is pop in a QD sling, and load a mag.

Check "the chart"... only one has them all. Decide accordingly.

[Scott in Houston]

So many choices out there....

Off the shelf, personally I'd pick Colt LE6940.
I had mine for awhile now, no issues and superb quality, right off the shelf...

Or Daniel Defense, I like the DDM4V11 model.

LOL... Literally exactly my response with models switched. I have Daniel Defense and my 2nd choice was the Colt 6940.

When I bought mine the DD was comparably priced with the Colt. Today, the Colt is a bit less. For the money, I think the Colt may be the better deal.

[ELB]

Well, the plan backfired. He told her he wanted a Porsche for his birthday, and she said....."OK!"

So they're out looking at 911s.

Not sure about the AR now. He already has an SKS, so he's not rifle-less.

[Jusme]

Well, the plan backfired. He told her he wanted a Porsche for his birthday, and she said....."OK!"

So they're out looking at 911s.

Not sure about the AR now. He already has an SKS, so he's not rifle-less.

See what happens when you try to second guess women!!

[drjoker]

There are a gazillion ar manufacturers so it all boils down to your budget and what you're going to do with it.

If you are on a tight budget, you don't want to build your own, and you just want it for urban self defence then I suggest that S&W M&P 15 sport. For Sub $550 you can have a full thickness quality barrel while all others in the price range will give you a thin pencil barrel that might overheat and give less accuracy (some on this board love their pencil barrels, but the US army doesn't use them. I wonder why?). The sport lacks a dust cover, but for urban use, you don't need to worry about getting it jammed in a sandstorm.

My buddy's birthday is coming up and his wife is going to ask him what he wants for a present. He's going to say "a Porsche." When she gets done screaming or laughing, depending on her mood, then he's going to say "an AR-15."

So he asked me what brands would make a reasonable off-the-shelf buy. I am an AK guy, so not the best source for AR recommendations. I know I have read similar threads, but the search function on this forum is not helping me (it ignores small words like "AR" and "15", even if you put "AR-15" in quotes. grrrrr.) I know I saw a similar thread around here recently, but dang if I can find it.

He's not going to want to build his own, or tinker with it, it pretty much needs to shoot reliably right out of the box for a reasonable amount of money. Not the cheapest AR, but not the most expensive. Basic urban defense arm, not a 800 yard sniper rifle. I will recommend a flat top rail with iron sights, he can get an optic later.

What say you? List brands/models or previous threads that I can't seem to find on my own. There's a Colt LE model that seems to be "the standard", what else?

Thanks!