AR 15 type rifles

[RonE]

I have recently decided to aquire an AR-15 rifle but there are so many out there that are made by different companies. Then there are flat-top and carry handle. I don't what this to get out of control with personal opinions and likes and dis-likes but I would like to know which company makes the best and worst AR-15 type rifles. In other words, which rifle to stay away from and which ones to look at and evaluate.

 

[W.E.G.]

What do you plan to use it for?

You need to make a decision about that first.

 

[Slamfire]

Just stay with the best. I consider Rock River, Armalite and Bushmaster to be extremely high quality manufacturers. Have owned an AR made by each of them. Fine rifles.

 

[MMcfpd]

On the downside, Vulcan/Hesse/whatever their current name might be is pretty much universally regarded as bad news.

DPMS and Olympic Arms have their fans, and their upside, but they have also managed to collect a following of haters.

Other marks have their issues, but if you can find the right combination of features you want at a price you can pay with any number of the "name" brands, such as RRA, Stag, CMMG, Bushmaster, Colt, etc., you're probably OK.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

The manufacturer is less important than buying from a dealer you trust who will stand behind his product and handle any issues for you.

 

[nalioth]

You also have the option of assembling your own from a parts kit. They are not hard to assemble at all, and you'll save a bit of dough by doing this.

 

[GunNut]

Stag Arms make good guns for a decent price.

You could also buy a complete lower and upper, put them together and save over buying a complete rifle.

Plan on spending $700-800 for a good quality gun.

 

[Yosemite**Sam]

I like the Colt line of AR-15's. They make good stuff and it's mil-spec. I also like Rock River Arms as they seem to have great customer service. The DEA and the FBI have both purchased Rock River Arm's AR-15 rifles for field use. DEA's rifle torture test of several years ago proved RRA to be the best at the time.

 

[GunNut]

While the RRA's guns are good, the base line guns are not anywhere near the same gun that the DEA and FBI buy.

Things I don't care for on the RRA guns are that chrome lining is an option and the front sights are not "F" marked and not the right height for use with back up optics.

Otherwise they are good entry level guns and miles ahead of the Olympic Arms offerings of comparable prices.

 

[RonE]

W.E.G. wrote:..."What do you plan to use it for?

You need to make a decision about that first."

Actually, I plan on owning it and shooting it, mostly at paper, perhaps ground squirrels and maybe pigs. Not for deer hunting, not for self defense and I am not looking to add accessories to the point of having the most "Mas Macho" AR-15 rifle in the world. I would like to mount a scope and a folding or telescoping stock is not necessary, neither is a bi-pod. I used to have an M-16 but I had to give that back. I used to have a CAR 15 but I had to give that back. I used to get free ammo but that option expired in 1970.

 

[W.E.G.]

In view of that reply, I would recommend an A3-type (flat-top) with full-length barrel and conventional stock. Equip it with the best optic you can afford. I like QD attachments so I can switch quickly between telescopic sights and red-dot sights. ACOG is a very good best-of-both worlds option, but you will spend as much on the optic as you did on the rifle.

 

[kaizer]

I have had several, the best of which was/is an armalite. I will warn you, their customer service is pretty rough, or it was for me. No problem with the rifle, just a problem with getting some parts I ordered.

If you don't need it for HD, get one with a nice long and fast barrel and air that bitch out!

 

[RNB65]

Paralysis by analysis is VERY common with AR15's due to all the variations of the modular design. Just remember that upper and lower receivers are interchangeable, so you can buy one rifle as a starting point then additional upper receivers to put on it to get multiple combinations.

My recommendation for a good AR starting point is always a 16" carbine length rifle with an A3/A4 flattop receiver. Bushmaster, Rock River, and Stag are good choices for a first rifle.

Here are a few good ones to choose from:

http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/weapons/bcwa3f16m4.asp
http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/weapons/bcwa3f16.asp
http://www.rockriverarms.com/item-detail.cfm?ID=AR1294X&storeid=1&image=mida2407.gif&CFID=2075752&CFTOKEN=94295669
http://www.rockriverarms.com/item-detail.cfm?ID=AR1293X&storeid=1&image=cara2407.gif&CFID=2075752&CFTOKEN=94295669

 

[ndolson]

Being from MO, I have to recommend CMMG AR-15's. Milspec rifles at much more affordable prices than Colt. I've seen them up close and personal, and their fit and finish is fantastic. Plus, they have a lifetime warranty. You'll spend $800-900 on any of the aforementioned brands, or you can spend a hundred or two extra and get something exceptional.

www.cmmginc.com

FWIW, I have had a RRA and it was very nice as well. Stage 2 trigger was superb.

 

[Onmilo]

Bushmaster, DPMS, CMMG are three manufacturers I know use component parts that meet or exceed Mil-Spec requirements.
Colt naturally does too, I just can't get past their insistance on using non-Mil standard lower receiver through hole sizes and going out of their way to make the receiver as non conforming as possible to prevent possible conversion to a 'machinegun'.
I undertstand the reasoning but I can't justify the additional work as completely neccessary when even the BATFE finds other manufacturers lowers quite difficult to near impossible for any but a master machinist with access to a CNC mill and a knowledge of numerical control programming to effectively and successfully convert.

 

[jpwilly]

I have two DPMS AR-15's and my next AR-10 will be a DPMS too. Great prices great quality...never needed any customer support.

 

[stevek]

We're real happy with both our Bushmaster AR-15, and our Armalite AR-10

 

[Slamfire]

Actually, I plan on owning it and shooting it, mostly at paper, perhaps ground squirrels and maybe pigs. Not for deer hunting, not for self defense and I am not looking to add accessories to the point of having the most "Mas Macho" AR-15 rifle in the world. I would like to mount a scope and a folding or telescoping stock is not necessary, neither is a bi-pod.

Consider a chrome lined barrel. I only own one non match grade AR. Match grade AR's do not use chrome lined barrels. So I was expecting just awful accuracy from my Armalite M4 look a like, which has a chrome lined barrel. Well it shot just great. An M4 carbine is hard to shoot well, kinda of like shooting a snubby, but I was getting some sub MOA clusters off the bench. My impression was that it could shoot MOA if I could hold it.

All shooting with 69 Sierra match kings. Mil Surplus bullets are 2-3" MOA affairs.

The advantage of chrome lined is that you can fire at least three times as much ammo as a non chrome lined barrel. And, it is harder to rust.

I prefer the ban configuration barrels without flash suppressors. When you add a flash suppressor, the blast just increases. If you get a short barrel, the noise just goes up even more. And stupid flash suppressors get loose, you don’t notice, it messes up your accuracy, and it takes Q-Tips to clean them. Folks like the looks, but fashion trends can be pretty stupid.

(I do not wear the brim of my hat backwards, sideways, or canted at a 45 degree angle )

If the last you were issued a M16 was 1970, then I recommend a flat top version that you can scope. Looking through iron sights with trifocals can be a problem!!

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

Take a look at Stag or LMT.

 

[ndolson]

Mil Surplus bullets are 2-3" MOA affairs.

I disagree. I would consistently get MOA or better using Federal & Guatemalan m193 surplus out of my RRA Varmint A4 w/ 20" barrel.

 

[O.S.O.K.]

I just researched this myself

and ended up purchasing a stripped Stag lower receiver from http://www.aimsuruplus.com for $99 and an m-4 full-upper kit (has everything to complete the rifle accept the stripped lower) from http://www.del-ton.com

Ron, for $730 I am getting: standard m4 stock, flat top receiver, YHM folding rear and front gas block sights, ergo grip, 16" m4 contour DPMS chrome lined 1x9" twist barrel, A-2 flash hider, standard carbine handguards, standard lower receiver parts, standard charger, carrier and bolt. I have a nice eotech 551 scope that's going on this.

All I have to do is a 45 minute assembly job with no special tools needed - the upper is complete.

If you look at the prices for complete rifles like this, you will by at least another $200 and maybe more.

Del-ton has any configuration of upper kit for $465. I would recommend the $45 upgrade to chromed barrel though.

So, with the $99 Stag lower reciever and an all 'standard' kit with chromed barrel you are little over $600 - make it $650 total for shipping/FFL transfer. That's for a QUALITY AR-15, not a Vulcan/Hess/Olimpic POC.

Do some more research but I'm betting you will find that this is the best way to get there from here.

 

[aloharover]

if you look at the raw forgings, only a small handfull of companies make them.

Lower Receiver Manufacturers

LMT = LMT, Lauer, DS Arms, PWA, Eagle, Knights Armament, Barrett

CMT = Stag, RRA, High Standard, Noveske(old), (new) Century, Global Tactical, CLE, S&W, MGI, Wilson Tactical, Grenadier Precision, Colt

LAR = LAR, Bushmaster, Noveske(new), Ameetech, DPMS, CMMG, Double Star, Fulton, Anvil Arms

JVP = Double Star, LRB

MMS = Mega, GSE, Dalphon, POF, Alexander Arms,

Olympic = Olympic, SGW, Tromix, Palmetto, Dalphon, Frankford, (old) Century

Sun Devil = Sun Devil forged billet receivers

Superior = Superior Arms

 

[SATX man]

W.E G Wrote...In view of that reply, I would recommend an A3-type (flat-top) with full-length barrel and conventional stock. Equip it with the best optic you can afford. I like QD attachments so I can switch quickly between telescopic sights and red-dot sights. ACOG is a very good best-of-both worlds option, but you will spend as much on the optic as you did on the rifle.


I like accessories but this person went way overboard. The only thing he doesn't have is a EoTech.

 

[260Rem700CBM]

Two local shops handle Rock River, Bushmaster and DPMS. Per their info, Bushmaster makes most of the parts the other two use. As of this past Wednesday, delivery for an A2/A4 from Rock River is out to 13 weeks. Bushmaster was a week and DPMS was not recommended in comparison to either RR and Bushmaster. I ordered a Bushmaster DCM and it is scheduled to ship on Tuesday. Hope it gets here by Friday. Our first second-half of the year match is on Labor Day Sunday. Like the fact that it ships with a decent case. http://www.bushmaster.com/shopping/dcm/pcwa2s20dcm8.asp

 

[Geno]

I like my Bushmasters, Colts and DPMS. In all seriousness, I have to say top-quality goes to Bushmaster. I am a believer in simpler is better...give me an A3 with an ACOG, a Harris bi-pod and a quad-rail forend with a verticle grip and an M6 laser/light. Even at that, it is just about too much clutter.