Daniels defense- worth it or not?

I like my ddm4v5. Zero issues and the best part - no tinkering around, just works.

I'm pretty happy with my Ruger MSR. Has great features for $550 and will do anything that I will ever ask of it. Just my .02

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I haven't heard where a DD gun will do anything a much less expensive option, such as S&W's M&P, won't do.

No not worth. I'd take the mutable ar-15s I could get for the same money.

theboyscout said:

Thinking of getting Daniel defense AR rifle. Heard many good things but curious if they are worth the money or if there are other rifles as of same quality or better for cheaper price. Money not an issue of worry but want the best for my money.

Thanks

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Get an Aeropresicion or BCM

A DDM4 V7 Pro is my first AR. I think it was worth the money since I wanted the features it has and was not into "building" an AR. It's been flawless. As I've gained experience with AR's, I'll consider a build but might first get a DD carbine style rifle anyway.

I don't think it is a bad idea to purchase a known quality rifle like a DD early on. Then you know you at least have ONE good one.
That DDM4 V7 Pro is packed with goodies.
cold hammer forged 18"barrel, with rifle length gas.
Pinned steel gas block.
Sturdy proprietary 15" handguard.
Geissele competition trigger
Milspec quality m16 bcg.
Tuned proprietary muzzle brake.
Custom proprietary grip.
Custom proprietary stock.

Find an LE/mil/instructor friend to help you significantly reduce your investment into the DD. They’re great rifles, but it’s quite common you can buy or build something of identical reliability and durability for a fraction of the cost, or of the same reliability and durability, with enhanced precision, at relatively similar cost.

I've handled a few of them and shot a couple. Nothing remarkable to me. They were a bit heavier than my cheaper ARs and not particularly accurate but both were short rifles.

My Ruger, PSA, and pure parts gun have all run 100% and I got exactly what I wanted. I live Magpul Furniture for what it is and would rather build a gun with no sugar parts left over at the end. If I did it again I'd go the cheap but decent parts route again.

If I were looking at built rifles, I'd look at any of the Rugers with their upgraded trigger. My MPR is awesome!

Daniel Defense makes a very good rifle. Their barrels are top of the line and their rails are very well made. Whether or not the "upgrades" in the Daniel Defense are worth the extra money is completely up to you.

Yes you can buy good rifles for cheaper. But it's not like your drastically over paying for the DD. Comparable rifles from other battle ready name brand companies like BCM, SOLGW, Sionics, etc... are going to be similarly priced.

Depends. AR10 or AR-15 version?

Their AR10s are absolutely worth it.
CHF Barrels (even in 6.5 Creedmoor)
Fully ambidextrous controls
Top of the line BCG which is DLC/PVD/Ionbond coated.
Sensible muzzle devices
Quality furniture.

Their small frame stuff? No. Just buy the barrel from them & build your own.

I have used their MK18 uppers, rails, and other components- very high quality. That said, for most applications, satisfactory performance can be had at a much lower price.

I helped my buddy find his first AR... I steered him to a Wyndham. Yes, it was about $200 more than the M&P and DPMS, but once he got it set up and shooting, he's very happy with it. My experiences with less expensive AR's has been decent, but I can work on them, he doesn't. In my opinion, it was money well spent... but there is a point of diminishing returns, and I thought the Wyndham was at that limit. It really depends on what you are looking for, what you expect out of it, and... with the AR... are you going to do your own work on it?

I only have one AR style rifle & it is a Daniel Defense. I've had it for 8 years & it's been really nice with zero issues. I'm glad I bought it but I will admit I was looking for a Knight's Armament. I have the DD M4 V5 300BLK.

I think it's worth it if you're willing to pay.

ARs do not need to be fancy to work, they weren't designed to be all top, top end components in order to achieve effective results.

DD is known for making high quality rifles...if that's what you want, go for it and I'm sure you'll be pleased. If you think it will give you performance some cheaper brand will, you're probably going to be disappointed.

When did gunning become such an alphabet soup of letters and numbers. I need to google half the post in this thread just to understand what’s being said.
Having typed that my granddaughter does like her fathers BCM carbine. So do I.

It was worth it to me following Sandy Hook when Daniel's price premium was a bargain compared to the ridiculous gouging that was taking place on just your standard Colts. Plus, they were making a run of the variant I wanted and was able to secure one straight from the factory. In hindsight, I should've waited as the AR-15 world exploded, but I was for sure there was going to a ban.

It has been a great rifle with no issues. Only complaint was the trigger had lots of creep, so I dropped a LaRue MBT in which has been a tremendous improvement in that department.

If you want an off-the-shelf "battle ready" AR15 that you don't want to worry about, and also want something with more goodies than a standard Colt 6920 will get you, then DD's are good rifles and I don't think they astronomically priced either.

Sure, for most of us an M&P Sport or Ruger AR556 or even a PSA will do everything a DD will do at less than half the cost. But saying "my Ruger/Smith/PSA hasn't given me any problems" is different than "I've run tens of thousands of rounds through my AR and I 100% trust my life with it". Daniel Defense AR's seem to be built to do the latter. Maybe a $550 AR will do the same, but then again, maybe it won't.

I have a Wilson Combat Recon in 6.8 SPC - I know that the rifle was expensive and I know that I could have purchased something much cheaper - I know that members on this forum will poo-poo the cost, the brand, the caliber. I like the rifle, it performs flawlessly, it is a tack driver - it does everything extremely well - I don’t care about the money. If you like DD, buy it.

mshootnit said:

I don't think it is a bad idea to purchase a known quality rifle like a DD early on. Then you know you at least have ONE good one.
That DDM4 V7 Pro is packed with goodies.
cold hammer forged 18"barrel, with rifle length gas.
Pinned steel gas block.
Sturdy proprietary 15" handguard.
Geissele competition trigger
Milspec quality m16 bcg.
Tuned proprietary muzzle brake.
Custom proprietary grip.
Custom proprietary stock.

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Proprietary is a con on AR platforms. I think PSA AR-15s or the Ruger MSR are better options.

Drop a geissle in the MSR and you've got a rifle that feels like the DD where it counts for $1,000 less.

These guys are local for me and true patriots. They also take QC very seriously. Worth considering.

I think that Daniel Defense is a quality manufacturer and that owning one of their rifles is a positive thing.

It’s just one of a number of different gun companies that make AR’s that fall into that category. Daniel Defense, BCM, Sionics, SOLGW, Knights, LMT, JP, LWRC, Noveske, Colt, La Rue and Les Baer. Some I’d choose for one kind of gun, some for another.

All are quality though.

FAS1 said:

These guys are local for me and true patriots. They also take QC very seriously. Worth considering.

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I appreciate companies like that and the detail they put into their products. I just don't want someone to think they need that level of precision fit/finish to achieve performance or reliability from an AR platform, because they don't.

If anyone wants to really experience "mil-spec"...they should shoot a service rifle (if they can). I used to joke that I could pass my resume between the upper and lower of my US Army select fire AR. The thing wobbled, and creaked, parts weren't liquid tight...and it ran like a top.

Again, I'm not hammering any top end makers, I've just always tried to make it clear is wasn't necessary.

forty_caliber said:

I'm pretty happy with my Ruger MSR. Has great features for $550 and will do anything that I will ever ask of it. Just my .02

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MPR???