Is this the best deal going on AR15's?

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It's good to see that entry-level AR15s are becoming a little more affordable. Smith & Wesson seems to make some good ones, and the it's nice that someone can get into a quality rifle with sights and stay in the $700-$800 range.

I will, however, second the idea that BCM still makes the best value for the money. I just built a "top-tier" AR15 with an LMT lower and BCM upper (with Troy sights and DD BCG) for about $1200 total. That would have cost me a good bit more just a year or year and half ago.
 
I just bought two of those bad boys today. Would have bought three if funds would have allowed. I'll just sit on them and see what happens with the market. SW is a quality AR. All you guys who talk about BCM and Spikes having better this or better that may be right; or maybe not. However, I doubt hardly any of you will ever use your AR in an environment where it matters if your steel is 4150 or 4140, if your barrel is a 1:7 or 1:9 twist, etc.. Even the guys who go to combat are using ARs that the BCM, LMT, Spikes and other "mil-spec" crowd would consider inferior. I have had the M&P AR-15 Optics Ready model in the past and kicked myself for selling it. It is a fine rifle. I paid $1,100 for it at Academy during the height of the craze in May 2009. I don't think it is a stretch to see those prices, or higher, in the not-so-distant future.

But I digress, I talked to my local gun shop who has an account with CDNN. They are a quality outfit. CDNN is selling these for below their cost. Recently a distributor was selling some Bushmasters for $425 and some Taurus handguns, autos I think, for $200 that retailed for $675. He bought one to see if this was the real deal. When he saw they were, he called to order ten more and Academy had bought them all up.

I think we are seeing the effect of the initial Obama scare and the aftermath of him pulling a slight of hand. I guess for better or for worse he decided to steal our healthcare instead of our guns. But make no mistake, if we don't get the House back in November he will run of things to occupy him and eventually be forced to loook our way to pacify the far left who are very angry at him right now.
 
sleepyone said:
I just bought two of those bad boys today. Would have bought three if funds would have allowed. I'll just sit on them and see what happens with the market. SW is a quality AR. All you guys who talk about BCM and Spikes having better this or better that may be right; or maybe not. However, I doubt hardly any of you will ever use your AR in an environment where it matters if your steel is 4150 or 4140, if your barrel is a 1:7 or 1:9 twist, etc.. Even the guys who go to combat are using ARs that the BCM, LMT, Spikes and other "mil-spec" crowd would consider inferior. I have had the M&P AR-15 Optics Ready model in the past and kicked myself for selling it. It is a fine rifle. I paid $1,100 for it at Academy during the height of the craze in May 2009. I don't think it is a stretch to see those prices, or higher, in the not-so-distant future.

But I digress, I talked to my local gun shop who has an account with CDNN. They are a quality outfit. CDNN is selling these for below their cost. Recently a distributor was selling some Bushmasters for $425 and some Taurus handguns, autos I think, for $200 that retailed for $675. He bought one to see if this was the real deal. When he saw they were, he called to order ten more and Academy had bought them all up.

I think we are seeing the effect of the initial Obama scare and the aftermath of him pulling a slight of hand. I guess for better or for worse he decided to steal our healthcare instead of our guns. But make no mistake, if we don't get the House back in November he will run of things to occupy him and eventually be forced to loook our way to pacify the far left who are very angry at him right now.
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Actually the men and women in the military use the best of the best DI uppers. The Colt M4s and FNH M16s use 4150 steel barrels with a 1:7 twist and shot-peened, MP-tested, and HP tested bolts.

Now if you just have a plinker, its not that important because either twist rate will work with 55 gr. ball ammo. However, 1/7 twist has a definite advantage in heavy defensive loadings, like the 77 gr. Nosler tip. The 1/9 twist is not fast enough to stabilize the heavier bullets that are far superior for home defense than 55 gr. M193 or 62 gr. M855/SS109.
 
I bought a nicely used Bushmaster, 30 round through it, for 925.00 during the Obama scare. It was right next to 1100-1200 rifles of similar make and model. I didn't figure prices would drop THIS low! I figured demand would peter out and they'd go back down to 900.00 or so for a decent ar but I did not expect prices to drop that low.
At least I didn't get ripped for 1500 for an Olympic like some people I know. Nothing against OLY.
 
Points well taken. I still think people obsess with some of the specs when most of the time they won't ever need them; at least the guys I know who have ARs. I guess it's cool to say you have an AR with all those specs when you are shooting beer cans or hogs.

However, I think an AR is one of the worst choices for home defense. You better hit your target each and every time or your rounds could go places and hit people you did not intend to. Maybe even your neighbors.
 
AR fanboy here, once again strong desire to respond.

I would say that the threat of over penetration is overblown for the AR, and unheathily downplayed with pistols and shotguns.

Look up "ammo oracle" at ar15.com.

The .223/5.56 penetration through dry-wall is very similar, even less, than 9mm JHP and .45 ACP JHP bullets. The reason is that the 55 grain M193 ammo loses a lot of momentum after hitting dry wall, as opposed to, say, the .45 ACP, which, weighing in at 230 grains, is over 4 times as heavy as the .45.

One has to remember that any round which is going to kill a man has the potential to penetrate through wood and dry wall. There's a reason that the FBI requires a 12-inch penetration through ballistic gelatin before fielding a round.
 
However, I think an AR is one of the worst choices for home defense. You better hit your target each and every time or your rounds could go places and hit people you did not intend to. Maybe even your neighbors.
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if an AR with decent ammo is a huge threat to everyone inside and outside your house, then you are best served only using a .22LR, according to ballistics tests of buckshot and most handgun ammo.

But even then, that little dinky .22LR can pierce aircraft-grade aluminum and steel, so be careful:p
 
get the vtac! that is the one that i want. s&w had a deal recently where you got 3 pmags with any new ar of thiers IIRC.

However, I think an AR is one of the worst choices for home defense. You better hit your target each and every time or your rounds could go places and hit people you did not intend to. Maybe even your neighbors.
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every round you fire has the possibility of being a liability no matter what you are shooting. take a look at one of Rob Pincus' videos there is a segment in there about, handgun, shotgun, and rifle ammo, and dry wall test, you will be suprised, handgun bullets penetrated through more "walls" than the .223 did.
 
What's the concensous on using hp varmint style bullets to eliminate excess penetration. I would imagine they would be pretty much done after one layer of drywall. Based on what they do to groundhogs I wouldn't want to get hit by one. L
 
What's the concensous on using hp varmint style bullets to eliminate excess penetration. I would imagine they would be pretty much done after one layer of drywall. Based on what they do to groundhogs I wouldn't want to get hit by one. L
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haven't tested it but it makes sense. anyone else can chime in?
 
I got my m&p 15 optics ready from cdnn today

overall I'm happy but have some issues. They listed the gun as "new" but there are handling marks on it. Looks like it was a display model in a store or at a show. No big deal but I would say listing it as "new" would be a bit of a stretch.

Second when ordering the cdnn rep said the s&w rebate info would be included - they where not in the box. Again I can get them online (hopefully)

third has an old beat up scratched usgi mag not the new mag that s&w shipped with the gun- again no big deal but a new gun comes with everything shipped from the manufacturer not pieces swapped out so cdnn can sell them seperately

if the gun was advertised as like new minor handling marks. Some factory orgional accesories May be missing. I would be happier because that is what I got
 
The gun itslf looks nice. I'm new to ar's is it normal to expect machinig marks on the bolt carrier? Other than that it looks very well made
 
conhntr, did you contact them about those issues? That does not seem right at all and I would say something.
I have only made one purchase from them before, but everything I received was new and in the correct original packaging. However, I have never bought a gun from them and have noticed that every gun I have bought appears slightly used. I'm pretty sure every manufacturer test fires them with at least one or two shots.
 
I'm new to ar's is it normal to expect machinig marks on the bolt carrier?
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I've seen new Colt 6920s, marked at $1400, with all sorts of aweful marks fresh from the factory.

I definately wouldn't worry about marks on the bolt carrier, you should be adding your own marks to it shortly...
 
I believe the S&W will be quite a bit better quality for the price
 
And it is 100 cheaper for the s&w. Will contac cdnn tue about my issues but for 599 I'm still happy
 
Yeah, $599 is going to be hard to beat for at least a while, probably..

A guy where I work was talking about his AR and it turns out he bought that exact same model after obama was elected and actually admitted to paying $1800 for it. :eek:
That was one of those very uncomfortable situations where you just say "yeah, hmmm.. So, how about those Cowboys."
 
What's the concensous on using hp varmint style bullets to eliminate excess penetration. I would imagine they would be pretty much done after one layer of drywall. Based on what they do to groundhogs I wouldn't want to get hit by one. L

haven't tested it but it makes sense. anyone else can chime in?
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Bullets that produce explosive results on small thin skinned varmints may not provide enough penetration for the larger 2 legged variety - especially in the case where the perp may be wearing a heavy coat or a couple of layers of clothing. I don't have the knowledge or experience to say "it won't work" but personally, I would stick to ammo specifically designed for the type and size of the critter you're faced with.
 
I've seen new Colt 6920s, marked at $1400, with all sorts of aweful marks fresh from the factory.
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oh yeah. they're great guns, but definitely not if you're in the 'fit and finish' crowd. i saw an AR in the shop last week from across the room and asked what kind it was. I was told it was a 6920, and said, no i don't think so, because i could tell from across the room that the finish on the upper and lower receivers matched, and i've never seen a colt that matched. turns out, as i got closer, it was a 6920, but the guy had duracoated it colt grey. heh
 
But anything that will penetrate in he cases
described above will also blow through walls. Of course it's a trade off but I
sure the varmint bullets beat shooting birdshot at someone (which alot of apartment drewllers have to resort to #6 shot or similar)
 
My 5.45 x 39 M&P is having problems with the C Products magazines (supplied by S&W). The top of a couple of the loaded mags are spreading open so much I can't get them into the magwell. I called S&W customer service and they basically blew me off. C Products hasn't been much help either. Anyone have any names or contacts at S&W I can try contacting?
Thanks
 
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