Advice: What do you think of this PSA barrel/ setup?

[SigSour]

The story:

I have a Bushmaster Car-15 and last summer I took a bunch of classes with a couple of SWAT Operators to get better at doing drills. Very good classes BTW. Put close to 1,000 rounds through it. (I'd just started shooting AR's and wanted to learn how to shoot it from professionals - both guys were ex military as well)

Anyway, after the last class I stayed behind to practice and one of the guys at the range asked me how the Bushmaster carbon was working out for me... said a friend of his had one and it cracked. A couple of months later one of the guys who worked at a gun shop/range said he *saw* nearly detonate so, not wanting to be *too* dim I called up my gunsmith and asked him. His words to describe the CAR-15 I will not post. So I started searching for a better one as I would rather not have my firearm explode in my face and injure me.

Colt/Daniel Defense etc. etc. etc. I read on the forums and heard so many different stories and arguments on what's better than what that I shelved it for later and practiced with my concealed carry pistol.

A couple of months ago I started looking again and started hearing about PSA (Palmetto State Armory) and the prices were good for the quality and I decided I would just go with them and got this one:

http://palmettostatearmory.com/inde...r-charging-handle-with-psa-iron-sights-1.html

Here are the specs:

Barrel length 18"
Cold Hammer Forged Chrome Moly Vanadium Steel
Chrome-lined bore
5.56 NATO Chamber
1 in 7" twist rate
Mid-length gas system
SQR Hybrid 15" Rail
Forged Upper
.750 gas block diameter
M4 feedramps
T-marks
Nickel Boron BCG
Charging Handle

This is the lower I got: http://palmettostatearmory.com/inde...complete-psa-ar-15-lower-classic-edition.html


So, I got it, it feels good, shoots well however... I still want either that Colt or the Daniel Defense. Here is where the question comes in... is either one of those brands REALLY that much better than the PSA that I should consider getting one in addition to the PSA I already have? That upper was only about $650 or so, the lower was $149 but I'm seeing Colt 6920's for $900 and DD's for around $1100

I'm telling myself "just one more" but I'm not sure it will be THAT much better than the PSA I already have. I've read so many "this is better, not that's better" forums but for anyone who owns the PSA and one of the others.. would it be worth another grand?

And just so you know, this is for home defense, SHTF scenarios, protecting my wife and small kid, god forbid I'd ever need it for that but if I did I would REALLY need to be able to trust that my rifle would be gtg when/if the time came. The range is fun but if things ever got serious I'd like to know I have something that will get me out of a jam.

 

[crazysccrmd]

Neither of those rifles will realistically do anything your PSA cannot.

 

[Jackal]

Honestly, the Colt upper would be a downgrade. The lower would be exactly the same. The DD will be "better" (mostly for the name and "street cred"), though I highly doubt anyone would ever notice a real world difference, so long as both are built to proper spec. The PSA's upper specs are pretty darn good, just as good as most of DD's product line. I sold my BCM and kept my PSA.... I just like it more. The FN CHF barrels are some of the best on the market, top tier for sure.

 

[Reloadron]

Neither of those rifles will realistically do anything your PSA cannot.

I have to agree with that. If you want the rifle for casual and enjoyable shooting what you have will do just fine. You aren't planning on dragging this thing off to war anytime soon are you? Even then, what you have would likely do just fine. I have a few Colt ARs as well as an old Double Star and all three do the same thing. I see no reason to push a Colt on you with false promise.

Ron

 

[SigSour]

Thank you for the responses. Great food for thought.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

First - good on you for getting training. That is probably the most important part of the process and so many people neglect it. It is definitely more important than whether you have a PSA or a Carbon-15.

Personally, with the exception of maybe one custom builder, I don't trust any rifle from any manufacturer until I go out and shoot it myself. Everybody puts out a lemon now and then and going out and running some rounds through them is good practice and cheap insurance. I'd spend whatever money you are considering on ammo and take the PSA out and see if it meets your needs. If it does, great. If it doesn't the ammo and training still carry over to whatever else you buy and you've identified the specific problem you need to address.

 

[Revoliver]

I think that's a pretty darned good upper personally. I think you have nothing to worry about, unless cool points on certain forums is a concern.

 

[SigSour]

Thank you. Training is extremely important - before our first private lesson the instructor showed me how to field strip it and put it back together (safely) then he had me do it again because I said I'd never done it before. Maybe I'm just the cautious type but I don't think one could ever learn too much about firearms. That's what makes them so fun!

Thanks for the help.

 

[NWcityguy2]

Equipment differences get vastly blown out of proportion on the internet. It's the curse of having so much information at your fingertips. Compound that problem with so many random people interpreting that information to varying degrees of usefulness.

My personal opinion, from having built most of my AR with PSA parts, is that an individual PSA rifle is the same quality as an individual Colt or DD rifle. That's me speaking from the experience of a competitive shooter. The PSA will put the bullet where you place it and has no durability issues. The advantage DD and Colt have over PSA is they offer a steady line of products, not a merry-go-round of random uppers. But if you already own the rifle that isn't an issue at hand.

 

[justice06rr]

Your PSA rifle is perfectly fine. It is made with good quality parts, and that FN barrel is on par with DD's barrels.

Now if you had a spare $1100 laying around, I'd still recommend buying a DD

 

[henschman]

Your PSA is solid. Barrel and BCG (the 2 most important parts) are as good as anything you will see from BCM, Colt, or DD. If you still want another rifle, I would get a shorter, lighter carbine upper like a BCM lightweight middy (either 14.5" or 16") to set up for close quarters/home defense, and then dress your PSA upper out like a DMR setup, with some decent glass. It is already optimized for that role, with the longer, heavy profile, fast twist barrel and free float handguard. Then you'd have all your bases covered from close quarters out to long range.