Armalite knowledge

[Jack B.]

Hi everyone. I hope I'm in the correct forum.
My nephew just bought an Armalite M-15- 13″ Competition Rifle. He has been asking me questions about it. I know nothing about Semi-auto rifles( don't own one and never have).
I guess my question is are they good rifles or junk and is there any advise I can give him about it ,something he should be aware of about Armalite rifles? He doesn't know much either but he is trying to learn. I live a 1000 miles away from him so the only advise I can give him would be over the phone.

https://www.armalite.com/product/m153gn13-competition-rifle/

 

[chicharrones]

I have an ArmaLite M15 mid-length gas carbine that I bought before Mark Westrom sold the company to Strategic Armory Corps. Which means it's relatively old school compared to what ArmaLite offers now.

One thing to know is that ArmaLite with the lion in the logo is not the original ArmaLite with the pegasus in the logo that created the AR15. That doesn't make the current ArmaLites bad guns, they just don't have that continuous lineage. ArmaLite started as Eagle Arms, if I remember correctly, and they bought the ArmaLite name when it became available. Other gun makers have done similiar things.

ArmaLite under Westrom is known for making the mid-length gas carbine before other AR companies came along with similar offerings.

From my limited hands on experience and what little I've read over the years, ArmaLite makes a good rifle. They aren't as prominent to the public as they were several years ago as the AR market is flooded with many other makers now.

 

[Nature Boy]

I have an Armalite M4 and it's been a solid rifle with nary a failure to feed or fire anything I've fed it. You can pay a lot less for one or in some cases more, but the Armalite is a good AR option

 

[kwg020]

I have several Armalite barrels and one National Match lower. The Armalites under Mark Westrum has AR 15 bolt carrier groups vs the M16 BCG if that is an issue to you. The issue with Armalite is the number of times they have changed hands. I think they are now on their 2nd owner since Mark. This brings quality control into question. If the company has not lowered their quality control, they are pretty good rifles. Like Chiccarrones, I have a midlength carbine that shoots great. It seems to have a tighter (Wylde) chamber than the NATO chamber so keep that in mind. It took some breaking in the barrel to get dependability and accuracy but it there now. It will be one of the last rifles I ever let go.

The National Match lower I have used to come standard with a 2 stage trigger set a 4.5 lbs to qualify for the CMP competitions. They used to be "special". I saw one on a forum recently that said National Match but it had a one stage trigger with an M4 upper. Apparently, they are no longer "special". Unfortunately, I did not get the National Match upper at the time.

Armalite is now on it's way to Arizona and it's owned by a Brazilian company. Who knows what the company's future is going to be like. They have big shoes to fill. Mark made the company. When you bought an Armalite, you bought Mark and he tried to make a great but affordable product. Mark was from the Midwest and he brought Midwest values to the company. I have no idea what will happen or who you will get after the move to Arizona is done.
kwg

 

[chicharrones]

Hi everyone. I hope I'm in the correct forum.
My nephew just bought an Armalite M-15- 13″ Competition Rifle. He has been asking me questions about it.

https://www.armalite.com/product/m153gn13-competition-rifle/

By the way, that looks like a nice rifle and the spec sheet looks good, too. I'd tell him to look up info on care and operation of AR rifles and go shoot the thing. And I'd also tell him not to buy ProMag magazines unless he likes ammo to nose dive coming out of the magazine.

 

[someguy2800]

Make sure he understands the importance of hearing protection with that muzzle brake. It will result in permanent lifelong hearing damage if shot without hearing protection.

 

[Jack B.]

Make sure he understands the importance of hearing protection with that muzzle brake. It will result in permanent lifelong hearing damage if shot without hearing protection.

He used to race Supersport Motorcycles. He is very safety oriented, but I will drive home the fact that hearing and eye protection are to be standard and not optional. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Jack B.]

By the way, that looks like a nice rifle and the spec sheet looks good, too. I'd tell him to look up info on care and operation of AR rifles and go shoot the thing. And I'd also tell him not to buy ProMag magazines unless he likes ammo to nose dive coming out of the magazine.

He shoots on his Fathers farm, not sure how he prefers his brass to eject. He's doesn't reload so I'm not sure what he even does with his brass.

 

[chicharrones]

He shoots on his Fathers farm, not sure how he prefers his brass to eject. He's doesn't reload so I'm not sure what he even does with his brass.

I was actually referring to ProMag magazines causing jams. Not to be confused with Magpul Pmags that work great.

Regarding brass ejection, I'm not sure how his will eject. Mine ejects pretty much 90 degrees to my right (3 to 4 o'clock) and will throw the empty brass a few feet. That was with the original carbine buffer and spring and also with the rifle buffer and spring it currently has.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I have an ArmaLite M15 mid-length gas carbine that I bought before Mark Westrom sold the company to Strategic Armory Corps. Which means it's relatively old school compared to what ArmaLite offers now.

One thing to know is that ArmaLite with the lion in the logo is not the original ArmaLite with the pegasus in the logo that created the AR15. That doesn't make the current ArmaLites bad guns, they just don't have that continuous lineage. ArmaLite started as Eagle Arms, if I remember correctly, and they bought the ArmaLite name when it became available. Other gun makers have done similiar things.

ArmaLite under Westrom is known for making the mid-length gas carbine before other AR companies came along with similar offerings.

From my limited hands on experience and what little I've read over the years, ArmaLite makes a good rifle. They aren't as prominent to the public as they were several years ago as the AR market is flooded with many other makers now.

View attachment 783203

I'm thinking about snatching up one of the early AWB-era Armalite AR10A2 rifles rifles. This one takes the converted M1A mags (which I have a ton of). Any experience with how these function? As far as I can tell, the M1A mags should feed OK, just not lock open the bolt when empty without the special follower?
Overall, it seems like a well-built rifle.

 

[chicharrones]

I'm thinking about snatching up one of the early AWB-era Armalite AR10A2 rifles rifles. This one takes the converted M1A mags (which I have a ton of). Any experience with how these function? As far as I can tell, the M1A mags should feed OK, just not lock open the bolt when empty without the special follower?
Overall, it seems like a well-built rifle.

Unfortunately, I never bought an AR10 whether made by ArmaLite or anyone else. I've seriously thought about trading my Ruger GSR for an ArmaLite AR10 DEF10 on occasion.

If you get one, please report back.

 

[The Earl o Sammich]

You have to cut a small square hole to let the mag catch to catch it but yes, M14 mags will work. You can even tighten the sling and use that as your "magazine catch".

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

You have to cut a small square hole to let the mag catch to catch it but yes, M14 mags will work. You can even tighten the sling and use that as your "magazine catch".

Ahhhhh..got it! So a little work with a Dremel and my stack of mags will then work in either gun, nice!

The LGS has a really nice one for $1100- I think I'll go in tomorrow and see if I can work a deal on it, thx!

 

[MachIVshooter]

Armalite makes good stuff, or at least they have a history of quality. As others mentioned, the company has changed hands a couple more times. I have a 2005 M15A2C that's been fantastic.

Unless they're changed it, Armalite had a proprietary bolt that has a reduced lug opposite the extractor to make bolt thrust act more evenly. When ARs break lugs, it's usually one next to the extractor. That was Armalite's fix. Counterintuitive to think that 6>7, but in this case, it is. Standard bolts will still work in Armalite barrel extensions.

You have to cut a small square hole to let the mag catch to catch it but yes, M14 mags will work. You can even tighten the sling and use that as your "magazine catch".

Depends on whether it's an A or B pattern rifle. That's possible with the B pattern, but the 10A uses DPMS/PMAG.

And for the record, while converting M14 mags was a great option during the AWB, the Gen II mags that came out after are far superior.

 

[chicharrones]

Y'all mention some things that came with my ArmaLite. The bolt with the reduced lug and a two stage trigger. Although, my trigger is not a match two stage, it does have ArmaLite's 3-position spring set up for reducing trigger pull. The two stage in my ArmaLite is nearly as nice as the two stage in my milsurp K31. Plus, the barrel is a nice mid-weight profile that does shoot well.

ArmaLite used to put their efforts in the details while the outer appearance of the gun used to be rather rather plain.

I do like the specs on the gun JackB links to. They even make one like it in 7.62x51. It's interesting that ArmaLite's rifle inventory is all but sold out.

 

[rdnktrkr]

They made a single shot 50bmg that I bought used about 10 yrs ago that works wonderful, never had any issues but I've only shot it a 150 to 200 times I bought it used but I don't think the previous owner shot it much,