Best "lowest price" AR upper, 16"

[Orion8472]

I'm wanting to get a 16" upper for my AR lower for the CQB type setup. I would like your opinion. What is the cheapest upper that you would also consider to be good quality?

Please include price and a reference picture, if you have one. Thanks for your input.

 

[HOLY DIVER]

cheapest i would go is a DEL-TON M4 upper they can be had for around $390

 

[smokeyandthebandit05]

I was in your shoes not too long ago. I went with a flat top 16" Del-Ton upper with a Light weight barrel and carry handle. The finish is pretty good and it fit my M&P15 perfectly.

Here u can pretty much build your own. But the options add up fast.

http://www.del-ton.com/Custom_Upper_p/cu103.htm

 

[Zerodefect]

BCM (sheesh I'm predictable. no?) Get her done right the first time. My idea of "good" quality is skewed by my belief that the AR is a weapon, not a toy.

Otherwise: Stag arms, not crazy about 1/9 twist though.

 

[GPWASR10]

DPMS

I have their 20" HBAR and could not be happier with it.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Run, do not walk, to the DS Arms website and get one of these:

$275 M4 type upper, nitrided barrel:
http://www.dsarms.com/DSA-ZM4-Forged-7075T6-A3-AR15-Upper-Receiver---DSZM4CBU/productinfo/DSZM4CBU/

$300 midlength upper, fluted nitrided barrel:

http://www.dsarms.com/DSA-ZM4-A3-Up...gth-HG---DSZM4CBUMID/productinfo/DSZM4CBUMID/

Those uppers do not include a bolt carrier group ($110-150) or a charging handle ($20), but are a terrific deal even after you add those pieces. The nitride treatment has most if not all of the benefits of hard chrome, without the drawback of reduced accuracy and the potential for chrome to start flaking off at some point. It's also the same coating inside and out, with better corrosion protection than parkerizing (the standard) and a far harder surface that won't scratch easily. Nitride treatment is also used by LWRC, some CMMG models, I believe POF-USA, and apparently on the Shrubmaster ACR (not 100% clear on that).

 

[Orion8472]

Thanks for the comments thus far. I will check those uppers out.

Keep the comments coming!

 

[Nick5182]

Run, do not walk, to the DS Arms website and get one of these:

$275 M4 type upper, nitrided barrel:
http://www.dsarms.com/DSA-ZM4-Forged...info/DSZM4CBU/

$300 midlength upper, fluted nitrided barrel:

http://www.dsarms.com/DSA-ZM4-A3-Upp...o/DSZM4CBUMID/

Man am I glad I looked at this thread, and thanks to Z-Michigan. I, also, have been looking for a good deal on an upper, and was going to get a DPMS upper for my DPMS lower from MidwayUSA, but I've always liked DSA and had no Idea you could buy uppers from them. I think that's what I'm gonna do.

 

[GPWASR10]

Also, smokeyandthebandit05, damn nice weapon sir. That thing looks wicked...

 

[kamagong]

Daniel Defense XV upper for $550. Comes complete with BUIS, handguards, charging handles, and bolt carrier group. This is a top quality upper, and you won't beat it for the price.

http://www.coldwarshooters.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=812

 

[HOLY DIVER]

that daniel defense xv upper for $550 is a GREAT deal no way you could go wrong there!

 

[Orion8472]

So far, I'm liking the DSArms the best, what with the Nitrite barrel. Midlength and flutted. Too bad they don't give you an option to add the BC and CH to the order from that page.

 

[Barker45]

BCM!!!

 

[Z-Michigan]

Orion, I would suggest the $140 BCM carrier group and their $44 "gunfighter" charging handle to make a really nice setup. You could also consider the $150 carrier groups from Daniel Defense and Young Mfg, which are in the same top-quality ballpark.

 

[Orion8472]

Hey guys, . . . .thanks for all the answers on here. I'm sure they will help others.

However, I have decided to defer building an AR upper and just use my AK for my main battle rifle, . . . and just spend close to the amount for an upper on AK ammo.

Thanks again.

 

[kamagong]

That works. I'm an AR guy personally, but if you already have a weapon you are familiar with there is no rush in getting another. And it's never wrong to buy more ammo.

 

[GPWASR10]

Can't go wrong with ammo, I have a Yugo M-70 full stock and an AMD 65 folder... but I have to say that I am slowly becomming more and more of an AR guy... they are really neat guns...

 

[RP88]

BCM and DD for quality

Del-Ton, Stag, and DS for pricepoint.

but with the Del-ton, I'd suggest throwing in the extra $200 for everything else short of the stripped lower. that'll give ya a whole rifle for possibly under $600.

 

[Orion8472]

GP, they ARE great guns [ARs] and I already have a scoped setup on my current AR, thus why I was considering a shorter upper for CQB, . . . but when I figure in the price for it, . . . plus the fact that .223 ammo is usually higher than 7.62X39, it just makes more sense to hold off on the upper and spend the amount on ammo. I DO want to get a nice short AR upper, though, because I like them better, overall.

 

[HOLY DIVER]

hey man i completely understand your point i used to have an AK as my main rifle and i still like the rifle. i just switched over to an AR mainly because of the 5.56 chamber (nato) secondly availability of parts. now my reasons are strictly based on a shtf scenario
i know you can fix an ak if something breaks right now. one could also argue that AK's don't break no need to worry about it.

 

[leadcounsel]

Tagged for later.

 

[cyclopsshooter]

haha- i just traded an AK for .223 ammo