CMMG AR-15s

[expvideo]

Everyone else seems to be making these threads, so it's my turn. I bought a CMMG stripped lower, and I am thinking about using CMMG parts for everything else as well. Anything I should know? They seem like a decent company to me, but I don't know a whole lot about them.

So what is the concensus? CMMG... Great? Not so great? Rebranded Olympic arms ? Rebranded Colt? What do you all think of their rifles?

 

[rbernie]

I have more CMMG uppers and barrels than from any other single vendor. I am well pleased with their products.

 

[Frog48]

They're just as good as any other.

 

[KW]

I have one of their uppers that's gone about 1200 rounds so far with no problems. My only concern is that the staking on the carrier key is pretty weak looking. That being said it cycles everything from Wolf to XM193, and zeroed with the rear sight centered. I'd definitely buy another.

 

[possum]

I have one of their uppers that's gone about 1200 rounds so far with no problems. My only concern is that the staking on the carrier key is pretty weak looking. That being said it cycles everything from Wolf to XM193, and zeroed with the rear sight centered. I'd definitely buy another.

get a moacks key staker

 

[Coal Dragger]

I have one and the chrome lined barrel is pitted and I can't figure out why. The rifle has less than 200rds through it, and was always cleaned thoroughly.

 

[jpwilly]

Most AR's are "good" most of the time. Sometimes when all the parts are slapped together a "bad" one will emerge.

 

[Tarvis]

AFAIK, a "bad" AR comes from either a bad BCG (for whatever reason), accuracy problems/bad barrel, heavy trigger springs, or a rifle that has not been properly cleaned and/or lubed.

Bad magazines and bad ammo are beyond the interest of the rifle.

 

[bkb0000]

I've run a couple uppers... my opinion is they're kind of the AKs of ARs... you can run 'em hot and dirty, but don't expect .5 MOA. good CQB gun.

 

[Anteater1717]

What kinda accuracy are you getting? Would 1.5-2.5moa be reasonable with ammo it likes, granted the shooter does their part?
Oh, also I'm inquiring about their mid-length rifles.

 

[blkbrd666]

You should know that the $599 parts kit price in the Cheaper Than Dirt sale paper you got yesterday is actually $799 now.

 

[RyanM]

CMMG's quality is mostly great. Only flaws are the barrel steel isn't quite up to mil-spec (it's still better than the 4140 that 90% of AR manufacturers use), some of their bolt carriers have weak staking, and their bolts are as far from mil-spec as it gets (4 coil extractor spring, blue spring insert, batch HPT and MPI instead of individual, no shot peening). Easy solution, buy a CMMG rifle (with an H or H2 buffer, if it's a carbine) and a full-auto (if legal in your state) LMT bolt carrier group. Sell the CMMG BCG on AR15.com for $120. Or you could buy an LMT or BCM bolt alone, if the CMMG's staking isn't bad, and keep the CMMG bolt as an emergency spare. If you have to use a semi-auto BC, the CMMG one is a better bet, since it has a shrouded firing pin. Problem solved, you've got a gun that's as close to mil-spec as possible without overpaying for a Colt.

Oh, one "problem" you may run into is that CMMG uses the correct F-marked front sight bases on their flat tops. Most companies use the standard unmarked ones on all their rifles. That means that if you buy a commercial spec carry handle (Stag, Bushmaster, etc.), you'll need to crank that thing up by about 1/16" to get it to sight in correctly. A mil-spec carry handle will work fine, though, and most backup sights are mil-spec height, so the F-marked FSB is a good thing. Easiest way to tell what kind of carry handle you have is to measure the height of the "shelf" underneath the rear sight housing. Commercial spec is 0.800", mil-spec is 0.840".

 

[Coronach]

^^^^^

That's been the result of my research as well. CMMG upper + milspec BCG and you're in good shape.

You can order the CMMG uppers with a LMT BCG, but I don't know about prices compared to buying an upper with no BCG and getting another milspec BCG elsewhere.

Mike

 

[RyanM]

You can order the CMMG uppers with a LMT BCG, but I don't know about prices compared to buying an upper with no BCG and getting another milspec BCG elsewhere.

I've been really researching this a lot lately. Ended up doing exactly what I said in my other post.

CMMG will only sell "enhanced" LMT stuff with an upper. General consensus is that the "enhanced" junk causes more problems than it solves. It also makes you completely reliant on LMT for replacement parts. Just a case of "if it ain't broke..."

Anyway, the economics work out that CMMG will give you an $85 price drop for an upper with no BCG, and then you pay about $130 for an LMT or BCM, so that's $45 extra. Compare that to selling the CMMG BCG for $120-ish shipped (call it $110 + shipping to be safe), and buying an LMT or BCM, and that's only $20 extra instead.

 

[expvideo]

Awesome answers! Thank you so much for the insight!

 

[RyanM]

Oh, one last thing I just remembered. CMMG charges $12 shipping on orders under $600, and $24 shipping for orders over $600. So if you buy straight from them, depending on the upper and what all customization you want, dropping the BCG may save you $97 instead of just $85.

 

[Coronach]

CMMG will only sell "enhanced" LMT stuff with an upper. General consensus is that the "enhanced" junk causes more problems than it solves. It also makes you completely reliant on LMT for replacement parts. Just a case of "if it ain't broke..."

Ah! I figured the LMT enhanced bolt meant that the BCG was "enhanced" to LMT instead of whatever maker they offer as standard. I didn't realize they meant it was some sort of unobtanium-coated wonder bolt.

I agree with that statement, btw. Standard Colt or LMT bolt (there are others, too) is fine. No need to go diamond-coated plutonium.

Mike