Help me pick out my first AR

[Sky]

I talked to a manufacturer and there is a thread around thr someplace but don't remember where or even the topic.

Many AR parts come from a very few manufactures. Part of the past shortages (beside the mass frantic buying) was due to very few manufactures making parts for everyone claiming to be a manufacturer when in reality all they do is put rifles together and put their roll mark on them. Take companies A, B, C, they are all getting certain parts from company X......Would be interesting to know who manufactures what for what companies? It is protected proprietary info.. Maybe some of the companies manufacture everything in house but if they do they sell parts to other companies. Just what I have been told but sounds reasonable to me. Wow there it was on page two!!

 

[TonyAngel]

Sky, I've heard the same thing, but I wonder if it's kind of like optics. Many different lines of scopes are made by the same manufacturers, but not all are of the same quality, nor are all held to the same quality control standards.

I can say that I've had my hands on more brands of uppers and lowers than I can remember. Some were very nice, having no machine marks with nice, even anodizing and are a bit more refined. On the other end of the spectrum, I've seen some that had clearly visible machine marks, tight spots in the BCG channel, ultra off square faces, sharp edges, etc. To an extent, I'll say that an upper is an upper and a lower is a lower, when dealing with quality parts; but not all are created equally. Much of what makes a "nice" part is quality control.

Just because a part was machined on a CNC machine, does not automatically mean that it will be in spec. CNC machines are just that, machines. Like any machine, parts wear, especially cutting tools. The first ten or twenty off of the machine might be "in spec" while the next twenty or so might be a little loose and the following twenty worse than the previous. This is just speculation, but price (and perhaps rollmark) may determine where the first twenty go.

 

[Sky]

I agree with you as usual Tony! I was just glad to see on page two who was making what for "WHO"? Yes I know poor sentence construction!

 

[TonyAngel]

I know (I think I know) that at one time Yankee Hill was making the receivers for Spike's Tactical. Funny thing is that all of the stuff I've gotten from Spike's has been top notch. On the flip side, I've gotten two upper receivers directly from Yankee Hill and after checking everything on them, decided to relegate them to the parts box for throw togethers rather than use them in the builds that I had planned for them.

 

[quikduk]

Azizza,

I am looking for an accurate self defense rifle. The "plinking" comment was a joke as if I spend the money on an upper (complete or self built), I would like to put the best components I can afford into it.

So far, the parts list I posted will run me anywhere from $900-$1100 depending on the sources.

I am looking for options and opinions based on experience and will "take it all in" before starting to amass parts (should I go that route).

Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[TonyAngel]

What do you mean by "an accurate self defense rifle?" The rifle is only a third of the equation in accuracy. You could have the best components in the rifle, but if you put crap in, you're going to get crap out.

I have a plain Jane, chrome lined Rock River barrel that will shoot right around MOA with good ammunition. If you want the "best" get either a Noveske or Centurion barrel.

Some people just way overthink this AR stuff.

 

[d2wing]

Beware of someone elses homebuilt AR. Just because parts fit doesn't mean they will
reliably work. Mixed rifle and carbine parts for example, or poor quality parts. I'm still
learning and replaceing parts on my gunshow special after over 2 years of failures. That includes paying a gunsmith that replaced a failed part but didn't know about build errors that caused it.

 

[Lakedaemonian]

My 2 cents... like the man said early in the thread... go with a company that takes their craftsmanship personally. The ones with the most heart in their products are best suited... I.e. DD, LMT, Larue, BCM. If for no other reason than customer service! Call DPMS once and speak with their service reps, you'll see what I'm talkin about. I ordered an ACOG from them a year back. Their internet site said they had them in stock, wasn't until after I payed them my hard earned $1000 bucks that I received an email notifying me that they were (out of stock) and backordered for months out!! Then trying to cancel my order and get my money back... oh don't get me started!! "Oh sir, your buisness is important to us, are you sure you don't want to wait the short 3 month wait?" Gimmie a break!

 

[Krusty783]

Krusty, you can order any lower you want fully assembled, from just about any gun store. I'd order a complete LMT with the SOPmod. That's one of my favorite built lowers

It really deosn't matter what lower you get, the important stuff is in the upper. Rainier arms would probally be more than happy to build whatever you want in a lower. Just more research to know what you want.

I'd recommend a Noveske lower, Stag ambi safety, Magpul Moe Grip, and Magpul ACS stock with a H, or H2 buffer.

BCM uppers are really the way to go right now. Way beyond milspec, barely any more expensive than regular AR's. Auto parts are fine in uppers. An SA and FA upper can be the same. Only the trigger group allows the AR to shoot auto. You don't have to worry about that. You can't buy an FA AR on accident. LOLz.

One of my favorite uppers:
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-...iver-LaRue-Tactical-p/bcm-urg-mid-14 lt12.htm

I'm definitely going with a BCM upper. I'm not sure about the lower yet; I may buy a spikes lower w/o buttstock from Brownells or I'll buy a stripped lower from Rainier and buy a parts kit. I'm definitely thinking of buying a Magpul stock so I don't see the logic of paying for a complete lower w/stock if I'm not going to use it.

There are a couple gun shows near me in November, so I'll go to them and see if I find anything. And there are a couple decent gun stores in my area that I'm going to check out. I'd even consider buying a lower from someone on here if it's reasonable/in good shape.

 

[latebychoice]

I personally own a Stag Arms Model 6 (24" BB). It's rock solid on the bench and I haven't had any problems with 1500 rounds though it so far. But they do have models with iron sights for around 1K...

 

[quikduk]

What do you mean by "an accurate self defense rifle?" The rifle is only a third of the equation in accuracy. You could have the best components in the rifle, but if you put crap in, you're going to get crap out.

I have a plain Jane, chrome lined Rock River barrel that will shoot right around MOA with good ammunition. If you want the "best" get either a Noveske or Centurion barrel.

Some people just way overthink this AR stuff.

My parts list on the prior page I felt was based on some very good components. I am aware of Noveske but not Centurion and I know the Lothar Walther barrels are equal to the Noveske.

I have also looked at the complete BCM uppers as well as the DD and am not sure which route to go.

I have a good friend who built his AR out of parts from KSE Surplus and it is as accurate as anything else I have shot.

I guess I am on my own here to try components out unless I can find some specific test data.