Piston AR Recommendation

[Hedgemeister]

Horse, she does have to finish field training before she can carry on duty and I am wanting to send her to a carbine course i.e. Gunsite here in AZ prior to her using it on duty to make sure she is comfortable and proficient with the weapon. Her department has a liberal policy in that it has to be an ar-15 and 5.56. She of course will have to qualify with it.

Ben, Tony and Strambo, I have been doing research on the midlength system and the reviews have been very good. I do like the fact that I can purchase a Daniel Defense and send her to the Gunsite course for the price of an LWRC. I read an interesting interview with Noveske and his take on the piston system. I checked and the amorer will not work on piston guns, so we would be left on our own for that.

 

[MCMXI]

Hedgemeister, I have a couple of POF ARs ... one is a P415 and the other is a P308. I can see why many don't like gas piston rifles but I definitely like mine ... a lot. I've got about 1,000 rounds through my P415 now (about 500 though the P308) and I couldn't be happier with them. I typically shoot 150 rounds per session and everything is working as it should with zero issues. Accuracy with XM193 is around 2" at 100 yards but with reloads I'm under 1". The POF muzzle brake does a great job of reducing recoil.

 

[Al Thompson]

I do like the fact that I can purchase a Daniel Defense and send her to the Gunsite course for the price of an LWRC

IMHO, that's a major win situation right there.

 

[Zerodefect]

Just get a Colt 6920. One of the very few AR's I know I can bet my life on.



A good rifle to grow with. You can upgrade grips, stocks, forearms later. The 6920 lacks a proper ambi safety, but those are cheap, and the Colt safety lever can be put in backwards for lefties.

If your into pistons get an XCR, 556, Scar, or ACR. The AR15 is best as a DI gun.


Speaking of training, check out TDI or Magpul Dynamics.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Colt 6920 is unquestionably good, but the midlength gas system is pretty well proven as superior in a 16" rifle, and midlength options of top quality are available from BCM, Daniel Defense and I believe Noveske, and very good midlength options are also available from Armalite and Sabre.

 

[Quentin]

Ben, Tony and Strambo, I have been doing research on the midlength system and the reviews have been very good. I do like the fact that I can purchase a Daniel Defense and send her to the Gunsite course for the price of an LWRC. I read an interesting interview with Noveske and his take on the piston system. I checked and the amorer will not work on piston guns, so we would be left on our own for that.

Hey, Hedge! I was first to recommend a midlength!

Good to see you're coming around to a quality DI midlength, I think she'll be pleased with a DD. I would again suggest a LW barrel profile, hopefully you'll be able to handle one when you're at the gun club comparing.

And if the department armorer doesn't work on piston AR, that pretty much excludes them from consideration unless you want to take on that responsibility. Actually I'm kind of torn on that issue anyway and don't let anyone else dink around with my AR. Just too many stories of swapped parts and mistakes like enlarging gas ports, etc.

 

[possum]

i have no desire for a piston AR but if ihad to have one for whatever reason, i would go with the Barrett rec-7.

 

[basicblur]

Thought you might be interested in this article-supposedly written by an officer building/buying a patrol rifle-mebbe his experience would translate to your wife's needs?

Blasphemy alert-he does stray from THE CHART!
'Course, he's building/buying for a specific use, which might match your wife's?
Might be some good tips AFA patrol rifles?

 

[Hedgemeister]

Thanks again everyone. We have not made it to the gun club yet, but we were at Cabelas last night and my wife was able to handle a POF and a couple M&P's. Well she definitely liked the feel of the DI guns better and even I noticed a significant difference in handling characteristics. We are definitely leaning DI now. I saw a midlength Daniel Defense online at Buds Gun shop for $1149 and that seems like a good price for what you get. All that being said, that POF sure was nice and I would like to have one someday.

 

[Hedgemeister]

Pulled the trigger on the Daniel Defense. In particular the M4 V3 midlength with the 9 inch rail. Now I just need an Eotech and she should be good to go. I started a piston thread and bought a DI. Funny how things work out sometimes.

 

[Hatterasguy]

LWRC, they have seen a bit of combat use at this point. IMHO they are the best piston AR I have come across. I would say the closes competition would be the HK416, which you can't get in this country.

 

[Zerodefect]

Pulled the trigger on the Daniel Defense. In particular the M4 V3 midlength with the 9 inch rail. Now I just need an Eotech and she should be good to go. I started a piston thread and bought a DI. Funny how things work out sometimes.

Good choice.
Wise is a man that asks advice, then follows it.

The newest Eotech with the stubby little round sideways battery compartment is pretty cool.

http://stores.homestead.com/Laruetactical/Detail.bok?no=379

 

[benEzra]

An explanation of the somewhat arcane Eotech model numbering may be found in this post (scroll about halfway through).

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6637932&postcount=9

Your wife will need to figure out if she prefers a lower 1/3 cowitness vs absolute cowitness, and whether QD is a necessity or not. I personally went with a 516 (2 CR123 batteries, single dot in circle, lower 1/3 cowitness without a separate mount, no NVG mode) but there are a variety of good choices. BTW, don't rule out Aimpoints, either; I prefer the Eotech reticle, but Aimpoint CompM's and Micro's are also very good, and offer extreme battery life (5 years!), and some people like the simplicity of a single dot and consider the Eotech reticle cluttered. So I'd suggest checking out both, since the optic is a significant investment too.

Also, don't forget a light and a decent sling. I run a Surefire G3 LED (though most prefer the shorter G2) in a GG&G ring, and a Blue Force Tactical 2-point Vickers style sling from their economy Victory Series line. The light is arguably more important than the optic or sling for a patrol or HD rifle, IMO.

 

[Al Thompson]

Do some research before you buy an Eotech. There's a reason not many are purchased by the military and why several top notch trainers do not recommend them.

In my personal opinion, having to turn your sight on would be issue enough. With Aimpoints, turn it on and leave it on. Change the battery every couple of years, no issues.

 

[Quentin]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hedgemeister
Pulled the trigger on the Daniel Defense. In particular the M4 V3 midlength with the 9 inch rail. Now I just need an Eotech and she should be good to go. I started a piston thread and bought a DI. Funny how things work out sometimes.

Quote: Originally Posted by Zerodefect
Good choice.
Wise is a man that asks advice, then follows it...

Yes, excellent choice and I hope it serves your wife well...

 

[Hedgemeister]

We should have it by the end of the week and we will be going to the range to play with her new toy this weekend. I sure am glad I married a country girl from Arkansas. She loves guns as much as I do. I have a friend that is willing to sell a Compm4. The reviews on THR look pretty good would this be a good cowitness red dot for LEO?

 

[Z-Michigan]

Yes, a Comp M4 would be a very good quality choice. If money is no object (since it's about the most expensive red dot there is) go for it.

 

[Al Thompson]

Ditto to what Z-M said. For a mount, LaRue is about the best, though if your not mounting and dismounting the sight, the Burris offerings are working for me.

 

[Hedgemeister]

Al, Where are you at in SC? I graduated from Wofford up in Spartanburg.

After looking into the aimpoints, I think I am sold. I like that it is lighter and the battery life is a big plus. Thanks Ben for the headsup.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Hedgemeister - before you get that CompM4, depending how good a deal it is, be sure to check out the Aimpoint Micro and the slightly older CompM3, which is just as durable as the M4 and has "only" 50k hours of battery life (5.7 years instead of about 9... and if you let either battery reach those ages, you should not have bought an Aimpoint in the first place.)

Oh, FYI, I actually prefer EOTechs pretty strongly, but I'm not mil or LEO so presumably I'm not quite as hard on the optic. Whatever you get, a BUIS is essential. (The one and only possible exception to BUIS is with an ACOG, and even then it's not a bad idea.)

 

[Hedgemeister]

Z, the deal on the M4 fell through. Good call on the M3 I can get it brand new for $450 and am seriously considering it. $200 less than the M4. Her DD comes with the 1.5 BIUS and we want a cowitness setup.

 

[strambo]

I got the H1 Aimpoint w/ Larue mount. Saved a little money over the T1 for features I'll never use (night vision settings and deeper submersion rating). I leave it on setting "8" because it isn't too bright at night, but bright enough to see the dot on my wall with the weapon light on. This setting also has 5 years battery life according to the Aimpoint Rep/Gunsight instructor I talked with over the summer while taking a course.

Nice choice on the DD M4, that should be a great rifle.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Any Aimpoint will cowitness if you get the proper mount. Consensus seems to be that LaRue is the best mount. I think you and she will be quite happy with an M3.

 

[kwelz]

Z, I think a lot of people are starting to prefer ADM to Larue. They are the same quality and use a better lockup system that won't leave marks on your Upper reciever.

For the Micro's I actually use the DD mount myself. I don't need the QD for that optic and it is a very light inexpensive mount.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Thanks Azizza, good info. I do not own mounts from either LaRue or ADM or frankly most other big names... I put EOTechs on my fancy carbines (mount is built in) and something else, like a Vortex Strikefire (mount included), on casual/fun carbines. However, if I were a LEO in Phoenix, I'd probably break down and get a single Aimpoint in light of its known reliability.