~Starting to get into AR's - have questions~

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hifi

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I've never really been into AR's, but I'm starting to get into them. What I would like to buy is a 20" A2 or A3 with a birdcage flashhider, chrome lined barrel, 5.56 chamber, 1:9 twist, bayo lug (not REAL important) and normal stock.

The gun will serve multipurpose as plinker, varmint gun and home defense rifle.

I'm a fan of Colt products and have been thinking of getting one of their pre-ban configuration HBARs. The problem seems to be that everyone I look at on gunbroker is 1:7 twist and .223 chamber. Does Colt even make a 1:9/5.56 AR?

I prefer to shoot 55-62gr. 5.56 ammo.

I have considered Bushmaster as well. I don't know if this is true, but I've heard their QC can be iffy. I also like FN, but I don't believe they produce non-military AR's and Rock River Arms doesn't chrome line their barrels, or so I've heard awhile back, maybe they do now?

I'd appreciate all suggestions, thanks.
 
If you for some reason you are deadset on getting a Colt, so be it.

RR, Armalite, and Bushmaster make quality stuff. I think you will find what you want from them and have even more of a variety to choose from.
 
No, I'm not deadset on a Colt. In fact I was planning on a Rock River Arms until I found out they don't chrome line their barrels. Perhaps that has changed now. I really would like something made by FN, but I don't think that they have any non-military sales for AR's.
 
Most of the A,B,C group make quality firearms and a lot of guys like RRA, LMT, WOA and CMT/Stag as well. After all RRA beat the big boys in the DEA torture testing. Check out the prices in the Equipment exchange and industry forums on AR15.com.
You might also decide to build your own. My first AR is built on a stag lower w/ an all Colt 20" 1 in 7 HBAR A2 upper. My second was a stag lower w/ an all Colt 16" 1 in 12" SP1 slabsided upper. I haven't built the other two lowers I have waiting yet. Still contemplating a recce mid-length carbine and a MGI quick-change barrel upper.
Good luck with whatever path you choose.

PS- I'm no mechanical wiz but assembly of the lower and mating w/ the complete uppers was pretty easy, just follow instructions and take your time.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. So Colt doesn't really do 5.56 chambers for the commercial market I gather? Seems .223 all the way.
 
For a new, complete rifle that fits your specs, I'd go with Bushmaster. RRA sorta fits the bill, but not really (a lot of their rifle models aren't chrome-lined and their chambers are a compromise between .223 and 5.56). You hear more about Bushmaster's problems because Bushmaster sells way more ARs than other manufacturers.

But building an AR that fits your specs from parts (i.e. complete uppers, lower kits) is easy. Poke around the AR15.com equipment exchange forum for more stuff than you can shake a stick at.
 
So Colt doesn't really do 5.56 chambers for the commercial market I gather? Seems .223 all the way.
Click to expand...

Colts rifles are 5.56 chambered

As in any other gun type, the AR world has its loyalists. Just like you will see those hat say "Go chrome or go home", referring to chrome lined bores and chambers. I happen to like DPMS rifles. Currently have an M4 model that has been great. It does not have a chrome lined bore or chamber. Over at ARFCOM, one of the builders posted pictures of DPMS barrels after a test of several uppers. On full auto fire, the DPMS barrels went 18,000 to 20,000 rounds before failure. They were only allowed to cool enough to run a bore snake thru and add a little lube to the bolt and bolt group. Pretty darn good for an unlined barrel. I have seen test results where chrome lined barrels failed way before unlined barrels. So I don't get caught up in the whole chrome thing. In alphabetical order the following put out good stuff.

Armalite, Bushy, CMT(STAG), Colt,DPMS, LMT, Rock River Arms.
 
RRA sorta fits the bill, but not really (a lot of their rifle models aren't chrome-lined and their chambers are a compromise between .223 and 5.56).
Click to expand...

The Wylde chamber isn't a compromise, just because some dimensions are between .223 and 5.56. It is an improvement.

You can get RRA barrels that are chrome lined. They sell both. I'm not sure how offering consumers a choice turned into a value statement about their product being substandard.

That's the equivalent of me claiming Colt's barrels are too long because some of their rifles come with 20".
 
BUSHMASTER

#1: meets all your stated needs.
#2: excellent quality
#3: excellent customer service ( tech help as close as your phone ).
#4: absolutely terrific catalog !!! ( and they'll sell you anything they make ).
#5: Skip says so !


SKIP
 
I have a Bushy, so I might be biased, but go for a Bushy. It satisfies your criteria:

It has the 1:9 RH twist, will stabilize 55-62gr ammo.
Barrel and chamber is fully chromed.
Barrels come with an A2 flash hider.
Upper receivers are available in A2 or A3 options.
FSB has bayo lug built in.
Is available with the A2 stock.
Is chambered and designed to accept .223-5.56mm.
Will accept USGI mags easily with no feeding issues.
They have excellent customer service.

They sell a huge quantity of AR15s, and for a good reason. They also offer many, many accessories and options so you can get one built exactly how you want. The only buggers I have heard from others is the barrel nut might be overtorqued or the FSB might be canted on some units, but they'll fix that for you.

One personal bugger I have is they parkerize after installing the FSB so it's bare metal underneath the FSB...won't be a problem if you leave it on but I took mine off and opted for a rail-mounted BUIS...and I and left with two bare metal rings where the FSB was once attached.

The money you save can go towards accessories, ammo, or another firearm purchase.
 
I will definately look into this Rock River Arms thing. Their stuff has such a good rep.
 
As has been said, you probably can't go wrong with any of the major players. I can personally vouch for Rock River Arms. It is true that not all their models have chrome-lined bores, but it wasn't difficult for me to find one. Also, I wouldn't the ".223 Wydle" chambering on RRA rifles. All it amounts to is a compramise between 223 and 5.56.

After several hundred rounds of WWB, S&B, and PMC, my rifle has been perfectly reliable and very, very accurate. Also, the RRA two-stage trigger is a thing of beauty.
 
For your desired configuration, I would go Bushmaster, and nothing else. Their box-stock rifle is exactly what you are looking for. No guesswork about what the chamber is, what the barrel is, etc. No special ordering to get some of the features you want from another manufacturer.

I bought a Bushy in your exact desired configuration (minus the FH and bayo lug... it was during the ban. Today those features will be standard). It is one of the most solid ARs I have ever handled or fired, of any make.

For carbines, there are a number of good options, but IMO, Bushmaster makes the best 20" rifle out there on the civilian market.
 
Don't forget, you can always build. I used a DPMS lower, and Del-Ton kit to your exact specs, and it ended up costing $609. I could have gone even cheaper had I shopped around more for the lower, but I was willing to pay a bit more for the shop that had it in stock right then.
 
Lots of good info here. I'm new to AR's too and so far my Bushmaster has been flawless. I put together a 2nd one with a Colt HBAR upper and an RRA lower and it was as easy as pushing the pins in. :D
 
Also, I wouldn't the ".223 Wydle" chambering on RRA rifles. All it amounts to is a compramise between 223 and 5.56.
Click to expand...

sheerstress, please explain how the Wylde chamber is a compromise.
 
It is a compromise in that it is dimensionally speced between the tighter .223 chamber and the looser 5.56 spec chamber.
 
ttbadboy pretty much summed it up. To me, "compromise" isn't a bad thing, as I imply in my post. The Wlyde chambering just allows RRA rifles to feed rounds that true .223 guns may balk at, while offering a slightly reduced accuracy loss compared to the 5.56 chambering (not that I could tell the difference). To me, something that sits between the maximal advantages of two options is a compromise. Of course, the 5.56 round itself is already a compromise, but isn't everything?

Edited to add:jefvk beat me at my own game by five minutes! I should have typed faster.
 
All current Colt manufacture 5.56 rifles have chromed chambers, only M4 & A2 barrels have chrome bores (older barrels do have both chrome lined bores & chambers) I would say the answer is maybe on the preban sportster. The Maryland AR15 site says that the "match" rifles never had chromed barrels. Maybe if the sportster were old enough. 1970s or so.

http://groups.msn.com/TheMarylandAR15ShootersSite/ar15brands.msnw
http://www.biggerhammer.net/ar15/variants/

I have an HBAR II with a 1/9 16" barrel. M4 feed ramps
 
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