What AR-15's not to buy?

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Windham has a good reputation in my area with general retail price of $850.00. The S&W Sports are getting common for $600.00 (when on sale).

If you are not in a hurry the ARES SCR is a interesting design that uses AR uppers and magazines. However I am going to wait a year to see if it actually makes it to the market and how good of quality it is.
 
I'd second Windham, but Colt prices are so low right now (CDNN has a Colt 6920 for $899, for example - you can get Windham for as low as $684 from Buds. If an extra $200 can be squeezed).

Back to the OP's original question, another brand of AR that some of my friends had issues with was Olympic Arms. Many others say they've not have problems, but I've seen enough to put Oly on a "yellow flag" list.
 
Allow me to add my two cents for what its worth. First, be sure exactly what it is you want an AR to be used for. What that means is it a home defense gun only and for occasional plinking or are you wanting an AR that has a guaranteed accuracy from the factory and perhaps used for hunting? Ask yourself, do I want to carry around a 10 lb heavy barreled AR or do I want something light and quick to the eye.
After several mistakes I purchased a Rock River Arms coyote carbine, put a 3x9x40 Leupold on it and never looked back. Its a joy to carry and performs flawlessly. How does it shoot? This is good enough for me:

IMG_0194.jpg
 
This is the Rock River Coyote Carbine described above. Nothing added that isn't needed.

IMG_0212.jpg
 
I just ordered a Del-Ton rifle kit. I did not need a whole kit but it was on sale so it was only $15 dollars more than a complete upper only. I have not seen Del-Ton mentioned so it must be in the middle somewhere. kwg
 
There is only one AR and those are ARMALITES.....as far as Armalite frames, Colts 6920 seems to be the best, then Armalites are out there. AR does not stand for Assault rifle or Automatic rifle.....hear so much from uninformed firearms people.
 
TexasPatriot.308 said:
hear so much from uninformed firearms people.
Click to expand...

Yup you're correct there! :)

It all comes down to opinion really, e.g. I don't think 6920s are the best, in fact I know they're not. That doesn't make them a bad purchase.

It all comes down to:

- what you're going to do with it
- how often will you shoot it
- how easy do you want cleaning to be
- how important reliability is
- how important accuracy is
- how much you have to spend
 
"I just ordered a Del-Ton rifle kit. I did not need a whole kit but it was on sale so it was only $15 dollars more than a complete upper only. I have not seen Del-Ton mentioned so it must be in the middle somewhere. kwg"

I tend to avoid these topics becuase it too quickly turn into a "if you spent less than 2k for you Ar you bought junk" or if it isn't compared to the now-outdated "list".

Anyway, my wife and run Del-Ton. Mine is a complete M4 from them, hers is a light-weight carbine on a new "2013" Olympic lower.

We most shoot recreationally, I do more hunting and longer range work than she does. We both just got done with a CQB course and they both ran wonderfully. zero stoppages that were the rifle. Some ammo issues, but that is off topic here.

Anyway, it comes down to how well a rifle is built. There are only so many companies making receivers and parts. Mostly it is crap shoot. I have seen $500 AR's run all day, I have seen $2000 AR's that wouldn't run at all. I just watched a friend fight his Sig AR at the range the other day. All you heard were cuss words when the rest of us were banging away on steel plates. I know Sig makes top-rated firearms, but his has issues.

Anyway, as for who to avoid, I can't say there is one to avoid all together, but with the deals in AR market right now with all the over stocks, it is easy to find a nicely built one from a good solid company.
 
In my opinion S&W has really changed the AR-15 game. They produce some very high quality ARs in a wide variety of configurations...there's one to please just about everybody. And they've done so at a very reasonable price. You can get the Sport for about $650 and it is very well made. You can get their higher end models and they are no better in terms of quality, they just have more stuff (the sport is very bare bones - quality bones but bare).

AND once you get up at their higher end models, it is a very easy financial step to Colt...no leap, just a step.

In other words, S&W provide high quality product right up to where Colt starts (arguably with some overlap).

Stag makes a good rifle but with S&W in the game...why bother IMHO. Now if their just building market share and a price hike happens, that may revert the game.
 
If I were to do it all over again I would get a basic lower from a reputable company and slap on a BCM blemish upper. Those things are AWESOME for the price.
 
My day at the range

After months of IDPA shooting, I decided to take my S&W MP15OR 5.56 with a gas piston, out for a trip to the outdoor range.:)

I was shooting 55grain .223 ammo. I used a Eotech Red dot scope. After getting the scope dialed in at 50yds, I though how hard is it to try to hit the 200, 250yard steel plates, with a Red dot scope?;)

I lined up with both eyes open to see where the shot goes with both eyes, and was very happy with many a resounding ping on the plates, some were 10 in a row!:eek:

about 450-500 yards out and up at an angle of say 30-35degrees, is another steel plate that the guys with .338 lapua and 50bmg would shoot.

I took aim and boy oh boy if that flat shooting little "Sport Rifle" of mine didn't hit that plate time after time! :cool:

It was awesome! It really made my day at the range!

Be safe.
 
A few years ago I bought a very lightly used DPMS carbine and have been very happy with it, although the trigger is gritty and I'd replace it if I could afford to.

Of course, as soon as I bought it I started reading reviews on forums deriding DPMS AR's as low-shelf junk. Seems some regard them as the HiPoints of AR's. Not my experience, just be aware that not everyone considers them worthy.
 
DPMS is fine for 90% of shooters, its the folks like myself that want that little extra that better specs can provide. If I was hunting coyotes, I'd have no prob reaching for a DPMS. If I here a bump in the night, I'd rather reach for a BCM.
 
Finncomm, I had builds that I put together, that had issues. There was a learning curve with it. The other two are national match rifles, with somewhat tighter chamber dimentions that I had to be more careful with reloaded match ammo (headspace). Once I learned to use a snap gauge to chamber check all reloaded ammo for inconsistencies , I had NO problems. The Colt due to its more generous chamber simply sucked up the ammo and ran. Like I said, for me, there was a period of learning these rifles. Hope that helps.
 
If I were new to ARs, I'd get a 6920 and start from there. Milspec parts are actually milspec, and not labeled as such because they fit.

For example, RRA and BM can say their charging handles are milspec because they "fit," but I've snapped one of each...
 
They say the kits are worth avoiding. Also, home-builds unless you know and trust the person who built it.

A good quality AR-15 can be had with the Smith and Wesson M&P 15 rifles.
 
FireInCairo They say the kits are worth avoiding. Also, home-builds unless you know and trust the person who built it.

A good quality AR-15 can be had with the Smith and Wesson M&P 15 rifles.
Today 11:56 AM
FinnComm Thanks for taking the time to reply M1
July 13, 2014 08:16 PM

Fire, I would have to agree, with my somewhat limited experience, starting with high quality parts would be first and formost if I were to try another one. But the experience was worth it. There are so many manufacturers today. Not sure I really want to mess with it anymore.

FinnComm, your welcome. I think Finland and Finnish people are cool btw. We have a fairly large population of them in Michigans upper pininsula. A few speak Finnish yet. Many are expert hunters and fisherman. Thought you would like to know that.:D
 
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