Which AR15 to Get?

[HGM22]

My friend is getting impatient and wants to buy an AR15. I was unable to really help him make an informed decision because I consider my AR15 research to be in its infancy. So, what are some top tier AR15 brands? Are they worth the money? I think he should do research on his own, but I doubt he will; I really just want to help. I also think he just wants the best he can buy (he said he wanted to spend $1000-1200, but I'm sure he's flexible in either direction).

 

[HGM22]

I should add that he's a Ruger fanboy and is looking hard at the Ruger SR556.

 

[Quentin]

Well if it were me I'd get a BCM midlength. Very hard to beat in that price range. But he needs to define his needs before buying. What I or anyone else wants very likely isn't what he wants, only he can decide and that takes research...

I'd skip the Ruger or any piston AR but again it's up to him and he's got a lot of others that like it.

 

[C-grunt]

Bravo Company (BCM), LMT, Daniel Defense and Colt are all in this price range. These are all top tier rifles and you cant really go wrong with any of them.

BCM will be the cheapest but is of high quality. A plain jane type rifle/carbine with a blem lower would be under 1k.
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/

 

[C-grunt]

I should add that he's a Ruger fanboy and is looking hard at the Ruger SR556.

That thing is seriously front heavy

 

[srkavanagh6621]

Check out POF USA

 

[J.Boyette]

I have shot alot of the basic brands over the years. Colt, Stag, Bushmaster, Rock River Arms and so on.

for the money, Stag Arms is the best buy in quality I feel.

Next is a Colt.

John

 

[Frankl03]

I would add Spikes Tactical Midlength, a nice optic (Aimpoint, Eotech) and ammo all for the price of the Ruger.

 

[Zerodefect]

A Colt 6920 is a great place for someone completely new to AR's to start.

Nothing fancy, and as reliable and durable as an Ar is going to get.

 

[Carter]

I love BCM's. I have an XCR and still salivate over one.

However, I'm pretty werid and want a m-16 clone instead of an m-4gery.

I hated AR's till I shot my friends BCM. For the price and quality its a no brainer.

Edit: He did tell me though that his BCM wouldn't run steel cased ammo reliably until he got a DPMS bolt carrier. IDK why.

 

[HGM22]

Thanks for the replies so far. I'll have to talk to him again, but he said he wants it for home defense and fun. I also don't think he wanted to shoot very long distances (probably 100 yards mostly, maybe 300yards on occasion).

I also told him he probably doesn't want the Ruger, but he loves Ruger.

 

[M&PVolk]

If I was spending $1,200 on a new AR, I would probably go with a Daniel Defense. Nothing against BCM, but Daniel Defense is solid and finished incredibly well...probably the nicest of all the AR's not made from unobtainium. If I was looking at BCM, it would be a choice between BCM and Spikes Tactical. Both are legit, but the Spike's is going to get you in the door cheaper, and I honestly don't see anything BCM has over the Spikes, save for the greater name recognition on the web. Of the ones mentioned, Colt is the only one that gives me pause. In my limited exposure to them QC has been a bit inconsistent, but I don't have enough sample size to be more than anecdotal.

 

[TonyAngel]

If your friend is in the $1200 range, I'd just get the Daniel Defense. Although many parts are more than good enough, such as the bolt carrier group and trigger group, I've found the Daniel Defense receivers and barrels to be a cut above the others in terms of fit.

I don't own a DD rifle, but have used the uppers and barrels and like I said, I found them to be a cut above most others in terms of fit and tolerances.

I'm a big fan of BCM and Spike's products too. They are a great bang for the buck, but with the budget that your friend has, I'd be looking for a little better than bang for the buck.

 

[BushyGuy]

Bushmaster or Stag are the way to go, i seen good results with both Ar15's they are worth the money not too high just the right price.

 

[Gamer]

A few months ago I bought my first AR and I'm glad I did. This thing is a whoot to shoot and has been flawless for the first 900 rounds or so...love it~! I looked at several including some high $ piston versions like the POF but went with the Colt 6940 which is the same as the 6920 with a mono rail upper and I couldn't be happier. There's a nice video on youtube about it.

I did like the Daniel Defense offerings, light weight...sweet rifle and it would have been my first choice but I prefered the folding front/rear sight on the Colt. The BCM's are nice as well.

Good luck.

 

[Zanad]

has he thought of building his own so he can get exactly waht he wants without spending the money?

 

[CeeZar]

The lower-end Sabre Defence models will fit in that price range.

 

[Sky]

http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?81462-So-you-want-to-buy-an-AR-15-huh

 

[frankge]

I'm a fan of spike's tactical. Check out ar15.com for the threads and some reviews, pics, etc. I visited the shop and the folks there and it's well run, good people, clean well equipped shop, and less overhead appears to be reflected in thier prices. My AR which is all Spikes except for the 7.62x39 doublestar barrell is running flawlessly.

Building a 5.56 for my kid on thier platform for Xmas.

 

[Wahoo95]

Here ya go and it won't even him $1k!!!

Daniel Defense DDXV Complete Lower Receiver - $369
Daniel Defense BCG - $124
16" Daniel Defense 1/7 CHF Mid Length Upper - $374
Daniel Defense Charging Handle - $19
Daniel Defense Fixed Rear Sight - $53
Magpul MOE Handguards - $32
Magpul PMag - $14.50

All from SmartGunner.com for a total of $985.50!!!

 

[EWO]

In that price range for a complete gun, BCM is the easy choice IMO. Hard to beat the quality of their parts for the money. And Paul (the owner) is known for his outstanding customer service.

 

[wnycollector]

Another vote for BCM here. Great quality that is very reasonably priced.

 

[TonyAngel]

I really wouldn't recommend that someone who has to ask "what brand should I buy?" build his first AR. At most, he could just buy a complete lower and a complete upper and then just slap them together.

The fact of the matter is that there are lots of very good ARs out there. You may argue, as I did, that one brand is a bit better than another, but odds are that you will never realize the differences. I have a parts AR that I put together using parts from good manufacturers. I used a Daniel Defense upper, Bushmaster lower, Bushmaster barrel, BCM bolt carrier group, and other odd parts that I got from BCM. I don't even clean that rifle unless I need to inspect parts for wear and it just keeps on running.

There are just a few things that I would look for that give me piece of mind and insure compatibility. First, I like to go with a full auto bolt carrier. They are a bit heavier than their semi auto counterparts and will work in conjunction with things like a heavier buffer to smooth out the shooting experience. I prefer a mid length gas system on anything with a 16" barrel or a rifle length on anything longer than 16". I prefer a milspec buffer tube, as opposed to a commercial spec buffer tube. I like my bolt to be MP and HP tested, just for piece of mind. I also prefer a chrome lined barrel. It just plain makes the barrel easier to clean and maintain. If I remember, BCM barrels are also HP and MP tested for added piece of mind.

 

[Wahoo95]

That SmartGunner DD Build I just laid out meets all of your requirements TonyAngel.....for less than $1k. I like BCM too.....I have a couple of BCM rifles, but with the sell SG is running on DD parts its too hard to pass up! Here's one I just finished today.

 

[kwelz]

Brands to consider in no particular order.
Colt, DD, BCM, Noveske, LMT.

Companies that are ok and I would consider
S&W, Spikes

Companies to avoid.
DPMS, Bushmaster, Stag, Del-Ton, Hesse/blackthorne/Vulcan, Olympic, Rock River, Armalite.