Best value for your dollar on an AR

[Mgderf]

Do I have to go to AR-10 to use up all my 7.62x51 ?? I do want to get into the AR- frame. Eventually sell an M1A and M-14. They are heavy.

Yes, 7.62x51/.308 win will NOT fit in the AR15 mag well. You need to go up to the AR10

 

[Royal-1]

Sell the ammo if you have no use for it. It will help finance the AR platform you get.

 

[Royal-1]

'' Don't take a knife to a gun fight and don't take a handgun against someone with a rifle." I have a question on definition. What is the (legal) shortest "long gun?" I don't mean so as to tempt the BATFE, but really what constitutes a "short" long-gun, versus the long pistol ( i.e. Desert Eagle, .44 mag in 14-inch± barrel), and would that combination, with proper training, be as good as a 16-inch± .44 mag Marlin pump?? A good pistol has many advantages (think paratroop-type lengths) over a rifle in E&E situations, and some pistols are very good sniper weapons, out to 75-yards. A make-shift long-stock (illegal during ordinary peace-time) adds greatly to the effects.
¿¿ Anyone ??

Short Barreled Rifle FAQ

On the Pistol length look at this thread. Look down to the one with the date of: 5/5/2009 11:58:51 AM by user Big-Bore
Link to I just talked to ATF guy about pistol receiver. On AR15

Good info on converting back and forth from pistol to rifle.

 

[Jeremiah]

BCM M4 16" Upper Receiver Group

475 for the barreled upper.

22 for handguards
22 for charging handle
160 for BCG
AIM Superior Arms S-15 AR15 .223/5.56 Lower Receiver Superior Arms S-15 AR15 .223/5.56 Lower Receiver

89 for a lower

AIM CMMG AR15 Lower Parts Kit CMMG AR15 Lower Parts Kit

63 for a LPK

MagPul UBR Utility/Battle Rifle Stock For AR15/M16 (Includes Storage Doors, ACR Cheek Weld, One QD sling mountin front and rear), Black

251 for a UBr ( had to include some kool aid.)

47 for a sling
Blue Force gear Vickers AA PADDED Combat Applications Sling

55 for a rear sight
Blue Force gear Vickers AA PADDED Combat Applications Sling

just gonna need a buffer and buffer spring, and I'm too lazy to look that up to, but excluding shipping 1184, no drop the magpul stock for a cheap M4 stock and your under a grand, hard to beat, but what do I know,

If you really want to go cheap at least aim for a DPMS though, be negligable differences in quality between STAG, S&W, Bushmaster RRA, and I am firmly under the impression the DPMS barrels are top notch .

 

[striker1]

I don't believe you have to have a Colt to have a good EBR. My view is to buy a good one (personally I chose Stag because of the LH option), and then pick up some ammo.

When the rifle is needed, no one will be checking the roll-marks. Keep it well-lubed, shoot often, and enjoy.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

Go with a Colt, LMT or any other higher quality ($$) weapon . Contrary to popular opinion the Bushmasters are NOT as reliable as the Colts. Bottom line for me is how much is my life worth and do I REALLY want to buy a firearm that is not the best just to save a few bucks? Sorry but not me.

Bob

My buddy has an LMT. Iv seen it used in the field next to my DPMS and another friends Smith. There has been no perceptible difference between accuracy or reliability in any of the brands.


Jeremiah: I have personally seen and shot a Superior Arms lower thats out of spec. It was WAY too tight; so tight you couldn't get the upper and lower apart. I wouldn't build on them.

 

[x10]

I just spent a day training with the Carbine and the Oly's and Frankenstien's functioned flawlessly, there were several High dollar carbines that did the same and one very highend carbine that ended up sitting in the truck while the student used the instructors carbine to finish the course.

I have a Oly that according to the AR experts should not be able to fire a full magazine through it without failure has fired many many rounds for several years, I bought the gun in 96 and used it for 2 gun matches, Carbine matches, and now a day of very intense training and it runs fine.

You don't have to spend a ton of money on an AR to get a good one. The AR design is a solid design, You don't need to change the gas system, or any of the other silly mods, you don't need a bunch of junk hanging off of it. If the rifle is assemble correctly you will get years of service out of a lower priced gun as well as a top end.

Figure out how much "name brand" and "look" mean to you. If you can't live without an equipment race gun then spend your money. If you want a solid shooting platform then get what seems economically and aesthetically pleasing to you. Don't fall into an equipment trap.

 

[LPMan59]

i dont think anyone believes that every gun made by Brand X is crap (except vulcan ). i think its fair to say that certain companies let more turds out of the factory.

some companies do not focus on fit/finish. go browse ARF.com and you will find lots of threads bashing one particular manufacturer because their rifles sometimes look like crap out-of-the-box. but not one of those threads ever reports that the rifle did not function.

for the vast majority of AR owners, any brand will probably be ok if the price is right. but to say they are equal is just not true. and for what some of the "lower tier" guns cost, why not get a better one for the same price or just a bit more.

 

[teddy12b]

In todays prices there doesn't seem to be too much difference between a bushmaster and a colt. A year ago I wouldn't have been able to say that, but now you're lucky to get a bushmaster out of a door for less than $1000. I see them at Gander all the time for 1100, the colt 6920 is another $100 if you do some shopping around. That's not exactly apples to apples, because Gander has high prices, but when it comes down to spending that kind of money, in this case I'd rather buy the colt for an extra $150. The colts do have some features that aren't standard on other rifles, and even though I don't think it's a must for me to have them it's not like you're getting nothing for the extra $$ spent. Even after buying a Colt, eventually I'd like to get another DPMS Sweet 16.

 

[Jeremiah]

My buddy has an LMT. Iv seen it used in the field next to my DPMS and another friends Smith. There has been no perceptible difference between accuracy or reliability in any of the brands.


Jeremiah: I have personally seen and shot a Superior Arms lower thats out of spec. It was WAY too tight; so tight you couldn't get the upper and lower apart. I wouldn't build on them.

I know three people that have built on SA lowers, so far two fo them had problemns with Pmags and everything else was correct. Thanks for the input, as I was considering building on them next. Prolly spend a few more dollars though after your story 3out of 4 I have heard of dealt with hadd issues, I don't like issues. I was willing to dismiss the others as just Pmag issues. but thanks again

 

[CandRFan]

I don't believe you have to have a Colt to have a good EBR. My view is to buy a good one (personally I chose Stag because of the LH option), and then pick up some ammo.

When the rifle is needed, no one will be checking the roll-marks. Keep it well-lubed, shoot often, and enjoy.

Truth.

I think if you're looking for value and you're also thinking about a survival situation I'd have no problem going with a quality "lesser" brand, like a Bushmaster, and have money for ammo and things like that. (I've got the Bushy Patrolman's Carbine myself. )

After shooting your AR, cleaning it, buying accessories for it, odds are you'll have been bitten pretty hard by the AR bug. Then you can go for your Colt or your dream AR.

I almost wish I went that route when I bought my first handgun. I was pretty hot to trot for a .45 and when I found my Colt 1991A1 I jumped on it. I had no idea how to strip it; all I had were the Army's manuals on the 1911. I didn't know all of the little tricks that seasoned 1911 shooters know...and I put a pretty good "idiot scratch" on it.

I say almost wish because while I was pretty mad at myself, I didn't really care since that Colt would be the one gun I would keep if I had to get rid of everything but one. It wasn't until it was called out here when I posted a pic that I got a tad embarrassed by it. If I had a "practice" 1911 my Colt would be unmarred.

 

[pinshooter45]

Bushmasters are as good as any, I love mine. My stock standard Bushy can hit X's off the rack at 200 yrds. Probably could hit them every time if I could find time to practice more!

 

[FishersCPA]

I would have to agree with x10- I have an Oly K16 and find it to be accurate and reliable. I have not modded it much though and don't know how restrictive that to be...

 

[teddy12b]

The AR I would love to have would be a copy of exactly what I carried overseas an M16A4 without the 3rd burst. The only factory rifle that has a 20" barrel, a flattop, and a flash suppressor is the Bushmaster. That's #2 on my to-buy list. By the way, my little girl got a pony last night. A Colt 6920 pony to be exact. My wife looked at me a little silly when I tried to explain it to her that way.

 

[shooter521]

The only factory rifle that has a 20" barrel, a flattop, and a flash suppressor is the Bushmaster.

Rock River Arms:

Armalite:

Del-Ton:

Bushmaster's not a bad choice, but there are others. Jus' sayin'.

 

[teddy12b]

I appreciate that. I remember the Rock River one, and for some reason I had ruled it out. The other two I wasn't aware of at all so I definately appreciate the heads up!

 

[alan robert]

Stag.

 

[Hoosier45]

Had a Colt. Now my dad has it.

Had a Bushmaster. Sold it to buy a Kimber I had to have.

Had an Armalite I bought and sold to make money on.

Now I have a S&W M&P15. This one I'm keeping. Didn't really have any issues with any of them. Just like the S&W best. So far.