Which AR-15 to buy

[SelfDefenseInstructor]

Going through the latest issue of Gun Buyer mag. There are so many different AR-15 clones out there. Some I've never ever heard of. Which ones have good reps and which ones are just junk? Which manufacturers are exceptional and which ones are average?

Alexander Arms
American Spirit Arms
Armalite
Bushmaster
Colt
CMMG
Daniel Defense
Del-Ton
DPMS
DAX
Knight's Armament
Les Baer
LMT
Next Generation Arms
Para USA
RRA
Ruger SR-556
Sabre Defense
S&W
STAG
Wilson Combat

 

[OAK]

My favorite is not on your list, Spikes Tactical. The CS is amazing! They have complete rifles, uppers, assembled lowers, complete billet setup, Check it out! All of those makers are fine I just prefer ST's Kool-Aid.

EDIT: But if your only considering the ones on your list LMT, or DPMS (Love their Mark 12)

 

[Hondo]

Buy Colt for the first one and then once the fever hits experiment with otheres.

 

[CSK22]

Rock River Arms

 

[LPMan59]

Colt LE6920. it is the gold standard for M4orgiers. and now that hysteria is over,they can be had for reasonable prices.

 

[mvician]

How fat is your wallet?

 

[LPMan59]

i also recommend Vulcan, the guns of the "Special" Forces. lolz

 

[garagegunmaker]

i also recommend Vulcan, the guns of the "Special" Forces. lolz

Yea, heres a link to there site. They make some great guns.
Vulcan Armament Inc. [The Best-Built Firearms in the World!]

 

[Cpt Caveman]

The S&W M&P 15 is a good rifle. Accurate and consistent.
If I were you I'd wait another month or two to buy one. There's gonna be a glut of those things on the market soon and the prices are gonna fall through the floor.

 

[motoman]

colt, lmt, bravo, cmmg or noveske would be my choice

 

[cagilber]

If I could do it all over again I would probably go with a Daniel Defense rifle this time around. Either the DDM4 or the DDM4v3
​

 

[malern28us]

Its not on your list but if you like customer service before and after the sale...talk to Harrison at AR15Performance.com. He has given me help and I didnt even buy anything from him!

 

[sonrider657]

You forgot to list DoubleStar. They provide the best value for your dollar IMO.

I have several AR's and my DoubleStar is my go-to gun.

 

[Z71Gunner]

Rock River or Colt. After you buy the first you'll be wanting more. Once your more knowledgable about what's out there you can build the rest.

At least that's what I'm doing.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

What are you after?

Accuracy: Colt Match, Les Bauer, DPMS SASS, JP Precision
Awesome but pricey: Rock River Arms, Daniel Defense
Cheap: DPMS, Double Star
Deer Hunting: Bushmaster 450, RRA 458 SOCOM
Totally cool: Any AR pistol. Best to buy a BRAND NEW stripped lower and assemble yourself to ensure it was never registered as a rifle. Bad things happen if you put a short barrel on a receiver that has bee registered as a rifle.
Fun as heck but totally worthless: Any AR15 chambered in .223 with a CMMG conversion to 22. If this is important to you get a 1:12 or 1:14 twist barrel.
Junk: Olympic, Blackthorne, Vulcan

I've got 2 Colts (both match grade), A DPMS SASS, 2 RRA, 6 DPMS, and 2 Double Stars, in calibers from 22LR to 50BMG. Well, I used to until all my guns were stolen. Now I just have sticks .

 

[SelfDefenseInstructor]

Well accuracy is at the top of my list. Haven't picked a price range yet, but it would max out at $1500. There are a lot of "likes" on here. Any that should be avoided? Definately looking for a company that's going to be around long term.

 

[LPMan59]

i personally would avoid Olympic, Vulcan/Hesse/Blackthorne and DPMS (puts on flame suit).

do what i did: buy a Colt LE 6920 (semi-auto M4 with a 16 inch barrel) for about $1100. buy a used EoTech (~$300) and a BUIS (~$50). spend the last 50 bucks on some bargain mags (i recently bought 10 for $6/mag).

now i will admit that Colt rifles are not always the prettiest looking ones. if you look on ARF.com, you will always see threads about how someone's colt was scratched. but rarely, if ever, see threads about Colt rifles failing (though it does happen).

ymmv

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

My most accurate AR that you can cart around is a 20" Colt Match. You're looking at $1500 for that rifle brand new. It is accurized and with optics and handloads can hold MOA out to 400 yarsds.

I've also got a got a DPMS lower, Model 1 Sales upper in .223 (24" SS bull barrel, NB BCG, Jard adjustable trigger set at 1.5#, MagPul PRS Precision stock, Super Sniper 10x42M) that is only good for bench due to weight and light trigger pull. It's a 1:7 twist, and is sub MOA to 600 yards and on target out to 800 with 90gr handloads. I've had a couple days where I've been at about 3" groups at 600 yards (no wind, everything perfect, yada yada yada). Certainly don't shoot like that every time I'm out (anymore), but it's consistently sub MOA. I've got ~ $2K in that rifle.

Well accuracy is at the top of my list. Haven't picked a price range yet, but it would max out at $1500. There are a lot of "likes" on here. Any that should be avoided? Definately looking for a company that's going to be around long term.

 

[Que]

I'm looking at a Rock River with a .22 conversion kit. Besides Atterbury, where can a .556 round be fired?

 

[slow1911s]

What's your goal? To be ATAS? Then go with DD, Colt, Bravo, or any other 16" upper with a rail that allows you to hang a dishwasher off the left side and a microwave off of the right.

If you want a well setup 300+ yd rifle that also does its job up close, then I think the best money you can spend is on an 18" or 20" Clark Gator - Clark / Miculek Gator AR-15 Semi-Auto Rifle The other options, IMO, is a 18" rifle from JP Rifles or from Mid-South Tactical Network (MSTN)