Best manufacture for AR-15's?

[nutz4utwo]

...it is more likely you will have a bad experience with those brands, than with say, LMT or Colt, for example.

A big chunk of what you pay for is mitigating the risk that you will have a problem.

+1 Problems are no fun.

Read this, it has all the info you need:
So you want to buy an AR-15, huh? - Police Forums & Law Enforcement Forums @ Officer.com

I would be sure to get one with an A3 upper (to mount optics, or even a carry handle if you want one), 1/7 or 1/9 twist 5.56 barrel, milspec buffer tube and firing pins (so you can use standard parts).
I own a LMT Defender in M-4 style and I love it. You can expect to pay $1200 or so for one new.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[HotGuns]

That doesn't mean you can't buy a Bushmaster, DPMS, even Oly-Arms gun and have a fantastic experience with it. It might be the best darned AR-15 seen since 'Nam. But it is more likely you will have a bad experience with those brands, than with say, LMT or Colt, for example.

Yes and no.

For a long time Bushmaster was making MOST of the part for Colts. At one time there were only a handful of people making the lower recievers and then stamping the names on them.

Now you have the small shops with the CNC equipment turning out hundreds of lowers and using their own names or stamping whoever contracted them out to do it. I know of at least 2 that are doing that right now. The CNC doesnt leave much room for error and I have personally looked at several lowers of different manufactures that look as good or better than some of the well known brands.

Buy a lower parts kits from several different shop that sell them, and its very likely you'll be getting the same parts in different packages.

They are generic guns. Get a print, produce it to the tolerances on the print and one will be as good as the next. I've built several myself using blank forgings that were cheap and no one could tell the difference.The beauty of it is, they work just as well.

[BAC]

You've missed matiki's point.

Like any other manufacturing industry, a relatively few number of companies actually manufacture the AR-15 parts. Nobody is denying that. The difference is in what parts the companies actually building the rifles accept, and what they reject. Bravo Company, Colt, LMT, Noveske, etc., have much higher rejection rates than Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA, etc. Consequently, the rifles in the former category have a lower rate of problems than those in the latter category. As an example, many of Colt's problems are simply worn out rifles, since the US military doesn't appear to enforce any preventative maintenance schedule. RRA, on the other hand, makes different rifles for .gov customers than it does for civilian and LEO customers (very similar to the difference between an 870 Express and an 870 Police). There are a lot of variables folks don't take into account when dismissing differences between rifle brands as a matter of "different rollmarks".


-B

[svgheartland]

+1 on Bushmaster. Like a Ford truck (there's a can of worms). Steady and dependable but not flashy out of the box. But yeah, AR's are a commodity hodge podge of parts, suppliers and assemblers calling themselves manufacturers.

[mpd563]

Im just waiting for Taurus to come out with one like they did the 1911. LOL!

[Tubby45]

Hell, Para Ordnance has their own.

[matiki]

Hell, Para Ordnance has their own.

Are you referring to the TTR, previously the LR300?

FWIW, I have no opinion on these, I'm not trolling.

[Chuck R.]

As some of the others have pointed out, all ARs are not created equal and to believe they are is to be in denial. Regardless of where he source parts come from, the different manufacturers assemble and test their weapons differently; some lower tier manufacturers don’t bother to “test” any components at all while others can’t seem to properly stake a gas key.

The “chart” is a great tool for what it is, which is a comparison of manufactures products against a known standard, which is the TDP or Technical Data Package. The TDP is the specifications the military has developed on how their weapons will be built.

Some of the features may or may not be what you think you require or want, but at least by reviewing he chart you can make an educated decision.

The problem a lot of folks have with it is that it really shoots down the “it’s as good as” argument. You can simply look at the base prices and compare features. Funny thing though, as the price decreases so does the testing the manufacturer performs and the rifles features.

“The Chart” can be found here:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?k...jFwPrgTA&hl=en

Chuck

[jh225]

Can't go wrong with any of the top players although I personally prefer RRA

[darkvibe]

I don't own an AR from one company (all built from different brand parts) but the Sabre Defense products seems really nice to me.

[jlwash]

DPMS makes the tightest AR's Around cost a bit more but well worth it. Ive owed a bushmaster a shot a DPMS no comparison.

[Exodus]

I've got an Armalite M15A4 and I like it. In my search, I was down to Bushmaster, DPMS and Armalite. The Armalite won because of two things: it had a better fit and finish (to my eye) and a lifetime warranty. I've put 300 rounds through it so far (100 today) without a hitch. Nobody has made bad recommendation yet though.

[BAC]

I really shouldn't, but...

DPMS makes the tightest AR's Around cost a bit more but well worth it.

Please clarify what you mean by "tightest ARs around", and why or if this is a good thing.


-B

[Shotdown]

Wanted to add: My friend owned a Bushmaster (don't know what model) but it ate everything we gave it. Including reloads.

[Stetson]

I like my bushmaster.I suspect most of the good manufactures are being hard pressed to keep their product on the gun shops shelves.Anything to do with
firearms the shelves were pretty empty.