Best manufacture for AR-15's?

[MagicSC2]

I know it might cause a hassle down the road with the proposed ban on semi auto/assault type weapons, but I'm thinking of getting an AR 15. I'm in the military so I know how to use, clean, and shoot but not enough about quality of brand. Any opinions or stories would be greatly appreciated.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[retsupt99]

BushMaster is in the forefront of my mind...

[Freakdaddy]

Here's a great site with some very knowledgeable folks. Also, check out the "Comparison Chart of Major AR Brands" as it really breaks them down and you will probably be surprised by the results.

Knowledge base threads - M4Carbine.net Forums

[Shotdown]

There are many but I'll name a few companies that make quality ARs. I personally have an LMT 16" Defender (SOPMOD).
-Noveske
-Colt
-LMT
-Bravo Co.
-Larue Tactical
-Daniel Defense (new rifle but reports have been good so far)


There are more to these.

[Ram Rod]

It may not rank highly on very many's lists, but I still depend on Bushmaster. I didn't buy an AR-15 to look good or to impress my friends with the cost.

[OMEGA2669]

What about SIG's 556? I realize it isn't a standard AR as it won't fit with parts from the others. Just curious what ya'll thought about it.

[rstickle]

What about SIG's 556? I realize it isn't a standard AR as it won't fit with parts from the others. Just curious what ya'll thought about it.

Rather than changing the direction of this specific thread, do a since the 556 has been discussed and is worth looking into.

[OMEGA2669]

Very well Mr. rstickle. Rawr~

[buckeye .45]

If you are looking for a standard type AR, Rock River Arms or Bushmaster would be my top picks. If you are looking for a suped up competion rifle, go with one of the choices shotdown suggested.

[Siafu]

AR's are very commodity-like. In other words, they are all pretty much the same. I know there are fanboys who stand by their brand but in the final analysis they all function on identical principles and the parts are all made by a small handful of the same companies.

Get what you can afford and buy a big box of ammo or two with the savings you realized by not buying a Sig or a Larue or Noveske. Just my .02

[Tubby45]

Here's the truth. AR15s are parts guns. They are all machined by a handful of machine shops, pin makers, and spring factories. Then they are assembled by hand. They are about all the same, except for a few junk guns.

[Benthic]

Here's a great site with some very knowledgeable folks. Also, check out the "Comparison Chart of Major AR Brands" as it really breaks them down and you will probably be surprised by the results.

Knowledge base threads - M4Carbine.net Forums

I'll second this. It's a great set of threads to read and learn the basics of what many of the different AR features are, what they do, and help you decide whether or not you need them.

Brian

[Siafu]

Here's the truth. AR15s are parts guns. They are all machined by a handful of machine shops, pin makers, and spring factories. Then they are assembled by hand. They are about all the same, except for a few junk guns.

+10

[matiki]

Would you believe this is the first time this has come up?



Most of what makes a manufacturer stand out is the type and quality of parts they use, as well as how competent they are at assembly.

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.

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

There are quite a few parts that go together to make an AR-15, and each one has potential for failure. Some manufacturers cut costs on every part in the gun, others not as many, some not at all.

[Tubby45]

A big chunk of what you pay is the name.