Poll: AR-15 purchasing poll

[Taurus 617 CCW]

If you're in the market to for an AR rifle, what factor influences your decision the most?

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[eldbillbo]

you forgot to list features

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

I was mainly aiming at broad categories such as price or brand name etc. What features are you interested in?

 

[clearconscience]

The looks you can change.
I personally looked at reliability/quality (same thing to me) and I feel that goes by brand. So I looked at brands and who had better track record. I ended up buying a S&W M&P15 through well over 1k rounds through it and never had a problem. I loved that gun, I had to sell it in hard times and I've regretted it ever since. I still have nightmares. I did however make money on it.
Cost really shouldn't matter, because even a cheap piece of crap, is still a piece of crap.. Your going to have to put money into it to make it reliable, then you might as well have spent the extra money and bought a nice AR.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

Cost really shouldn't matter, because even a cheap piece of crap, is still a piece of crap.. Your going to have to put money into it to make it reliable, then you might as well have spent the extra money and bought a nice AR.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[MountainBear]

I want quality and reliability. If done properly they should go hand in hand. I have the AR I do because not only was it made in Oregon (buying locally is important as well), but it had an excellent reputation for quality and reliability.
With the AR being such a modular platform, looks are only mildly important and features are only slightly more so. Cost is important only in that if I am going to pay $2000 for an AR as opposed to $1000, I want to know what that extra money is getting. I want to know no corners were cut and that top of the line items were used. I want to know that I'm getting $2000 worth of product rather than a $1000 gun with an inflated price tag. I am very happy with mine for those reasons. I am confident in its quality and reliability. I know exactly what I paid for and was happy to do so.

 

[gnarkill]

So being fairly green in terms of AR's, I would like to get one in the near future. Who do you guys recommend getting one from?

I have heard as far as brand Colts are one of the best when buying from a big name, as far as what you get for the money. My buddy has recently purchased a Yankee Hill Machine rifle and says those are top notch as well.

What should I look for in buying one of these? Do you guys have a page for reference by chance that would be a good starting place?

Dont mean to threadjack but I think it pertains to the thread either way.

 

[Riot]

Price, first and foremost...then I look for reviews and ask for experiences. My next AR is going to be a mut with a Del-Ton lower and a Model1Sales upper.

Since I went this route I'm actually getting the AR-15 I originally wanted for about half the price than the first one I bought. My first AR-15 I bought was a post-ban Bushmaster AR-15 with a bull barrel...not the most idealistic rifle for what I wanted (IDPA 3-gun matches mainly). So price is a main factor for me...but most cetainly not the only factor. If that was the case, I would just go out and buy a Black Thorne AR!

 

[Gunner3456]

I have been unable to tell why any AR-15 is much better than a Del Ton. I have more than 2k rounds through one of mine now without ONE hiccup. Fit and finish is nice. It has a chrome moly barrel but chrome lined is available for a bit more. It has a 16" barrel with a 1:9 twist - just right for overall use imho. It's deadly accurate and has a very decent trigger. It's 5.56 - not just .223 as some are.

Coctailer has been able to sell them for $759 complete with some nice extras such as extra mags, an all purpose tool, a detachable carry handle on a flat top rail, etc. in the past. I'd check with him and look no farther.

Ask Coctailer what he can do right now for availability.

 

[Murphy]

I have been unable to tell why any AR-15 is much better than a Del Ton.
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Some things you just have to experience firsthand.

Spend the coin and attend a Pat Rogers course.

 

[Gunner3456]

Some things you just have to experience firsthand.

Spend the coin and attend a Pat Rogers course.

Ah! That's the best attempt at an air of superiority with not one bit of real info in it I've ever seen. Congratulations!

Now. Who am I, what training have I had, and what qualifications do I have to own an opinion? How do you know that for sure?

Come on. Who am I?

 

[Schwabdl]

i get to play with lots of rifles and like my del ton from coctailer just as well as any others..............so far but i have only shot about 5k through it

 

[Natty Bumpo]

I want quality and reliability. If done properly they should go hand in hand. I have the AR I do because not only was it made in Oregon (buying locally is important as well), but it had an excellent reputation for quality and reliability.
With the AR being such a modular platform, looks are only mildly important and features are only slightly more so. Cost is important only in that if I am going to pay $2000 for an AR as opposed to $1000, I want to know what that extra money is getting. I want to know no corners were cut and that top of the line items were used. I want to know that I'm getting $2000 worth of product rather than a $1000 gun with an inflated price tag. I am very happy with mine for those reasons. I am confident in its quality and reliability. I know exactly what I paid for and was happy to do so.

Very well stated, Mr Bear. My sentiments exactly.

 

[fijekladias]

So a gentleman on here said that he liked to buy local in Oregon. Where abouts in Oregon would one go?

 

[MountainBear]

There are a few companies in Oregon. Mine is a Next Generation Arms that was made over in Toledo. To expand on what I said about knowing where the extra $1000 goes, in this case it went to an upper and lower receiver that don't need an accu-wedge to not rattle, a PWS flash supressor/comp and enidine buffer that not only makes the gun soft shooting (even by .223 standards) but removes the annoying spring rattle when it shoots, and a great ceramic coating that is good looking and should prove to be great for function (I'm still breaking it in) and element resistance as well.

The other companies I know of are Noveske, who also has an incredible reputation (they are in Grants Pass) and Fidelis Arms (I believe they are in Redmond). I have owned several AR's now. Two Bushmaster, a DPMS, and a couple of home builds. All will work, but you can tell the difference with higher quality guns...

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

Everything at Next Generation Arms is hand fit from the start. The reason why they are so tight is due to the tolerences of the lower receiver, combined with an oversized upper that gets hand fit. I've seen some AR's that you could almost slip a dime between the upper and lower, not the Next Generation Arms rifles. On the high end guns they use Noveske barrels and advertise a 5/8 MOA group. On the patrol rifles they use a Colt contract M-4 barrel that shoots right around 1 MOA. The guns are definitely worth the money!

 

[Scott]

AR's and guns in general are like cars as everybody will pick one over the other. All people see things differently and shoot differntly and see quality differently. If that was not the case we would see very few AR's or different kind of guns. I will make a statement here and I feel my Armalite is the best AR I have ever had and my Kimbers are the best handguns I have ever had. Many people will not agree but that goes to my point of peoples choice. Pick what you like. Good luck.

 

[Murphy]

Ah! That's the best attempt at an air of superiority with not one bit of real info in it I've ever seen. Congratulations!

Now. Who am I, what training have I had, and what qualifications do I have to own an opinion? How do you know that for sure?

Come on. Who am I?

Not sure where you are getting the "air of superiority" vibe.

If you can't distinguish the difference between a Delton and a Colt, Noveske, or LMT then there really isn't anything left to be said.

What would your qualifications and details of your training have to do with this?

 

[drand]

I will second the Next Generation ARs. I was looking for an AR last year and spent quite a bit of time trying to decide what to get. After a lot of research and looking I ended up with the Next Generation and it is the best AR I have ever shot. The quality is obvious and in between the hydraulic buffer and compensator it has the quickest time to follow up shot that I have experienced and it is also a nice plus that it is the easiest Ar to clean as well.

 

[gnarkill]

I will second the Next Generation ARs. I was looking for an AR last year and spent quite a bit of time trying to decide what to get. After a lot of research and looking I ended up with the Next Generation and it is the best AR I have ever shot. The quality is obvious and in between the hydraulic buffer and compensator it has the quickest time to follow up shot that I have experienced and it is also a nice plus that it is the easiest Ar to clean as well.

What do the next gen AR's run generally? I am looking at their tactical version, the one up from the patrol carbine.