AR15's - One good one or many ok ones?

[Mikej]

You mean this one?

OMG. I like seeing pretty girls as much as everyone but, but. Is it because I'm getting older that I'm embarrassed for Noveske?

 

[Member 34319]

Depends on where you want to go? Expensive to me means more accurate. If not
what are you paying for? A name? Reliability is expected even in a cheap build.
The proof is in what is winning at the match.
I have been shooting High Power competition for +30 years. We don't see these
Daniel Defense or similar exspensive rifles on the firing line. What makes the
difference in accuracy is the barrel and trigger. Top competitors are using
Compass Lake Engineering(CLE) or White Oak Armament(WOA) with Krieger/WOA barrels.
These rifles are capable of sub .5 MOA out to 600 yards! You can put a WOA
or Krieger barrel on your cheap upper and shoot shoot .5 MOA with good ammo.
To me it is about results. If there is no difference in accuracy of an exspensive vs
a budget build your are getting hosed.

I would want to say the DD wouldn't be more accurate due to components made for durability instead.

There are definitely brands out there that come with remarkable refined fit and finish and stronger precision.

I understand throwing an expensive barrel on an AR15 produces better precision. I've done it. Built a coyote gun way back with a nice 24" White Oak barrel and a free float tube. Shot wonderfully.

I like @IronMonster just kind of enjoy the feeling and attention to detail a higher end product brings.

The car analogy says it the best. Sure I could put leather in my Camry, but the Lexas is just far more refined in every way.

I understand some don't see it as this. I didn't for a long time too. I would shoot my home brews right along those that could afford the factory guns and laugh as I did as good if not better. Now I want to see what I'd do shooting those nice ones.

 

[Jonnyuma]

This thread went a little bit differently than I had thought. I was expecting a lot of "buy once, cry once" type of rhetoric (which, btw, I do not disagree with).

I have 3 ARs and they all serve a different purpose, at least in my mind. Only one has been bought complete, the "light carbine".
The Heavy Carbine" (w glass) was built off a PSA lower and RRA upper. Both have been modified w triggers, furniture, sights, bolts, etc and both are GTG for under 1G ea.

The last is an 18" stainless. 223 Wylde build with a Wilson barrel, RRA upper and Aero Precision lower... it's the range piece that I'm still working on.

If SHTF, I can't guarantee that I'd grab the "right" one, but I know whichever one I grab will be okay.

 

[slimmer13]

I've had a ah-ha moment with a recent purchase that factory made AR15s can be very nice when purchased in the mid to upper level.

I used to have a bunch and have slowly gotten down to a handful. They are all home builds. I was thinking a really nice factory gun would be a change. Like a Daniel Defense or similar.

Would you kill three to get one nice?

Kind of like selling three Toyota Camry to get a Supra.

Thoughts?

Other than a little bit more resale value for a factory gun, why not just build the Supra with all matching parts as you can afford them and keep the Camrys?

 

[Garg]

I recommend putting POF on a short list of high end factory guns. The one I have (and the ONLY factory gun I own) is amazing.
Adjustable piston, matched fluted barrel, and an awesome trigger, 4.5 lbs IIRC.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I guess it'd be nice to have a "high-end" carbine but to me, an excellent handgun that one has mastered is much more important. You are not going be afforded the luxury of receiving notification and given the time and opportunity to set up your gun emplacement to decimate the ravaging hoards.. because your rifle is pretty much never with you and your handgun is.

 

[11Charlie]

IMHO I would hands down keep what you got. If you can afford to buy a upper level AR and want one then go buy one.

I have some upper level rifles and wouldn't sell them for anything. One of these days I will own a upper level AR but I won't get rid of old reliable's either.

Again just my .02

 

[bsa1917hunter]

How bad do you want your "upper shelf" AR rifle?
If you are happy with how your home built rifles work and shoot , would you regret selling or trading something off , that works fine , for something that works the same , but has a "cool" or status name?
I do however , understand the desire for a "upper" shelf or custom gun...they can, at times , give you many features that you just can't find anywhere else.

While not AR type rifle...each gun below has a different feel and use ...but to many folks the all just look like the same old antique gun.
Some of the guns are indeed shooters and some are just for study...but the enjoyment I get from showing and telling about these guns is immense.

Not all rifles are equal to the same task...and having a dedicated gun to a certain task can make sense....
That said I do believe in the old adage of : "Beware of the man who only has one gun..."
Everyone should have a favorite rifle that they turn to and won't let them down.
Your home built rifle may have features you can't get with off the shelf model , even a upper shelf one.

Lastly in this long ramble , I have traded and sold many old and new guns to get this collection...some guns I have traded off with no regrets...others are the "one that got away..."
And more to the point do you really want advice from a guy who has a table or two that looks like this?...
Andy
View attachment 418756

I always love your posts man. Albeit, this one is a bit long. While I sit and ponder the infamous quote that you and joe13 point out, I think about my dad, who only had 1 big game rifle when I was still living at home. The old man is a remarkable shot with that old vz24 8mm Maurer, no doubt. However, he doesn't have the same fascination I have with rifles, to fully appreciate them. I believe the better rifleman will be the one who familiarizes himself with many rifles and develops a profound amount of proficiency with said rifles. This means safely manipulating/operating with speed and above average marksmanship. Just how I see it, probably because I have more than 1 rifle. Ha ha. Oh, by the way op, I have a beautiful noveske that is extremely accurate, that I'll sell you if you are wanting a top notch big name ar. You guys have a great new year!!!!

 

[Koda]

what I would do is custom build my own from all high end components then you will really get to see inside out what those high end components are doing for you.

 

[Stomper]

I guess it'd be nice to have a "high-end" carbine but to me, an excellent handgun that one has mastered is much more important. You are not going be afforded the luxury of receiving notification and given the time and opportunity to set up your gun emplacement to decimate the ravaging hoards.. because your rifle is pretty much never with you and your handgun is.

Ahem, I DO beg to differ, mon frère...

 

[etrain16]

I've sold plenty of guns to buy other guns, in many cases, buying 'up' to better quality or something I wanted more. Some guns are certainly worthy of a bigger investment due to scarcity, collectability, increased performance/accuracy, reliability or maybe even pure aesthetic value. Personally, I tend to go more for practicality and value overall - do I need a more expensive gun to do the work a less expensive gun may be able to do? If so, then unless I have a good reason, I tend to avoid more expensive guns - if for no other reason than to have more $$ available for other guns I may want. I don't compete with rifles, though I've shot a couple of matches for fun, so I am not, at least at this time, in need of a really high end AR. That could change down the road.

Sacrificing 3 guns to buy 1? If it's worth it to you, do it. If the 3 guns all serve basically the same purpose and you would gain something with the more expensive gun, do it. If you want a high-end model for better fit/finish and don't mind giving up several guns to get there, do it.

As for me, my next large purchase will likely be a higher-end bolt gun, something capable of good accuracy at 1K yards, possibly further. Still trying to decide which way I want to go on that one, but it's likely to be a $1K+ gun, before optics. I figure that's 1$ a yard, so not bad

 

[Boboclown]

I would hope that a gun that's accurate at 100 would stay accurate past that.

 

[IronMonster]

I guess it'd be nice to have a "high-end" carbine but to me, an excellent handgun that one has mastered is much more important. You are not going be afforded the luxury of receiving notification and given the time and opportunity to set up your gun emplacement to decimate the ravaging hoards.. because your rifle is pretty much never with you and your handgun is.

I would say I have a rifle in arms reach 90% of the time... One of the benefits of being self employed

 

[RVTECH]

and even Mattel

If memory serves I believe it was just the HANDLE that was made by (and marked 'Mattel') creating the belief the rifle was MADE by Mattel - but the mark was later removed.

 

[bbbass]

I pointed out in most cases, I don't believe most of the young guys have the money to buy quality. I didn't as a young man but the guns of my youth were probably better than the guns of today are in general. Again just opinion but life is full of "good enough" and no need to find better. Over time in my own life I have learned to appreciate better guns, I still haven't shot them all but you can really see the difference on paper.

Sorry to come late to the party, but...

I both agree and disagree. I think "most" young guys today would not have the $$ to fund the kind of quality you are referencing. I know that I didn't. And young guys today are generally financing college, trade school, wife and kids, cars, or they are living on min wage, not working at all, or whatever.

Like you, I had many rifles, pistols, and shotguns, that I scrimped and saved for, and they put today's production weapons to shame.

IMO, not all high quality firearms shoot better. Handguns, sometimes. Shotguns, sometimes. Rifles, bolt-action, for sure. In my experience with ARs, not some much.

I have a build AR of reasonable quality ($600). 18" stainless fluted barrel. Rifle length gas. Colfax lower. Cheap tube and buttstock. ARxxx.com upper. Cheapo scope. High quality trigger. Shoots dime sized group of five with handloads at 100yds. Now that I am "older", I can't shoot that well anyway.

 

[bbbass]

I adore high end shotguns! Fit and finish to the max... beautiful wood, silver receivers, gold triggers, HQ engraving, custom stock and comb. And accuracy out the wazoo for trap, doves, and skeet. Just holding one is like holding a beautiful woman. Would I have sold my 10 or so shotguns for a Perazzi or European beauty? Nope!!

But if I were a rich man...

 

[Certaindeaf]

I would say I have a rifle in arms reach 90% of the time... One of the benefits of being self employed

Inspector Gadget!

 

[Wombat of Doom]

My home built ARs are exactly what I want. I didn't compromise on parts. I guess I don't see how factory high end beats custom high end. Then again, a particular homebrew ar of mine crossed 1k pretty handily, But it has a nice scope, bipod and such. I homebuild because I get exactly what I want the first time. I have my ARs set up quite different.

 

[RVTECH]

I adore high end shotguns! Fit and finish to the max... beautiful wood, silver receivers, gold triggers, HQ engraving, custom stock and comb.

When I was a kid an uncle - in - law had a pair of Browning Lie'ge Exposition Grade O/U shotguns - these were not really 'guns' - they were gold and the highest grade of wood ever found shaped into shotguns - they were essentially museum pieces.

 

[bbbass]

they were essentially museum pieces.

Now that's what I'm talkin bout!!! Makes my heart beat faster just reading it.