Recommended Factory Made AR's?

[Bon Sauvage]

So....my wife accepted responsibility for her own safety a few months ago and obtained her CPL. At her own request I bought her a G19 gen5. We obtained a membership at SAFEFIRE and we go there every Friday. She is signing up for classes too. In all honesty I have never had such a fun shooting partner.

At SAFEFIRE there are always a few people shooting AR's. My wife started asking questions about the carbines and now we are at the, "I sure would like to try one," stage. After 38 years of marriage I recognize all the signs and I know that I am already a beaten man.

I am pretty familiar with the Colt models. I carried one at work for years, until I decided to decertify myself due to failing eyesight, and I took a week long M16 Armorer's Course (not the same thing but very close.) I remember that the instructor was very pro-Colt and didn't have anything good to say about other makers. Maybe that was because Colt signed his paychecks.

Before I throw down my hard earned shekels on an AR for my wife I need to know if Colt is the only brand worth considering or if there are others equally as good. Are there any makers that I should stay away from?

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[HotRodGuy]

I am very happy with my S&W M&P15.

 

[powermad]

Uh oh...
I'm not a brand fan, I'll get what I like if it's made well and fits my needs. I don't really care what is engraved on the side or who made it for the most part.
With AR's there are so many to choose from, from budget to wild.

Depending on your skill sets, building one is a good option and usually cheaper than a factory gun.
The market is pretty much flooded with used AR's, I see decent ones for $500 or less all the time.
Getting a basic one that hasn't been upgraded or fiddled with by someone else is probably the best bet. Then you can upgrade to suit your needs and wants as you see fit.

 

[11Charlie]

Do you have a budget?

I still own my very first which is a M&P. Still one of the most reliable. A lot of people will say Ruger or roll your own. It literally comes down to budget and what you want.

 

[Member 34319]

Factory AR15s go from extreme lows to extreme highs.

Palmetto State Armory has some of the best budget AR15s on the market that are of remarkable quality for the price.

Ruger has an entry level carbine that can be had for a great price as well. Similarly Smith and Wesson's MP15.

Then you can go to the other spectrum. Like Noveske or LWRC or a handful of other names that manufacturer very nice very high end fit and finish rifles.

In the middle is just about a thousand different options.

Picking one can be pretty nuts if you're not particular about brands or special features.

I'd recommend Ruger products if you're not overly interested in going through all ten thousand AR15 makes and models. They have two very nice AR15s that would be a good fit. One is entry level budget oriented but very well made, the other is slightly better situated with nicer components for better ergonomics, however the main components are the same.





Another Factory line of rifles that comes to mind are the Springfield Armory line of Saint rifles. They have many various models that go from basic to competition.

Best of luck! It pretty overwhelming out there.

As well as congratulations on the wife coming into the world of shooting sports and gaining a great shooting partner.

 

[turq]

I suggest looking at the Wyndham Weaponry 9mm rifles
Quality. Read the company bio on the home page.
Nice choices of components in those two 9 mm rifles, not overly high priced.

 

[DirectDrive]

Best Entry Level : Smith & Wesson M&P
Best Lower Mid Range : Palmetto State Armory
Best Upper Mid Range : Springfield Saint (Colt honorable mention)

Then comes the upper end with great patrol grade rifles (BCM, Daniel Defense, etc.) and then getting more boutique-ish as the prices go up.

Here's the Saint.
In that price point no other offering in the marketplace can touch that.
Springfield Armory ST916556B Saint 16

 

[surevaliance]

I am happy with my Colt 6920LE.

 

[MannyGlocks]

Noveske

Daniel Defense

LMT

BCM

POF

And of course Colt and there's more, but that'll get ya started.

 

[DirectDrive]

It's outdated now, but it's fun to look at
rob_s caused so much buttsoreness with this that he was banned (or left) several sites where he was posting/updating the infamous "Chart".

 

[DivCurlGrad72]

Here's a link to a good AR-15 buyer's guide updated for 2019: 7 Best AR-15s: Complete Buyer's Guide [2019] - Pew Pew Tactical.

I took their advice and bought the S&W M&P Sport II for my first AR and was very happy with it.

There's a lot of other good info on this site too, especially for beginners.

 

[Kruel J]

I would agree with most posts here, but I wouldn't recommend the Springfield Saint nor call it "upper mid level". The comparison of the Saint to a Colt is just not fair.

 

[oli700]

I am very happy with my S&W M&P15.

My FIL has a sport that shoots lights out , a very impressive carbine. I've shot plenty that cost three times as much that wouldn't group like that m&p sport

 

[Kruel J]

My FIL has a sport that shoots light out , a very impressive carbine. I've shot plenty that cost three times as much that wouldn't group like that m&p sport

They are a great rifle for the money! They are my number one recommendation for people looking to get an affordable factory rifle.

 

[oli700]

They are a great rifle for the money! They are my number one recommendation for people looking to get an affordable factory rifle.

Me too if I can't talk them into building .
Another relative has a Saint. Came with a crapy disconnector , the trigger wouldn't reset under live fire . I just replaced it for her and it works fine now...it shoots average , it if it's considered higher end the the Smith I don't see it side by side.

 

[Member 34319]

I would agree with most posts here, but I wouldn't recommend the Springfield Saint nor call it "upper mid level". The comparison of the Saint to a Colt is just not fair.

Not the base model, but their Edge and Victor models have very nice features for their respective prices.

 

[Kruel J]

Not the base model, but their Edge and Victor models have very nice features for their respective prices.

Gotcha. I stopped being interested in them after the publicity stunt.

 

[Member 34319]

Anyone have good feedback on the Rugers? I'm honestly considering picking up one myself.

Online reviews seem overwhelmingly positive.

 

[Kruel J]

Anyone have good feedback on the Rugers? I'm honestly considering picking up one myself.

Online reviews seem overwhelmingly positive.

I've heard good things about them as well. They would be my number two for a factory built working man's/woman's gun.

 

[Camelfilter]

Anyone have good feedback on the Rugers? I'm honestly considering picking up one myself.

Online reviews seem overwhelmingly positive.

Have a few Ruger AR556, like them. Recommend them to acquentences who've asked about semiauto sporting rifles. Quite a few have asked recently.

Have a colt 6920 Magpul, like it, but not worth the $ compared to the Rugers. IMO.

Never tried a S&W sport though, so can't compare 1st hand.

Anything above $600/700 range, better off building up something specific for intended purpose these days. Given the market, IMO.