Want an AR-15 Buget of $1K - What Do I Get?

[Selftest]

This will be my last in this thread, because... You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.


Do ANY of you know what mil-spec means? Military Specification. That's all. It's a good guide line to follow, but it's also very easy to just say it's "milspec" when it isn't.

Most Bushmasters/Olys/DPMS etc, are not chambered in 5.56, no matter what the barrel says. Do your research.

Also, putting down a member whom you know nothing about is the first sign of ignorance. Are you all offended that some of us disagree with the status quo? That's what opinions are for, and some of them are more sound than others.

Again, qualify and quantify your post. Have you fired thousands of rounds a day through your Olympic arms? Bushmaster? DPMS? No? Then you can mark that off your list. Certain people here, and elsewhere, HAVE and will continue to do so. ****, the military Colts sometimes have HUNDREDS of thousands of rounds through them, with only the required maintenance done, and normal parts maintenance. Something most of us will never achieve.

 

[gunnoob75]

WOW wakejoe. You must be the AR god because you shoot AR's every day. Do you even know what "milspec" means?
As far as oly rifles, I still have a preban that is functioning perfectly with the only problem in the last 25 years of owning it is a broken extractor spring. So my "first gun down" must be a big POS in your book huh?

Further, you are correct. Bushmaster, Rock River, etc. They all work just great. For most people.

Excuse me?

That's great that it's lasted you so well. But you probably do not run your guns as hard as other people. But DPMS, Olympic, Rock River, Bushmaster and whatever others you want to throw my way, do not measure up to the M4 TDP. (Manufacturing specifications for Military rifles).
So they are not "MilSpec", as you say. I am not trying to bash your rifle, I'm just giving the correct information in contrast to your false information.

 

[best defense]

I have a budget of about $1K and want the best AR-15 I can get. I have read and read and read and looked and looked. I cannot come to a conclusion other than nobody agrees on much. Looking for suggestions on what to get and where to get it.

I have a used CAR-15 that I want to sell. It is a carbon fiber frame and stock, and is very light weight. It has a muzle break to keep the recoil down, but no sights. I could put some iron sights on it, but you will probably want an optical sight.
I would be willing to take $800 for it as is. Olympic arms sells these new for $940 last time I checked.

 

[Selftest]

I feel as if I should buy wakejoe a beer.

 

[jakk586]

saw a cmmg piston gun at my fgs thursday marked at $999.

 

[claypigeon]

saw a cmmg piston gun at my fgs thursday marked at $999.

This might be the one you were talking about. In any case Jason is great to deal with and a supporting vendor.

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13239

 

[NoAim]

This might be the one you were talking about. In any case Jason is great to deal with and a supporting vendor.

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13239

I like how he deleted the price from his ad.

 

[Grizzly_A]

So it seems like all the discussion is based upon the components in the upper receiver assembly.

So it sounds as if you're ok with getting a low end DPMS lower assembly and putting an $800+ upper receiver assembly from Colt, Noveske, BCM and we'd pass your test.

 

[Selftest]

For the most part, yes. A lower is pretty much a lower, and an LPK is pretty much an lpk. These are not the parts that usually cause problems.

Accuracy problems? Barrel/feed ramp/chamber/BCG/gas port

Popped primers? Jams? Magazines, chamber throat, barrel

Not cycling? BCG, Buffer, magazines, gas port...


See a trend here? Most common failures are due to the upper assembly/ammo/magazines. Lower parts breakage or failure is also usually a more inexpensive and easier fix, usually not requiring a gunsmith, and field repeatable. An LPK is a lot cheaper than a barrel, BCG, etc.

As stated before... If I found a stellar deal on a DPMS lower, I really wouldn't hesitate on putting a Kac, Noveske, BCM, LMT, Colt upper on it. That being said, if it was $10-20 more, I'd probably go with the higher end brand. Good thing that's usually not the case, as rifle makers understand that the lower is just a lower, unless it is billet. And MOST LPKs, minus the FCG, are made by the same companies. So, interchangeability there as well.


Edited to add: The real kicker is... Most quality upper receivers are NOT $800 bucks. ****, I just bough a complete BCM (hand matched upper and lower to minimize play between the two) for $1134 shipped. Locally, DPMS, Bushmasters, and Olympics were at that price point or MORE.

BCM Uppers are about $515 minus a BCG.

 

[claypigeon]

I like how he deleted the price from his ad.

Don't believe he did. It is right in the Title. I believe the spot you are looking at he is simply saying cash price plus background check. But I could be wrong.

The post is closed though

 

[Grizzly_A]

Edited to add: The real kicker is... Most quality upper receivers are NOT $800 bucks. ****, I just bough a complete BCM (hand matched upper and lower to minimize play between the two) for $1134 shipped. Locally, DPMS, Bushmasters, and Olympics were at that price point or MORE.

BCM Uppers are about $515 minus a BCG.

I just picked an arbitrary amount.

Given your experience at the competitions and observations, what would you recommend as something that fits the quality but isn't automatically xxxx brand as a good entry/mid for competition?

 

[Selftest]

Competition is a whole 'nother ball game. I don't think I can answer that question. I do believe, however, that a quality "fighting" rifle would probably serve you better than a "plinker" in the competition role, but I could be totally incorrect.

 

[22many]

This will be my last in this thread, because... You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.


Do ANY of you know what mil-spec means? Military Specification. That's all. It's a good guide line to follow, but it's also very easy to just say it's "milspec" when it isn't.

Most Bushmasters/Olys/DPMS etc, are not chambered in 5.56, no matter what the barrel says. Do your research.

Also, putting down a member whom you know nothing about is the first sign of ignorance. Are you all offended that some of us disagree with the status quo? That's what opinions are for, and some of them are more sound than others.

Again, qualify and quantify your post. Have you fired thousands of rounds a day through your Olympic arms? Bushmaster? DPMS? No? Then you can mark that off your list. Certain people here, and elsewhere, HAVE and will continue to do so. ****, the military Colts sometimes have HUNDREDS of thousands of rounds through them, with only the required maintenance done, and normal parts maintenance. Something most of us will never achieve.

As a matter of fact I have fired 1000,s of rounds through my 2 oly's, RRA, and bushy with the only problem being is a broken extractor spring on my preban oly. As I stated in my earlier post, then all fired the same.

Ignorance? Putting down a member? I stated me opinion on my own personal experience of my ar's and it seems that wakejoe doesnt argee with that. And you know what? thats just fine. As YOU said, thats what opinions are for.

As far as this origional post, If the guy is not going to be match shooting and is going to use it as plinkering or occasional shooting then as I stated, they all shoot just fine.

Oh, and maybe you should do your research, where in my previous posts did I say anything about 5.56?

 

[Selftest]

WOW wakejoe. You must be the AR god because you shoot AR's every day. Do you even know what "milspec" means?

Sounds pretty snarky and offensive to me. If I'm wrong, I appologize for the accusation.


As far as RRA, Oly, etc... While you may have thousands of rounds through them, my question still remains: How long has it taken you to put those thousands of rounds through the rifle? Pre-ban is Pre-94, correct? So, 15 years?

Magpul Dynamics Tactical Carbine II class requires 1800 rounds. In TWO DAYS worth of shooting. If you truly and honestly believe that a bone stock RRA/Oly/Bushy/DPMS can do that course, you, sir, are a man of faith. I don't have that faith. I do, however, believe that my bone stock BCM will do that all day long, without any issues, as long as I do my part. Keep her wet, use quality ammo (doesn't have to be Black Hills match, either... I'm not an ammo snob) and use quality mags.

I am not saying that it could never happen. What I AM saying is, records show that these guns, more often than not, will NOT survive such abuse, and the guns that I, and others, have mentioned (to recap: BCM, Noveske, Colt, LMT, KAC) HAVE and WILL continue to do so.

I have no personal investment in your choice of firearms, as you have none in mine. But, misinformation gets my goat. When it is so vigorously defended, it does more harm than good.

Again, and I'll re-iterate: If you can save $200 bucks (last I checked DPMS and company were still about $900 bucks for an entry level flat-top with BUIS) and fire 200 trouble free rounds, and then put it in a safe, more power to you. If that is your intended purpose. But if you are EVER intend to use the AR in a defensive capacity, or take it to an 1800 round count course, save for an extra month or two, and buy a PROVEN rifle first.

I say all this, and have repeated it as such, because I care about my money, and I do not know many people that are solvent enough to have a "range" gun and a "fighting/training" gun. I may buy one more AR for the rest of my life (a 14.5" Noveske with the Noveske Comp pinned to meet OAL standards... sexy) and call it a day. I have other priorities (I have a severe handgun fetish). My money means too much to me to buy anything other than the best I can afford. That is to say; If you can afford a $900 rifle, but not a $1100 rifle, then maybe you shouldn't be buying ANY rifle. It may not be true, but it's how I feel.

 

[FAL]

Right Here

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/forum/showthread.php?p=117646#post117646

 

[gunnoob75]

WOW wakejoe. You must be the AR god because you shoot AR's every day. Do you even know what "milspec" means?

Do you?

Man, I don't want to turn this into a personal bash-fest, but you're making it very hard. I have not attacked you or your rifles, so you need to step back, and calm down.

You're in a losing battle, and just need to accept it. Your Oly/DPMS/Whatever else are NOT up to Spec with the TDP, and that's just how it is. I'm sorry that it's so offensive to you, but that's just how it is.

 

[NoAim]

To be honest, I think the response goes back to "what do you want your purpose to be?".

I tend to use mine for competition. So I fire 25 rounds in 1 minute 4 times for one day a month. Not exactly stressful. I'm not shooting hundreds of rounds in a short amount of time to allow things like the bolt to heat, etc. etc.

So the poster is correct. If you plan to abuse the rifle and really start stressing it like that, a higher quality (or better inspected) rifle may be the better, less stressful, and less costly (i.e. less part breakages) solution in the long run.

That said, if you are like most of us, and go to the range, go blasting, go shoot competition, likely any of the common and cheaper brands will work for you.

 

[wakeadrian]

Oh, and maybe you should do your research, where in my previous posts did I say anything about 5.56?

By saying they are "milspec"

 

[22many]

Selftest, you last post was about the best post in this thread. When I see a post asking people about the best AR for close to $1000.00 it tells me the guy is going to use it for general plinkering which is what the majority of us buy these rifles for. In that case the olys, rra, deltrons, ect, ect are great for that. Sure, you will have your other guys that use them for match comp shooting but as we all know, those rifles are above the $1000.00 price range.

Wakejoe, what is you deal? I posted info on what I have read and what I have experienced and you come off like nobodys else's opinion matters but yours. So if I came off as a dick, then it was warrented. Im sure you have higher quaility AR,s than the majority than us but the poster said "budget of 1K". Im sure what your takling about is well above the $1000.00 price range. Personal bashfest? How do you figure that? You gonna bash me because of my experience on my own weapons? Because I have a different opinion than yours? Oh, and loosing battle?.......lol. Whatever.

Noaim, you hit the nail right on the head!

 

[wakeadrian]

Sorry, Edited. (I figured it would be better sent in a PM, to not derail the thread.)