AR advice

[nolo]

I am wanting to get my first AR, and I'm looking for guidance. I've looked at Bushmaster M4 Patrolman and the DPMS on buds. I also looked at a Rock River Arms AR. I don't really know what to look for. Should I go with the DPMS for $650 and add everything I would want to it? Or should I go with a separate upper and lower and do the build? I am not looking to add optics right off the bat.

[Rightwinger]

Get a complete factory warrantied rifle for your first so you have a reference point to look at for all those builds you'll do later on.

Once bitten, it's a lifetime disease.

I prefer Rock River Arms but the wait times are still long. You can find good deals on RRA rifles looking around the web but I would recommend a trip to some vendors here to get your first. Guns & Leather in Middle TN and Hero Gear in south east TN will allow you to see a wide selection of complete rifles, answer questions and provide you a source for your future needs.

[nolo]

Get a complete factory warrantied rifle for your first so you have a reference point to look at for all those builds you'll do later on.

Once bitten, it's a lifetime disease.

I prefer Rock River Arms but the wait times are still long. You can find good deals on RRA rifles looking around the web but I would recommend a trip to some vendors here to get your first. Guns & Leather in Middle TN and Hero Gear in south east TN will allow you to see a wide selection of complete rifles, answer questions and provide you a source for your future needs.

I found a RRA for $900 at a shop with a tactical quad rail. It looked like the best rifle off the shelf.

[poak]

CMMG is a good choice to find the common ground between price and performance.

Honestly, with the market flooded with Colts and Daniel Defense in the 1k range, I'd save a few extra bills and score one of those.

[nolo]

Is a Colt any better than a Bushmaster or RRA? They are all mil-spec aren't they? What about a M&P?

[Rightwinger]

The Colts are good products. My brother has a heavy barrel A2 and it shoots great groups but for what he paid for it vs what I have paid for RRA and YHM stuff, I can't see the extra coin. I'm as bad as anyone else, my first was Rock River and I have been hooked on them ever since as they also use the Yankee Hill Mfg parts.

A complete RRA rifle with a quad rail on it for 900 bills is a very good price. Just make sure it ALL Rock River. The quad rail should have YHM on it somewhere as thats what they put on the rifles as their base product.

Edited November 14, 2009 by Rightwinger

[poak]

Is a Colt any better than a Bushmaster or RRA? They are all mil-spec aren't they? What about a M&P?

IMHO, yes.

I'd put LMT, Daniel Defense, and BCM on par with Colt as well.

I think the M&P is a fantastic value, but just *slightly* under the quality you'd receive from Colt, DD, or LMT.

Lots of manufacturers really throw around the term "Mil-Spec". They selectively apply it to suit themselves.

Example: Manufacturer X may claim their rifle is Mil-Spec solely based upon the type of barrel steel they used.

[midtennchip]

Is a Colt any better than a Bushmaster or RRA? They are all mil-spec aren't they? What about a M&P?

No, not necessarily. Take a look at the chart below. Good explanations and side-by-side comparisons.

M4 CHART

[Guest malbolja]

Not all OEMs are "mil spec" but IMO mil spec isn't necessarily the "best" spec. IIRC Rock River is not - but I wouldn't trade mine for the Colt or Bushy I owned previously. It doesn't usually make any difference except in things like the buffer tube. If you want to change the stock, you need one made for whichever diameter tube you have (or you can change the tube also).

I'm told the M&Ps are made by Stag Arms. It might be cheaper just to buy a Stag branded rifle but I haven't priced them vs the S&W.

[Guest (BH)]

Should I go with the DPMS for $650 and add everything I would want to it?

I think you should do what I did and buy a new M&P15X for $899 from Code 4 and go from there. Hell of a gun for a hell of deal.

[Mr. Brooks]

CMMG still has some bargain bin rifles for $600.

CMMG

[poak]

CMMG still has some bargain bin rifles for $600.

CMMG

I REALLY want one of those to paint so I can decide if I like camo'd ARs or not

[Mr. Brooks]

You can paint mine.

[poak]

You can paint mine.

Hey, I'll do it

[Mr. Brooks]

I might have to take you up on that. From what I have heard they are really in pretty good shape though. Most have one small scratch or something like that.

[poak]

I might have to take you up on that. From what I have heard they are really in pretty good shape though. Most have one small scratch or something like that.

Yeah, I saw one a few weeks ago that I talked my girlfriend's little bro into buying instead of a Bushy one of his friends was trying to off load.

I couldn't find a scratch on it, and the BCG was actually properly staked. Surely not the best BCG on the market, but I imagine it'll slay the crap out of some paper targets

Everything was real nice and tight on it, and the barrel looked great too.

We ran about 200 rounds of Federal .223 through it and it ran like a champ.

[Armed Aviator]

Hey, I'll do it

Would you paint mine?

[poak]

Would you paint mine?

Sure, why not?

You guys DO realize I have never painted one before, right?

[crashgordan]

I think you should do what I did and buy a new M&P15X for $899 from Code 4 and go from there. Hell of a gun for a hell of deal.

+1. screaming deal

[crashgordan]

CMMG still has some bargain bin rifles for $600.

CMMG

in my experience, and i've owned and shot most of em, CMMG is the bargain to have. still think the S&W for 800 is great though...