What is the best AR-15 for the money?

[Lycanthrope]

Just a month or two ago, someone was posting how their bolt or bolt carrier broke in a dpms. I'm pretty sure the extra testing Colt and others do would have caught the crack.
.

Don't bet on it. Plenty of good steel can break without a crack. I got acclimated with MPI when I used to race IHRA cars. We fluxed all the reciprocating parts and bought the best we could, but things still broke. MPI just catches the more obvious flaws. Heat, speed and vibration can take it's toll on anything.

I'm a fan of MPI, but you can get a whole set of V8 rods peened and MPI'd for like $50! What Colt has typically charged is somewhat of a travesty since you can get this done at your local machine chop for next to nothing if you want it.

Lycanshootwhatyawanthrope

[arjohnson]

I won't argue that you can build one just as good or better---but for an off the shelf gun, in my opinion based on specs, you can't even put dpms / oly in the same category as a Colt / LMT / Noveske.

Just a month or two ago, someone was posting how their bolt or bolt carrier broke in a dpms. I'm pretty sure the extra testing Colt and others do would have caught the crack.

Sure, all guns can fail---but why not start out with the best to begin with to minimize the risk.

Bottom line is any gun can break, Colt's and LMT's just tend to break less often with heavy use.

[1911shooter]

Forget Colt they are way over priced for what you get. Stay with a Rock River Or a Stag, they cant be beat for the money and i own both as well as i sold my Colt for the simple reason the Stag is a better rifle. Just my .02 cents cuz i will catch a huge amount of flak for not liking Colt.

[john23]

That order looks to be about right.

What happened to Armalite? Hope I didn't make a mistake.

[nfafan]

FYI

Bushmaster EM15 (?? - - their M4rgery but with the skinny CAR handguards) seen at Gander Mtn in Robinson Twp/Moon Twp store on 4/27, 1930hrs.

$1200.00

And IMHO after handling it and looking at the engraved markings, finish of the crudely cast/finished FSB, the fuzzy parkjob of the recvrs - there is no way that it is cosmetically better than the less expensive Oly Plinker Plus or CAR.

I don't think that was typical for the Bushmaster of old, and now have to wonder if the current "off the shelf" guns are getting slammed together as fast as possible to meet current sales demand?

Also FWIW;

the PG today has a front page story that the PGH PD is obtaining S&W M&P-15s. So scratch that off your short list until after all the posers and wannabees run out and get theirs too - driving up demand even worse than it is.

[fwestrom]

What happened to Armalite? Hope I didn't make a mistake.

ArmaLite sold the rights for the AR-15 to Colt in 1959. Probably a huge mistake, since Colt went on to successfully market the rifle to military and law enforcement.

[24/7dude]

sorry, I haven't checked up on my post in a while and it looks like I stirred up a debate. I saw on either Rock River's or Bushmasters website (can't remember which one atm) that they have their AR-15's listed for like $650.

Is this just because they haven't updated in a while or can you still get them at this price at a store, not a gun show?

[Kurt_M]

They just haven't updated their site. You can't find an AR for less than $1000 these days, if you can find one at all. Manufacturers are backed up months on production.

[john23]

ArmaLite sold the rights for the AR-15 to Colt in 1959. Probably a huge mistake, since Colt went on to successfully market the rifle to military and law enforcement.

I bought an Armalite National Match in 2005. So, who makes this, and wouldn't this be a good AR-15 to consider?

[nfafan]

sorry, I haven't checked up on my post in a while and it looks like I stirred up a debate. I saw on either Rock River's or Bushmasters website (can't remember which one atm) that they have their AR-15's listed for like $650.

Is this just because they haven't updated in a while or can you still get them at this price at a store, not a gun show?

Without double-checking your findings, I'd bet these are their no-frills entry-level KISS rifles, like the Panther Lites and Plinker Plus rifles.

All are good solid "plinkers" that can subsequently be used to build upon using other parts pieces, like uppers and buttstocks. Rare is the gunshow that will have these on the tables for long.

Great starter ARs for the shooter that has other responsibilities in life that preclude jumping into an almost $2K Colt.

Another truly wild-hair in the AR world are the Century Arms AR-15s they used to sell (still sell??).
These are/were their mixmaster 20" parts-guns that are made up of new and re-furbed parts, and reviews have indicated that these 20" rifles aren't all that bad for the under-$700.00 buck.