New to the M4 Carbine Game

[Emptymag]

Make sure there is a BCG included with the upper.

That's a rarity.
Many people prefer to choose a BCG and CH of their liking vs the "baseline" ones that will be included.

I'm too busy reloading to build rifles.

Now THAT's funny. LOL

[ScaredOnce]

This morning while I was working out & lifting, I watched a Classic Firearms YinzTube with the dude who started Q. He roasted Clint’s Sig MCXs & Spears and made a lot of good points.

I don’t have any Q stuff, but have been around them and used their products quite a bit with friends and guys who brought them to shoots I’ve RO’d… That might be next next experiment after I finish the LMT kick.

I feel like one has to go all-in on Q to get the benefits though?

[arjohnson]

If you want a M4 spend a little extra and get a Colt 6920.

[ScaredOnce]

If you want a M4 spend a little extra and get a Colt 6920.

Another great starting point!

GunBroker says no, but shouldn’t they still be had for around $1250 naked??

[arjohnson]

Another great starting point!

GunBroker says no, but shouldn’t they still be had for around $1250 naked??

Haven’t looked lately but sounds about right.

[arjohnson]

https://www.primaryarms.com/colt-6920-m4-556-rifle-16in

[arjohnson]

OP,
You can definitely start with a cheap economy rifle like an M&P15 or an PSA and upgrade bits step by step to your liking. See what safeties, charging handles, gas blocks, springs etc.

In fact, that can be a fun learning experience as you see what works, what doesn’t, why cheap stuff is cheap, why cheap stuff is usually fuddy..

You’ll spend way more £$€ holistically, but you’ll be buying the learning experience. Which I feel is worth it. That’s how I look at it. I actually bought a pair of SA Saint Victors a few years ago just to experiment with different shorty parts and how to setup a decent everday backpack rifle. Did the same recently setting up a 12.5” BCM Mk2…. Ended up with a bunch of extra quality parts and even swapped out the rail for a Geissele Mk16. Changed the barrel (I shoot about 1k rounds a month through it this year, so another barrel inbound again), changed the suppression system from SureFire SOCOM Muzzle Brake & RC2 to a HuxWrx flask hider mount for a Flow556k, ditched the Travis Haley thiccc slings for something else, etc. try stuff.

The rifle has to meet the purpose, right? There are tons of dudes in the “Just As Good Fudd Club”, but they probably don’t train very hard and then try to talk down on those that do. Invite them to a serious training course or night tactical event. Their groundhog ARs and Amazon optics might not make it through the weekend.. lol. But, they key will be sharing knowledge and they’ll be learning. That what it’s all. We should be here to help each other… not flex.

Yep, here’s a BCM 8600 rnd test with no lube or cleaning, without a malfunction. I hear the it’s just as good as all the time, fact is it’s not. I don’t shoot AR’s as much as I use to or would like to, I also don’t buy stuff because it’s cheaper, I’ll pay more for proven quality and you can get a good quality rifle like a BCM or a Colt for a little less. The Colt imo is the best of a basic rifle you can get for the money.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ImOPS6...cm5kIHRlc3Q%3D

[jthrelf]

Skip the Colt 6920 unless you pick one up used, 10 years old or so. Colt nowadays just outsources every part and assembles, they don't build in house like they did when they had contracts. So you're paying a lot when you're just as well off getting a PSA...

Put me in the camp of spending a bit more. If you truly can only swing $500, go PSA they're a great company. But if you can do $1200-1500, it's worth it to me. BCM, LWRC, Geissele, Daniel Defense, Sons of Liberty Gun Works are in that range, especially used.

You're paying for: better QC, tighter parts specs, better rails, features, proper gas port sizing, heavier buffer, more accurate barrels, stronger gas block installation, better trigger probably.

The market is just different nowadays and you can be effective with basic, but I'd rather have a midlength 14.5" with MLOK rail.... 16" carbine length no thanks

[Emptymag]

This morning while I was working out & lifting, I watched a Classic Firearms YinzTube with the dude who started Q. He roasted Clint*s Sig MCXs & Spears and made a lot of good points.

I don*t have any Q stuff, but have been around them and used their products quite a bit with friends and guys who brought them to shoots I*ve RO*d* That might be next next experiment after I finish the LMT kick.

I feel like one has to go all-in on Q to get the benefits though?

Us poors have no effing idea wtf a "Q" is.

LOL

[arjohnson]

Skip the Colt 6920 unless you pick one up used, 10 years old or so. Colt nowadays just outsources every part and assembles, they don't build in house like they did when they had contracts. So you're paying a lot when you're just as well off getting a PSA...

Put me in the camp of spending a bit more. If you truly can only swing $500, go PSA they're a great company. But if you can do $1200-1500, it's worth it to me. BCM, LWRC, Geissele, Daniel Defense, Sons of Liberty Gun Works are in that range, especially used.

You're paying for: better QC, tighter parts specs, better rails, features, proper gas port sizing, heavier buffer, more accurate barrels, stronger gas block installation, better trigger probably.

The market is just different nowadays and you can be effective with basic, but I'd rather have a midlength 14.5" with MLOK rail.... 16" carbine length no thanks

Colt doesn’t outsource every part, they may outsource some parts but they’ll still be made to Colts specs and the TDP. Their lowers are now lazer marked vs roll stamped, they still make their own lowers, uppers, barrels, bcg etc and are cage code marked.

I’ve seen comparison videos of old vs new Colts and they’re the same minus the rollmarks and barrel markings. New stuff is cage code marked.

You mentioned BCM and SOLGW, don’t think either one manufacturers any part, they outsource everything. Doesn’t mean anything as long as parts are made to meet their specifications which they do.

Most all outsource something if not all parts with maybe the exception of a few like Daniel Defense, Geissele, LMT and LWRC, and they probably don’t make every single part either.

I’d still say Colt is the best option for the money, there’s better and price reflects that. As for PSA and similar, if you don’t care much about quality and just want an AR to plink with once and a while then have at it. If you want just one for self defense or SHTF scenario, spend the cash and get a quality rifle.