AR-15 Newbie seeking advise
- Thread starter Hockeytown
- Start date
If you're a left-handed shooter, I'd run, not walk to ArmsEast and pick up a STAG! Two of my buddies are lefties and they vow that'll they'll never go back to shooting right handed rifles.
As for your choice of manufacturers. If you can bear shooting a right handed rifle, there are some good deals on used Colt sporters. Colt has the "brand name" recognition and the Kool-Aid Drinkers on the go vow and declare that if it isn't Colt its junk! I own several Colts and they're fine rifles, but they aren't a quantum leap beyond my LMT Defender or STAG. In fact, the LMT seems to be the better made firearm, however, it doesn't have the same resale value that a similar Colt LE6921 would have.
Colt seems to have become progressively anti-civilian so the forces of supply and demand have driven the prices of Colt M4 clones far higher than they're actually worth. LMT and STAG are making equally as good firearms, especially for sporting purposes, even though they're made to meet/exceed mil-spec requirements.
Rock River Arms are making good rifles these days, as are Armalite, but I've found that LMT & STAG seem to fall within a higher tier of quality. Bushmaster, DPMS, etc...seem to be hit or miss. Some are exceptionally well built rifles, others are simply horrible, although Bushmaster seems to have solved some of their biggest QC problems that have been plaguing them for the past couple of years.
Before making your final decision, use the search function for the Black Rifle forum; also, why not check out AR15.com? There is mountains of feedback, reviews, pictures, etc...on just about every AR variant ever made. Should help you a little in making your decision.
As for your choice of manufacturers. If you can bear shooting a right handed rifle, there are some good deals on used Colt sporters. Colt has the "brand name" recognition and the Kool-Aid Drinkers on the go vow and declare that if it isn't Colt its junk! I own several Colts and they're fine rifles, but they aren't a quantum leap beyond my LMT Defender or STAG. In fact, the LMT seems to be the better made firearm, however, it doesn't have the same resale value that a similar Colt LE6921 would have.
Colt seems to have become progressively anti-civilian so the forces of supply and demand have driven the prices of Colt M4 clones far higher than they're actually worth. LMT and STAG are making equally as good firearms, especially for sporting purposes, even though they're made to meet/exceed mil-spec requirements.
Rock River Arms are making good rifles these days, as are Armalite, but I've found that LMT & STAG seem to fall within a higher tier of quality. Bushmaster, DPMS, etc...seem to be hit or miss. Some are exceptionally well built rifles, others are simply horrible, although Bushmaster seems to have solved some of their biggest QC problems that have been plaguing them for the past couple of years.
Before making your final decision, use the search function for the Black Rifle forum; also, why not check out AR15.com? There is mountains of feedback, reviews, pictures, etc...on just about every AR variant ever made. Should help you a little in making your decision.
I had 16" 2L model. Flat top, with Arms 40 Buis.
I've been researching AR15 as well this is what I've found...
The closest thing you'll get to a Colt is a STAG.. For years this company has been one of the largest sub-contractors for Colt. They eventually decided to market their own AR15 as Colt won't sell to the public...
This is the closest thing to the actual Colt rifle on the market, and since they still manufacture for Colt I wouldn't be suprised many many of the parts come of the assembly line at the same time with some making Stags and others making Colts.
The closest thing you'll get to a Colt is a STAG.. For years this company has been one of the largest sub-contractors for Colt. They eventually decided to market their own AR15 as Colt won't sell to the public...
This is the closest thing to the actual Colt rifle on the market, and since they still manufacture for Colt I wouldn't be suprised many many of the parts come of the assembly line at the same time with some making Stags and others making Colts.
You're welcome, and as another poster has pointed out, CMT, which is the parent company of STAG manufactures many of the major parts purchased by numerous AR manufactueres across the board, including those with military contracts including Colt.
BTW, the new Smith & Wesson MP-15 is assembled with a majority of CMT/STAG parts, although S&W is trying to do more stuff in house. With STAG, you get equivalent quality (i.e., same rifle) without paying hundreds more for that roll mark. STAG also does MP testing on many of their parts such as barrels, the same as Colt & LMT.
Check out www.armseast.com or click on the link at the top of the page to see all the STAG combos available here in Canada.
If I was in the market for another AR, there are only 2 brands I would buy for new rifles. LMT & Stag. LMT if I had an unlimitted budget and Stag if I had any budget.
You can't beat the quality and value that you get for the price of a Stag. They certainly tend to be tighter & better performing rifles (consistently) then the bushmaster, DPMS and similar brands and their price is seldom any more than the competitors.
The LMT does offer some fantastic options not available on other rifles. The Monolithic Rail is sweet. If you're going to go through the trouble of selecting components and building your own super high quality rifle the LMT is the way to go. If you're going to order off the shelf, the Stag is a great value. If you're a lefty and shoot left handed, buy the stag.
You can't beat the quality and value that you get for the price of a Stag. They certainly tend to be tighter & better performing rifles (consistently) then the bushmaster, DPMS and similar brands and their price is seldom any more than the competitors.
The LMT does offer some fantastic options not available on other rifles. The Monolithic Rail is sweet. If you're going to go through the trouble of selecting components and building your own super high quality rifle the LMT is the way to go. If you're going to order off the shelf, the Stag is a great value. If you're a lefty and shoot left handed, buy the stag.
