One AR-15. Just gimme it straight!

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Major League Infidel

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Hello all,

Turning 40 this fall and buying my first AR. Trying to keep this to $1500. Now I don't have to spend that much but I can. I really want to grab a NEA 15 with a 14.5 barrel but I have never seen such mixed comments on line and my local shop where I buy my pistols practically came across the counter at me when I asked for his opinion on it. I seem to have narrowed it down to the NEA, Colt Expanse, Sig M400 and maybe even a Ruger or S&W. What I could really use here is some options based on actual experience.
Some pros and cons and recommendations would mean a ton. I want Canadian and apparently this latest batch is solid. Hell my range has one of the old ones with 20000 rounds through it and it's still going. Having said that I want value as this will be my only a AR.
1) Overall Value
2) Expected lifespan
3) Interchagability of parts
4) Reliability

Help!
 
Major League Infidel said:
Hello all,

Turning 40 this fall and buying my first AR. Trying to keep this to $1500. Now I don't have to spend that much but I can. I really want to grab a NEA 15 with a 14.5 barrel but I have never seen such mixed comments on line and my local shop where I buy my pistols practically came across the counter at me when I asked for his opinion on it. I seem to have narrowed it down to the NEA, Colt Expanse, Sig M400 and maybe even a Ruger or S&W. What I could really use here is some options based on actual experience.
Some pros and cons and recommendations would mean a ton. I want Canadian and apparently this latest batch is solid. Hell my range has one of the old ones with 20000 rounds through it and it's still going. Having said that I want value as this will be my only a AR.
1) Overall Value
2) Expected lifespan
3) Interchagability of parts
4) Reliability

Help!
Click to expand...

I'm in a similar boat, and opted to assemble a junkyard dog largely from scraps off the EE, lol. Not to mention a huge assist from the knowledge of my fellow cgn'ers. Having said that I'd be going Colt Expanse or Ruger SR-556 ( I like the idea of a piston drive)
 
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I've owned Norinco, Daniel Defense, Colt Canada and Colt USA. Never had a problem with any, though I no longer have the Norinco. I give particularly high marks to Daniel Defense and Colt Canada.
I personally would not buy an NEA, but I've heard they are better now. Still view it as a bit of a dice roll, but it's really up to you.
The Colt Expanse will likely be a solid buy, but it lacks a dust cover and forward assist, though I understand you can add them if you wish, which is great.
The S&W M&P Sport 2 looks solid. The previous model M&P Sports were very well regarded.
I don't think you can go wrong with the Sig or Ruger either if you can find them in your price range. The Ruger SR-556 is piston driven which means it's different from your standard direct impingement AR's, mainly in the BCG. Something to be aware of if parts interchangeability is important to you. The Ruger AR-556 is standard D.I.
I would also look at the Windham weaponry AR's, by all accounts very good rifles for a fair price.
 
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At $1500 you got a huge assortment to pick through! One AR & I'd probably go with the Colt or a Daniel Defense. It never ends at one though... LOL!
 
Ok trying to be nice but why would you buy an NEA? You think NEA is reliable? my goodness you are in for some interesting times!

that's like next level full on absolutely the worst mistake of your life there! at par with discovering your date for the evening dressed in a dress and heels has a #####!

there are dd, colt le6920s and colt canada for sale on the ee
 
mikethebike said:
that's like next level full on absolutely the worst mistake of your life there! at par with discovering your date for the evening dressed in a dress and heels has a #####!

there are dd, colt le6920s and colt canada for sale on the ee
Click to expand...

Hope you ain't talking from personal experience Mike!

And OP, what Mike said! If you only get one nice AR, forget about the NEA!
DD, CC or Colt USA in your price range. You might have to get them used though!
Core, Wyndham and Stag are also good.
 
Still Alive nailed it... he must listen when I speak to him!!

I salute you for being patriotic and wanting to buy Canadian, but I'd pass unless you have the scratch for Colt Canada.

You asked about:

1) Overall Value
2) Expected lifespan
3) Interchagability of parts
4) Reliability

If you stick to the recommended Colt Canada, Daniel Defence or Colt (likely lightly used at your price) they will all have roughly the same. They generally hold their value well, should be good for 30-40k rounds before the throat is shot out and they need rebarrelling (a fairly easy and super-expensive proposition). Mil-spec guns are completely interchangeable. Commercial spec guns are excepting the buffer tube and stock. Any piston-driven gun (not many at your price range) will have it's own proprietary gas system, and parts can be expensive/hard to come by in the unlikely event of an issue. Norinco are the only ones that occasionally have issues with interchanging parts.

The budget-friendly suggestions of CORE, Windham, Stag or PSA will all have very similar performance at a lesser pricetag. I'll add Bushmaster, AeroPrecision and DPMS to that list too.

They are all very reliable if run wet. It is a fallacy you have to meticulously clean an AR to run... I usually go 1000 rounds between detailed cleaning sessions, just pulling the barrel through and lubing properly. Most problems you have will be with magazines, because they weren't designed to run with rivets in them.

Piston guns do run cooler and cleaner, but I think it's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist... You have to be a SF Operator to rapidly go through the amount of ammo you need to blast to recognize ANY significant benefit from a piston gun. In return, they're more expensive, have proprietary parts, and weigh more.

I suggest you stick to factory-built guns, and avoid "frankenbuilds" off the EE. Rifles built properly will run smooth and fulfill the exact design a builder wants, but the slightest mistake can make them a jam-o-matic. If you have no experience with building them I'd stay away!!!

Buy any of the factory built rifles suggested to you so far, and you'll be happy!

CSC currently has a wicked deal on a new Bushmaster Optic Ready XM-15. $869!!! Great deal as long as it's not the Carbon version (sorry, just don't trust a receiver not made of metal...) https://store.theshootingcentre.com/products/bm-xm15-223-rem-3
 
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I got a 20" stag arms ar15 and I enjoy it. I got mine off the EE for a great price. Although in another thread, CSC mentioned that they have a bushmaster that's optic ready for 899 IIRC so that might be worth checking out
 
DD is damn solid, CC has excellent reviews, LMT's are brick ####houses, Stag and Bushmaster have well appointed entry level AR's, etc.



NEA has a well deserved reputation for excuses for poor quality control causing issues ranging from unreliability to near catastrophic failure. I've been hearing that "they are better recently" for years while somewhat regular threads pop up about peoples NEA's failing.

Who knows... maybe NEA has finally fixed their QC... but I won't be putting my money on their product line when they give me no confidence to do so.
 
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