What are the best AR brands?
- Thread starter GunGuy34
- Start date
You do know that a upper made from a raw forging is theoretically stronger than a upper that is cut from a forged billet? The grain of an upper made from a raw forging has the grain oriented with the shape of the upper - for a billet, it just cut through the grain.
Theoretically, the stronger upper is an upper made from a raw forging - cheaper is better in this case. Just volume.
The reason billet is used:
1) Supply of raw forging is an issue, OR
2) People want different aesthetics from the typical military design
Also, most of the billet uppers have square edges because it is simply faster to cut!!!! It costs more to achieve the round edges as found in an upper made of raw forging. Basicly, using a billet to build an upper ignores the economic efficiency and the slight advantage in metallurgical property of using raw froging in order to achieve more flexibility in creating custom "looks" and "features".
If you want a different aesthetic, billet provides the flexibility. If you want the most functional item with the generic look, the typical upper made of raw forging is the answer. I still remember years ago when Vltor first sold their MUR, they just roll pin their forward assist to the upper. THey market it as "flexibility" so it can be removed if you don't like it- but the reality is that they probably want to use a thinner plate to start off, so they can save money on machine time and materials(cutting waste).
GunGuy34 said:
Go with a STAG Arms AR15 from ArmsEast! Ask for Walter and you will not be disappointed. I bought mine from them and it hasn't let me down once. It is accurate, reliable, has a great look and finish (no plastic crap) and it won't break the bank (I ponied up about 1600$). Tack on the lifetime guarantee and you can't beat that.
If I could, I wouldn't leave home without it
HK416
Poland's Special Forces train in the Baltic Sea January 23, 2009.
Heavily armed agents are positioned before the Marine One helicopter at the US Capitol for departing US President George W. Bush following the inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th US president in Washington on January 20, 2009.
ODA-D TF Boys in effect
local Taliban strong hold is NOT the best place to get your truck stuck in the mud....
Cris and his 416
Poland's Special Forces train in the Baltic Sea January 23, 2009.
Heavily armed agents are positioned before the Marine One helicopter at the US Capitol for departing US President George W. Bush following the inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th US president in Washington on January 20, 2009.
ODA-D TF Boys in effect
local Taliban strong hold is NOT the best place to get your truck stuck in the mud....
Cris and his 416
Gunnerlove
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vancouver Island
In the last pic the mag well looks wrong(to slanted) for a 416.
Go with a STAG Arms AR15 from ArmsEast! Ask for Walter and you will not be disappointed. I bought mine from them and it hasn't let me down once. It is accurate, reliable, has a great look and finish (no plastic crap) and it won't break the bank (I ponied up about 1600$). Tack on the lifetime guarantee and you can't beat that.
If I could, I wouldn't leave home without it
Ill take a look thanks.
I haven't read this whole thread, so I'm sure all these brands have already been mentioned. But I would say the top tier players in the AR game are:
Colt, KAC, BCM, LMT, Noveske and Daniel Defense make some of the best DI guns out there. For piston designs HK, LWRC, PWS and POF are getting really good reviews. I've also handled/shot a friends Sig 516, that thing was a real nice shooter, and the fit and finish was excellent.
Colt, KAC, BCM, LMT, Noveske and Daniel Defense make some of the best DI guns out there. For piston designs HK, LWRC, PWS and POF are getting really good reviews. I've also handled/shot a friends Sig 516, that thing was a real nice shooter, and the fit and finish was excellent.
416 upper with HK sights and Larue mount for T-1 micro...The lower is something else.
1.HK
2. KAC
3. Noveske
4.POF
5. LMT
6 Spikes Tactical
7 Larue
8 BCM
9 Daniel Defense
10. Colt.
11. Stag (Canadian Version)
12. LWRC
No particular order on the top 10, companies like RRA/BM and others are okay rifles and for most purposes will hold up well. Other wise upgrade them as is necessary but if buying new get 1 from these companies.
HK is always the safest choice in my book though..
Yes, I've read the huge rants/discussions on the main official NEA threads. Got bored after a while frankly. There were a number of different variables as well. One thing which I was actually referring to though is that with the billet, they claim it's thicker. So that changes it a bit. I should have specified this. But ultimately who knows.
The jury is still out for me whether I like the "slab" side or prefer the rounded forged uppers. Still from the specs it seems like a heck of a lot of rifle for the price.
gushulak
CGN frequent flyer
Agreed but hard to find for under 2K.
This has been posted before:
Updated 2011 M4 Comparison Guide
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=0AqmgMm61Ok7WdExwaG16OENzOEZ1akp2a3Y2NjMxTEE&single=true&gid=2&output=html
I agree with kthomas and Leibermuster on their lists. The additions of the CORE15 and NEA carbines are just too new, unevaluated, and unproven. For your under $2000 range I would look at a basic LMT, Stag, possibly NEA and CORE15. Rock River Arms is good (and comes with a better than average trigger) but not as proven as the top listed brands.
Updated 2011 M4 Comparison Guide
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=0AqmgMm61Ok7WdExwaG16OENzOEZ1akp2a3Y2NjMxTEE&single=true&gid=2&output=html
I agree with kthomas and Leibermuster on their lists. The additions of the CORE15 and NEA carbines are just too new, unevaluated, and unproven. For your under $2000 range I would look at a basic LMT, Stag, possibly NEA and CORE15. Rock River Arms is good (and comes with a better than average trigger) but not as proven as the top listed brands.
Gunnerlove
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Vancouver Island
My big issue with "What is the best" is that there are no real reliability or accuracy tests.
Magazines do reviews that are pointless, a couple 5 round .338LM groupings at 100m and 100 round reliability tests on ARs.
Has anyone ever seen an article that called the test rifle a POS?
No one will ever go on the internet and say that their $4800 dollar AR does everything that a $1200 dollar rifle will do and they overspent $3600 trying to be cool.
Nope
Magazines do reviews that are pointless, a couple 5 round .338LM groupings at 100m and 100 round reliability tests on ARs.
Has anyone ever seen an article that called the test rifle a POS?
No one will ever go on the internet and say that their $4800 dollar AR does everything that a $1200 dollar rifle will do and they overspent $3600 trying to be cool.
Nope
I take it you are referring to an HK, although I agree we are over paying in many ways, you must remember that price is not by HK's control. But if you think many of the rifles on the list I provided will out perform an HK you are dreaming. It is a superior rifle, are all the difference noticeable, I would say not, not till you have handled one for an extensive period of time and run 10 of thousands of rds through one. Also very few shooters every shoot there AR's enough to push them to any limits.
Myself right now I'm still in buying mode as in new toys but that is changing quickly again and I'm spending more time at the range again shooting (thank god) Definitely going again this week at least 2 times and then again next week, and then hunting for bear/beer with a buddy this month. I'm not much of a hunter but will be going for that a lot now, need some game meat, more deer meat actually though.
Already been out shooting at various ranges at least once a week for the past month or so.
If you are attempting to be cool than you have already failed in my opinion...
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