Advice Wanted - AR15

jaredrg

jaredrg

Joined
May 20, 2015
Messages
162
About a year or so back I bought a S&W Sport II. I've only put one mag through it and it's still stock. I'm wanting to start putting money in it a little at a time, but I'm not entirely sure this is the rifle I want to uh, build around? The first things on my to do list are optics, and a full length hand guard (which I can't put on this rifle as is).

Now I'm starting to think "Maybe I should sell this and get a Colt 6920 OEM2 to build around/on." Or even this thought has came to mind "Maybe I should abandon the AR platform altogether and go AK."

As you may have noticed I will probably not shoot the rifle very often, but will keep it more as a SHTF, just incase, because I can, 'cause it makes me feel good, look what I got...

Thanks in advance for your advice and constructive criticism.
 
Have you looked at Bravo Company & Daniel Defense? A basic Colt LE6920 will run about $950, but you'll still have to change the barrel nut to install a free float hand guard. Depending on what kind of build you want & which aftermarket parts you buy, you can easily pass what a ready made BCM or DD will cost.

Both of these are builds that I did for less than $1000 before the Obama assault rifle ban scare of about 10 years ago. I used BCM or DD blem uppers & lowers, then used Geissele triggers & the best parts its available at the time. I've been putting thousands of rounds through them every year since.
My DD M4V3
DSC_0116-X3.jpg

And my BCM RECCE
DSC_0106-X3.jpg
 
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Thanks. Great idea. I don't know why I didn't think about blems. The Colt OEMs are actually sans furniture and the OEM2 is the low profile option, but still I think the blem route may be best.
 
OP, I think your idea of getting a Colt OEM2 is best. They’re available for $750, though I’ve seen them for $700 or so. Hard to beat that. Slap the furniture you want on it and call it a day.
 
I wouldn't put money into a s&w sport. I would much prefer a colt or BCM. I also like Sionics Weapons Systems.
 
I bought a first-gen 15 Sport in 2012, shortly before the election as I recall. It was my first AR, and that version lacked a dust cover or forward assist, but had the highly regarded "5R" 1:8-twist barrel. Other than throwing a Bushnell red dot on it, it is unchanged since the day I bought it. It has, conservatively, a "couple thousand" rounds through it, and the only hiccup was running Tula ammo, which frequently failed to cycle fully. Various other ARs later, I can't bring myself to part with the Sport, as it just works. No idea on the later versions.

Regardless, selling *now* would probably be financially unwise, unless you just plain want to be rid of it. Even with the unfortunate current events causing renewed focus on the AR15, prices have been at pre-2012 levels, so selling an entry-level model isn't going to be ideal. I don't have an opinion one way or another on Colt firearms (the company is a train wreck) but if I was in your shoes, I would at least consider an FN if I was already looking at Colt. If you were to do a build, even if that just means buying a complete upper and complete lower, you might still be able to get a PSA (Palmetto State Armory) upper with an FN-built barrel, although those seem to be hard to come by the past few months.

In any case, Colt carries more name recognition than most, and with it pretty decent resale value if that's a consideration, but there are more reputable manufacturers out there than ever. Daniel Defense and BCM are of course established and do good work, but it would benefit you to decide what specs/components you care about, and see who is building the rifle you really want, rather than compromising on what you want to buy off-the-shelf. There are tons of options out there.
 
There are a couple guys on youtube that run a channel called InRangeTV. They did a project this year titled What Would Stoner Do, basically taking Mr.Stoner's original vision and seeing what they could get with off the shelf parts. They don't have the full price list out yet for what they did, but they did a lot of videos on the pros and cons of each component, interviewed a guy from Faxon about barrel profiles, and all kinds of stuff. Worth looking into as it might give you a few ideas of where to go with things. They went in a very different direction than a lot of shooters might have. Plus they put the rifles to the test at some pretty cool looking competitions. Some pretty interesting stuff, and since it wasn't a one and done video, but all year, some of their opinions changed, and some things were reinforced as to why they are important.
 
Why not just purchase or build a different upper? That is one of the beauty parts of the AR platform - just put on the upper that fits the need at the time.

Buy the best optics you can afford, your firearm will be fine for many thousands of rounds, and frankly most people never get to the range eough to make internal wear a consideration.

Join and read on ARFCOM - the fellow from Battlefield Vegas has some interesting insights into how AR platforms hold up over hundreds of thousands of rounds and full auto fire. A good read.

best

mqqn
 
My advice? Besides simply getting a new upper? Hold onto it and sell it when Donald Trump is no longer POTUS and a democrat takes over. Charge whatever you want for it when the frenzied buying starts.
 
Look up 'Delta Team Tactical' and browse their site. You can build a good set-up for much less than buying a Colt or other complete rifle.

I personally wouldn't build off of your S&W, but rather build from the ground up. But, you could build off of your existing lower if you wanted. Just find an upper set-up that meets your criteria, and swap it out for your current S&W upper, then add whatever optics and accessories you feel like. That's the beauty of the AR platform - it's a Lego kit for adults. Build/buy as many uppers as you want, and run them on a single lower.

My most recent build cost right around $500. The pistol upper was bought complete for ~$160 including a Davidson Defense upper, 7" stainless barrel with Keymod handguard, and flash forward. The lower is an Aero precision in FDE at ~$75. Add in the bolt carrier group, pistol grip, buffer tube, blade, and misc. other parts, to make up the rest. I will admit to already having the trigger, optic, and assorted pins, etc... but you get the idea.

xktDqiC.jpg
 
There are better options than what you have, sure, but you have a fairly good rifle for the money. Mrgunsngear has demonstrated that the Sport II can be very accurate and reliable, and it's made by a reputable company. Since you're not a heavy shooter and are only concerned about SHTF, I'd recommend getting a good optic, some kind of flip-up rear BUIS, a weaponlight, and ammo. I'm pretty sure there are full-length handguards out there that will still facilitate your fixed A2 front sight if you want to mount a light or anything else. Just my 2 cents.
 
I would keep what you have and buy a basic lower for around $200 or $300. Then you can build and add whatever you want as time and money permits. Half the fun of the AR15 is building it.
 
Why not just keep your S/W 15 II stock? It's a great reliable firearm and cant really be beat for the price... If you want to get fancy though look in to Daniel defense with roughly 1700 usd you can get something quite nice then go ahead and trick that bad boy out w optics and w/e. Just food for thought. I've heard only good things about the 15 though.
 
There are so many options you have that it is really important for you to understand what you are looking for in an AR and how much you are willing to spend to get what you want. The S&W MP15 Sport II is a very good basic AR at a really good price. You can easily add optics and the hand guard can be upgraded with a little effort. It won't be a full length but will be an upgrade from the factory one. If your budget is tight and it really is not a gun you will use until the zombies show up then add the optic, stick it in the safe and call it good. You could then save your upgrade money until you have enough to buy what your really want.

If your budget isn't so tight then you have the option to buy or build or as some have suggested just buy a new upper. There are many good manufacturers of ARs. Don't get stuck on one particular manufacturer because of what is over hyped on the internet do your research and check out reviews online. Once you narrow down your choices then shop for the best price. If you want to build you can get exactly what you want you just have to put it together. I have a Ruger AR556 with is very similar to the MP15 Sport and chose not to upgrade it but to look at building. I put together a high quality build with optics for around $1400.

You can go with AK47 as an option but it is a completely different firearm and the upgrade options are more limited. Some AKs are set up to take an optic with an additional mount and some aren't. Again do your research before you buy. An AK47 will also do a really good job of killing zombies.
 
Arsenal SLR series (Bulgarian AK type rifle) in whatever caliber/barrel length you want (or is available), RS Regulate optics mount.:D
 
Buy a 12ga and ammo!! After this pres is up.. They are gonna outlaw them.. You will see!! :rolleyes: John
 
I would keep the S&W as is, and build another AR15 myself.

It's cheaper and you get the parts you really want.

It's easy to do and you'll learn more about the platform.
 
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