The M1A's are cool but the 223 ammo is cheaper and easier to shoot than the 308 cartridge. And I am going to be shopping around today after a job interview today. And I am most likely going to be using the Magpul magazines because I have heard that they are great magazines and I can pick them up at a local gun store for about $14 at will. Also the Magpul MOE stock, grip and handgrip are looking like good ways to go for not alot of money and the MBUS Iron sights are looking like some nice cheaper backup iron sights. I am going to be using an Aimpoint Comp ML2 as my optic of choice that much I know.
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AR M4 style rifle, which one?
- Thread starter bitter1
- Start date
Alanp
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I'de got with the Ruger. It's the cheapest piston system around. And for the guy talking about their first foray into ebr's or whatever.......It's a ar, there is nothing new to see here. I'm not sure where you see their failure coming from but there's nothing more inherently prone to failure in the ruger ar than in any other ar.
If i were looking to buy, i'de got for the ruger, you can find them locally usually for around 14oo i think.
If i were looking to buy, i'de got for the ruger, you can find them locally usually for around 14oo i think.
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I would build a plain AR and build on it. That way you can check out other ARs and decide what you like. It will also leave you parts to sell or build another AR!
powernoodle
Power Member
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Bushmaster is how Powernoodle rides :thumbup::
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I wouldn't say that Ruger has bad QC overall, but they have had a few issues lately. Nothing major, especially for never making those kinds of guns before. I'm not too concerned; I still bought an LCP.
I also own a FAL, which I like better than the AR.
-Easy - Buy a complete lower and a complete upper of your chosing. Put 'em together.
-Still easy, but requires following some directions - Buy a stripped lower receiver and assemble it with a lower parts kit (LPK). Purchase a complete upper of your choosing, and put 'em together.
-Harder- Stripped lower + LPK, and purchase separate upper components to assemble a complete upper receiver group. This requires more tools, more reading, and more technical know-how.
The only downside of building a rifle at this time is availability of parts. A lot of places are backlogged 4-6 months with orders. Other places won't even take backorders, and sell whatever they get on a first-come, first-served basis. When building these days, it pays to visit various forums, as you can often pick up tips as to what is in stock and where.
Building a gun is very satisfying. It also allows you to spread expenses over a period of time, allowing the weapon to be a little easier on the bank account.By building a rifle, you are in 100% control of its outcome, and can add whatever you want to it. Plus, the anticipation of finishing the gun is always fun.
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- Feb 6, 2009
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Do your research.
Set a budget
Do More research
Adjust your buget
Buy, Build, and shoot.
I can't tell you whats best as I don't know what your looking for and what your budget is.
When it came time for me to build a AR I went and checked around and found the things I liked (and I'm still waiting on that Noveske barrel) and built it that way.
What I think is best and what someone else thinks is best are two different things...I may say a Noveske barrel and someone else will say a White Oak barrel.
Grab a blow up diagram of a AR15 and take a look at the parts, thats basically what your going to need. Or you could read this thread: http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782
Keep in mind that Arfcom is full of mall ninjas so I'd be warey about what they say is the "best" or whats "needed" for a AR.
Same goes for a piston AR, while it isn't needed and some people will swear its wasted money it does have its perks...You just need to figure out if its for you or not. (First build/First AR? I'd say no so you can learn how to work a basic AR and the do's and don'ts of how to clean and maintain it)
Cool, I just got back from a job interview (which I got the job sweet) but after the interview I went to a local gun shop and they had two stripped lowers one Rock River and one Smith and Wesson both for $225 I am thinking of the S&W but I am going to look at both of them and see.
Every single new semi auto ruger product (and even some of their revolvers which is supposed to be their bread and butter) that has been released in the last several years has had to undergo a MAJOR recall.
AR's aren't tinkertoys. They require precise manufacturing in certian areas to work properly. Ruger is a .22 and revolver company and has been really good at what they do for a long time. Combat weapons are foreign to them. If they cant get semi auto weapons right then I'd run not walk away from their first release of an AR. You may disagree but history is completely on my side.
You did say that everybody and their brother makes an AR, and that for the most part is true. The problem is that not everyone makes a quality, reliable AR. Thats the kicker. If you don't like DI, then there are other companies that offer piston AR's that have been tested. Ruger's hasn't.
As far as DI being inherently flawed, we'll leave that debate for later, but I will say that the facts disagree with you there as well.
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Alanp
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- 381
I beg to differ about ruger and "battle rifles" while they may not be the most favored out there, and in past have had terrible accuracy. NO ONE can argue the reliability of ruger's mini14.
Absintheur
Banned
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Building up an AR right now would not be my choice, as stated many parts are hard to find or are grossly over priced. Even basics like lower spring kits are back ordered most places and the folks that have them want 35 bucks for something that sold for 5 last summer. Bolt carrier Groups are double in price and the cost for a complete upper is just plain silly. I just finished an AR build but I bought the lower for a 100 bucks last fall pre-election and already owned an upper. It still took me awhile to find the parts to finish and I paid double for a bolt carrier group over what I would have last year.
I would say before buying the lower sit down and make out a list of everything you will need to build the rifle...you will likely find out you are better off buying a basic rifle and slowly adding the mods you want. Plus by buying a complete rifle you will have a basic warranty, if it doesn't work companies like DPMS, B ushmaster, or S&W will make it right.
I would say before buying the lower sit down and make out a list of everything you will need to build the rifle...you will likely find out you are better off buying a basic rifle and slowly adding the mods you want. Plus by buying a complete rifle you will have a basic warranty, if it doesn't work companies like DPMS, B ushmaster, or S&W will make it right.
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Magpul makes good stuff don't get me wrong, but the plastic fantastic handguard? Bleh. (Note its a joke I know its not technically plastic) Personally I prefer LaRue's http://stores.homestead.com/Laruetactical/Categories.bok?category=AR+Handguards
Magpuls BUIS isn't metal, its composite and I'm a bit iffy on those, however if they are anything like the PMAGs then they are good stuff...Granted you don't need em if your going the route of adding a optic (EOtech/Aimpoint). If you plan on running a optic a BUIS is a easy skip saving you some cash.
However when it comes to stocks (CTR/MOE/UBR) and grips (MIAD) and mags (PMAG) Magpul is some of the best around.
As Absintheur said right now isn't the best time to build...The whole Obama scare sent prices skyrocketing and they haven't come down fully yet.
None the less this little exparament we are doing is good...Now your looking around and seeing the options out there and seeing what you like and don't like...Gives you a idea if buying a stock rifle is the right way to go or if you should build...And if you buying stock what your going to want to change.
While the mini is a good ranch/plinking rifle, it is not a battle rifle. It was never designed to be and has never been used as such.
As far as reliability, we dont know how combat reliable it is because it has never been submitted to such testing or had real world experience. It's earned a great reputation among civilians, but rec shooting and being involved in a firefight are 2 very different things.
I would choose the RRA lower. Some S&W lower receivers are a bit on the tight side in the magazine well. I've read they have corrected this recently though.
Yes Raccoon you are correct in saying that the La Rue rails are good but they are also $200 on up and do not get me wrong I believe that they are great rails and they are La Rue the name says it all but the price puts it over my head and the Magpul is cheap enough to where if I do not like it then I can just put the standard hand guard back on and wait till I find a rail system that I like or save for a La Rue. And Raccoon I am looking at my future expenses(school being one of them when I decide to go back) and how often I go to the range the AR build is going to be about 2 or 3 months off so I will have time to put away money and wait until prices go down. At the local gun shop today the Bushmaster M4 A4 was about $1250 for their cheapest in that type of rifle. Oh and has anyone heard anything about CMMG lowers? good or bad? cheaper on Brownells than the RRA and S&W I saw today at the gun shop.
for one thing mini14's arent battle rifles they are sporting rifles, other than a few security and paramilitary units no one issues them, they arent durable enough.
i suppose reliablity isnt too bad but mine has jammed a time or 2 which is something my AK's have never ever done, and its rare on an AR too.
honestly, mini's are pretty crummy when going head to head with an AK or AR ( i have all 3 by the way.....) in terms of reliability, accuracy, durability, etc, etc, its just not as good.
and thats not even considering how expensive they are now, back in the late '70s/early '80s when the ran roughly half what AR's did, i could see why ya would want one (thats when i got mine), nowadays, i would pass.
why?
they are not as accurate, reliable, good mags are expensive, optics are hard to mount, same with lites, they are imho wayyy overpriced, if i needed a rifle for combat/whatever, really needed it, the mini14 would be the very last thing i would grab outta the safe.
i honestly cant see why anyone would prefer them to AR's or AK's, and like i said i have all 3.
as far as AR's go i prefer colts, thats what both my M4s are,
personally, i wouldnt want the ruger with the different gas system,
be carefull when putting uppers/lowers from different places together, a buds upper was evidently one way at the top of spec and the lower was the other way and he had trouble getting it to work right, he eventually got it going but it didnt work from the get-go.
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