Wanting to purchase an AR-15 and looking for suggestions and advise

I thought about building my own but as you pointed out omaha but I wouldn't be saving much. I would have a better understanding on what goes into an AR-15 though. I am still searching and have not settled on one manufacturer yet. I know I mentioned that I am gravitating toward RRA but I keep on looking around. Stag Arms looks interesting also and I have been looking at their Tactical 2T. Bushmaster is also a good contender.

I realized that I want to have good optics and looks like EOTech is a good route to take. I like Trijicon but I don't like the price. Any suggestions on the optics issue will surely be appreciated.
 
The Eotech seems the best quality option for the lowest price---even an Aimpoint with a QD mount starts getting you into the $500 range real fast.
 
i have an aimpoint and an eotech, i suppose maybe i prefer the eotech by a small margin just cause ya have better vision, the trrijicon is good too but high $$, i have heard the leupold CQT is also pretty good but its bigger than the aimpoint or eotech (or trijicon too) and also around $1K.

for the $$ the eotech is hard to beat.
 
Update: I *finally* made my decision and ordered a Rock River Arms Entry Tactical carbine - chrome-lined 16" barrel, Dominator II mount, two stage trigger, yada, yada, yada. I also bit the bullet:) and got a Trijicon compact ACOG sighting system. Got a great deal on both items. While I was shopping I also got a Mossberg Cruiser 12 gauge shotgun with pistol grip - SWEEEEET! When the finances recovers a bit looking to replace the stock handguard with the SureFire M73 handguard rails.

I appreciate all the suggestions and info at all the members had posted to this thread.
 
Nice. The mossberg 500 is one of the top two pumps in my book. The ACOGs are tough. The only real problem I've found with them is the fiber optics breaking, then you only have straight black reticles during the day. I doubt you'll be dissapointed with either! ;)
 
mauiblue,

I really wish I would've seen this thread earlier... as the first thing I would've recommended is PISTON POWERED and not the gas-impingement system that many of my fellow Soldiers are struggling with right now.

It doesn't matter to me how great the gas-impingement can be, but how it does jam so easily. It's so finicky, and I'm waiting for the first person to tell me that, "If you clean it, it won't jam," HA... that's awesome! I really love cleaning my rifle ALL THE TIME and EVERYTIME just because Stoner designed all the carbon to go back through the chamber! WHAT! Not when there's a better alternative...

The gas-impingement system is one of the most absurd designs for the M-16, AR-15, M-4 there is. And believe me, I'm not talking about the whole weapon, because Patriot Ordinance Factory (POF), Leitner-Wise Rifle Company (LWRC), Heckler&Koch (HK), Robinson Arms and I believe Bushmaster all make a piston-powered alternative.

The POF P-415 with the Corrosion Resistant Operating System (C.R.O.S.) is an amazing step in the advancement of the Black Rifle. Having a piston-powered Black Rifle means attaining a level of reliability once only had with an AK, but also retaining the accuracy of one of the worlds most accurate rifles... the Black Rifle. It's THE BEST of both worlds. As I've said, in the regular gas-impingement system, the gas following the bullet - which is contaminated with carbon - travels through the gas tube to push the bolt back to cycle, which then exits through the chamber. The heat wear and carbon build-up over time is impossible to prevent and almost impossible to clean short of taking apart the entire weapon (time lost).

With a piston-powered system, taking the POF as example... 15,000 ROUNDS went through the weapon on multiple testing of different reviewers and a person could only tell by the usual remnants of carbon in the barrel! No carbon around the bolt or in the bolt! NONE! And after 15,000 rounds, three times the amount that the M4 is capable of handling, and that's stretching it in the M4's favor. The POF never needs lubrication because the parts are plated with silicone nickel and therefore lube themselves.

Follow this link to compare the differences... it's an illustrated working diagram... http://www.armytimes.com/projects/flash/2007_02_20_carbine/

The link shows you how the M4 vs. the HK 416 works. The gas that follows the bullet pushes a piston to cycle the bolt, instead of the gas physically working to push the bolt.

Here are other links for other manufacturers of piston-powered systems...

POF - http://www.pof-usa.com/P-415/p-415gaspistonrifles.htm[
/URL]

LWRC - [URL="http://www.lwrifles.com/"]http://www.lwrifles.com/

H&K - http://www.hk-usa.com/le_hk416_general.html

Robinson Arms - http://www.robarm.com/



Also, I think it's a shame that our government does not promote the use of silencers like they should. Owning a silencer is the same thing as owning a muffler for your car or motorcycle. It's keeping things quiet and protecting and preserving your hearing. Another advantage of the piston-powered systems are that they are more suppressor friendly than their gas-impingement counterparts.

In regard to the sight... you've got one more vote for the EOTech and ACOG. I see that you already ordered the ACOG so congrats. Now, if you can only send the rifle back and get a piston powered.

If the 6.5 Grendal was more popular, I would buy that one, as that is the mean cartridge of everything. More punch than the .223, but more velocity than a 7.62 and at greater distances.

I really liked the Smith and Wesson M&P Tactical version, but it still suffers from gas-impingement.

I'm pretty passionate about this subject, and I've researched it a lot and have had experience with the M-16, etc... I would urge you to look at the, "Book of the AR-15" 2007 that Guns&Ammo put out. You should be able to get one at a newstand somewhere. But, it features a LOT of articles testing piston-powered systems and EVERY review I've read that features a piston system is good, no matter what the brand (brand isn't as important as the system).

A little more than my .02,
Ryan
 
BUY MINE!! :D​

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Yes, I like the Mossberg because it has a pistol grip already installed. It will easier to wield around around hallways and stairways. The Trijicon compact ACOG is one up on the EoTech because it doesn't need batteries and there are not electronics to go bad. I've heard about the fiber optics breaking but I have the BUIS as an alternative if need be.

In regards to a piston vs gas impingement setup in a AR-15, I found that piston AR-15 are much more expensive than gas-impingement. I've also heard of guys shooting thousands of round with a gas set up with no FTF issues. Well the RRA Entry Tac is my *first* AR-15 and I have a feeling it won't be my last. So a piston system AR rifle just might be in my future.

BTW, I had a blast:D yesterday at the firing range! The Entry Tac is SWEET! I was able to shoot about a hundred rounds and accuracy is excellent. Now to find some decent inexpensive ammo...:(
 
Good luck on the cheap ammo thing----its been going steadily up for several years now----and only getting worse---I try to keep a constant supply of 1000 rounds of .223 around and have been shooting very little lately.
 
Yes, the piston systems are going for about a standard price of $1500 for the entire rifle. To me, that's worth the price of entry... and as you've said, the Tac isn't your first, but, make a piston your second, hehe.

Have fun, be careful, and clean, clean, clean...
Ryan
 
Yep, ammo is freaking expensive and more so in Hawaii. Here are a couple photos of my new playthings:

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I hope it won't be raining on Sunday because I want to rock!
 
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