Is it time? AR-15 question

[Perplexed]

I'll add my voice to the recommendations to build your own. I had my gf do this from scratch the other evening, and I'd only put together two myself previously, but we ended up with an AR that worked just fine at the range the next morning. I also ended up with a gf who was thrilled when I informed her the AR she'd built was now hers. Win-win

 

[sh00ter]

Not even close to true. AR-15 carbines have existed since before there was any such thing as an M-16, and before it was even adopted as a U.S. service rifle. There is nothing about the direct impingement (more accurately "fixed piston, moveable cylinder" according to Gene Stoner) action that make it work any less well in a carbine. AR carbines are extremely reliable when proper materials, testing, and quality control are used. I'll see your SIG torture test and raise you a BCM Filthy 14 and the epic torture test Daniel Defense did on their DDM4.



I agree 100% with all of this. The point I was trying to make earlier is that if you build, you can have a rifle that adheres to the mil specs for the same price as one of the budget guns.

Look, there are all sorts of things you can do to "hack" the 1950's DI design to be more reliable...in fact, I recommend it if you are going to buy a carbine since the gas tube is so much shorter...chrome bolts/carriers, special gun lubes, better materials, yadda, yadda, yadda...but the only reason the DI M4 is still used in the military is due to politics...Senator Coburn even tried to blow the whistle on this...eventually (sooner rather than later) the military WILL go to a piston gun as standard issue...they are better for harsh conditions (like desert warefare)...the AK proved this already. The Sig 556 is what would happen if the M4 and the A-47 bred together and had a child...it takes the good elements from both and incorporates them into one rifle...the 516 is even cooler since it still gives you the AR platform...and many of your beloved AR makers also have piston options now...this isn't personal...if you want something light-weight, simple, and cheap, then it is hard to beat the AR carbine...it is better suited for a SWAT team where ony a few mags would be fired before it was cleaned and put back on the shelf ready to go for the next call...but if the SHTF and you had to spend 3yrs in the bush with no gun oil...I doubt you'd feel the same way as you do now...the purists always try and defend the DI and overlook the fact the full-sized M16 is what it was meant for...the carbine just amplifies the reliability concerns that were already there in the M16...if you still don't think there is anything to what I'm saying I'd tell you it is a free country and I absolutely respect you opinion and your choices...and "you can keep your doctor" LOL.

I'll add my voice to the recommendations to build your own. I had my gf do this from scratch the other evening, and I'd only put together two myself previously, but we ended up with an AR that worked just fine at the range the next morning. I also ended up with a gf who was thrilled when I informed her the AR she'd built was now hers. Win-win

Of course it worked fine...99% of them will when new & clean...all my opinions are based on SHTF "stake your life on it" scenarios...Thankfully the AR-15 carbine that James Holmes had jammed or he'd have killed more people...the lack of reliability of improperly cleaned & cared for AR-15's SAVES LIVES...but also cost us an American life or two in Vietnam and Iraq...The MARINES bought a buncha piston AR's a few years ago and I want to say some special forces branches have access to the SCAR?

 

[OKNewshawk]

midway has several uppers on sale right now
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/24...per-receiver-assembly-556x45mm-nato-16-barrel
with an anderson lower from FBT
http://fatboytactical.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21&products_id=443

you've got a very good entry level rifle with quality parts and room to "grow" later

At MidwayUSA, you get an upper for $399.
At FBT, you get everything but the stripped lower for $399: http://fatboytactical.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=50&products_id=526
Add the stripped lower and you have a sub-$500 AR (even including the tax.)

 

[montesa]

Just get one and shoot it a lot and decide if you like it and don't worry about people's opinions. You'll figure it out yourself!

 

[zghorner]

^^^ if it hasn't been made clear enough...It IS time to buy.

Get an Anderson flat top from wise arms for $480 and shoot it before investing $1000 in one. You can either upgrade the Anderson or sell for what you have in it and buy a fancy pants one.

 

[farmer17]

...and don't get too hung up on " Mil Spec", a few things that are Mil Spec are not that great. Like expensive chrome bores, a non Mil Spec Melonite barrel is better than Mil Spec and cheaper. Same thing with the external phosphate finish, Melonite is superior. Also the metal treatment like Anderson uses, I think called Rf-85 or something like that, is actually a lot slicker than Mil Spec and needs very little lubrication which nice because ARs like to run wet and a wet gun attracts dust and dirt which can gum up the action.

 

[sh00ter]

...and don't get too hung up on " Mil Spec", a few things that are Mil Spec are not that great. Like expensive chrome bores, a non Mil Spec Melonite barrel is better than Mil Spec and cheaper. Same thing with the external phosphate finish, Melonite is superior. Also the metal treatment like Anderson uses, I think called Rf-85 or something like that, is actually a lot slicker than Mil Spec and needs very little lubrication which nice because ARs like to run wet and a wet gun attracts dust and dirt which can gum up the action.

or "wet" attracts/creates carbon and trash from the gas tube blowing back into the bolt...hence the inferior design; ESPECIALLY in a carbine...there is a reason they cost 500 bucks fellas...

 

[Yourshoesareuntied]

...and don't get too hung up on " Mil Spec", a few things that are Mil Spec are not that great. Like expensive chrome bores, a non Mil Spec Melonite barrel is better than Mil Spec and cheaper. Same thing with the external phosphate finish, Melonite is superior. Also the metal treatment like Anderson uses, I think called Rf-85 or something like that, is actually a lot slicker than Mil Spec and needs very little lubrication which nice because ARs like to run wet and a wet gun attracts dust and dirt which can gum up the action.

I agree mill spec is not a great quality standard..there are better things out there..but with mill spec you know a few things... there are a ton of parts... and you can take a mill spec AR that is broken take its remaining good parts and put them in another mil spec AR and get one running again... This works well if you like to entertain apocalyptic scenarios where your bolt carrier group is jacked and there's an AR or M16 on the ground with a busted barrel...sort of like an organ donor.

 

[Shootin 4 Fun]

or "wet" attracts/creates carbon and trash from the gas tube blowing back into the bolt...hence the inferior design; ESPECIALLY in a carbine...there is a reason they cost 500 bucks fellas...

Direct impingement is just a fad, it won't last. Piston is where it's at, that's why there are hundreds of piston AR manufacturers. It's really weird though that the piston gun manufacturers also market DI guns. Things that make you go hmmmmm....

 

[Jwryan84]

Direct impingement is just a fad, it won't last. Piston is where it's at, that's why there are hundreds of piston AR manufacturers. It's really weird though that the piston gun manufacturers also market DI guns. Things that make you go hmmmmm....

Long running fad...