In a way, somewhat "glad" that some of those items are not legal in HI.  I'd be more broke than I am. . . 


THIS... haha i agree. I would sbr and can everything. But seriously, Atleast sbr everything. I dont think id just be broke, id be in debt to banks and have horrible credit lol.

I wish i could travel as much as id like. The only fun gun i got to shoot was in vegas and it was a mp5a4. Or whatever the fixed buttstock was. Never had the integral supressed one or i wouldve shot that. I was doin 3-5 burst fire shots on the first 2 mags, then the rso said fuck it, do a 30 round burst lol. It was fun.

My first ar15 was RRA 6.8 spc. Prob put 1300-1800 rounds through it. And mind you, it was $1.30ish per round back then. Only remington and hornady was available at ogc, kaneohegs, sechawaii and young guns. Then it was a 6920, lwrc, several built rifles, but now i settled on spikes and bcm.

To be fair, i think i found building ar15s and sourcing all its components more fun and rewarding. Something to think about glockfanboy. 

BCM seems to take QC much more seriously than Colt has for a while. Also you get every penny you paid when buying BCM. Uppers and lowers do pop on gundeals every few weeks but you need to be quick on the draw. BCM also does email alert back in stock on items via their website.

If you have never ordered an upper directly from BCM previously they do require you to scan and send an ID matching your CC in on your first purchase before shipping because they got fucked over by credit card fraudsters too many times.

I wish i could travel as much as id like. The only fun gun i got to shoot was in vegas and it was a mp5a4. Or whatever the fixed buttstock was. Never had the integral supressed one or i wouldve shot that. I was doin 3-5 burst fire shots on the first 2 mags, then the rso said fuck it, do a 30 round burst lol. It was fun.

The fixed buttstock can be added to any model of MP5.  The MP5SD is the one with the built in suppressor. The MP5K is the one the T-1000 used in Terminator 2 and has a pistol foregrip.

BCM seems to take QC much more seriously than Colt has for a while. Also you get every penny you paid when buying BCM. Uppers and lowers do pop on gundeals every few weeks but you need to be quick on the draw. BCM also does email alert back in stock on items via their website.

If you have never ordered an upper directly from BCM previously they do require you to scan and send an ID matching your CC in on your first purchase before shipping because they got fucked over by credit card fraudsters too many times.

I agree bcm qc is top notch.  Once in a while they do let 1 or 2 slip tho, but they warranty it no questions asked or so ive read. This was when i was researching last year and got my mk2 elw.

As for colt, i had a 6920 and the 9mm ar (forgot model number 6980???) back around 2008-2015. They worked flawlessly. But like bota said, they pretty much source everything now, even the gas block from 3rd parties. So i can see why most people are hesitant of them now. Didnt cz buy colt?

Wow thats fucked. Thank god ive been ordering parts from them for atleast 5 years and got my upper last year (right before shutdowns were happening) without sending a pic of my DL or whatever they require now.

Looking to buy my first ar 15 , I want something dependable, reliable , and will just work without to many issues ? Any recommendations? I heard good things about the colt

What is your price range and intended use?
That way we can eliminate some manufacturers and narrow it down a bit

I've had no problems using Aero and Spikes lowers
I've had no problems with Aero uppers, or PSA, or a smaller company in Texas. These are not the best of the best but they work.

BCM seems to take QC much more seriously than Colt has for a while. Also you get every penny you paid when buying BCM. Uppers and lowers do pop on gundeals every few weeks but you need to be quick on the draw. BCM also does email alert back in stock on items via their website.

If you have never ordered an upper directly from BCM previously they do require you to scan and send an ID matching your CC in on your first purchase before shipping because they got fucked over by credit card fraudsters too many times.

I've had mixed experiences with BCM's QC.  In one instance, the owner (Paul Buffoni) called me.  That was a LONG time ago though.  Overall, they are great to deal with, but I think they are gradually taking the DD route as they get busier and become more popular. 

I am a huge fan of BCM products.  I have a number of their uppers, handguards, etc.  Their pricing was decent for a while, but they've gone way up over the years too.  Warranted?  I think for the most part yes, but still. 

There are also some online vendors that are "close" to BCM and can typically get some products in pretty quickly.  At least one has discount for NRA Instructors, which can save a lot of $$$. 

I agree bcm qc is top notch.  Once in a while they do let 1 or 2 slip tho, but they warranty it no questions asked or so ive read. This was when i was researching last year and got my mk2 elw.

As for colt, i had a 6920 and the 9mm ar (forgot model number 6980???) back around 2008-2015. They worked flawlessly. But like bota said, they pretty much source everything now, even the gas block from 3rd parties. So i can see why most people are hesitant of them now. Didnt cz buy colt?

Wow thats fucked. Thank god ive been ordering parts from them for atleast 5 years and got my upper last year (right before shutdowns were happening) without sending a pic of my DL or whatever they require now.

I have been on the receiving end of a couple of slips in BCM and Colt uppers.  It happens.  But both were resolved very quickly.  The one with Colt, I couldn't get the upper to zero windage.  "Yeah right, it's not the upper" is what I expected from Colt.  Before contacting them, I had a couple of local experts test and same thing.  Confirmed my issue.  Sent back to Colt with an explanation.  About a couple of weeks later, I received a new barrel.  The barrel extension was out of spec.  That was pretty quick.  I had replaced the barrel on my own since I didn't expect Colt to help, but then I had an "extra" barrel.  Which of course "grew" into a new upper.  :facepalm: 

I think as others mentioned, budget and use definitely play a factor here.  That being said, for me personally, I use BCM as the standard and go from there.  Some companies I was looking through with my latest build were BCM, Daniel Defense, LWRC, Sons of Liberty Gun Works, Scionic, Rainier Arms, Geissele, ADM, Triarc, Larue, Noveske, Radian, LMT, and Knights Armament Co.  Many put Knights Armament and LMT in the top tier and Radian is in the talks as well.   

That being said, for most, I think any one of those would be fine.  I don’t think my skillset would ever be high enough to appreciate the difference between a KAC and BCM...

I think as others mentioned, budget and use definitely play a factor here.  That being said, for me personally, I use BCM as the standard and go from there.  Some companies I was looking through with my latest build were BCM, Daniel Defense, LWRC, Sons of Liberty Gun Works, Scionic, Rainier Arms, Geissele, ADM, Triarc, Larue, Noveske, Radian, LMT, and Knights Armament Co.  Many put Knights Armament and LMT in the top tier and Radian is in the talks as well.   

That being said, for most, I think any one of those would be fine.  I don’t think my skillset would ever be high enough to appreciate the difference between a KAC and BCM...

That's quite a list that you considered sourcing things from.  Maybe half (or less) was available when I was first looking at ARs, which I think was a good thing otherwise I'd be tempted to try more options.  Out of those, I've owned BCM, DD, and LMT, plus Colt.  All excellent quality.  The I had a rifle length LMT MRP and that thing was pretty pricey.  Definitely a quality gun, but I decided to go with reducing weight overall, and that LMT was not light.  I have some Geissele components now too as well. 

Can I notice a difference in performance?  With a quality lower budget setup, probably not.  I have observed more issues/failures in components in some of the lower budget components.  That said, I have also seen failures in components from BCM, LMT, Colt, etc.

That's quite a list that you considered sourcing things from.  Maybe half (or less) was available when I was first looking at ARs, which I think was a good thing otherwise I'd be tempted to try more options.  Out of those, I've owned BCM, DD, and LMT, plus Colt.  All excellent quality.  The I had a rifle length LMT MRP and that thing was pretty pricey.  Definitely a quality gun, but I decided to go with reducing weight overall, and that LMT was not light.  I have some Geissele components now too as well. 

Can I notice a difference in performance?  With a quality lower budget setup, probably not.  I have observed more issues/failures in components in some of the lower budget components.  That said, I have also seen failures in components from BCM, LMT, Colt, etc.

I feel ya.  Research took months and I looked into nearly every individual part.  A lot of analysis paralysis and ended up building it instead.  Had to figure out what I wanted to accomplish and went from there.

For me, it was a toss-up between 2 Colt models (6920 and 6940) and whatever Bushmaster model OGC had on the wall next to them.  They had 2 6940 models: one gas impingement, and one piston driven. 

The furniture is a big factor for most people.  It's one reason I went with the floated quad-rail hand guard on the 6940 vs. the standard carbine AR15/M4/M16 A2 style hand guard w/A2 sight & gas block combo.  The barrel I picked was already free-floated, which by most accounts increases accuracy.  The A2 hand guard didn't offer rails, so it would have been another $100-$200 to get a suitable quad-rail hand guard, which was what I wanted.

My favorite hand guard is the VTac Alpha, which has a picatinny rail on top, and small rail pieces you can install in any of the vent slots.  The hand guard allows for a free-floated barrel, is light, and is super easy to install. 

Colt actually did something relatively recently that I think was a good move.  They started offering the 6920 OEM models.  They both come with no furniture, allowing you to pick your preferred butt stock, hand guard and trigger guard.  OEM comes with the fixed A2 front sight/gas block, and the OEM2 has a low profile gas block to allow free floating the barrel.

There are a few designs for AR furniture to consider. Those I mentioned are just a couple.  You can pick from MLOK hand guards for mounting accessories, minimalist butt stocks, pistol grips with storage compartments, vertical fore grips, angled fore grips, fixed front sights, folding sight sets, adjustable gas blocks, various finishes for the Bolt Carrier Group, and, of course, there are a large selection of "novelty" features like receiver engravings of logos/pictures for Zombies, Pirates, Infidels, etc, etc.

The point is, there are lots of ways to customize an AR.  Buying a factory gun requires a little research into what the factory models offer and what you intend to replace after purchase, if anything.  Manufacturers sometimes offer variations on the same model with simple furniture differences, like a Magpul version.  It'll have the Magpul trigger guard, one of several Magpul stocks, one of a couple Magpul grips, and a Magpul hand guard.

The Colt OEM models offer a lower price for a Colt AR allowing (requiring) you to buy whatever furniture "trips your trigger."  If nothing else, that delays starting your BoS with parts you took off and will likely never use.

I'm sure one exists somewhere online, but you might want to make a list of all the styles and designs available for the AR-15 and narrow your preferences using that. For example, if you want a free floated barrel, then that eliminates barrels/uppers with the A2 sight/gas block -- unless you want to remove the sight and replace it with a low profile block.  That's just one feature among the many that will need to be considered.

It can be overwhelming if you don't already know which things you want on your new rifle.  It's one reason most novices go with a complete rifle for their first.  It keeps from buying parts that don't work together, like a barrel with an A2 sight matched up with a free floated hand guard.  Or a rifle length hand guard on a carbine length barrel.  The list goes on.

If you're looking for an AR around the Colt price range. I would go with BCM (personally own), Aero Precision, or if you are really lucky, Centurion Arms.

Their value and quality has far surpassed Colt.

I feel ya.  Research took months and I looked into nearly every individual part.  A lot of analysis paralysis and ended up building it instead.  Had to figure out what I wanted to accomplish and went from there.

Or be like me and try all different kinds of stuff.  I would say borderline foolishly. . .

Ltwt vs "std" wt barrels
FSP vs folding sights
EoTech vs Aimpoint
and so on. . .

I am the type that like to try things side by side, so that led to multiple guns in different setups.  I still have some in different setups, but have settled on preference for many of those A vs B.  It changes every so often, particularly after a carbine class.  Same with gear.  I have so much stuff and have a BoS for that stuff too.  I've tried to give stuff away too and still have lots of crap.  Haha 

Then there's my AK project. . . that's another story. . .

This made for a good laugh, but true.

Snip

Guess my PSA is junk 

 

That stuff brings back bad memories of the arguments back in the day about the “list” and tiers on other forums. Some people were getting banned because of the “debates” that ensued.

I can say I own or owned at one time something from every tier. Well, except destitute 

I once had a bushy that ran for years with NO issues to the point I wore out the barrel and had to replace it after an uncountable amount of rounds. 
Mind you I did do some changes like fore grip, trigger, BCG and aimpoint but the most important piece of hardware for accuracy and durability is behind the trigger.
You can have the top end Gucci gun mounted with the most expensive optic and still miss. 
JMHO

The BCG and barrel are really all that may have "tiers", the rest is or should be made to mil-spec.   Forgings are all done in a handful of places, and used by everybody.

Unless a less expensive manufacturer is using rejected parts, the basic rifles will only vary by fitment, where it might apply.
That is where learning to build your own comes in.

I once had a bushy that ran for years with NO issues to the point I wore out the barrel and had to replace it after an uncountable amount of rounds. 
Mind you I did do some changes like fore grip, trigger, BCG and aimpoint but the most important piece of hardware for accuracy and durability is behind the trigger.
You can have the top end Gucci gun mounted with the most expensive optic and still miss. 
JMHO

Was your bushy the one with issues with the "dribbles"?    

But yeah, I'll take a reliable base quality gun over one that's all tricked out and not reliable. 

The BCG and barrel are really all that may have "tiers", the rest is or should be made to mil-spec.   Forgings are all done in a handful of places, and used by everybody.

Unless a less expensive manufacturer is using rejected parts, the basic rifles will only vary by fitment, where it might apply.
That is where learning to build your own comes in.

The tier stuff, from what I recall, was some dumbassery from Arfcom that got out of control.  That guy with the yellow visor injected a lot of that stuff.  Quality in parts is one thing, but also attention to the small details.  Proper staking, or even staking at all, is one that I've seen short cuts taken because some feel "ahh, no need". 

While I would say that assembly of ARs aren't that difficult, assembly of uppers does take more experience for reliability.  I've seen so many franken guns fail in classes.  Stuff like gas block just a little off.  Personally, I have very little desire to tinker with guns.  Yeah, I'll swap stuff out here and there, but mostly for a reason.  I say mostly because yeah, I have gone the Gucci Glock route.  Not for ARs.  I have a couple of shooting buddies that love to tinker.  Always changing this spring set, that trigger, etc.  So when they start experiencing malfunctions, it's near impossible to trouble shoot. 

Well, looks like I have guns that fall in the top 4 tiers:

1.  Noveske
2.  Colt
3.  PSA (both upper and lower are "blemished", but I can't find the blemishes to save my life!
4.  Spike's Tactical (Built one with my daughter which she took to Seattle -- still have an upper & lower receiver set for another build)

I also have a PWS, but don't see it in the list.  I assume it would be at least somewhere around the top 2 tiers.

Gives me a wide range of "quality" for comparison, if nothing else.   

Get a good barrel and float it. Then get a good trigger.
If you have OCD or want to develop OCD - get a borescope