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Posted: 7/5/2006 10:25:22 AM EDT
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I've been looking around on this site for awhile trying to gather info on what to get.... so far im still kinda left in the dark. First question, quality wise.... who gets your vote? Bushmaster, Stag, colt, DPMS, other? Second... I'm specifically looking for a carbine... collapsable stock, 16" heavy barrel, with a nice set of iron sites and a flat top. Flat top so I can mount a nice optic... but can take off if it breaks and still have iron sights backing it up. Who tends to put out the best one on the market? Flash suppresors/muzzle breaks..... what style would you suggest? The quietest I can get it, the better. always nice to have a quiet gun so you dont go deaf if you dont have ear plugs The gun would replace my mini-14 iif I end up getting one. So that means it'll be my general shooter. plinking, varmits, small deer gun. Any help you guys can give me would be much appreciated! Sorry if you've seen this type of thread ten times before.... i tried to answer my own questions my searching around. just soooo much damn info and different opinions on every little part. Thanks guys! -Ryan |
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Hmmm...top tier-wise here is how I would go: Colt Defense ( not Colt MFG ) Armalite Rock River Arms Bushmaster NOTE: Colts tend to be proprietary when it comes to the Fire Control Goup pins which are larger than other manufacturers but the process controls are what makes Colt Defense desireable. All CD guns are properly proof tested and fired and also magnetic particle checked on a PER PART basis. Cosmetically they are no different than the average top tier manufacurer. IF you decide to get a Colt stick with Colt Defense as they are made ( other than the Fire Control Group ) like a normal AR15, unlike the older Colts with the front screws, large hole lower.uppper configuration, etc.. Armalite and Rock River make beautiful AR15s and are probably your best bang for the buck. |
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You aren't going to find a flash suppressor/muzzle break that quiets the weapon unless it's a sound suppressor of some type, which means youdhave to fill out forms with the ATF, get signed off by your local CLEO, and pay the $200 tax. And anyway, don't shoot without ear pro! |
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If I were in the market for a complete AR15 as you described I would buy a Sabre Defence carbine. They're available from Talon Arms. I've heard nothing but good about them, and while I haven't seen it yet, my gunsmith tells me the complete 1/7 midlength upper I got from them is VERY nice. Behind that I would look at Armalite. I've been very happy with my Armalite AR10 carbine, and Armalite's service is impeccable. I think I know what you mean about your flash suppressor/muzzle brake question. Muzzle brakes tend to be quite loud - I'd say stick with the regular A2 FS. That's my two cents. All of that said, unless you want a factory warranty, I would suggest you look into building your rifle. Decide some more specifics about what you want - what rifling twist, barrel profile, wether or not you want it free floated, etc. You can usually save some money by ordering a complete upper and complete lower - assembling them is no more complicated than the field strip you'll perform in regular maintenance, and you're more likely to end up with the rifle YOU want. |
Building my own would definatly be cool as hell! But to be perfectly honest... I have practically no experiance with the AR15 other than holding one a few times in a gun store. So I dont think I know the ins and outs of them enough to build one. I would however build an AK in a hot second! so ya... skils at building stuff.... no competance iin this platform though. I could give it a try though.... sure all the info I need I could find on here. hmmmmmm.... in that case may go with a 18" barrel and a collapsable |
Mating a complete lower to a complete upper is simply a matter of pushing two pins together (the same two pins you'd take out at the beginning of your field strip whenever you clened the rifle). Think "two lego's" easy. Of course if you wanted to do a ground-up build, read this thread - ak47.net/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782. ARs are gravy compared to AKs. |
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Don't do it... you are making a huge mistake... Buying your first AR-15 is like losing your virginity... You will never be the same... You will be building carbines, rifles, and pistols... You will be wanting 22LR, 9mm, 223, 7.62x39, 300 Whisper, and god knows what else... You will start strapping on optics, lights, lasers... You will start replacing stocks, forends, and grips.... Soon you will need to add an AR-10 rifle.... then an AR-10 carbine... then you will like the AR-47s.... Then you will want to pay taxes and get a SBR, Silencer or Machinegun.... Oh man, save yourself... it is too late for me but if you have not yet experienced the best gun in the world... DON'T START NOW! I am sure your Mini-14 shoots somewhere under minute of Barn where most decent AR-15s will do MOA but the cost is just too high... I hope this message gets to you in time.... but if not, I love Bushmaster AR-15s and while I think I have owned most brands (Colt, Armalite, Olympic Arms, DPMS, RRA at least) the ones I like best seems to be Bushmaster. I would look for a good deal on a used rifle and then start swapping parts. Each new upper, barrel, stock, or optic makes the weapon a whole new system and I think I have tried many of the combinations out there but there are MANY MORE that I have yet to try! Welcome to the addiction! |
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I didn't build my first AR (Armalite), but if I had it to do over again. I would of! I did however put together my second AR from the ground up. I first built it as a pistol and then later converted it over to a SBR. I'm getting of topic. Sorry. Putting together an AR is the best way to learn how it operates, and you learn how to keep in running properly. I think it's a very good learning experience, and you'll have one hell of a feeling of accomplishment once it's done. Not to mention you'll have all the tools for further builds, and or converstions. Once you have one you'll soon want another, or you'll want to change something about it. It sure is nice to do it your self instead of sending it out for someone else to do it for you. You save money and time. You can't go wrong with a Armalite, BM, Colt, or any of the others mentioned. I'd take a good long look at some of the other companies like Bravo Company or CMMG. If you go with a RRA you might look at Legal Transfers. Ck in the Industry Forums. Good Luck... uxo2, Wow, how did that happen. How did my post get under your name? I've never seen this happen. I hit submit, and didn't see my Avatar so I copied and pasted another post up. Wow, I guess they are still working the bugs out. |
Who makes good scilencers? something that can be taken off and put back on quickly would be nice. I could go through an entire prarie dog colony before theey even figured out what was up! |
"match trigger" You've either already tried a Armalite or you've already been told that there factory triggers are very heavey. That was the first thing I changed on mine. |
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I'm no expert, in fact I have only fired 3 AR's in "out-of-the-box" condition, and by far the best one was a Rock River. That's between RRA, DPMS, and a Bushmaster. RRA has a better trigger, and a hogue grip standard. A2 triggers/grips SUCK, so thats a big plus all by itself. Of course I could be wrong 
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The man speaketh the truth |
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Well.... fawk it. After thinking oof alll the crap I would doo to one if I got it.... I'd just have a pile of original parts sitting on the bench. Might as well just fawkin build one :D did some reading in the build forum and damn that looks simple! I can do it no problem! may have to get a special tools along the way though. And to start the process.... I'm going to look for a RRA stripped lower. I'll have to have it sent to an FFL in CO and have my sister pick it up for me though. I'm currently working in Cali and a cali resident.... but my home is CO. I'll either be getting to transfered to Denver or Dallas by the end of the year.... so I'm not worried about llegal stuff. I'll just keep the lower at my parents house in CO till then. |
He asked this question because he's heard that some muzzle devices are louder than others- like many brakes that Bushmaster uses... |
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Here is basically everything you need to know about building an AR-15: quarterbore.com/library/pdf_files/tm9-1005-319-23.pdf If you can get the FFL to sell you the stripped receiver as a PISTOL receiver you can build it as a Pistol or Rifle and swap the parts back and fourth. Just don't have the short upper mounted at the same time you have a stock mounted (that would be a SBR and requires you to have paid your NFA taxes). As for spare parts, they are a good thing to have as you will need them when you build your 3rd, 4th, and 5th AR-15. I bet I have enough "spare" parts to build one or two complete AR-15s if I just bought a couple stripped lowers... |
Ah, I was thinking of reduction, rather than avoiding increase 
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| I know it doesnt meet min cal requirments for 'big' game (.25 correct?). But down in Pagosa Springs (where I'm from and where i go hunting) we do things a bit differently. Headshots are cake when you're within 50 yards with a 3-9x40 scope. Of course lets not mention the out of season DOE hunting... of course I was never part of that.... damn hooligan friends! :) |
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I bought my first one and built two more part by part within the next year. Then I sold the one I bought. Don't buy one; build one. By the time your done you will know it inside out. It will be your weapon no others like it just yours, personalized, and you'll be addicted, and you'll be addicted, and you'll be addicted............................................and you will be assimilated! Oh yea welcome to ARFCOm there is a world of information here and alot of opinions, you can get years of experience and lots of good information for free, very little is free in this world. Take the opinion's with a grain of salt. |
| I read through EVERYTHING last night on putting an upper together.... that would be WAY easy. Only two tools I need is the armors wrench and a clamp. thats 70 bucks all dsaid and done. I'm willing to drop that... and then it would be around for a future build.... if I decide i want to do one. ;) |
Get an upper reciever block for assembling an upper, horror stories abound if you don't. |
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