What brands of AR to avoid?

[Optimus Prime]

I've been hesitant to respond to this thread because someone will invariably get their feelings hurt due to their own personal choice of AR. However, let's examine the statement quoted above. What exactly do you get for that extra $300?

The Colt offers the following over a DPMS:

Correct mil spec barrel steel
Correct gas port size
Correct 5.56 Nato chamber
Mil spec bolt carrier group - proper materials, assembly and testing
Mil spec 7075 receiver extension
Better quality lower parts kit
Proper assembly throughout
In some cases, the DPMS does not include an ejection port door

Those are just a few differences I can come up with off the top of my head. Price is not always an indication of quality, but there is usually a reason for something being very inexpensive compared to known good products. DPMS and many other manufacturers are building a gun to hit a price point. In order to do so, corners must be cut in materials cost, assembly methods, QC and testing.

Disclosure: I do not own a Colt or DPMS, as neither fit my personal wants / needs.

The answer to the OP's question lies in another question. "What makes a quality AR?", not who. Unfortunately, answering that question requires a lot more personal research. But in the end, the OP will be much better equipped to determine which products will sufficiently meet his needs and meet his budget requirements.

LOL, worst advice ever. No offense dude, but you obvious have an extremely limited scope of knowledge pertaining to AR's. It sounds like you may have purchased a DPMS and convinced yourself that anything higher quality and you are "just paying for the name"....hardly.

In addition to the above post add, correctly staked castle nut and gas key.
MPI tested bbl and bcg

Glad I'm not the only in here drinking the DPMS kool-aid...

 

[mtdawg169]

OP, does your $1700 budget include an optic or just the complete AR with iron sights? Personally, I'd leave enough money available for an optic, magazines and any aftermarket parts you may want to add like a stock, grip, handguard / rail, etc.

 

[mtdawg169]

Glad I'm not the only in here drinking the DPMS kool-aid...

Nah, I've just shied away from these types of threads lately due to the personal and subjective nature of the topic. It seems as soon as you point out an issue with someone's favorite brand, you're labeled an AR snob. For the most part, I believe you should buy the best thing you can within your budget. The OP can get a very nice AR for his stated budget and I'd hate to see him overpay for an inferior product.

 

[Mrharper]

Bump

 

[68chrisshark]

Build one...they are dumb easy to to build. I have built several and all of them are basically the same regardless of brand. The important part is the barrel. Get a quality barrel from RRA or Palmetto Armory. I would avoid polymer lowers. I am not a brand name guy almost all parts are military spec.

 

[zombie magnet]

I have a rock river lar-15. I personally love it and haven't had any problems with it. It is very accurate and is very customizable.

 

[mkdhotrod]

So I've decided I want an AR and I'm ready to pay the inflated prices of the current market. I don't want the buy the super high end make of the AR. I just don't want a piece either. Any suggestions would be great. Aiming for a $1300-1700 budget. TIA

Tru Prep has a NIB Bushmaster Flat Top for 1199. Id pick it up quick if I were you.

 

[mkdhotrod]

High End - Noveske, BCM, Daniel Defense, Headdown Products, Colt, Larue, LMT, AAC, Seekins, Sun Devil, Armalite, LWRC, Adam Arms, Charles Daly, White Oak Armament, CMT, FN, JP Enterprises

Middle - Spike's Tactical, Rock River Arms, Stag Arms, Adcor Defense, 2 Vet Arms, Anderson Manufacturin, Palmetto State Armory, Doublestar, Windham Arms/Weaponry, C3 Defense, S&W (questionable), Core 15, Alexander Arms, Ruger, Aero Precision, Mega Arms, Lancer Systems, CMMG, Sabre Defense, LAR Grizzly, Yankee Hill Machine

Low End- DPMS, Del-Ton, DSA, Elite Arms, SOTA, Olympic Arms, Century Arms, RGuns, Plum Crazy, ATI Omni, New Frontier Armory, Bushmaster from the last few years, RedX Arms, BlackThorne, Black Rain Ordance

Tiering is generally determined by finish and fit, base materials used, markings from milling and forging as well as the processes themselves, and quality control and testing for quality (MPI, HPT, shot peening, etc). Furthermore, some middle tier manufacturers, specifically Yankee Hill Machine, Aero Precision, and Mega Arms make many parts for high end companies and even a few low end, per the purchasing company's specs.

I deliberately choose to leave out "features" such as M4 or rifle feedramps, upper and lower flex, and commercial vs mil-spec stock setup because for most manufacturers, they have options to add these or leave them out.

DISCLAIMER - It should be noted that some manufacturers do not list and or publicly report testing measures and quality control measures and may differ between product lines of individual manufacturers. As such the tiering system should be taken with a grain a salt because some rifles from one manufacturer of a lower tier may indeed be of better quality than a lower end rifle from a manufacturer of a tier above it. However, the general purpose of the tiering system is to show the consistency of quality across a manufacturer's entire line.

Furthermore, most manufacturers get their FORGED uppers, lowers, and lower parts from 5 basic forgers. However, the manufacturer, not the forger, sets the acceptable testing and QC testing of their products, which will cause noticeable differences between similiar parts from the same forger but different manufacturers.

*Updated to include a few others and explanation of tiering - 1/30/13 @ 3:52pm
*Updated to include more manufacturers and disclaimer - 1/30/13 @ 5:31pm
*Updated to include a few others - 1/30/13 @ 7:59pm
*Updated to include a few more and further info - 2/2/13 @ 1:05pm

I agree with this. I personally have a Double Star from Winchester, that thing can hold a beating. My wife has an Olympic POS. Im about to change the whole the around and sell it in pieces, then cut my loses and buy good parts for it.

 

[wildmantaz]

I have been shooting and owning ar15's since 1973. They all send bullets down range and most if not all are more accurte than the shooter. I have owned most of the brands that are out there. Fit and finish are not the same on all brands.
Buy the rifle you can afford but I would stay away from any that are cast receivers. I would not buy a poly lower for myself. They are lighter but don't have the right balance for me.
The higher tier rifles will hold value better in normal times, but if you are just going to use it to plink with any will work.
Walmart and Acadamy are getting rifles in all the time, just have to be there at the right time.
Colt M4 - 1060
Bushy less than 1000
Sig M400- 969
Winddam less than 1000
DPMS around 700

 

[zombie magnet]

Because of my reason #2.

I thinks AKs are ugly. No offense.

I own one of each and am not biased either way. An ar is certainly a more attractive gun but I would have to say that even though an ak is as you say "ugly" it is probably more dependable and rugged. An ak is the only gun I know of that will fire under water.