Best made AR-15 ?

T

tecumseh

New member
Looking at buying an AR-15 sometime next year and wanting some opinions on what are some of the better ones on the market? 'I have a few magazines that specialize in these type of rifles and I still need to get with the guy I get my shooting stuff through and get his thoughts also. I'm also considering getting one chambered in 308.
 
IMO the best .308 on the market right now is the DPMS GII's... pick your poison on it's configuration. If I were to buy one right now, it would be a GII Recon.
 
I just bought a Mossberg MMR Hunter in .223 and I'll be having my first serious range session with it this weekend. I'll be posting a review in the AR section.

I've already done a trigger job with reduced pull springs and a grip pin to take some of the travel out. I will say that if you get anything with a mil-spec trigger, it will be a disappointment right out of the box and you will want to improve it.

Grouse
 
Sig Sauer M400, Colt H-Bar, Larue, or Daniel Defense for an AR-15 pattern and GAP-10, Seekins Precision, Larue, or a Mega Arms custom build for a Large 308 Frame AR.

My Top pick is the Sig Sauer M400 (modified/Accurized) as I have no use for a 308 AR with my bolt guns and the great calibers coming out in the ar-15 platform.
 
dtech upper from mike and just get your choice of lower. I would get a rra lower and put a geissele sp trigger in it. Mike will not disappoint and can help you with your set up that will work best for you based on what your uses are going to be. Do not hesitate give him a call.
 
There's really so little difference between most AR's on the market, flip a coin. Finish will vary according to price, so really all you need to focus on is the barrel and the trigger. Everything else is personal preference for looks, component features, and physical fit. If you look into customs or semi-customs, you generally get what you pay for, but a lot of what you're "getting" and "paying for" is better looks. The reality I've seen in AR's in the last 10-15yrs is that there's a lot of distinction in the market without much real difference.

I've had Colt, Armalite, Bushmaster, DPMS, RRA, Oly, and one Black Rain (the skulls sealed the deal, grew tired of it after 3mos though). I've also built over 3 dozen of them from component parts, almost exclusively on Bushy uppers and lowers (a few RRA's in there).

Piston drive is something worth paying for, although it's hard to convince yourself that you should pay for it. It's highly over-rated, but if there's a "third thing" - again, the first two being trigger and barrel - that I'd add to an AR, it's a piston drive.

*** This is all said with the premise that you're talking about free-float models only. I don't care for delta ring rifles, no reason NOT to float them. ***
 
d-tech, rra, and DPMS would be where I started my search. not a huge fan of the dpms oracles but they just aren't my style.
 
I'd say you need to determine your primary use first. There are lots of great guns makers out there. More quality makers then ever, but a 24" heavy barrel is not the gun you need if you want to run carbine courses.
My personal varmint rifle is a Compass Lake Engineering (18" mid weight w/ 15 troy alpha) and is super accurate, but RRA makes some solid factory guns that you don't have to buy a trigger for right out of the box. If you want a battle gun I would look at LMT, Bravo Company BCM, and Colt, Larue or Daniel Defense. The Daniel v9 or v11 look interesting but I haven't personally shot one yet.
If its your first AR I would not buy a heavy barrel gun, as I think it completely ruins the balance and handiness of an AR.
 
I've shot a few, fondled many and owned a couple. RRA and Armalite. Both were good shooters and triggers.
The nicest and smoothest operating was a Les Baer. I think there are a couple to match that now.
 
One thing you need to do is figure out whether you want an AR15 or an AR10. Because you can not run an 308 in an ar15. You will have to go to an ar10 platform or the new dpms g2 but I have not done enough research on those to know what makes them different. If you are wanting one in 308 then go with one from dpms or Remington. I have a r25 in 243 and have changed the trigger and with my reloads shoot 1/2-3/4in groups. The ar10 platforms don't interchange like the ar15 parts so you need to be aware of that. As far as ar15 goes look at the barrel and the trigger. Those are the 2 most important things. Then make it the way you want.
 
How much are you looking to spend?

I have had a lot of the makers mentioned and the only two I've kept have white oak uppers. Lowers both have jewel triggers. and some other upgrades that are more of an "optional" upgrade than a necessity. Things get controversial when you compare an $800 gun to a $2000 gun. $800 guns will usually shoot sufficiently accurate as 95% of hunters can. (Especially during hunting conditions) a more expensive gun may not be MORE accurate but will do something better or more comfortably. Most guys don't care to pay for amenities. It's all personal preference.

Prefect example is the jp buffer silent capture. It's $125 to make the nasty spring noises go away.
 
Last edited:
My top brands-LWRC, LMT, Daniel Defense. Simply, they work in anything. Combat proven over seas and known to be extremely accurate. Exspensive yes but you get what you pay for these days in age. It all depends on what you want though, you want more of a tactical ar or a hunting rifle.
 
This is a DPMS AR-10 with all the up grades that I won at the 2005 DPMS three gun match and the 100yd five shot group with match ammo...Like some others, I found I had little use for the .308 and it generally set in the safe...But it was one sweet rifle..

 
Rock river gets my vote, for the money you just can't beat what your getting. You can spend more money but it probably won't shoot any better than the rock.. Jmo.
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top