Thread: Value for money AR15's

Originally Posted by logesearle

Never heard of DPMS before. Where are they in the ranks compared to NEA/CMMG etc?

Yes, DPMS is fine IMHO, especially at that price. They make a lot of their own parts (take a look at Brownells listings for dpms) some consider them "budget" but I'm not sure they deserve that title, lots of snobs about. DPMS is supposed to make THE std AR10 and for $2k that is seriously worth thinking on, I will be, maybe a Xmas prezzy,. Good on Digit that is an aggressive price for both. Think of one as a starter gun, I have a Stag but I have also bought a bare lower and 2 bare uppers to build and extend on with "better" bits as I can afford it.

I did a lot of research before I bought my one. There are a number of manufactuers I'd call tier 1, by that I mean make good basic AR's that should be considered and I did consider. Stag, Windham (was bushmaster) CMMG, NEA, Colt, DPMS. So a Stag model 1 is a 16inch M4 carbine, model 4 a 20inch rifle, but then they all do better barrels, foregrips, triggers etc as addons depending on the duty, eg like varmint, or 3gun competition, all this adds to the cost. eg a match grade barrel is $450US alone so you wont see one on a $1900 rifle, you are going to be paying around $3k. ARs are however modular, easy bolt on so you can buy bits and upgrade as you go along which is one of the reasons they are so popular. Apart from Colt they all do better bits, colt just makes the M4 carbine and that is it, but its considered the bench mark.

Back to what you want, as Beavis says there is no reason to have a heavy AR15 unless you need it, I mean they were designed to be light and handy. I run a 20inch rifle as I wanted the sight radius, slightly lower kick and M16A2 look alike for service rifle shooting but I have to lug that bit of extra barrel weight. If I was carrying it a lot hunting I'd sconsider a thin pencil barrel and 16 or 18inch length. Shorter than 16inch might be "sexy" but they carry dis-advantages.

I would not buy a Gunshitty Norinco, and from what I have seen AR's on TM are simply too expensive for what might be someones elses f***ed up gun, you might as well buy new. At least avoid someones "parts" gun mess. Technology on the AR's is also advancing fast, so an AR15 that has been on a gunshop shelf for 2 or 3 years but price tagged at 2015 prices is one to pass on you can do a lot better on line in terms of price and "newness' and the guys on line all shoot and know these things very well so I think you would get the best advice there.