Advice on Tactical Rifle Purchase

[7shot]

I bought my AR about a month ago after much debate over which brand to purchase and decided upon a Rock River Arms. A couple of buddies of mine are Police officers and recommended RRA. I've only had it out once and was very impressed with it's accuracy. Since then I've added an Eotech XPS 2 and a 5X magnifer. Can't wait to get back to the range and sight it in.

If I was ever to upgrade Rock River is what I'd get, these are quality AR's too. How did you like the Eotech sight system?

[QuercusMax]

Please allow me to suggest that you really need to cultivate some friends at a local range where there are lots of AR shooters. Seeing them in action and hearing first hand reports of other shooter's experience, probably backed up by offers to, "Here, try this" will really clear away the fog quickly.

Years ago, I bought a used American Eagle by ArmaLite AR-10A2 based on reputation. It was a great shooter and a lot of fun, but it's gone now because I really should have purchased a flat top. Experience is a great teacher. I sold it without a loss, but it would have been easier (and more cost effective) to hang out with the guys at the range a bit first.

Live and learn . . .

I think this is great advice. It's always good to learn from others instead of just one's own mistakes.

Unfortunately in my case I live in a very remote area where a "range" usually consists of a few targets that a couple guys set up. Mostly cowboy action shooters, which I think is interesting but that I haven't gotten into yet.

So I'm still trying to figure this out on my own. I'd really like to get a SCAR 16s, but they are pretty pricey.

[dkmatthews]

I've owned two different brands of AR-15 rifles: Rock River Arms and Olympic Arms. I ended up selling both and just finished building my own from the parts that I chose.

I built a flat-top 5.56 using a Geissele trigger, FailZero bolt-carrier group, Magpul stock, grip, and handguards. I intend to buy a suppressor from Innovative Arms, a company out of South Carolina, so I used one of their Warfighter Adjustable Receiver uppers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7wQhaACZac

[ltxi]

I went with the M&P 15 Sport and I love it. Here is a good review of it:
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/201...on-mp15-sport/

With the money I saved by purchasing the sport model instead of the one my LGS recommended, I bought some Magpul magazines, a nice Magpul handguard, a spring-loaded foregrip/bipod, an entry level scope, a rubber butt pad, and some ammo. And I had some change left over.



This model has a Melonite coating in the barrel instead of chrome. Some detractors might say "but the barrel is not chrome lined and that's what the military uses so it must be the best".
S&W says they put around 170,000 rounds of various types of ammo through two of their test rifles and the melonite coating is holding up fine.
I say the melonite coating is new technology and the military is slow to embrace change - and if S&W says it's good enough, that works for me.



The absence of a dust cover means that if you carry your AR-15 into a sandstorm, if might get clogged up. The reviewers in the above article intentionally tossed some handfuls of sand in there and the rifle still ran OK (if a little gritty).

The absence of the dust cover also means you'll spend a little less time cleaning your rifle. There won't be any springs, hinges or pins to clean the grit out of. Oh, and the absence of the dust cover means you don't get to fiddle around with a spring loaded door in order to figure out what's going on in the chamber when something doesn't cycle properly. Unfortunately, you'll just be able to look in there through the opening. Where's the fun in that?



The absence of the forward assist means that it's harder for you to jam a malformed round into your chamber so hard that it's hopelessly stuck and you're going to have to fire it and then attempt to pound the casing out from the front with a cleaning rod, hoping you won't do much damage to the barrel/chamber in the process.

The forward assist is NOT meant for jamming stuck rounds into the chamber. Its original purpose, as I understand it, is to quietly ease a round into the chamber with no little or noise - for stealth. It can also be used for GENTLY pushing on a round that does fully go into battery. Idiots who watch too much TV use it for jamming a stuck round into the chamber forcefully.
Even though the Sport model does not have a forward assist, it does still have the scalloped cutouts in the bolt, so you can reach in there with your finger or something and push lightly on it. You wouldn't want to use much force anyway, and the grip afforded by the scalloped cutouts is enough. Says the reviewer: "Even with dirty rifle with a gritty action, I could easily seat rounds after a manually-induced malfunction."


If you want a very rugged rifle that you can wear while you go swimming in a swamp, toss it into a mud pit, stomp on it, and piss on it, and then expect it to work, buy an AK. But if you want a sweet rifle that is deadly accurate, works great with the proper maintenance, and looks very handsome, buy an AR. Ammo and parts are readily available for both.

Great, sane post.

Last paragraph is where I'm at as a 7.62x39 addict who has never forgiven being victimized by the earliest M16s.

For me, AR-15, AK-47, and platform variations are working guns. I have other arms for sport, handsome, and accurate.

[PYROhafe]

well thanks a lot dk! Ide love to go with a full palmetto setup (including that WAR setup now) but thats a lil outta my price range.
Im starting to lean toward going with a decent budget AR (maybe the mp15 sport or similar) and using the extra I would have spent on a better AR for a nice 22 plinker pistol. That way I have two modes of fun at the range. Guess that would be great for now considering I dont really plan on abusing the heck out of the AR, and a 22 pistol is always great/fun at the range. Like I said before.... just tooooooo many options! yeah... sometimes multiple options is a bad thing!

[skychief12]

You can't say a DPMC is on par with a Noveske or Colt.

It all depends on the objective. If looking cool is the objective then the above is true. If accuracy/performance is the objective, then it is just as likely as not that an equally configured DPMC or any other will out shoot a DD, Colt, etc (trigger puller's skill excluded).

IMHO, I'd go the a very basic flat top, replace the fire controls with whatever you think is the best 3# or less trigger pull. Full floater, best match grade barrel you like (head spaced) NO Chrome Bore, and the best optics your budget allows. but that's just me.

[les strat]

Then you could have had a top tier rifle from the start if you are going to spend all the coin replacing stuff. I wouldn't say it has anything to do with looking cool. More like longevity of factory parts. It's no different than buying a S&W revolver over a Charter Arms. Same concept we gun owners do all the time.

But, different strokes...

That said, any AR15 is better than no AR15.

[Barth]

FN SCAR 17S

[PYROhafe]

What I wouldn't give to spend a day with barth n his guns....

[MikeyKahr]

What I wouldn't give to spend a day with barth n his guns....

Yeah me too. He has enough for the both of us... And our extended families and co-workers and neighbors!

[PYROhafe]

Yeah me too. He has enough for the both of us... And our extended families and co-workers and neighbors!

YEAH! I say we plan a party at day at Barths house! The whole Kahrtalk family invited!! Im sure that leaves at least one gun for each of us!! haha

[QuercusMax]

FN SCAR 17S

Drool....

Exactly! Well, except that I want the 16s. I don't need the range and power of .308, nor the ammo cost. But the color (FDE) is right, because it is more accurate than the black ones.

[AIRret]

The hubby and I have been looking at AR's, and these posts have been great.
Thanks

[les strat]

The hubby and I have been looking at AR's, and these posts have been great.
Thanks

Whatever you guys get, you'll enjoy it. They are fun!

[PYROhafe]

First, thanks to everyone for the input/help!

Well.... after much debate and shopping, and input and advice and research and more shopping (ahhh!), I finally decided on one! Decided to go with the local company for the build, and bought from a local gun store so I feel good about things all the way around! Went with the Palmetto State Armory! Gotta get a rear sight for now (ill start doing research on optics next) then cant wait to get it to the range this weekend! (hopefully ill be able to use my cm9 logo for this one too!)

^please ignore the toes^