[Guest]

Whats the best ar (lightweight, mid length, M4) for a one and only do all rifle. I have a XD9 for self/home def. so itll mainly be a fun gun and "i have one simply because i can" rifle. No anwers invoving the purchase of more than 1 rifle, im broke and will continue to be broke for an additional four years. Side note; you have no idea how much this site has eased my stress during classes, thanks for everything guys!

 

[Guest]

Best rifle for the money, STAG, all the way.

 

[Guest]

http://cmmginc.secure-mall.com/shop/largerimage.php?prod_id=669

 

[Guest]

Del-ton.com
Build the rifle to your spec...
Depends on what you want to do with the rifle, but for many of us, reliability and dependability in a rifle such as an AR is a must. I'm not going to even go to the AR vs. AK topic, but for me, a mid-length gastube, 16" barrel fixed stock did the trick.

Cheers,

 

[Guest]

This can be, has been, prolly will be argued to death.
The best thing to do is do alot of reasearch and find out what fits you best.
You already caught the EBR (HSR?) bug, so it will be alot more fun getting exactely what you want by doing it right the first time.
Best of luck and happy hunting,
Drew

 

[Guest]

Imnotdeadyet07,

Too many people get caught up in a lot of bells/whistles and what looks cool. I've noticed that many people want the M4 configuration. The price tends to be a few dollars more. The M4 has the barrel cut for the M203 grenade launcher. Unless you have one or plan to get one, I don't think it's necessary.

Barrel length is a consideration too. Less than 16" will require some "official" paperwork and a couple hundred bucks. (I currently have a 11.5" barrel with a 5.5" flash suppressor that's pinned on. This brings it to the 16" length. I originally bought is several years ago for the coolness factor. Now, I'm building a flat top upper with a 16" barrel as the longer barrel will provide better terminal performance.) I would also go with a lightweight barrel.

If you're newer to AR's, I'd stick with buying a complete unit instead of building one. You're number one consideration should be reliability. If you're AR isn't reliable, then you've got a 5-8 lb paper weight.

Many people like the collapsible stock as well. I've found that it can be hard to get a proper cheek weld unless you get an aftermarket stock like the SOPMOD. I think that the collapsible stock can be very useful especially if you may wear heavy clothing, body armor, etc. It's also good if you want a smaller package for a trunk gun or something.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I'm glad to see that you're exercising your right to own a certain rifle "because you can."

 

[Guest]

If you are broke, I too would recommend Del Ton. I bought a light weight upper from them and I love it. I normally purchase heavy barrels, but I wanted a light AR15. You can buy just a complete upper or an AR kit which includes everything but the lower receiver.

http://www.del-ton.com/

 

[Guest]

thanks for all the info, im pretty much decided on the delton kit but am still on the fence regarding the specific model, anyone have any more thoughts on pro/cons of each version i.e. m4, lightweight, mid length

 

[Guest]

goto AR15.com and look at what most of the "shooters" are building.

16" for muzzle velocity (you want ~3000 ft/s out to distance that you intend to use). 14.5" is good for pretty much CQB and the loss of 150 ft/s may not seem large, but it'll buy you 100-150 yards of "frangible" power

Mid length gas tube for increased reliability and less problem with gas tube overheating and stoppage due to warping.

Free float tube for accuracy and increased reliability (barrel can bend around the fixed forward point).

I don't have or will likely have a grenade launcher, so go with the regular profile not the M4 profile.

Chrome lined barrel - you may loose a 1/4 MOA on accuracy but will be able to use a larger variety of rounds (corrosive and non corrosive) and probably wear less in the long term due to the lubricity of chrome.

Fixed stock, unless you plan on wearing body armor or really heavy clothing or have multiple people use it. Fixed = less moving parts, solid purchase, better cheek weld... and the AR is for me, the SKS for anyone playing support.

Stay away from all the knick knacks... simplicity and balance is what is critical. My rec is to add on an optic and maybe a fore grip... I find the flash light of limited value unless you're clearing houses or caves. For HD there are much better weapons to mount the flashlight to such as:

Just my $0.02. YMMV, but I had some help and a lot of research.

Cheers,

 

[Guest]

Whats the best ar (lightweight, mid length, M4) for a one and only do all rifle. I have a XD9 for self/home def. so itll mainly be a fun gun and "i have one simply because i can" rifle. No anwers invoving the purchase of more than 1 rifle, im broke and will continue to be broke for an additional four years. Side note; you have no idea how much this site has eased my stress during classes, thanks for everything guys!

Being a broke student is tough. I would consider an AK for an alternative vs the AR. They can be had for ~$400, ton of fun to shoot and ammo is cheaper then 5.56/.223. When you graduate and come into some more money I would then consider the AR platform.
If you are dead set on an AR I would save your money and buy one already built. Building a parts gun is an option but IMO will take you just as long to build & wait for cash verses buy a functional rifle. Your priorities may change and you could be stuck with parts. Also buying parts and cash flow problems you may find yourself buying lesser quality parts to get a functional rifle effecting the overall reliability. Some would argue the learning curve and knowing the rifle inside and out doing a build is a plus. It's a plus but not required and can be a PITA and risky if you do it wrong. You will also need to buy tools to put it together or find someone with them.

Buy an AK and case of ammo for ~$450 to $600. Buy an AR and a case of ammo $800 to $1,600. If you pay less then $800 for an AR be leary.

 

[Guest]

if you want a lightweight midlength... stay away from the heavy barrels. You're going to want a barrel that has a slimmer profile for lighter weight. I have a mid length AR with a aluminum quad rail. My quad rail isn't heavy. I have taken it off and it's still front heavy due to my heavy barrel. So the barrel is going to be where the vast majority of the weight comes from in your rifle. True, I could switch to a plastic handguard and shave probably 1 lb. off of the total weight, but it'd still be a bit heavier than a gun with the lower profile barrel.

So if you want true lightweight, make sure you choose the correct barrel. And this is even more true if you want to add a quad rail to it. 8 ounces here, 10 ounces there.. weight adds up. And if the weight is up front, it makes the rifle seem heavy to you.

 

[Guest]

I'm not exactly sure what the deal is, but I think I have heard people say the mid length gas system is less hard on the rifle.

I also happen to like the way the mid length looks with a 16" barrel too. Since we can't have the shorter barrels without having a permanent flash hider attached bringing it to the legal length, or being forced to pay the $200 fee to have a short barrel.. I think the mid length forearm makes the 16" barrel look more proportionate.

And also with the mid length, you have a longer sight radius which can help with accuracy at distance.

 

[Guest]

thanks for the informative reply everyone, i am also wanting to buy an AR soon, because i have always wanted one, and im afraid they will be banned soon.

Sorry to thread jack, but any other suggestions for a broke student like me, that wants an AR for target shooting and maybe some small varmints? thanks

 

[Guest]

I have to go with one of the other posts and say to get a AK. If you're on a limited budget you can get an AK, a couple 1000 rounds of ammo and whatever bells and whistles you want for about the same price as a stock AR.
Don't get me wrong; I own a couple of AR's and I love 'em both, but they are pricey. The AK would certainly fit more easily into a working mans budget.

 

[Guest]

I don't have a money printing machine. If I did my Wife would be standing under it with a wheelbarrow.

Step one. Eat lots of ramen, save your money and buy a complete lower.

Step two. Switch to cheap mac & cheese and turkey hotdogs. Save more money and buy a complete upper.

That's what I did. It took eight months and a tax return but I got my AR

Stag lower and CMMG 20" upper FWIW

ZM

 

[Guest]

great info here, i have seriously thought about getting an ak, but considering this will be my last firearm purchase for a long time (entering med school in july) I think I might as well get what I really want. By going through Del-Tons website I've been able to come up with a kit w/ the acess. I want minus optics and stripped lower for about 700-750. Does anyone know if the lightweight barrel profile has overheating problems under normal to hard use? JustinBaker I saw another of your posts and wanted to say goodluck with the app. process, its a PITA but its over soon enough.

 

[Guest]

A lot of people have been dissing the M4 & carbine length gas system lately. In reality, it has proven to be a reliable & well balanced combo. Up until the last few years, noone dabbled in midlengths. There were 20" rifles, 16" Dissipator configurations, and carbines. No one was stomping their feet, or at least I never saw it.

The M4 barrel is not just for cool looks. It is a lighter profile under the handguards than a regular HBAR. The removed material from the 203 step-down cut and the area under the handguards saves some weight. To me, an M4 profile feels significantly lighter than an HBAR profile.

To me, the M4 profile makes lots of sense, and it's still a viable choice. I wouldn't want a lightweight pencil barrel that is going to heat up fast and loosen up the groups quicker. HBARs have a reputation for great accuracy, but I'm not too fond of lugging one around all day. The M4 is a good compromise.