[Guest]

I love my XD for its simplicity, price, and flawless performance.

In my quest for my first AR, I am coming up empty. The Bushmasters are cheap in price, but the quality is not equivalent to the XDs. Next, I jump to a Colt or an LMT, but for $500 more I can get a near perfect gas piston LWRC.

I am normally very practical in all my decisions, but I am having a hard time purchasing a rifle that I know to not be built as well as the others.

Any advice?

 

[Guest]

build your own. youll save alot of money and get exactly what you want.

 

[Guest]

P.O.F. makes gas piston AR's...Wont be saving much money there either though.
There's Noveske for traditional(?) AR, but again, you're talkin' big $$$.
CMMG is cheaper, haven't heard any complaints and you can upgrade with some of the same options from them as you do with Colt and the like. -SS barrel, F/A BCG, H-buffer, o-ring extractor. They'll be folk that will say it aint the same as a first tier AR.
Everyone has their "pet" brand, and you're going to get a dozen different responses.
Some will tell you it's okay to get a "cheaper" AR like DPMS or Bushmaster, and some will tell you don't spend your money on anything other than a Colt, LMT, or Noveske.
Better just to look at and handle as many as you can in person.

If you're honest with yourself as to what your main use will be you can narrow your search down.
Carbine or full-length rifle?
Target, hunting, self defense, or some combo of each?
The list goes on.
Be more specific and the people here will give you more info than you'll ever be able to absorb.

 

[Guest]

I am basically looking for a self defense and target shooting rifle.

I realize that a gas piston might be overkill for my needs, but I really have a hard time buying a DI design that I don't feel to be as efficient and well designed. To me the gas piston just makes so much sense. I realize the DI design has worked for so many years, but I superior design (IMO) is hard to turn down.

When I purchased my XD it was an easy decision. The XD shoots just as well as the expensive Sigs for a fraction of the price. Now I am sure I can find a cheaper rifle that shoots great, but after studying the "chart" I just can't help but desire the LWRC. Am I silly for wanting such a beast of a rife for a newbie?

 

[Guest]

get a dpms basic rifle. youre gonna mod the hell out of it anyway. its the nature of the disease

 

[Guest]

Build a lower and buy a complete upper. That's what I'm doing.
You wont save money in the end, but buying in pieces gives you time to save for the big money stuff. And when it's finally done you wont feel like you had to settle on something you didn't really want.

 

[Guest]

thats what i did. about 13 times

 

[Guest]

Check out Fulton Armory Home Page I bought an FAR Liberator chrome lined.

 

[Guest]

What is the XD of the AR world?

LWRC

 

[Guest]

but after studying the "chart" I just can't help but desire the LWRC. Am I silly for wanting such a beast of a rife for a newbie?

The "chart" is pretty bull****, just so you know.

 

[Guest]

I think CMMG is probably the best bang for the buck on a new complete new rifle.


But the bargin bin over at CMMG is the best deal on a complete rifle.

 

[Guest]

Basic no frills? Almost any AR in A2 configuration. No optics to break, simple, basic, proven and Marine proof.

Good manufacturers are any of the brand names: Armalite, Bushmaster Colt, Rock River... (hummm... wonder if I can name all the manufactuers from A-Z in alphabetical order.) I personally have an Armalite.

Hardwarz

 

[Guest]

Unless you are gonna be shooting suppressed, the gas piston is unnecessary. It has noticeably harsher recoil (tho not bad, but noticeably more)

Its extra weight. Its more stuff to break. Its glitzy and glamourous, but unless you are gonna be shooting a suppressor, its wasted money. $1500 for an upper? Crazy. And be ready to wait 4 or more months to get it.

As was said, build your own AR, and use the extra $$$$ to get a good red dot, like an EOTech or an ACOG, and other functional accessories, like a Redimag, CTR buttstock, a good trigger, etc.

There's nothing wrong with a DI upper. Can't go wrong with an Armailte, Bushy, Rock River, or Fulton Armory. Of those, the best of the two would be Armaite and Fulton IMO.

 

[Guest]

Buying a cheaper brand AR is fine...as long as you do a few things to improve reliability.

For example, the BCG is one place where the lower priced AR's cut costs. It's also one of the most important part groups as far reliability.

 

[Guest]

Here is a list off the top of my head that are all good to go (in no particular order, just typing as I think of them, and not all make their own, just fix and sell others):

Bushmaster
Rock River Arms
Colt
LMT
Noveske
LaRue (upper)
CMMG
Bravo Co
Sabre Defense
Armalite
POF
LWRC
CMT

I know I'm missing some, but that's a good start. Don't worry about really petty and pointless for 99.99999999999% of the population things like 4140 vs 4150 barrel steel, parkerizing under the FSB, shot peening anything, MP testing, etc...It won't matter for a gun that isn't getting used and abused day in and day out. The one thing I would check no matter who I got my gun from would be the staking of the gas key and the castle nut on the stock.

I personally have an RRA 16" midlength HB with YHM rails, Bobro VFG and a TA31DOC ACOG on an RRA lower with the 2 stage trigger and a CTR stock. I bought everything but the lower from Untitled Document (Shadow River Productions is the name of the company, they are out of CO), and it has performed flawlessly. Don't trust the chart, there are multiple versions out there and as far as I know, not one of them is actually 100% right, and there are things on there that mean jack **** when it comes to rifle performance.

 

[Guest]

The Bushmasters are cheap in price, but the quality is not equivalent to the XDs.

That's probably one of the most absurd statements I ever heard! If you actually knew anything about AR's, you'd know just HOW absurd!

 

[Guest]

get a dpms basic rifle. youre gonna mod the hell out of it anyway. its the nature of the disease

Amen to that!

 

[Guest]

That's probably one of the most absurd statements I ever heard! If you actually knew anything about AR's, you'd know just HOW absurd!

Not only that, but as great as XDs are, they are NOT the top of the line pistols like a hand built AR is king of that realm. The premise of this thread is absurd.

 

[Guest]

Doesn't the gas piston system keep the gun 100x's cleaner than DI????
There are a few companies out there selling a kit for a few hundred bucks and you can install it yourself. No need to buy an upper with it already installed.

ARES DEFENSE SYSTEMS, INC.- Products

I do not have an AR but if I did I would want this system.

 

[Guest]

Let me clarify the reason for this post.

I did not mean to imply that the XD is the best pistol out there. I should have pointed out how it works perfectly for my needs, high quality, and is inexpensive. I realize on this forum I might come off as someone who thinks the XD is the greatest, but for this post I did not mean to imply that.

The purpose of this threat was to inquire about the AR equivalent to the XD. I did not mean to open up another can of worms about what is the best AR, I just meant to ask what AR will serve my needs, be constructed with the greatest quality, etc. just like my XDs.

I should have been more clear and I do apologize.