View Full Version : Of all the AR's out there...
which three are your personal favorites?
Builds would take all 3 for me...but top 3 factory AR's would probably be:
1) FN DMR - Perfect except for the muzzle brake imo.
2) Daniel Defense V11 Pro - Excellent aside from lacking buis. Don't mind the more durable quad rail too much.
3) WMD Beast - Mainly because it's unique and nobody else is likely to choose it. Add some black mbus pro LR's, some alternating black and odg rail guards, a black optic, and odg pistol grip, stock, and foregrip and I'd let it sleep in the bed on Friday's.
Honorable mention - BCM RECCE in Dark Bronze
Subject to change...daily.
Bushmaster... just because the mere mention of the word causes people here to puke. :p :bad:
Seriously... all I have are Colt. Is it the best out there? No. But it's used as the yardstick for everything else so to me that says something.
masenomics
08-13-16, 22:19
1. Anderson manufacturing
2. Bushmaster
3. DPMS
You talking factory guns? There are literally thousands of AR configs out there.
Otherwise, you are looking at virtually infinite configs. Everyone has their own preference for everything from front to back, muzzle device on back to the stock.
SR15E3 MOD 2 MLOK
6920 OEM2
6921 with SOCOM barrel
Assuming this AR15, 5.56 only.
Noveske 14.5 middy
DD MK18
BCM 11.5
firefighter37
08-13-16, 23:29
1. SR-15 Mod 1 SBR
2. SR-15 Mod 1
3. SR-15 Mod 1 LPR
DDM4 V7 Mlok
BCM kmr upper with BFH els upper on your choice of lower
2A blr-16
Bushmaster... just because the mere mention of the word causes people here to puke. :p :bad:
Seriously... all I have are Colt. Is it the best out there? No. But it's used as the yardstick for everything else so to me that says something.
I used to have 2 6940's and really enjoyed them. Absurdly accurate and utterly reliable. Sold them because of the small area of exposed gas tube. Have an OEM 2 on my want list though.
You talking factory guns? There are literally thousands of AR configs out there.
Otherwise, you are looking at virtually infinite configs. Everyone has their own preference for everything from front to back, muzzle device on back to the stock.
Whatever you want. Just thought it would be interesting to hear. Type out 3 builds if you'd like and people will find it interesting. I took the shortcut with factory options.
1. SR-15 Mod 1 SBR
2. SR-15 Mod 1
3. SR-15 Mod 1 LPR
Agree. But I'm interested in the mod 2 upgrades.
SR-15's are sweet. I'm curious about the new run of custom guns as well as piston AR's.
wildcard600
08-13-16, 23:58
Hesse
KAC only wishes they could have such quality.
firefighter37
08-14-16, 00:12
Hesse
KAC only wishes they could have such quality.
Hesse is too expensive.
MajorLonghorn
08-14-16, 01:12
There is so much modularity to the AR platform that it's almost pointless to say that one AR is better than another, as any build can be reconfigured. The only official "part" is the lower receiver, and it is frankly one of the least consequential components. The trigger and the barrel are the parts that matter most.
im a simple man what ever is reliable that I have now.
as of now thats the aac for the 300 blk and the sig m400
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1. Colt LE6920
2. BCM HSP Jack
3. Daniel Defense Ambush
1. BCM CQB 11 KMR ELW
2. BCM Recce 14 KMR ELW-F
3. Noveske 14.5" Afghan Rifle
My first two ARs were Daniel Defense. They are so ridiculously over gassed I can't include them in the "best" category anymore. It hurts to see them in this list for other. They have the ability to make the best rifles and they choose not too. With all the other stuff they make its damn near perfect but when you barrel gas ports are that wide it towers over all the good they do with the rest of their complete rifles.
1. BCM
2. KAC
3. COLT
In order...
1. Colt 6940
2. Colt 6720
3. Colt AR15A4
If the 6940 had the barrel profile of the 6720 it would be my new number one.
1. Noveske Infidel Gen3 KX5
2. BCM 14.5" middy ELWF
3. Colt 6920
cougar_guy04
08-14-16, 12:50
My personal favorites:
AAC MPW - 16" 5.56, 9" 300BLK
KAC SR-15 11.5 SBR
BCM 16" Midlength w/ DD Omega-X (my personal build and the gun I've spent more time with than anything else)
If we step up to 308s, SR-25 ECC
There are literally tons of good options out there now, but if I had to choose..
1. 14.5" BCM ELW-F with a 13" KMR Alpha (or a 16" ELW-F with a 15" KMR Alpha). The barrel profile and over all weight/balance of this setup is amazing. I like it so much I'm building a 16" version of it to go with my 14.5". (Setup with BCM ambi charging handle, Battle Arms ambi safety, and ambi mag release).
2. KAC SR15 E3 Mod 2 (14.5" or 16" version). I love that the gun comes loaded with features like ambi controls. Over all it's very similar to #1 but I dislike that it uses proprietary parts. I also prefer the barrel profile and weight of the BCM ELW-F, thus why the KAC is #2.
3. BCM Jack Carbine. I'd add ambi controls, but over all I could live with it setup as is. It's #3 because it's a little heavy for the amount of rail space it has (I prefer longer rails), and I dislike the government profile barrel. I wish they had a 13" geissele rail and a lighter weight barrel on them.
4. (Honorable mention). BCM EAG 14.5 Mid Length. Simple, reliable, and bomb-proof. Same over all opinion as the BCM jack in regards to barrel profile and rail space. I'd add ambi controls, but other than that it's good to go.
There is so much modularity to the AR platform that it's almost pointless to say that one AR is better than another, as any build can be reconfigured. The only official "part" is the lower receiver, and it is frankly one of the least consequential components. The trigger and the barrel are the parts that matter most.
Technically that is true, but too many people make the mistake of buying a rifle that needs so much upgrading that eventually they're in it for much more than if they had bought a decent rifle to begin with. Of course I'm sure we've all made mistakes like that at one point in our lives.
1. M110
2. Mk12 Mod 0
3. Mk12 Mod 1
1. BCM
2. BCM
3. BCM
I also like BCM.
My first two ARs were Daniel Defense. They are so ridiculously over gassed I can't include them in the "best" category anymore. It hurts to see them in this list for other. They have the ability to make the best rifles and they choose not too. With all the other stuff they make its damn near perfect but when you barrel gas ports are that wide it towers over all the good they do with the rest of their complete rifles.
1. BCM
2. KAC
3. COLT
They must have corrected themselves because their ports are pretty tiny now and certainly do not over gas the rifle. They eject around 4 o'clock in a perfect pile.
1) VLTOR Defender. Just a super clean rifle that functions perfectly. Unfortunately, I do not own this one, but a good friend does. He got it for around $1000 brand new. At that price, I don't think one can find a better AR.
2) Bushmaster M4A3. No, I'm not joking. I've got one with a couple thousand rounds through it and it's been a great rifle. Solid accuracy. No reliability issues. The only failure I'd encountered was due to running some JP Yellow springs; producing random light primer strikes with some mil-surplus ammo. Everything I've replaced, which is very little, has been due to personal preference. Zero abnormal or premature wear.
3) CMMG MK4. Some say their QC and quality has gone downhill, which may be true give the infrequency of their name being mentioned. But the one I had years ago was a good rifle. The only thing I ended up not liking was the pinned MD due to the 14.5" barrel. I eventually sold it to a buddy who really liked it. He still has it and it continues to perform well.
I know I've said it before, but I feel very fortunate to live in this moment in history. There are just a ton of choices when it comes to ARs that will serve a shooter well. Everything from complete rifles to components, optics, magazines, ammo, and so on. It's just a great time to be a shooter.
OP, I am interested to hear more about your WMD Beast. I gave it a serious look a few years ago. I felt coating the whole thing NiB might have been overkill, but did wonder if it would seem to cycle a little smoother. Do you feel it makes a difference outside of ease of cleaning? I suppose I'd be interested in reliability as well. But, back to my earlier point, outside of occasional "lemons" and the few really bad brands, many ARs out there don't have issues with reliability.
I know I've said it before, but I feel very fortunate to live in this moment in history. There are just a ton of choices when it comes to ARs that will serve a shooter well. Everything from complete rifles to components, optics, magazines, ammo, and so on. It's just a great time to be a shooter.
While I understand what you're saying, I respectfully disagree with one thing. Yes there are a lot of AR manufacturers out there, but in my opinion too many of them offer the same thing, which are tactical carbines. As much as I love my M4s I don't see why everybody and his cousin has to offer 20 different models and yet virtually no retro models or standard 20" rifles. Yes I know the demand for M4geries is huge right now, but c'mon a lot of people want a Vietnam-era A1, an XM177 carbine or a standard A2 or A3 government rifle. The fact that such rifles sell for way over MSRP when you can actually find one on Gunbroker tells me there is a demand that's not being satisfied by the limited number of such rifles on the market. By contrast tactical carbines are dirt cheap and always on sale for the simple fact that there's a glut of them out there.
While I understand what you're saying, I respectfully disagree with one thing. Yes there are a lot of AR manufacturers out there, but in my opinion too many of them offer the same thing, which are tactical carbines. As much as I love my M4s I don't see why everybody and his cousin has to offer 20 different models and yet virtually no retro models or standard 20" rifles.
That's a valid point. I was speaking more to the reliability/quality side of the market these days; which I think we agree on. While there is a growing intrest for the retro items, the demand does not seem quite there yet to go "mainstream". When you see those rifles going for more than MSRP, I'm sure there are companies out there taking notice as well. I'm not sure it will ever get to a point where "everyone and their brother is producing retro models", but do feel that some companies will realize the demand and decide to service that portion of the market. The quality and availability of the M4geries these days is bringing a lot of new people to the AR community. But it's not surprising most go right for the tactical carbines. With all the new shooters, I think it's inevitable that the interest in the retro models will grow and supply will follow.
which three are your personal favorites?
Mine....
BuzzinSATX
08-14-16, 20:06
I don't have a bunch of experience with a lot of different AR's. Zero rounds behind a Novesky, KAC, LMT, LWRC, LaRue, or any deviation such as a Sig or HK, so those are out.
Qualified with Colts for 27 years on active duty, and most (all training guns) were pretty worn but generally worked fine. But I was in the AF, so we really didn't shoot a lot of shells other than one combat skills training event. Malfunctions were an opportunity to practice clearing and function drills. I've shot some friends rifles...S&W's, DPMS's, PWS (non-piston), and Bushmasters. All were very low mileage and ran fine for the mag or two I put through them.
First personal AR was a Ruger SR-556 bought in 2010. It ran well for several thousand rounds, and was pretty accurate, but it always seemed too nose heavy, so I sold it during the rush at a profit....
Replaced it with a DDM4V2. Not the most popular model, but I like my DD. It's light and has been totally reliable...never had an issue for 5K rounds.
My other AR is a hybrid...Sons of Liberty Gun Works (SOLGW) lower on a BCM upper. (built in 2012). That is a much softer shooting rifle than the DD, and my personal favorite.
I recently got a personal "tour" of the Sons of Liberty operation. It's small, but they are busy and really seem to be doing it right. I bought a complete lower, and when funds are available, will buy another lower and a couple ultra light uppers, also from Sons of Liberty. I'm sold on what they are doing right here in the Southern sector of the Republic....
So I'd have to say, from my limited experience, I am satisfied with my DD, and very happy with my BCM and SOLGW components.
1) VLTOR Defender. Just a super clean rifle that functions perfectly. Unfortunately, I do not own this one, but a good friend does. He got it for around $1000 brand new. At that price, I don't think one can find a better AR.
2) Bushmaster M4A3. No, I'm not joking. I've got one with a couple thousand rounds through it and it's been a great rifle. Solid accuracy. No reliability issues. The only failure I'd encountered was due to running some JP Yellow springs; producing random light primer strikes with some mil-surplus ammo. Everything I've replaced, which is very little, has been due to personal preference. Zero abnormal or premature wear.
3) CMMG MK4. Some say their QC and quality has gone downhill, which may be true give the infrequency of their name being mentioned. But the one I had years ago was a good rifle. The only thing I ended up not liking was the pinned MD due to the 14.5" barrel. I eventually sold it to a buddy who really liked it. He still has it and it continues to perform well.
I know I've said it before, but I feel very fortunate to live in this moment in history. There are just a ton of choices when it comes to ARs that will serve a shooter well. Everything from complete rifles to components, optics, magazines, ammo, and so on. It's just a great time to be a shooter.
OP, I am interested to hear more about your WMD Beast. I gave it a serious look a few years ago. I felt coating the whole thing NiB might have been overkill, but did wonder if it would seem to cycle a little smoother. Do you feel it makes a difference outside of ease of cleaning? I suppose I'd be interested in reliability as well. But, back to my earlier point, outside of occasional "lemons" and the few really bad brands, many ARs out there don't have issues with reliability.
I don't own one, yet.
abanks8245
08-14-16, 20:45
Colt 6933
AAC MPW 9 inch/300 Blkout
Bcm Mid 16
- LMT, Colt, or Noveske mk18 CQBR.
- Noveske N4 middy 16". Perfect barrel profile.
- LMT MWS. Technically not an AR, but in the same family and it is simply outstanding.
ColtSeavers
08-15-16, 00:16
A free floated rifle gas 18" 'SPR-ish' build with decent glass that goes to at least 10x on a bipod.
A 16" 'general purpose' with lpv or low fixed power optic, light, and sling.
A 10.3"~11.5" pistol/sbr with irons or rds, light and sling.
TacticalSledgehammer
08-15-16, 07:22
If I could buy anything:
1. Colt SCW (it just looks cool to me).
2. Daniel Defense ISR in .300 blk. With an Eotech model 300.
3. Something big from Nemo Arms.
Realistically for me (I have or have had) these:
1. BCM/Spikes build. It has a BCM 14.5" middy LW upper with a perm attached FH. Troy MRF drop in rail, BCM CH, Primary arms advanced micro dot on a cheap cmt riser. Lower is a spike's crusaider, with a BCM receiver extension-buffer kit and stock. I've painted this thing using arvo field drab. It's probably the most fun for me AR carbine I've ever had.
2. Colt 6920. I still cannot believe how accurate it is. It's a little more blah, but damn it's solid.
3. Double Star. I had this in my pre M4C days. The rifle had an A2 upper, fluted Hbar style barrel and OD green furniture. It was every bit as accurate as my Colt. I had to cut the grooves deeper in the pins to keep them from walking out. I used to be an all guy before I got this double star. I ended up selling it and built or bought better rifles since.
Briman1001
08-15-16, 15:42
DDM4V1. Just looks awesome to me and performs great. Maybe a little heavy but I like a quad rail.
Briman1001
08-15-16, 15:43
Probably a Colt 6720. Minimalist but does it all.
QuickStrike
08-15-16, 18:58
Colt 6920- basic duty grade carbine to upgrade, I probably would not buy anything else with the fixed fsb/carbine length gas tube configuration
Any Midlength with low-pro gas block and a quality rail of about 12-13" handguard in picatinny or mlok
Knights SR-15 Mod 2 Mlok
A knights will probably be my next AR because making the 6920 into exactly what I want costs very close in the end...
PatrioticDisorder
08-15-16, 19:25
1. KAC SBR (11.5")
2. KAC Carrbine (14.5")
3. DD Mk18 (10.3")
johnnywitt
08-17-16, 16:37
Probably a Colt 6720. Minimalist but does it all.
I agree as well. What does a 6920 get ya. You don't get anymore accuracy because the barrel steps down to 6720 pencil profile at points. All you get is more weight without any accuracy gain. I like the Colt SOCOM Barrel if you have to have more weight because then you do have a higher chance of getting better accuracy and when they heat up the groups stay tighter. I have both.
1. 6720
2. 6921
3. See #1
I agree as well. What does a 6920 get ya. You don't get anymore accuracy because the barrel steps down to 6720 pencil profile at points. All you get is more weight without any accuracy gain. I like the Colt SOCOM Barrel if you have to have more weight because then you do have a higher chance of getting better accuracy and when they heat up the groups stay tighter. I have both.
I wish that was available in a rifle model vs having to do a barrel change on a new gun. Either a 16" version or a 14.5" pinned/welded.
johnnywitt
08-17-16, 17:17
I wish that was available in a rifle model vs having to do a barrel change on a new gun. Either a 16" version or a 14.5" pinned/welded.
Yeah, I know. I first started out with a couple of 6920's and then sold the barrels and bought the SOCOM 14.5" and pinned on some AAC 51T FH. They are really accurate barrels (I hunt with AR's). I've found that the 6720 Pencil barrels are just about as accurate though on the first 5 or so shots & after that I'm probably not going to care if my groups are opening up a bit because I will be running and gunning haha. I'm really sold on the 6720 platform and the carbine gas system for reliability if you have to maybe end up shooting some lessor grade .223 ammo in the future (I would stay with a plain old H Buffer for this). A heavier H2 buffer can ameliorate some of the wear & tear of shooting a 16" bbl w/carbine gas IMO. If I was a Competitor I probably would feel differently about the Mid Length Gas and all. YMMV.
I have a 6920, an old Bushmaster Patrolman's Carbine I have had for years that has given good service and several uppers from BCM on mismatched lowers, but my favorite is a complete BCM 14.5'' SOCOM M4. It is very basic; the only add on to it is an Elzetta light mount under the FSB. Another favorite might be my first complete build I just finished. It started as an Aero stripped upper and lower, with a Colt M4A1 14.5" barrel, a Colt BCG, and White Oak LPK. It has a BCM receiver extension with a B5 SOPMOD stock on it. I have only put 100 rounds thru it, but it runs perfectly, and seems accurate. All my rifles are very basic, but they have quality parts in them. I might add a RDS to one of them, but other than that and a light, I can't see any use for much else.
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