View Full Version : CMMG Opinions?
Hi, all. I'm in the market for an inexpensive M4-style carbine for recreational (no duty or hard training) use. I'm familiar with the M4 platform (have carried an M16, M4, or Mk18 for 21 of the last 22 years at work), but currently issued a Mk16 (SCAR-L) - and that's what I'll travel and train with.
But, I'd still like to have at least one "black gun" in the safe. Is the CMMG a decent option? CDNN keeps running specials on them, but I'm leery of a brand I'm unfamiliar with.
What's the consensus on the "WASP" coating for the bore?
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Kevin
GermanSynergy
02-08-10, 18:30
I built a Super SAM rifle using a CMMG stripped lower and had no issues. I've never used one of their complete rifles, and cannot comment on the "WASP" coating. What is your price range? In this market and economy, some deals can be had on EBRs without having to skimp on quality.
Thank you for your service to our country.
I can tell you they have excellent customer service. I used a stripped lower from them that had a magwell issue. Every company can have issues like that from time to time. I sent them one e-mail and they shipped the lower back to them for free and had a new one at my front door less than one week from my first e-mail. That is as good as it gets for service. Good luck.
i had one... pretty solid gun really. they were one of the few companies doing a 1 in 7 twist middy with a pencil barrel when i bought mine.
resale does suffer though. my next AR is probably going to be name brand just for that reason. cold/LMT/noveske def. has better resale.
Be sure to check out the CMMG bargain bin. If it's just recreational, $599.95 looks awfully hard to beat. I don't own one myself, but most of the feedback I have seen about them has been good.
Thanks, all!
I'm trying to keep everything as inexpensive as possible, without giving up reliability or accuracy. I really want to keep the total cost under $1K - otherwise I'd snap up one of those recently-affordable Colt 6920s in a heartbeat.
Regards,
Kevin
My sample of one: I have a CMMG, and it's been trouble free, though I don't run it hard or shoot it much.
I heard horrible things about their CS, but they were about the only company making what I wanted (mid-length, 14.5" lightweight barrel), so I went for it.
I bought my upper through AIM, because (1) it was cheaper that way, and (2) in case I had a problem, CMMG seemed to be a lot more attentive to their dealers than to their individual customers.
My gas key was staked, the guy who assembled the lower staked the castle nut, and I bought a BCM bolt and wrapped up the original as a spare. Done.
Bimmer
Remember911
02-11-10, 13:24
How many other companies out there offer $500.00 AR's should say something.
organdonor
02-11-10, 15:06
How many other companies out there offer $500.00 AR's should say something.CMMG sells more than bargain bin rifles. they make a fine rifle.
Remember911
02-11-10, 16:58
who said they did't. you read to much it to things. My point is what othere comp out there has BB guns or all those extr parts laing around,junk or othere ways. god for bid someone post something and then get railed for it.
organdonor
02-11-10, 17:45
who said they did't. you read to much it to things. My point is what othere comp out there has BB guns or all those extr parts laing around,junk or othere ways. god for bid someone post something and then get railed for it.we must both read too much into things because I don't think I did any railing there. wasn't my intention. my point stands; cmmg rifles would be farther to the left on the chart if available upgrades were included.
D.S. Brown
02-11-10, 21:11
I'll let you know when I get my rifle back from them again. I had to send it back twice within the same week because the problem I was having wasn't addressed the first time. Hopefully second time will be a charm.
Best,
Dave
The upper I purchased had severe front sight cant, I quickly sold and would not buy another to many other options out there.
I, too have heard several negative reports on CMMG's customer service over on TOS. I've never had to use it myself, so I have no personal experience.
Having said that, I have a CMMG midlength upper on a CMMG home-built lower, and it is a very solid, reliable rifle. I have had no issues with it, and the only faults I have are 1) it doesn not have the proper extractor spring/insert, and 2) the magwell is tight on a few mags. I bought mine from AIM a couple years ago when they had them for $525.01 shipped.:D
If I had to do it over again now, however, I'd go with BCM--their quality is consistently high and their CS is second to none.
Hi, all. I'm in the market for an inexpensive M4-style carbine for recreational (no duty or hard training) use. I'm familiar with the M4 platform (have carried an M16, M4, or Mk18 for 21 of the last 22 years at work), but currently issued a Mk16 (SCAR-L) - and that's what I'll travel and train with.
But, I'd still like to have at least one "black gun" in the safe. Is the CMMG a decent option? CDNN keeps running specials on them, but I'm leery of a brand I'm unfamiliar with.
What's the consensus on the "WASP" coating for the bore?
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Kevin
I would say, buy whatever you like. No CMMG is not the best, but are better than some. Kind of like the Ford Taurus of AR's.
C4
hoytshooter
02-12-10, 09:19
i have no experience with any other their uppers, but i have a lower i completed and everything fit perfectly and feels solid.
I have been very happy with the following CMMG products.
1. 16" midlength barrel- almost as accurate as my Centurion
2. 14.5" midlength lightweight barrel- when no one else was making them
3. 22LR conversion kit that runs like a sewing machine
4. 22LR dedicated upper that required some work to the chamber but they took care of it.
Funny, first time I ever post here (that I can remember) and it is on a CMMG question. Nothing gets me fired up like a CMMG question. :mad:
I have a buddy who purchased one of their .22 uppers. It has been nothing but problems for him. It has been in for repair twice (on his dime) and had parts shipped to him another time. Mostly issues with the bolt carrier group. This thing has had a broken firing pin, a broken extractor, and a broken bolt among other things. Every time he fixes one issue another thing breaks on it.
As far as myself is concerned, I dont have any direct experience with their products. I have an issue with their CS though. Forgive me if this goes on a bit of a tangent, but after this experience I have absolutely ZERO chance of ever even considering a product from them. Of course, according to them, Im not welcome to order from them anyhow....
I placed an order online from the CMMG website. The next day I got an email from them saying that they had given me an incorrect price and that they had charged my credit card the additional money to make up the difference. Personally I wasnt too thrilled that they just assumed that it was ok to charge me $100+ more than quoted without asking. I emailed them to ask what exactly the problem was. No one ever apologized for the error, nor did anyone ever apologize for charging my card $100 more than I authorized. They simply said "Look, do you want it or not?". Ultimately their lack of apology and other things pissed me off. So I emailed them back and said that if they werent willing to honor the price that I got it for off of their website, I didnt want it. The funny thing about the whole situation is that the person informed me that CMMG didnt want my business anyhow and that I wasnt welcome to place orders with them in the future. I was also told that if I did place an order they would cancel my order.
I admit that I didnt go out of my way to resolve the situation amicably. However, when a company charges my cc $100+ more than I authorized and then doesnt apologize, they dont deserve me to go out of my way to resolve an issue. I think the fact that they had the gall to tell me that they dont want my business (and then go as far as tell me Im not welcome to place an order with them in the future) says a lot.
Considering that the only real experience I have with their products is the crap .22upper that they sold my buddy, I think that they did me a favor. Ill keep spending my money with Spikes, BCM, and LaRue.
forgive me for a second post, but I want to clarify something.
Im sure that CMMG makes a decent quality lower receiver. Their barrels (which is what I was going to order) seem to be good quality. I like the specs on the barrels and Im sure that it would probably be better than a non MP, non 4150, non 1/7 barrel.
I told you that my buddies .22 upper is crap because it is. However, to be fair, Ive heard that most .22 uppers are seriously flawed. Ive even read a few posts on Spikes having issues.
The main difference is that (according to my buddy) CMMG acts like they are doing you a favor by "fixing" it. They also dont pay the shipping for you to get the upper to them. He also said he was a bit surprised by the lack of an apology or a thank you or any form of communication that you would expect from someone who you just gave money to. His report of dreadful service, coupled with my own, is enough to make me realize that CMMG CS blows in a big way. SPIKES, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of this. They may have issues with their products as well, but at least they make an effort to be courteous. They typically throw a few freebies in the return packages from what I hear as well.
Bottom line is this, CMMG makes products that are of a decent quality. Id take a CMMG over a Hesse/Blackthorne for instance. Probably even over a DPMS or Olympic. But would I take them over a Spikes, BCM, DD, LaRue, Stag, or one of countless other companies out there who make products that are just as good and have exceptional customer service, absolutely not.
WOW! Hate to hear your experiences - that's exactly the kind of CS BS that I have NO patience for...
Maybe I better just hold fire, or look at S&W for inexpensive rifle options...
Regards,
Kevin
Sparky5019
02-14-10, 09:34
I know my experience is sample of 1 with S & W but I took one off the reck to look at it and WAS NOT IMPRESSED for $1100! The upper and lower were rattling so I pulled out the BCG and saw that the gas key was staked "just for show" meaning that the marks were there but did not encroach any metal on the screws. Trigger was a little better than a gravel road.
I have some better, although still limited, experience with CMMG. I bought several from CDNN since June and all proved to be the same quality...as good as any I've seen. Do I stake my life on the gun daily as a cop or in Iraq? No but mine has not failed once! The WASP coating is a protective finish that is supposed to be harder than chrome and it is bonded to the bore and chamber. I have had no issues with my barrel and it is WASP coated.
If I were betting my life on the gun daily I would probably get a BCM but the CMMGs have proven excellent quality for and I WILL buy another one soon!
Any other questions send me a PM. ;)
Sparky
Just a couple of lowers - both inspec, expected coating...
With CNC machining these days, it would be pretty hard to get his messed up.
WOW! Hate to hear your experiences - that's exactly the kind of CS BS that I have NO patience for...
Tlendy didn't say, but I'm guessing that his bad experience was a year or two ago. I heard similar stories before I bought mine (in the rush of 2008): e-mails being blown off, phone not being answered, not very helpful when somebody did answer, left hand not knowing what right hand was doing, delays upon delays upon delays, etc. etc. etc.
As I said before, when I bought my CMMG, I purposefully bought it through one of their dealers, because I wanted to be able to go back to somebody who would take care of me and my rifle if I had a problem (I didn't). CMMG seemed to be much more attententive to complains via their dealers than complaints from individual customers.
Maybe their CS is better now (maybe not).
Also, I've got a CMMG .22 conversion, too, and it's been perfect. I appreciate that they now sell their own .22 magazines (and they're cheaper and more aesthetically pleasing), and that they sell spare parts for their conversion kits separately.
Bimmer
SWATcop556
02-14-10, 17:13
Hey Kevin I recognized you from 10-8 over here. Welcome!
Personally I would go with the S&W over a CMMG any day. Better CS, better parts, better components, and so on. I've shot many rifles from both companies and S&W would get my money 10 out of 10 times. Hit me up on PMs if you have any questions.
Stay safe,
Jordan
Tlendy didn't say, but I'm guessing that his bad experience was a year or two ago. I heard similar stories before I bought mine (in the rush of 2008): e-mails being blown off, phone not being answered, not very helpful when somebody did answer, left hand not knowing what right hand was doing, delays upon delays upon delays, etc. etc. etc.
As I said before, when I bought my CMMG, I purposefully bought it through one of their dealers, because I wanted to be able to go back to somebody who would take care of me and my rifle if I had a problem (I didn't). CMMG seemed to be much more attententive to complains via their dealers than complaints from individual customers.
Maybe their CS is better now (maybe not).
Also, I've got a CMMG .22 conversion, too, and it's been perfect. I appreciate that they now sell their own .22 magazines (and they're cheaper and more aesthetically pleasing), and that they sell spare parts for their conversion kits separately.
Bimmer
My experience was about 8 months ago. My buddies experience with them started around the same time and he has dealt with them on several occasions since then to try to sort out his malfunctioning upper.
As far as going through a licensed dealer, that is the way to go. IF, and that is a big IF, I ever got a CMMG product Id get it through a dealer so that they wouldnt have the satisfaction of seeing me place an order from them. Actually if I had enough money to waste Id get one of their .22 uppers from a dealer just cause I figure it wont work. Then Id keep sending that piece of shit in for repair. Id love to be like, "Um, yeah, you banned me from buying your junk products, but my local dealer must not have gotten the memo. So here is my receipt, fix this piece of garbage and honor your warranty, assholes".
Oh well. Though, Im just a vindictive SOB I guess.
But yes, I would think that getting a CMMG product from a dealer is a much better option than dealing with them directly. At least a local dealer will probably give a crap about their customers, so I would definitely go that route.
Remember911
02-15-10, 06:31
Yes but it would not be long befor the dealers say f this and not order any more on just that sending stuf back.
I had nothing but trouble with a barrel I bought direct from CMMG a few years ago. The gun would not zero unless the rear sight (A1) was all the way to the left. I thought that maybe I had an out of spec bare upper (Colt C7-A1), So I swapped that receiver out for an A2 upper and the same thing happened. Also every once in a while I'd get a stuck case when it heated up. Never was able to get it to malf on demand and after a few years sold it to a guy who was aware of my issues with it and wanted to see if he could get it to work as a blaster only bbl.
Bottom line: I would not buy another barrel from them when there are so many tier 1 company's selling excellent barrels. My .02.
openbolt
eternal24k
02-16-10, 11:56
I bought a barrel that had a canted FSB, sent it back and they fixed it. I have had an order for a LW middy from them for many months, but now with the new options coming out, I might cancel my order when the time comes.
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