No LMT?
Im in the same boat with these guys, no frills or gimmicks just a solid reliable tough rifle. Built with excellent quality control and and stringent testing backed with good customer service.
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I'll add LMT to Grant's list.
I just went through the buying process. I am a hands on person, I want to touch and look at what I am buying-if it is not available I am probably going to wait until it is or look at another option.
The list above was "the" list for me. There were no BCM uppers or rifles in my area (including Palmetto Armory), I did like the LMT but the DD mid length no sights was the right set up and felt the lightest. Also, the DD compared very favorably on the "Chart". I found the chart very helpful as someone with a lot of pistol experience but not a lot of AR experience.
What basic technical specs should be insisted on? Check "The Chart".
What do I look for in a weapon I am going to throw my $$ at and expect it to perform to my standard?
Any of the following names, depending on my application:
BCM
Daniel Defense
LMT
Noveske
KAC
Colt
A mid-length gas system. True, a carbine gas system on a 16" barrel isn't the Great Satan that some seem to imply, but I am used to middies and I have no compelling reason to deviate from my preference. For 18" barrels I prefer the intermediate or rifle gas system. Colt doesn't offer a middie, but I would choose the 6920 over any other carbine gas 16".
"Flat-Top", railed upper. While I do employ both fixed and folding back-up sights, the primary is locked to the upper receiver, and doing that with an A2 or A1 carry-handle blows.
Usable barrel profile. I am not really a "fan" of pencil barrels (though I do own one), but the M4 profile is silly. I like a "mid-weight" profile, such as that found on BCM, DD, KAC, and Noveske. I doubt that they are all the same, but they are all of similar concept.
12" handguard (or so). Sure, you can replace the HG if you don't like it, but I prefer to have it done before I get it.
Decent stock. Whether it is an LMT SOPMOD or a MagPul MOE, like a handguard, I'd rather not pay for it twice.
I want a free hat and a sticker to go with it. Or something along those lines.
Seriously, pretty much everything was touched on above. But some free crap never hurts. :D
No, don't.
I prefer the 5 gallon bucket size paint stirrers. They make great tools for spanking the back side of my kids.:D When they were young, they're 11 and 13 now, all I had to do was pull out that paint stirrer and things changed in an instant.
Back to the OP's questions now.
When I first joined here I read over the Chart and did a ton of reading on the site. Mil-spec became the descriptive word for me. That lead me to decide on the following brands
BCM
Daniel Defense
LMT
Noveske
KAC
Colt
My present AR is comprised of a LMT lower and a BCM 14/5" Mid upper.