Page 1 of 61 1231151 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 601

Thread: Why'd you buy it?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    oregon
    Posts
    7,126
    Feedback Score
    7 (100%)

    Why'd you buy it?

    I'm interested to hear short stories of why people chose to buy lesser-quality weapons- bush, DPMS, oly, RRA, etc..

    there's a lot of people come around and post something to the effect of "i bought this DPMS last month, signed up here, and learned that it's not the greatest of choices, so i'm _________ (getting rid of it, fixing it up, etc)..."

    this isn't at all a ripfest on you or your weapon. i'm just interested to know WHY you chose the weapon that you did, before you knew- what research did you do? how available was information? did you have problems finding information? did you get recommendations from people? what web-sources did you investigate? books that you read? etc.

    back when i first started out in the AR world, information was nill. there were a few books out, but they focused on function, shooting, cleaning, stripping, etc- there wasn't really anything out with great technical information. furthermore, there wasn't 1/20th of the selection to chose from- more often than not, if you couldn't afford/could find colt parts, you were left with no-name gunshow parts or Quality Parts Inc (bushmaster) parts- which were actually, next to colt, the only manufacturer with a name that put any degree of quality control into their processes. My first build was a ban-compliant attempt at a carbine, and it was about 50% bushmaster, with a few colt parts and the rest were unknown origin. if i were to have purchased a complete gun, it would have been an Armalite or Bushmaster, I'm sure. fortunately, i did get a little inside information from a gunsmith i'd met at a gun show, and assembled something pretty decent. i'm just curious as to how much has changed, what the word is on the streetz, etc. so share your story, por favor.
    Last edited by bkb0000; 07-01-09 at 19:29.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    TEXAS
    Posts
    1,181
    Feedback Score
    20 (100%)
    Some people only start to get on the forums after they buy their lesser AR. Others never get on the forums before or after buying, and don't do any research prior to buying. Some don't care. For example, my brother in law has one AR (a 20" A2 HBAR heavy as all get out musket) and really wants an M4 type because he loved my old LMT. HE does not cruise M4C or any other forum. He was looking on Guns America and Gun Broker and was telling me how he found Bushmaster M4s for whatever price they were (I want to say around a $1K). I am trying to get him to buy one of the new DD XVs from Grant had I not told him that I wouldn't be buying a Bushmaster at that kind of price, he probably would have just done it a month or so ago. Now, if I can just get him to make the right decision and give Grant the $$ for the DD.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    5,795
    Feedback Score
    0
    #1 would be mostly ignorance. Indifference. MOST GUN FORUMS! Most think they are all the same. Lying gun store owners, misinformed friends, relatives, any number of bad sources to take you in the wrong direction. Take your pic.
    For God and the soldier we adore, In time of danger, not before! The danger passed, and all things righted, God is forgotten and the soldier slighted." - Rudyard Kipling

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    oregon
    Posts
    7,126
    Feedback Score
    7 (100%)
    abolutely it's ignorance- otherwise it wouldnt have happened. i'm not expecting many "i knew it was a bad choice, but went with it anyway." i'm really interested in what the process was, how available information was, what other people had said to them/what recommendations had been made and why...

    back in the day, i got ALL my information from gunshops and gunshows. there was an internet, but it didn't have gun forums or other databases full of technical info. you could "chat" on AOL or order a book on Amazon.com, but that was all the internet was good for back then.

    this is really just for my own curiosity. I don't go to gun shows but once a year to stock up on ammo, and i don't go into gun-shops unless i have a specific handgun i want to hold in real life. so i have no clue what information is available at ground-level these days, or what the current perpetuating myths are, etc, and it would be interesting to hear. furthermore, hearing the reasonings of people who then, later, did get educated, would be helpful in creating effective arguments to others considering purchasing some POS gun.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    2,854
    Feedback Score
    7 (100%)

    Hey bkboooo

    I must be the exception. Thanks to you, rob_s, Swatcop1911, and others, I educated myself, and bought a Colt 6933. Still waiting on the stamp. That's a whole other issue for the NFA forum. There are a few of us nOObies that did our research. Hell, I learn every day by reading and paying attention. M4 posters(the majority) are great.

    Just like to say I couldn't be more happy with the "elite" on the site that are very willing to answer questions and help out the the FNG. If more people did research, we wouldn't have so many stupid statements, dumb questions, and posters saying why isn't my DPMS(and others)(or, my DPMS is as good as) as good as a Colt.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Florida Gulf Coast
    Posts
    863
    Feedback Score
    0
    i really like my mutt gun.

    CMMG lower, spikes tactical upper.

    its ran 100% from day one.
    Last edited by Mr.Goodtimes; 07-04-09 at 13:57.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    167
    Feedback Score
    0
    In response to the "gun shop information" comment: I am much more familiar with the AK platform and knew little about the AR. When I decided to get one, I asked for advice from a trusted knowledgeable source. I had a budget and asked what could I get? He told me to increase my budget and go with either a Colt, or a Noveske. I was looking for a specific very basic set up and the Colt 6920 or Noveske N4 light was going to fit the bill. When I picked up the Noveske from my local FFL/gunshop, the owner asked me "Why'd you get this instead of a RRA?" Which he had on the shelves, I said: "I was advised that this is a quality rifle and GTG out of the box." The store owner asked what I paid, i told him...it was $200 more than the RRA he had on the shelves, he told me.. "You just got taken for $200 bucks, RRA is as good as they come, this is no better, maybe not even as good......it's your money." and walked off. There is a lot of misinformation out there. I'm not doubting the quality of other makes, as I have not owned any of them. I respect the information available from this site and have tried to learn from it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    1,432
    Feedback Score
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by bkb0000 View Post
    I'm interested to hear short stories of why people chose to buy lesser-quality weapons- bush, DPMS, oly, RRA, etc..
    My first rifle is an RRA 16" middy upper on a Superior Arms lower with an Anvil Arms LPK a Magpul MIAD, and an A1 stock. The complete upper and lower receivers were all part of a group buy through another website; price-wise, they were and still are a great deal. The LPK was because it was available, and I didn't want DPMS parts (I didn't trust them, though I couldn't tell you why). I've learned a lot about the nuts and bolts functioning of the AR in the year since I stepped into the group buy to get those parts. I don't believe my rifle is crap, far from it, but I could certainly have done better for not much more money. At the time, I was less informed about what was better, why, and where I could get it.

    Pat Rogers told me that "experience is what you get when you don't get what you want." I plan on using this rifle as a learning experience to get intimately familiar with the AR, and using that experience to make more informed future decisions about ARs.


    -B
    Last edited by BAC; 07-01-09 at 20:30.
    RIP, Jeff Dorr: 1964 - July 17, 2009


    "When young men seek to be like you, when lazy men resent you, when powerful men look over their shoulder at you, when cowardly men plot behind your back, when corrupt men wish you were gone and evil men want you dead . . . Only then will you have done your share." - Phil Messina

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Urban Cessmaze
    Posts
    4,057
    Feedback Score
    25 (100%)

    Lightbulb

    I bought a Doublestar in '06, just to have something SHAPED like an AR, and to re-aquaint myself with the platform (which I hadn't owned since late '01 - I was on an FAL kick at the time... ).

    Once I got familiar with how it handled again, I decided I wanted something better, and wanted to try the new piston AR as well. Got a POF-415 in '08, and now have an M&P15T to go along with it.

    As prices keep dropping, I'm looking now at some of the other quality offerings out there (Charles Daly, Noveske, Colt - owned a pre-ban in the early '90's - DD, et.al.), as I think about a better DI gun, and move the M&P over to 'plinker' duty.

    It's a continual process.
    - Either you're part of the problem or you're part of the solution or you're just part of the landscape - Sam (Robert DeNiro) in, "Ronin" -

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    CA
    Posts
    1,211
    Feedback Score
    0
    I almost fell into this trap before I found this site. I saw the chart on TOS, followed it here, and never went back. Many people see TOS first and there is enough info (most of it poor) to keep them busy until they make their purchase. The majority of the members there state the Colt is only a name you pay for, and that all other brands are GTG. They either ignore the facts, or state that things like CMV, M4 ramps, and other details are of no importance.

    I think a few may purchase their first M4 for fun, but after seeing how much easier it is to shoot than their pistol or shotgun and reading up on 5.56 ballistics, they decide to use it for home defense. Once they get serious about this, they seek out a better carbine.

    I am VERY glad that I did my homework before I bought. I built a BCM middie, post Obama for about $1075 and will never regret it. I know that I would have regretted buying the first carbine that I had in mind.

Page 1 of 61 1231151 ... LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •