Considering my first AR... Thoughts?

[Kirk Freeman]

What I want is something that is going to run straight out of the box, be of high enough quality that it's going to run every time for decades to come, be of reasonable accuracy ("average" AR accuracy would be fine) and doesn't weigh a ton in case I should ever have to actually carry the thing around

On this alone: Knight's Armament SR-15E3, Mod II

https://www.knightarmco.com/12010/shop/commercial-firearms/sr-15-e3-mod-2-m-lok

I think we are fortunate to have many good options: Colt, Noveske, BCM, Daniel Defense, LWRC, Les Baer, LMT, Wilson, KAC, inter alia.

I like Colt; I believe them to be the gold standard. I have standardized (partly because of my age) on M6721s and AR-15A4s. However, I know Colt is not long with this world unless they leave CT and management changes.

I am sweet on that BCM Recce16. I like several models from DD, M4A1 and the DDM4V7.

If I could have one, it would be the Knight's SR15 E3 Mod II. That's just one gun nut's opinion.

 

[Usmccookie]

You'll get no such flames from me... The question in my mind now is that is it worth $500 to pop my cherry, or should I hold out for $1500 for a nice JC Penny church gal to settle down with?

Gotta admit, I'm leaning toward $500, because I can justify that right now and the way I'm looking it is then I'll end up with TWO ARs... It's like a buy one, get one free, right?

Idk, I stand by my statement.. you can get 3 hi points for the price of a glock... 3 is 2, 2 is 1 and 1 is none... right? That must be a quantitative better quality...

Not judging or bashing anyones anyone's opinions. If all you can afford or bear to spend is entry level, so be it. But dont claim it is just as good. Although I agree with training and a good optic being worth their weight in gold.

 

[maxwelhse]

Idk, I stand by my statement.. you can get 3 hi points for the price of a glock... 3 is 2, 2 is 1 and 1 is none... right? That must be a quantitative better quality...

Not judging or bashing anyones anyone's opinions. If all you can afford or bear to spend is entry level, so be it. But dont claim it is just as good. Although I agree with training and a good optic being worth their weight in gold.

See, you're touching on an interesting issue that I really didn't expect. I can afford the initial firearm I asked about and I feel it's likely worth what it costs. What I didn't realize is that the less expensive options were so vastly less expensive these days. It's opened my eyes to possibilities I didn't even know were out there (because I really don't care about ARs...) and that has muddied the waters.

If I were in the situation of having no gun at all, after coming to terms with the complete shame, utter embarrassment, and dishonoring of my family, I'd be 100% in the boat to get something right NOW, no matter what it is. As it is already, I have more than I can carry at one time (well... it might be fun to try) already, just no ARs, and no AR seems like a bad idea if ever things went really poorly. My AK (or even kinkier) brothers would stand strong with me, but I'd bet there's 100x more loaded AR mags just in my neighborhood... Seems wise to get with the rest of the team on this one. So, it's a priority, but I'm not defenseless until this decision is made.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Should also say I am fan of the SIG516 but know that is not really an AR-15 but Hirt's improvement of the HK416/417. I think Hirt (and Chris Soroyce) did a excellent job and believe that while underrated (barely discussed in gun nut circles) it may be something that you consider (just a suggestion, never an order).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP7yt1mQgPE

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2010/05/07/sig-516-torture-test/

 

[maxwelhse]

Should also say I am fan of the SIG516 but know that is not really an AR-15 but Hirt's improvement of the HK416/417. I think Hirt (and Chris Soroyce) did a excellent job and believe that while underrated (barely discussed in gun nut circles) it may be something that you consider (just a suggestion, never an order).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP7yt1mQgPE

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2010/05/07/sig-516-torture-test/

I've seen those, heard good thing as well, and also find them interesting, but nope. I gotta be firmly in the AR parts interchangeability system for this purchase. The entire point of my goal here is to have 100% gun uniformity with the rest of the general populace in this one instance. That's why other arguably decent options, like Mini-14s, are off the table too.

I do appreciate the suggestion, and as a fan of kink, I'd like to own one of those as well.

 

[knutty]

1)Colt SOCOM
2)Colt 6720
3)Colt 6920
4)Colt AR15A4

Yes I like Colt rifles

 

[maxwelhse]

Listen to da Mouse.. Da Mouse is wise.

Da Mouse might be making me an offer I can't refuse...

Might end up with some smog era SBC heads in my bed if I do.

 

[DadSmith]

I suggest building your own. Buy the parts you want put it together. It will be just the way you want it.

 

[Rouzer]

Reliable, accurate = Rock River Arms
Pure MilSpec best you can get = LMT
Then after you buy the rifle get a Badger Ordnance Recon Unimount like this one:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[churchmouse]

Da Mouse might be making me an offer I can't refuse...

Might end up with some smog era SBC heads in my bed if I do.

 

[maxwelhse]

Reliable, accurate = Rock River Arms
Pure MilSpec best you can get = LMT
Then after you buy the rifle get a Badger Ordnance Recon Unimount like this one:

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Give me the rundown on that mount... Appears to be resin, which I would consider a plus if it's strong and well engineered.

 

[abnk]

My money goes to BCM, but you can't go wrong with DD either.

This.

 

[Usmccookie]

See, you're touching on an interesting issue that I really didn't expect. I can afford the initial firearm I asked about and I feel it's likely worth what it costs. What I didn't realize is that the less expensive options were so vastly less expensive these days. It's opened my eyes to possibilities I didn't even know were out there (because I really don't care about ARs...) and that has muddied the waters.

If I were in the situation of having no gun at all, after coming to terms with the complete shame, utter embarrassment, and dishonoring of my family, I'd be 100% in the boat to get something right NOW, no matter what it is. As it is already, I have more than I can carry at one time (well... it might be fun to try) already, just no ARs, and no AR seems like a bad idea if ever things went really poorly. My AK (or even kinkier) brothers would stand strong with me, but I'd bet there's 100x more loaded AR mags just in my neighborhood... Seems wise to get with the rest of the team on this one. So, it's a priority, but I'm not defenseless until this decision is made.

If you were anywhere else in the world those commie guns would do you more than just fine. But I agree, in the us the ar platform out numbers aks by ungodly ratios.if you're not going to train with the ar to become proficient on the platform... I personally think the money will be better spent perfecting your skills on the ak and buying spare parts.

Then again it never hurts to try something new

 

[maxwelhse]

If you were anywhere else in the world those commie guns would do you more than just fine. But I agree, in the us the ar platform out numbers aks by ungodly ratios.if you're not going to train with the ar to become proficient on the platform... I personally think the money will be better spent perfecting your skills on the ak and buying spare parts.

Then again it never hurts to try something new

Strongly agreed on all points. I admit my training game is slack, but when making the decision to hone down to ONE primary defensive rifle, it's probably better that I use that as the primary development tool. Truth is I won't be able to train hard until I can buy some land, but I'm not waiting that long to get into an AR platform rifle. I see 11/2020 as being a crap shoot politically and I don't need to be racing to the store along with the other fools who didn't prepare when times were good (as I had enough of that in 2008, and since I didn't learn my lesson, 2012 too). I want to illustrate my foolishness early.

Plus, my AKs are basically "toy" grade and weigh an absolute ton. I want something nice and svelte so if I actually should have to ever hump the thing around I'm not dying (because I'm not an operator, or a soldier, or anybody... just a dude).

And... easier said than done on the spare parts game. With the "good" AKs, we always had garbage support from Mother Russia and for the kinky stuff (like my Saiga 12) I'm super screwed as we never had stuff like spare bolts and all of that and now it can't even be imported. Only way to get spares is to buy spare guns... I mean, if I REALLY had my way, I'd be buying a VEPR in x54R, because it's awesome, but that's possibly the worst decision in human history considering my overall goals here. AR today, big nasty VEPR firing surplus rounds into Canada from my back porch, later.

 

[Ggreen]

Go to sons of liberty gun works website. Build the best rifle you can afford. Never look back. SOLGW is the best money you can possibly spend on an ar15. No ifs ands or buts. I've shot a lot of ar's, and it off all of them nothing is as boringly reliable and honest as a solgw gun.

 

[maxwelhse]

Go to sons of liberty gun works website. Build the best rifle you can afford. Never look back. SOLGW is the best money you can possibly spend on an ar15. No ifs ands or buts. I've shot a lot of ar's, and it off all of them nothing is as boringly reliable and honest as a solgw gun.

Understanding that they're a custom builder so some of it is on my shoulders, they don't list the weights of all of the components so I don't have any clue what the finished product would end up at.

That said, the prices seem to be fair for a full custom manufacturer... especially if their .308 guns are as nice as you say, but that's going the wrong way for right now...

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I've seen those, heard good thing as well, and also find them interesting, but nope. I gotta be firmly in the AR parts interchangeability system for this purchase. The entire point of my goal here is to have 100% gun uniformity with the rest of the general populace in this one instance. That's why other arguably decent options, like Mini-14s, are off the table too.

I do appreciate the suggestion, and as a fan of kink, I'd like to own one of those as well.

Very wise worldview.

 

[COOPADUP]

I'm betting this is at least the 1,000th post on the this topic, so forgive me...

For a long time now I've been thinking I should probably own at least one AR platform rifle just because everyone else in the country does, so it's the most common parts, ammo, mags, etc if anything really bad should ever happen. It just seems like a good thing to have around.

However... I'm not really that "excited" about them. I'm much more interested in com block or or other more "odd" stuff so I've never put a ton of research into them, plus there are so many options and opinions that it's sort of hard to run them all down. When I've asked this question a few times in the past, in other places, the overwhelming response has either been to build one or buy like a $5000 rifle. I'm not too interested in either idea. I don't want my rifle to become my hobby or become a car payment.

What I want is something that is going to run straight out of the box, be of high enough quality that it's going to run every time for decades to come, be of reasonable accuracy ("average" AR accuracy would be fine) and doesn't weigh a ton in case I should ever have to actually carry the thing around. I don't hunt or fancy myself as a Rambo guy or any of that. I just want a quality rifle that I can practice with and keep in the safe if I ever need it. The most I could ever see doing with it would likely be critter control if I ever end up with some property that requires it... and honestly, I'd probably want to use something more fun and less practical for that if given the chance, but... You get what I'm saying. A good, plain, .223 AR that is just going to be a nice tool to own.

For a long time now I've been leaning toward the Daniel Defense DDM4 series as it seems to check a lot of my boxes and I've heard good things (with a major plus being that the V7 LW comes in at 6lbs on the nose, loaded with an a decent optic, I should end up with a nice light rifle at the end of it). I have the feeling that on any given day the price point would be right around $1500. Does this all seem reasonable given my goals? Are there other, similar, options that I should also consider around that price point? This is something I'd probably be looking to do inside of the next 6-12 months, so if there is stuff in the pipeline too, that would also be good to know.

Thanks in advance for the suggestions!

It's ironic that you brought this up Max.
I've always been a fan of wood stock surplus rifles, so have never purchased an AR either.
Like you, I feel it's a missing piece in the safe and they are so inexpensive today for an average out of the box rifle.

Good luck and look forward to hearing what you end up with.

 

[Jaygentry]

I would say this, buy the one that fits your budget. If you say it does not excite you, buy the nicest you can afford, and let it be.

 

[maxwelhse]

It's ironic that you brought this up Max.
I've always been a fan of wood stock surplus rifles, so have never purchased an AR either.
Like you, I feel it's a missing piece in the safe and they are so inexpensive today for an average out of the box rifle.

Good luck and look forward to hearing what you end up with.

For ages now I've intended to "at least" get a stripped lower or two to have around, but just haven't done it. I think the time has come to get with the team. There's too much crazy stuff happening and too much uncertainty toward the future to hold out much longer.

If I were to go off the shelf, I'm still leaning toward DD and browsing BCM pretty seriously.