Best performers, best quality. Why?
What are the top branded AR15's
- Thread starter Matt Landfair
- Start date
Speaking from first hand experience I can tell you that FN, Colt, and LMT are all great. I believe this is because their QC game is on point and they hold their rifles to high standards. The FN and Colt government rifles are where I first experienced seeing weapons have the shit beat out of them. I'm not talking about getting it muddy at your local 3-gun match, I'm talking about falling from 2nd and 3rd story buildings, being boomerang tossed across a parade deck and bouncing end over end, dragging them through swamps, smashing into up-armored vehicle doors and turrets... I could go on, but you get the point. The FN and Colt guns will stand up to a lot of abuse. I suspect the same is true for my LMT which is a personally owned rifle, but I haven't been as hard with it.
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nate89
Guest
I would have to say BCM is my go-to brand right now. I have been very impressed with both their product and customer service. I am amazed at how fast they ship stuff too! I have a 16" gun, and in the 2-3k rounds I've put through it in the last year or two, the only problems were some of my early reloads with collapsed necks. Besides those, it's been 100%.
Eagle1
Newbie
A few years ago I would have said hands down that Noveske was the kit to have, however since John is gone and Sherry left the business, I don't know exactly where the company is heading. I used to own 4 Noveske rifles and multiple uppers and I can tell you that one of my uppers was terrible when I got it. The craftsmanship was bad and it would not zero. I found out that they did not have an F marked front sight base on it so I had to send it back. The rifle/uppers were awesome in the 2010/2011/2012 era then I got the messed up upper in 2013 and it was nothing like the previous years. I have since went with LWRC and BCM and will never look back. I still think Noveske turns out a great product but since Sherry left, I am just wondering what is going on but we will never know..
Hodge and Warsport- I have been hearing very good things about.
Bourneshooter
Blue Line Sheepdog
My next factory AR will be a Hodge. Roland and Jon can't be wrong. Now ReadBeardActual is endorsing as well.
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If I was going to buy something ready to go, Hodge would be it- no question. Jim has this revolutionary business model where he buys some of the best components on the market and assembles them correctly... His original design with the Mod 2 is solid, through and through. My current recipe for success is to throw a Geisselle Mk8 or ALG EMR rail on a set of good receivers with a Daniel Defense barrel. DD barrels have performed phenomenally for me over the last few years. I'm able to put higher round counts on them than Colt and BCM before they're burned completely down, and their accuracy has been absolutely epic for a reasonably priced CHF CL barrel. I have had 4 in the last year that were sub MOA with both M193 and M855, and one lightweight contour that was a no shit 3/4" gun until the barrel started getting hot. I could do without the machined magwells in their receivers, but it's not the end of the world and I haven't seen one cut wrong yet. Just throwing a Mk8 on a DD M4V5 would be a pretty solid and reasonably priced option. For inexpensive, Colt is still king. A 6920 with Magpul MOE SL furniture is a hell of a lot of bang for your buck... If you REALLY want cheap, the M&P will save you a bit over the Colt, but is still a pretty solid shooter. The M&P 10 (308 gun) is arguably the best bang for your buck in the world of big guns.
JD Williams
Member
6920 for a full gun, based on my observations of Failure Drill's gun. Quality, performance, reputation. I have burned in a couple uppers in the same time he has had his same 6920.
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nate89
Guest
I don't have any first-hand info, but they are spoken pretty highly of on m4c. I really want to get one of the lowers they sell with the A5 system already installed.
I wouldn't blindly take advice form M4c without knowing who the source of the comment was.
I've heard good things about their barrels. Don't know about the rest.
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nate89
Guest
Oh I agree, I would always pay attention to the origin of the comment. They also list the specs of their guns (at least the patrol rifle series I was looking at). Most lower-tier companies are not so anxious to give out specs.
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nate89
Guest
I agree 100%. Can't go wrong there!
RadioActivity
Newbie
Knights. I know, I know, proprietary parts but - with a purpose. Components and materials are as good as any out there while the design and engineering is well above board. All those proprietary parts increase longevity without increasing complexity. I have owned Noveske, LWRCI, and KAC. The KAC's have survived the chopping block, all the others have been sold off. That said, LWRCI impresses me with their engineering and ingenuity but I didn't dig the weight associated with running a piston on a non NFA carbine. My two Mod 1's are set up in what I feel is the epitome of the 16'' carbine, identically.