Why choose the brands you did?

[Conceyted]

So, after reading the sticky thread, "So you want to buy an AR-15 - FAQs," I had in my mind that what the gentleman who wrote the article said made a lot of sense and his pictures backed his claims. He preferred the CMMG upper over most others out there with the exception of the $700 upper versions. He also had less than positive things to say about bushmaster and DPMS, both of which seem to be the preferred AR brand on XDTalk. So, my question to everyone is why did you choose the brand you did? And did you read the sticky article before you made your purchase?

The man seemed very knowledgeable when talking about AR's and while he based his final build specs off of a police combat AR, he also mentioned what he would personally build if he wasn't forced to restrict his purchases to fit his needs as a LEO. He seemed very adamant that DPMS uppers were pretty substandard and not a good choice and also had a few negative things to say about bushmasters. Since I see both of these brands discussed and recommended on here so much I really would love to know everyone's reasoning on it all.

Thanks,

[Palmguy]

Combination of value, appearance, and quality. I had not seen that particular link, however I was familiar with Rob's chart when I bought my M&P15T.

I don't know that I'd say Bushmaster and DPMS are the preferred brand here, yeah there are a lot fo them out there but I'd venture to say two big reasons for that are local availability/visibility and marketing. When you can build a complete LMT rifle, which is by all accounts a superior weapon, for less than a grand, I see no reason to pay a retail price for a Bushy or DPMS. By build of course I mean simply buying a complete upper, complete lower, and BCG and pushing the pins in on the lower to connect them.

[PackerfanXD]

I chose a RRA for my first AR because of the overwhelming good feedback I got from RRA owners. They were right; it was a great AR.

[Liquid Rhino]

Not necessarily a 'brand' reason for me, since it was just for plinking to begin with... I knew I didn't want to build my first rifle. I got my S&W because it was on 'sale' (from it's ridiculous $1750 initial retail price) at my local gunshop/range. The Bushy's & Stags they carry were similarly sale priced but they had none of their flattops in stock that day I got the rifle bug, so I went with the S&W since it had a slightly nicer overall finish & was gonna cost the same either way. Plus, it had nice flip irons stock to boot!

[hardwarz]

I didn't choose my Armalite. It choose me.

I was at the store and it was on the shelf, giving me that look... It was a naughty gun and I had to take it home to show the folks.

All my weapons are choose based on price.

Hardwarz

[SVThuh]

I built both of mine. Both of which have STAG uppers. My M4gery is on a Mega lower (best fit and finish I have ever seen on a lower) with a Stag LPK, the 20" is built on a RRA lower with a Stag Lpk as well.

I really like the Stag uppers. The fit and finish is great and they are accurate.

My babies...



and the final iteration of my M4gery...





on the Mega lower...

[rogerxd45]

i have a CMMG upper and i really like it. my next ar will be a CMMG also. if you have any specific questions pm me or post here

[zipgun]

Ego and peer pressure have a lot to do with how people percheive and choose their weapons. This is true in law enforcement as well as other areas.

My first cop job (in 1976) required me to buy a revolver and if you didn't have a Colt or S&W you were considered an ignorant fool. I bought a Ruger Security Six in stainless steel because the $5.14/hour they were paying me just didn't get me a S&W Mod. 66. Cops from all around took pleasure in denegrating my lowly Ruger until I won the county wide police pistol shoot with it.

Glocks were widely denounced as a cheap plastic POS when they first came out.

Much later when I was looking for an inexpensive pistol for my son to use in IDPA I picked up an HS2000. We got so much grief about this "cheap POS" gun at the meets that my son refused to use it. I decided I would show the snobs a thing or two and regularly cleaned their clocks with it. Took second in the IDPA state meet that year with it in fact. Nay, nay, you got beat by a cheap plastic Croatian POS pistol...

I am not saying that all cheap guns are a good value, but you can get a good AR at a good value. Much of the cost of high priced ARs have little to do with reliability and function. They are simply cosmetic add-ons, accessories, or un-needed enhancements. Kind of like putting top of the line $1K a piece rims and racing tires on my 5 year old Ford Focus which I use to commute back and forth to work. Looks cool, doesn't really change what it is.

If you were battling in the jungles of Viet Nam with an M16 with faulty ammo and were unable to clean your rifle, then a chrome lined bore would be a worth while investment. Do you really need that on a rifle that you shoot a couple hundred rounds a year? Do you really need an enhanced bolt carrier on a semi-auto? Or $50 pistol grips, or $150 super duper high tech tele stock? Do you need really cool little stylized X on every part of your rifle? That's what you're paying for.

Bushy's, Stags, CMMG, RRA, DPMS, S&W (and others) are all good quality guns and will serve most people well.

And yes, I have about 8 AR15s, all of which are parts guns of various makes. Some have chrome bores some don't. Will they shoot 500-1K rounds day in and day out at some armchair commando school? Don't know, don't care, ain't ever gonna try it.

[eyesopened]

QFT above

[SVThuh]

Originally Posted by zipgun

..SNIP..
Much later when I was looking for an inexpensive pistol for my son to use in IDPA I picked up an HS2000. ..SNIP..

I cant believe that you actually bought a cheap POS croation gun.. What a loser!