You've described me as well.
AR's are (relatively speaking) my most recently acquired, and frankly my 2nd least favorite firearms platform. No knock whatsoever on the platform, and its grown on me more than I once thought it would. I certainly respect certain of its capabilities, and marvel at aspects of the design. But still for me, my primary interests lie elsewhere.
There are MANY here with FAR more experience with different examples of the AR platform than I possess. But I've shot the living hell out of my Colt, almost exclusively with my handloads, with surprisingly fine accuracy that has greatly exceeded my initial expectations, and without so much as a hitch. To a lesser extent given less time and rounds usage wise, the same with Windham.
I also look at this a lot like I do with cars or trucks. When a mechanic I respect, who works on cars and trucks every day for a living, and with absolutely zero skin in the game regarding what I do or don't buy, tells me I'm likely better off with one make and model over another? I tend to pay attention.
Someone like Clandestine falls into that niche here for me. Now I don't know the man from Adam, other than his online persona. But while I'm comparatively new to AR's, I've been heavily involved with firearms all my life.
Clandestine has undoubtedly forgotten more about the AR platform than I'll ever remember. What's unique about him that I came to recognize in his posts early on in my time here at MDS is that he has the unusual capacity to combine what he knows, with both the ability and the desire to teach it. That is indeed, an unusual and a powerful combination.
So when Clandestine says Colt is likely to be a good choice??? I've gotta do the math, add in the lack of an agenda that benefits him, and look at a Colt. And now having owned a Colt, and while admittedly a comparative AR neophyte? It appears to me that the choice was indeed a good one.
So far, for me at least, his repeated mention of Colt has been spot on.
Not the only answer here to be sure. But to date, this answer has worked well for me.
