Yea...another AR thread

[adamwzl]

Anyway, I've been looking into getting a AR. Been lurking around the forums pretty well reading the AR threads and what not. But I'm not really feeling the build your own route as my first. I'm looking to get a solid firearm sub $1200.

The Colt 6920 has caught my eye and I always end up going back to it. The 6920 seems to have everything in-box that I would want to acheive via DIY.

Does anyone know of another system thats up to par as the 6920 and around the same price range?


Purpose of gun: fun range toy, safe queen, possible SHTF contender, solid shooter without worry of craping out at the wrong time. I'm not a AR fan boy but I feel like my collection should have at least one. That one should be of good quality.


Also any of our IP's here have the 6920 gun in-store, reasonably priced? I've just been going over this possible purchase this past weekend so haven't looked around in depth as of yet. But I am not interested in "The Armory" prices, and would end up going the order online to FFL route. I prefer to support local store route first.

 

[peace]

Mark over at 2A has some great ones in stock you should give him a call. Had DD and Colt available last time I was in. (240)456-0060

 

[Indiana Jones]

You can get a bushmaster for under a thousand brand new. I paid $900 NIB for mine a few years ago, 16" m4 feed ramps, and match trigger. Never had a single malfunction period. Wet dry dirty clean. They're underrated in my opinion. My colt is great but I really don't see the huge difference besides the fact that the bushmaster looks slightly darker. And since you don't pay as much for the bushmaster you don't feel guilty about it getting muffed up with grime and scratches. Well, not as guilty as a really expensive rifle. A lot of people think you need to spend alot to get something good. Look at the Honda civic, not expensive but arguably the best daily driver ever to be created. Itll last you forever. Not comparing the bushmaster to a Japanese car. The bushmaster is better and way cooler. If I had the money id get a Knights Armament.

 

[Semper Noctem]

BCM!

 

[fivepointstar]

oh goodie...another AR thread.

 

[BradMacc82]

Colt may have been the standard bearer for the longest time (easy to do when you have sole custody of gov't contracts...), but for the money there's plenty of alternatives that are built as good as/some better than the Colt (sometimes cheaper as well).

Honestly, I'd pick up a stripped lower - PSA, Spike's, whoever floats your boat really, and buy a completed upper - BCM, PSA, again whoever floats your boat.

Still get a great AR, will perform head to head with a Colt any day of the week, save money while doing it - and put that money towards ammo, optic's, or a carbine class.

(I'd opt for the class, like any other tool - having it is one thing, knowing how to employ it is another.)

 

[vin]

I built my first AR (except the upper), it's not difficult. That said, if you like the colt and are comfortable with the price tag, then get the colt. Sure ain't gonna go wrong with that one!

 

[adamwzl]

thanks all for the help.

I'm all for saving money where I can without sacrificing quality and moving that money to other needed accessories.

Are complete lowers worth it? Or is it still cheaper to go with a stripped lower and purchase the other required components seperately?

 

[chale127]

As far as complete lowers, I'd go with spikes

 

[BradMacc82]

thanks all for the help.

I'm all for saving money where I can without sacrificing quality and moving that money to other needed accessories.

Are complete lowers worth it? Or is it still cheaper to go with a stripped lower and purchase the other required components seperately?

If you have some patience, it's slightly cheaper to build your own lower, depending on the options you want in it - like upgraded trigger, diff't trigger guard, etc. etc.

I'll just swag it here and say safely a complete lower from a shop will run between $150 (low-side) to $250 (average). I for example, got a stripped lower from Palmetto State Armory for less than $65 shipped, $20 transfer at my FFL, $70 for a Spike's LPK, stock/buffer spring/buffer cost me nothing since I already had them as extras from other builds.

So for around $150 I got a lower done that'll compete any day with a much higher priced maker.

A lot of the leg-work is left to you, but if you have some patience and luck at times, you can get it done with quality parts for less than what a completed lower will run you.

 

[BradMacc82]

That being said, if your not very familiar with the AR or aren't mechanically inclined, you may just want to buy your first lower pre-built, study it, and build the next one yourself.


(Because you never seem to stop at 1 AR, I'm on my 3rd build...)

 

[Ruzo]

Here we go again....

 

[HardHatMan]

My Colt has treated me right since I got it (about a month ago). I decided to go with Colt this time since they are pretty much the standard of the market. If the military and LE departments trust their lives to them, then I felt comfortable doing the same.

Colt's aren't very pricey if you compare them to the more expensive, higher end rifles like Noveske, LWRC, Knights, even DD.

 

[Semper Noctem]

I went through this a few months ago: http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=64903

Lots of great info in here.

 

[adamwzl]

Thanks Brad for the help. I'm not really familiar with the AR platform. So thats why I'm leaning towards pre built lowers or whole systems. Then go from there.

I've heard good things about Spikes, so you believe their complete lower systems are as good as/or better than the Colts that comes with the 6920?

 

[adamwzl]

My Colt has treated me right since I got it (about a month ago). I decided to go with Colt this time since they are pretty much the standard of the market. If the military and LE departments trust their lives to them, then I felt comfortable doing the same.

Colt's aren't very pricey if you compare them to the more expensive, higher end rifles like Noveske, LWRC, Knights, even DD.

That's my feeling on them as well. I have found a few 6920's on the net ranging from 1100-1299. Which seems reasonable to me.

Since there are close to a million different builds possible with the amount of vendors out there, I feel I should get a good solid setup first, learn it. Then work on my own custom build.

 

[Russ D]

1200$ off the shelf, but the Daniel Defense. The Colt is nice but given the choice Id get the DD.

 

[BradMacc82]

1200$ off the shelf, buy the Daniel Defense. The Colt is nice but given the choice Id get the DD.

^This

Russ appreciates the finer things when it comes to firearms (just look at his sig line... ), but Colt isn't the only player in this game. Daniel Defense makes a hell of a good rifle for the same price as Colt, even BCM has some fantastic pieces that I feel safe in saying would run with a Colt any day, even PSA has some great options for those on a budget that give great features for not a lot of coin.

I've heard people say 'If it's not a Colt, it's an imitation.' derisively to owners of other brands, but the days of Colt being the only player in the AR game have long been over, still a great rifle - don't get me wrong, but there's other options too.

 

[Boom Boom]

Having done plenty of in-person comparisons last month, I'll say Stag Model 2 with Plus Package. Got mine last week. Custom order it through a local dealer. It's a bit more money for a custom order, but it's in a slightly different league than a high-volume standard Stag. It's nicer than the SP6920. My stock Bushmaster A4 looks like a turd next to it (even though I like my Bushmaster).

 

[04RWon]

Give me 1200 bux, ill build you something better than a colt...dont ask where the extra cash went...