Best AR .223 from factory

[RookieWingHunter]

Hey guys, i was just wondering what the best manufacturer for AR-type .223's was in your opinion, i know we can have uppers and lowers, but what is, in your opinion the best manufacturer for ar-style guns? i have no clue, you could also rank them if you want. thought it would be fun to see who comes out on top.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Not including the real high end "custom shops" I would say Rock River. After that, I think Armalite and then Bushmaster.

However, that's just my opinion and my experience.

 

[Still 2 Many Choices!?]

Bushmaster, Rock River, and then Armalite

Bushmaster is my personal preference, but Rock River is also good... Do a search on this and you will find more imfo than you could read in a year !!!

 

[Chris Rhines]

Excluding the custom and semi-custom builders like JP Enterprises, MSTN, and Adco...

CMMG is best for stock-type ARs. Excellent customer service, first rate parts, and competent assembly.

- Chris

 

[Jeff White]

Colt

 

[Byron]

Older Colts and all current Bushmaster's. Byron

 

[Gary G23]

I would never buy a complete factory AR but if I did it would be a CMMG.

 

[MisterPX]

THis is a skewed question, that ha no real answer. Anybody can have a crappy rifle leave their factory on any given day, and anybody can have a diamond leave on any given day.

 

[karaya]

Oberland Arms.

http://www.oberlandarms.com/index.php

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

There are dozens of manufacturers who make an excellent AR. To me the important thing is to buy one from a dealer who will stand behind his product.

To use an example, I would bet that on a statistical basis, a Model 1 Sales AR is probably more likely to fail than a Colt AR. Having said that, a dealer who will take that Model 1 AR, fix it, and return it to me within two days ready to run is a lot more useful to me than the guy who makes $20 over wholesale on a Colt and tells me to call the factory and deal with them when I have a problem.

 

[Gary G23]

Bartholomew's advice is sound ONLY if your rifle is a range gun.
If your rifle is for home defense it makes no sense at all.
You can't tell your attacker to come back two days later if your gun fails.
I wouldn't buy anything from Model 1 Sales.

 

[RookieWingHunter]

thanks for responding, now i have an idea of who some of the top manufacturers are, i probably wont be getting an AR any time soon, but it was cool seeing all the different opinions.

 

[jem375]

any rifle from A,B,C,D, and R manufacturers are fine and will work ok...just a matter of preference...personally I only buy DPMS, but would consider a RRA if the price was right..

 

[jmcc11]

Colt by a wide margin.

 

[jem375]

Colt used to be but not so much anymore...

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Bartholomew's advice is sound ONLY if your rifle is a range gun.
If your rifle is for home defense it makes no sense at all.

Well it assumes that if you are using the rifle for defense of your own life or the lives of others that you will give it a proper working out before putting it into the rotation of serious weapons.

If you just plan to buy a rifle and leave it in the closet until danger is near, then you might as well buy the prettiest rifle in the store so you'll have something nice to look at until then.

 

[..]

CMMG, RRA, Stag or Bushmaster.

 

[RookieWingHunter]

..,
I've never heard anyone mention stag before so i went to their website and they look good and the features seem awesome for their moderate price range, pretty cool

 

[steve635]

Olympic

I like Olympic, comparable quality to RRA and Bushmaster and a little bit cheaper.

 

[Chris Rhines]

Be very careful if you decide to buy a Colt AR (really a Colt anything.) While Colt has held a reputation for high quality, and they do use good parts, I've seen a few lately that were just horrible. Sloppy fit, out-of-spec threads on the upper, crooked/oversize pin holes in the lower, heavy and gritty triggers. Doesn't speak well for the QA department in Hartford...

I wouldn't buy a Colt sight unseen. There are other ARs that I would, no question.

- Chris

 

[mljdeckard]

I have asked many dealers and smiths this question, and the most consistent answer I get is Bushmaster.

When you start customizing, all the rules are out the window.

 

[longhorngunman]

Colts are nice, but your paying about $500 more for a pic of a pony on your rifle. Most are all good makes, I've heard negatives on Olympic though. I love my RRA and most people who own one have no desire to get rid of it. www.rockriverarms.com

 

[Scottso]

Older colts, LMT

 

[El Rojo]

I sell LMT, Stag, and RRA. These aren't complete rifles because I live in enemy territory. Bushmaster has a good rep, they just don't cut very good discounts to dealers.

 

[tarrigoni]

I like my RRA Entry Tactical quite a bit.