Can you please put the AR + variant manufacturers in order?

[Norinco982lover]

Please list the AR manufacturers you like in order of personal preference

I've been thinking that it would be greatly beneficial for myself and possibly other AR noobs if we could get those of you with a lot of experience with the different manufacturers to list the different AR and variants manufacturers in order of reliable to unreliable. (good to bad)

I know there are so many manufacturers that I will miss some...just go ahead and list them along with the rest. If you don't know about a specific manufacturer please either leave them out or just say: don't know.

My list of manufacturers in no particular order ( I don't know which ones are good/bad):

Colt
ArmaLite Inc
Rock River Arms
Olympic Arms
American Spirit Arms
Stag Arms
Bushmaster
DPMS
Wilson Combat
L&G Weaponry
Alexander Arms
Calvary Arms
Charles Daly Defense
Del-ton
D S Arms
FN Manufacturing
HK
Knights Armament
Lewis Machine & Tool Company (LMT)
LWRC International
Noveske Rifleworks
Para-Ordnance Mfg
POF-USA Patriot Ordnance Factory
Sabre Defence
Smith and Wesson
Sun Devil MFG
Yankee Hill Machine Co
Daniel Defence
Les Baer
Doublestar

...and possibly more.

I am specifically looking for a decent, entry-level AR variant--even throwing out just a few reliable companies would be much appreciated.

Thanks
~Norinco

p.s. personal experiences and personal opinions are both wanted and appreciated.

 

[waterhouse]

All of your brands are not covered, but member robs has compiled a useful chart of features from many of the makers on your list. It may not answer all of your questions, but it is a good place to start:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pwswheghNQsEuEhjFwPrgTA&hl=en

You can use the blue links at the bottom of his page to go through the features and then see a comparison.

 

[Norinco982lover]

Thanks greatly. I just need somewhere to start!!!

You are a Godsend.

~Norinco

 

[mp5a3]

How accurate is that ? I've heard somewhere else some of the specs are off.

 

[SHvar]

The chart is written about one model or variant, some of the features given credit for, or not given credit for on that model are off. Ive now seen multiple corrections to that chart, models removed, and some added.
Much of whats involved with the major brands and their "best fans" are simply that, people many times like certain brands, it can go the point of brand snobbery as its called. You certainly cannot go wrong with any of the major brands models if that rifle is what you are looking for.
Im all for the guy who spends extra on the rifle he wants specifically, heck I paid a few hundred extra for a gas piston rifle because I wanted one.
My advice is to go and see the rifles in person, hold them, look them over closely, see what you want and decide for youself.
The name of this thread would be more accurate to ask people to put the brands in order by their personal preference, the names and the order of them will change from one responce to the next, just as they will by asking the way this was asked. The difference is that if you asked for personal opinion you would have a an accurate list.

 

[CoRoMo]

Rainier Arms
JP Enterprises
MidSouth Tactical
Compass Lake

Some companies like White Oak probably only make uppers.
I'm not totally up to speed on the match level manufacturers.

 

[Norinco982lover]

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=6642

this is the "update" thread for the chart.

 

[waterhouse]

How accurate is that ? I've heard somewhere else some of the specs are off.

The chart changes pretty regularly. If someone knows of an error with the chart they are free to point it out; instructions with how to do so are posted on the chart.

For example, within the past few days the chart's author received word that Armalite switched to a different barrel steel, so the chart author updated the chart.

It isn't the be all, end all, item of perfection, but it makes for a good starting point for research.

 

[Norinco982lover]

thanks for the input--i updated the thread title to be more accurate.

~Norinco

 

[CoRoMo]

I've PM'd rob_s before, and he'll probably respond to your questions.

I noticed that he took off the 'street prices'. I think I saw that one coming.

 

[kwelz]

Yeah Prices are in such flux right now it is hard to be accurate. But overall the chart is pretty good. Not perfect but good. Just stay to the left and you are good.

 

[Norinco982lover]

What is the most affordable "good" AR? you know...the ones on the left side of the chart! thanks

 

[lipadj46]

CMMG, Bushmaster, DPMS, Stag are the more affordable ARs that are still good quality. In reality most known AR makers make a decent rifle and all of them have been known to produce a lemon now and then. The higher the price (usually implies more QC steps) and/or the lower production volume that % tends to go down.

 

[RP88]

OP needs to add CMMG to the list. Great brand to build a rifle out of. Mine has shot flawlessly and much noticeably better than the Del-Ton I owned.

 

[rob_s]

It is virtually impossible to keep track of all the changes that various makers make to their product lines over time. This is part of the reason that only one model from each maker is addressed. However every attempt has been made to use the "best" model from each line as it relates to these specs. For example, CD Defense makes a model that meets one or two fewer specs, so the DM4LE is the one in the Chart as it gets more "X"s than the other model.

There have been three recent changes to the Chart. The first was to remove the pricing as things lately have just been too nuts to track. It's actually still there, just hidden from the public view. Since I saw an ad for Colt 6920s at $1200 today something tells me we may be close to putting the cost information back. I don't like not having the cost data in there because I think it adds a dimension of relativity to the Chart that is important.

The second was the change in Colt hammer and trigger pin size from the oversized pins they've been using for awhile to the standard .154" pins. This is NOT related to the takedown and pivot pins as those have been standard size for quite some time.

The third, as mentioned above, was the change in Armalite's barrel steel. I think this latest change really exemplifies the best thing about the Chart. A user saw what he thought was an error, that user got in touch with me and with Armalite, and between all of us we got to the bottom of the issue and made the change.

Finally, I will say that I am 100% positive that there is at least one other error in the current Chart. I am also 100% positive that there almost always will be at least one error. This is partially because of the tracking issues mentioned, but it''s all due to the fact that the Chart really isn't the valuable part of that document. What sprang out of the Chart and the research to create it is the Explanation of Features, and I really think that the E of F is where the value lies. I'm all about people educating themselves whenever possible and hopefully the E of F acts as a springboard with the brief descriptions and the links for people to be able to do that.