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advice on buying an ar-15

AzhunterAzhunter Member Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited February 2011 in General Discussion
What are things to look for and avoid? Other than lack of maintenance, dirty barrel sloppy fitting upper and lower??
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Comments

  • dbain99dbain99 Member Posts: 2,104 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I assume you are buying used.
    Preferable all factory nothing modded or worse bubbaed
    Try to avoid frakenguns
    Feild strip and function check it if you cant live fire it.
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  • WulfmannWulfmann Member Posts: 4,906 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Depends on what you want and how much you want to spend.

    I do not like cleaning my direct impingement AR15/M4 guns so I have ordered a piston design PWS MK114 so I can eliminate cleaning the gun.
    With an AK/Daewoo style piston the center of balance is more like a DI M4 and PWS is the only maker that uses this style. the others (LWRC, LMT, POF etc etc) use a piston over the muzzle that drives a rod back against the bolt key and that puts the extra weight over the barrel and makes it muzzle heavy and I do not care for the lack of balance.

    Of course you need to decide on trigger type barrel weight and length, stock type and even pistol grip (I prefer the finger grooved type)

    My only complaint about the original AR/M4 type is the direct blow back of dirt and carbon into the bolt area and a piston reduces that to a point of not mattering

    Wulfmann
    3YUCmbB.jpg
    "Fools learn from their own mistakes. I learn from the mistakes of others"
    Otto von Bismarck
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  • nutfinnnutfinn Member Posts: 12,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bet there is about 10000000000000000000000 topics about this, too lazy to look azzhunter? [:)]
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  • AzhunterAzhunter Member Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Actually I read the posts here every day and don't recall too much about this. The other topics are more on the differences between brands, or gas versus piston. What I am looking for is if there are things to look out for when buying used that I might not be aware of.
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  • MaaloxMaalox Member Posts: 5,155 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just buy a factory assembled Rock River Arms unit and you will not have any worries. Other major manufacturers will also provide the quality you are looking for, I just prefer RRA.
    Regards, MAALOX
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  • woodshed87woodshed87 Member Posts: 23,478 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You Really Feel they are Of Great Quality?
    I have Waited to hear some feedback on them[^]

    http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=217632622

    quote:Originally posted by Maalox
    Just buy a factory assembled Rock River Arms unit and you will not have any worries. Other major manufacturers will also provide the quality you are looking for, I just prefer RRA.
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  • ruger41ruger41 Member Posts: 14,665 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Maalox
    Just buy a factory assembled Rock River Arms unit and you will not have any worries. Other major manufacturers will also provide the quality you are looking for, I just prefer RRA.


    Love my RRA. Run far away from anything with the label Vulcan/Hesse/Blackthorne
    You don't say what your budget is and the sky is the limit when it comes to these guns.
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  • wartigerwartiger Member Posts: 3,861
    edited November -1
    To answer your question as best I can, look for stress fractures in the upper and lower receivers. Check the chamber for a gummy or hard resin like substance. Some of the cheaper lacquer coated ammo will leave the lacquer in the chamber, causing serious feed and ejection problems. The use of this ammo will void the warranty on some AR's. Check the barrel.....chrome lined? any slight bends (which should be an obvious don't buy) Dry fire it. You should feel and hear a crisp click. If all looks good, shoot it. I am not AR expert, so these are some things that I have been told to look for in the past. Hope it helps.
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  • AzhunterAzhunter Member Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks wartiger, that's the kind of info I was looking for. My wife has been convinced that it is time to invest in a couple of ar's, and I was thinking of a face to face to keep them out of the records. So that means used.
    I am hoping to keep it around $800.00 to $900 per rifle.
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  • wartigerwartiger Member Posts: 3,861
    edited November -1
    Your welcome. Just my opinion, look at DPMS, Bushmaster or Olympic. YOu can usually find these at a good price in the used area and they are really good quality guns. Again, just my .02 worth.


    Edit: For that price, you can buy a brand new gun in the either of the above guns. Think gun show.........just an idea.[;)]
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  • militaria1918militaria1918 Member Posts: 465 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought a CA legal AR by Bushmaster in CA 1997. I moved to Idaho a few years later and after Assault weapons ban expired I sent it to Bushmaster and they fitted it with a Government barrel with bayo and flash hider :)

    I still have never fired it. Looks nice just sitting there. Never want to dirty it up LOL
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  • jev1969jev1969 Member Posts: 2,691
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by militaria1918
    I bought a CA legal AR by Bushmaster in CA 1997. I moved to Idaho a few years later and after Assault weapons ban expired I sent it to Bushmaster and they fitted it with a Government barrel with bayo and flash hider :)

    I still have never fired it. Looks nice just sitting there. Never want to dirty it up LOL




    WHAT?! You've had an AR for 14 years and have yet to fire it? What are you waiting for? It's not like they're collector pieces. If you have it for when the SHTF you are going to want to be intimately familiar with it. Go shoot that that thing! [:0]
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  • Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,170 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    Some good advice above. I would also add that, IMO anyway, I get the s/n of any used AR I contemplate buying. Then I contact the manufacturer and see how it left the factory. If it left as a stripped receiver, it is a parts gun assembled by lord only knows who, with guts made by lord only knows who. To me that kind of gun is worth $150.00. If you buy a factory made/assembled Oly, it has a lifetime warranty.
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  • cpermdcpermd Member Posts: 5,273 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    COLT
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  • quickmajikquickmajik Member Posts: 15,576 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Colt if your getting a rifle or A2 carbine.

    If you want a flat top carbine I'd advise towards an upper with a chrome lined mid length gas system heavy barrel. The guns run smoother and the sight radious is just right IMHO.

    A good trigger is the key to shooting consistantly.
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  • mt3777mt3777 Member Posts: 73
    edited November -1
    things to avoid?

    the 5.56 nato round!

    the gas blow back system!

    cheap builds made during the obama scare!
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  • AzhunterAzhunter Member Posts: 2,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sorry to bring this back up, but I now have more questions. mt3777 says to avoid the 5.56, but I've been told by a salesman that while a 5.56 barrel will shoot .223 with no loss of accuracy, the reverse isn't true.So if this is for a possible shtf scenario, wouldn't the one that takes both be better? Or is there something the salesguy isn't telling me?
    I'm now looking at a stag for about $850 nib,without sights.



    Never mind I did a search and found the info I needed.[:I]
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  • mrseatlemrseatle Member Posts: 15,467 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Either the cheapest one I could find for under 700 or a nice Colt.
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  • quickmajikquickmajik Member Posts: 15,576 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Go with fivefivesix chambers.

    If you go with a stag Orc, get iron sights don't just rely on an optic.

    Stag has a life time garuntee on their stuff and it's good stuff
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  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't get bogged down in the 5.56 vs .223 theoretical controversy.

    All of your name-brand manufacturers chamber MOST of their AR's so that they will handle 5.56 & .223 interchangably. In fact, most AR's aren't even marked with the "caliber" or "chamber", & the manufacturer's websites & literature aren't much help. The only area where you need to be cautious is the "competition" or "varmint" models which may have a tight chamber.

    Most RRA models have a "Wylde" chamber that will handle any caliber & any ammo, plus accurately to boot.

    Neal
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  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 48,464 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    Don't get bogged down in the 5.56 vs .223 theoretical controversy.

    All of your name-brand manufacturers chamber MOST of their AR's so that they will handle 5.56 & .223 interchangably. In fact, most AR's aren't even marked with the "caliber" or "chamber", & the manufacturer's websites & literature aren't much help. The only area where you need to be cautious is the "competition" or "varmint" models which may have a tight chamber.

    Most RRA models have a "Wylde" chamber that will handle any caliber & any ammo, plus accurately to boot.

    Neal


    What he said. Now if its a Bolt gun then worry.


    Just me I would look for a Complete rifle not one peiced together by the old owner. Look for miss matched parts. Main reason I don't like the owner built ones is you do not know if the set the head spacing right.
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  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by wartiger
    Your welcome. Just my opinion, look at DPMS, Bushmaster or Olympic. YOu can usually find these at a good price in the used area and they are really good quality guns. Again, just my .02 worth.


    Edit: For that price, you can buy a brand new gun in the either of the above guns. Think gun show.........just an idea.[;)]


    I agree with this. Most dpms models can be bought for around $725-$850 nib. I love mine.
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  • kayzapkayzap Member Posts: 382 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by militaria1918
    I bought a CA legal AR by Bushmaster in CA 1997. I moved to Idaho a few years later and after Assault weapons ban expired I sent it to Bushmaster and they fitted it with a Government barrel with bayo and flash hider :)

    I still have never fired it. Looks nice just sitting there. Never want to dirty it up LOL




    Unfired for 14 years? EGADS MAN!!!
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