AR brand quality/ranking question?

[theinvisibleheart]

how would you rank AR quality/desirability by different manufacturers?

E.g., Knights Armament, Colt, Noveske, LMT, Daniel Defense?

Armalite?

Rock River Arms?

Bravo Company Mfg?

Battle Rifles?

Christensen Arms?

Others like Del-Ton, High Standard, DPMS, Bushmaster, Olympic Arms, etc.?

What would be considered top tier? 2nd, 3rd, etc. tier? And why?

Thanks for sharing your expertise/opinion. Appreciate it.

[Mobuck]

At this point, the one in your hand is the best quality you can get.

[Quentin2]

how would you rank AR quality/desirability by different manufacturers?

E.g., Knights Armament, Colt, Noveske, LMT, Daniel Defense?

Armalite?

Rock River Arms?

Bravo Company Mfg?

Battle Rifles?

Christensen Arms?

Others like Del-Ton, High Standard, DPMS, Bushmaster, Olympic Arms, etc.?

What would be considered top tier? 2nd, 3rd, etc. tier? And why?

Thanks for sharing your expertise/opinion. Appreciate it.


Move BCM to the tier 1 group at the top and then your ranking is pretty good as is. ArmaLite and RRA at tier 2 and so on.

Of course battle rifles is too vague to be in the list. Also I have no information on Christensen.

[FALPhil]

The order I would shop in is
1. Palmetto State Armory
2. Spikes Tactical
3. BravoCompany
4. Lewis Machine Tool
5. Colt

Knights, Noveske, and LWRC are examples of the law of diminishing returns. I don't need a status symbol.

[theinvisibleheart]

link to Battle Rifle AR15 maker:
http://www.battleriflecompany.com/content/how_we_make_the/how_we_make_the.asp

link to Christensen Arms AR15 maker:
http://www.christensenarms.com/products/ca-15-recon/



Also, I'm curious as to how Armalite, Mossberg, S&W M&P, S&W M&P Sport, Mossberg ranks.

[theinvisibleheart]

also, any insight on other AR15 maker/receivers like PWA/Commando,etc.?

[Quentin2]

You really need to find a copy of the old M4 Compatibility Chart if you want to see the best rankings list from a few years ago. Make sure to get the full chart with descriptions page. Then you can create your own current listings with any manufacturer that shares detailed specs (which unfortunately is rare).

At the time S&W just missed being what's called tier 1. Very good but just missed. Still acceptable by many, including LE and noted trainers. ArmaLite fell in the mid tier 2. It's up to you if this is important to you.

[Chainsawjames]

Windham Weaponry. Made in Maine. Original Bushmaster staff. Awesome quality. Most of the well known manufacturers produce high quality AR type rifles now though.

[MarkCO]

When it comes to overall quality, you don't even have the top tier listed except Noveske.

LaRue, Les Baer, JPRifles, Firebird, Seekins and a few others are top tier.

Mil-Spec fans will probably be spilling their Kool-aid on their keyboards, but Mil-Spec is not even close to "Top Tier" quality. It is a baseline, and yes many fall below the baseline, but only because the Mil-Spec fans try to say that Mil-Spec is supreme allowing so much room underneath. A great Mil-Spec AR, with everything done right, is maybe C+ to B. Sorry, but when the bar is set low, that is what most people will meet.

Desireability is a whole other discussion. I won't own a Les Baer anything. To me, they are too tight and I use my guns, not baby them. So while it is maybe an A in terms of Quality, I would give it a D in terms of desireability for me. I've run JPs and Firebirds, and they are great. A JP, get over 500 rounds...you might start to have issues due to the tighter chamber. Run it in the cold with all the low mass stuff and adjustable gas...not reliable enough for me. Again, an A+ in terms of Quality, a C in terms of desireability. Firebird, I'd say an A+ and B.

It is all about variables on the most adaptable modular platform available. You pick, and rank your needs, wants, and purposes, then we can start to talk about wether you would be best with an A/C or a C/A or a B/B etc.

[droptrd]

I own a dpms, rra and daniel defense. All 3 are super reliable. for quality id say the build, spec and fit and finish are poorest in the dpms - but im splitting hairs with that comment. The rra and dd build and f&f are equal and great. The rra departs from milspec. the dd follows it. the rra barrel profile, twist and steel are far from milspec but is the most accurate by far. my dd is my newest and i am still in the honeymoon phase with it. love that rifle.