Thread: A nice AR-15 rifle?

I know there are a few weapons enthusiest on these forums so thought I would ask. I have wanted an AR-15 weapon for a while now but the cost has pretty much stopped me. Whats a good brand or maker? Any specific model that seems to stand out? Any specs to look for? I have considered the Colt AR-15 rifle but I have seen many others out there also.

I don't know alot about them and with me going into the Navy I don't know if I can have one. I don't know what the rules/laws will be. I am sure I can't own a full auto military version. I wish I knew more about these rifles to ask better questions so maybe someone can chime in with knowledge about these weapons and maybe if its possible for me to own one or maybe even get one for a discount with military ID.

Thanks for your time.

Well there is colt of course, but they are expensive and over priced IMO unless you are a collector.

Bushmaster is the most affordable if I recall correctly, but I have heard the customer service isnt great. but they make the a2 and a3 configuration in .223 and .308

DPMS makes a decent one in .223

Rock River Arms makes a good one I hear, but I dont know anyone who owns one

For the money I would get one made by Wilson Tactical I believe they will do a2 - a4 configuration as well as sniper and CQC models.

I wouldnt pay extra for anything that is marked as "pre-ban" since the ban no longer exists you are paying more for most probably the same configuration or accessories you could legally pay less for on a brand new gun. You could also look for something used if you know whay your looking for.

www.gunsamerica.com and www.auctionarms.com are good sites to look at to get an idea of current pricing.

Oh and as far as what you can and cant own...unfortunately unless your a local or federal LEO you are stuck with the same laws as the rest of us unless you get your FFL3 which will allow you to purchase and use the full auto versions, anyone can do it but the BATF is a PITA about it, and you have to at least sell SOMETHING every now and then...not to mention the BATF has free range access to all parts of your house 24/7 with or without warning.

Besides...even if you got your FFL a full auto version...chances are you couldnt afford the ammo or mainanence on it.

As far as while your on base I believe the only weapons you may posses are those which are issued to you...however they used to at least hold your private weapons for you if you lived on base for use while on off duty, I dont know if they still do this

Depends on what you want to get out of it. I've got an early SP1 that I prefer to the newer styles, as its very light, especially with the 20-rd mags. Sure it feels like a plastic kid's toy, but it goes bang about as reliably as any AR-15 is likely to, and is reasonably accurate for plinking. Since its not full-auto there's no need for the 30rd magazines, reducing the weight even more.

The AR-15 has serious limitations that no amount of gadgets will solve; it will never be a deer rifle, and for popping varmints or general long-range shooting there are calibers and rifles out there that will do better with less investment. If I'm gonna lug around a heavy rifle I'd rather it be in a more serious caliber, like .308 (in case I run into a deer) or .375 (in case I run into an elephant on the deer lease). If I'm looking for a SHTF gun I'd rather have a more reliable action (FAL or HK) or a more flexible caliber (.357 magnum in a lever carbine and revolver. 357 mag in a carbine is an eye-opener, it's very close to the 30-30 but with a bigger bullet).

The wilson is likely a very good rifle though -- I've got one of their pistols that is extremely accurate and reliable, and I love that parkerized/polymer coating wilson uses. I'm just worried that the wilson like so many other ar-15's is more designed as for hanging gadgets on and being admired at the range rather than being used.

i keep forgetting so many of you guys are into guns. i paid about 200 dollars for a colt special and like 150 dum dum (sp?) rounds. did i get ripped off? i bought it mainly i thought it was cool, but someone told me that people occasionally collect them.


and yes, i fully realize how unlikely it is that i'll ever hit anything shooting dum dum's out of a two-inch barrel.

I'm pretty sure what you've got are called hollowpoints. They should be quite accurate if they're from a reputable manufacturer.

Dumdum bullets (named after the Indian arsenal that made them) were made for the .577 Snyder and .455 Snyder-Enfield, and had both a hollow point bullet and a special conical expansion plug.

yeah these don't have any extensions or anything like that. they just have what looks like nipples.

Originally Posted by cyrano138

yeah these don't have any extensions or anything like that. they just have what looks like nipples.

look at the bottom of the round (the flat part) and let us know what it says all the way around the ring of the bottom.

some say 'winchester 38 spl+p',
some say 'western 38 special
'cci 38 spl +p
w super w 38 spl+p
r p 38 spl
f c 88

Originally Posted by cyrano138

some say 'winchester 38 spl+p',
some say 'western 38 special
'cci 38 spl +p
w super w 38 spl+p
r p 38 spl
f c 88

ok none of those are dummy rounds so dont go throwing them out or burning them lol

the CCI 38 sp +p is a hollow point (the +p denotes that the cartridge has been pressurized beyond normal thresholds with extra gun powder which will produce more ft. lbs. of energy and more speed)

Winchester Super (I believe) same deal as the CCI

r p 38 special is made by remington and is good as well.

f c 88 is federal cartridge company and produced in 1988.

At any rate this ammo should all be usable, although a bit old. I wouldnt use it for carry use...but for plinking at a range most of the rounds will probably work. I would have the weapon checked by a gunsmith though, especially if shooting +p rounds, you want to make sure the gun can handle tose kind of pressures in its current condition.