Experience/Preference of aftermkt "AR" type rifles?

[Wildpony]

Do any of the LEO's or anyone else have a preference of aftermarket/custom companies that offer the AR type based rifle ?
I am looking at a .308 w/ MOA or less capability.
I wanted to see opinions/experiences on build quality, accuracy, features, optics, and that sort of thing.
Not sure if any of your departments use these but figure some do.

Thanks

 

[ford_racer]

Though you are asking LEOs for a question, this would probably be better in Roadside.

As for the rifle, look at Stag Arms and DPMS. Bushmaster is good too. For the most part, you won't find a bad AR type rifle, but you do pay more for the higher quality ones.

 

[Greg_Hager]

http://www.noveskerifleworks.com/

 

[YoungGun03]

http://www.gtdist.com/TXDPS-AR15.htm
This is the riffle the Texas DPS uses, it passed the rigorous tests of which some other riffle brands would fire when dropped from a height of 4ft..:uh oh:
I have fired and handled this weapon, i give it a :thumbsup:

 

[Wildpony]

http://www.noveskerifleworks.com/

Nice guns but I don't have the class III liscense for a supressor. <1/2MOA on the .308s are sweet though.

 

[jshen]

My favorite .308 rifles are the DPMS panther and Springfield Arms Socom 16. I have not bought one yet but am looking at these..I use EoTech optics -compatable with night vision scope on my M-17 Bushmaster .223 and would stay with that.

 

[BigCat]

my buddy shoots a bushmaster and as long as you dont put wolf ammo the gun shoots dead on

 

[slick4_6]

http://www.gaprecision.net/AR10.html

/Thread

While I love my DPMS LR308B, I wish I would have spent a little more and got GA Precision to build me a custom AR.

My hunting rig.

 

[ShortThrow50]

but you do pay more for the higher quality ones.

YOu just pay more for the name not quality. all he companes such as bushmaster all use milspec parts and are of the same quality in my book. my bushmaster and my colt both look and function the same after 15 years of use.

 

[Matts00GT]

DPMS is probably my favorite as far as price goes. You can't go wrong with Colt, but you're looking at around $1500 for one of those. Bushmaster's a good brand and there's a few others.

 

[SolarYellow]

As for the rifle, look at Stag Arms and DPMS. Bushmaster is good too. For the most part, you won't find a bad AR type rifle, but you do pay more for the higher quality ones.

Just shot an AR-15 from both Bushmaster and Stag Arms. The only visable differences between the two was the thicker forearm and thicker barrel on the SA. Both shot very well although the BM seemed a bit more accurate although it had a few ejection failures. Then again, some sort of Bosnian ammo was used in the firearm. I'd still take my mini-14 over both of them though.

 

[jshen]

.308

I may be mistaken but I got the impression the OP was interested in .308 varients on an AR type build. The only model I know fitting that is the DPMS in .308. Bushmaster doesn't make a rifle in .308 and I don't know if civilians can get the .450 or 6.8 LE build.

 

[Ben 98]

I may be mistaken but I got the impression the OP was interested in .308 varients on an AR type build. The only model I know fitting that is the DPMS in .308. Bushmaster doesn't make a rifle in .308 and I don't know if civilians can get the .450 or 6.8 LE build.

Yes civilians can get the .450 bushmaster I'm getting an upper it's going to be one hell of a thick brush hog gun! DPMS is'nt the only manufacturer to make a .308 ar but probablly the most affordable. A Colt is just as good as the rest of the ar's out there but more money, however you can't swap uppers and lowers on a Colt witch is the main reason why the ar platform is so popular.

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

We had an older gentleman come up to us at the range a few weeks ago He was probably in his late 70s and was a weapons specialist that had been in the military and worked for a bunch of weapons manufacturers. He pretty much started schooling us on all our ARs and telling us what the good ones were and why. He pretty much broke it down to Colt and Bushmaster being the best manufacturers of the ARs, and DPMS being very good as well.

 

[jshen]

I bought two Colt SP1 Sporter's new in 1983..Used one, sold it, and kept one in the safe. I also have a Bushmaster M-17 which I shoot regularly. If I were to buy an AR for shooting- I'd go with Bushmaster.

As for the .450 and 6.8- the ammo cost would be of concern- How "available" is that ammunition?

 

[DanielB]

I love my Stag Arms AR!

 

[Silver2003Cobra]

why would anyone want to get an "assault rifle" type weapon (AR-15, AK47 etc) is beyond me.. they are, for weapons UGLY.. if you want a hunting rifle, get a good wood stock remington or other semi-auto.. if you want an accurate hunting rifle, get a bolt action.. (you notice that snipers don't use an AR type weapon for their primary rifle, but a bolt action)

 

[SolarYellow]

why would anyone want to get an "assault rifle" type weapon (AR-15, AK47 etc) is beyond me.. they are, for weapons UGLY..

I wasn't aware that you buy a firearm primarily for its beauty. I like to buy a firearm for its functionality.

if you want a hunting rifle, get a good wood stock remington or other semi-auto.. if you want an accurate hunting rifle, get a bolt action.. (you notice that snipers don't use an AR type weapon for their primary rifle, but a bolt action)

You seem a bit ill-informed so let me try and offer you a few thoughts. Quite a few snipers use a 308. Why? For one, compare the knockdown power of a fairly high grain cartridge to that of a smaller, assault cal (.223). If I had to shoot a far distance (which snipers usually do), I'd want to shoot as flat as possible while still maintaining energy.

The AR "assault" weapons are deadly accurate with .223/5.56mm but if I am shooting hundreds of meters, I'd prefer something else.

Cartridges are usually cheaper for these "assault" weapons. .223 ammo is cheap. 5.56mm x 45mm is also cheap. None of my "wood stocked remington" or "bolt action" rifles can be shot as cheap.

 

[Wildpony]

My question originally had a sentence in it that I didn't want a repeat of 1994/95 when the Dems jumped on the back of Brady to legislate stuff that didn't do any good. All the "assualt" type weapons are already out there and the bad guys don't care about laws.
I'm not looking at the gun as my go to Michigan or Penn to take out Bambi. I at the same time am not looking to hurt anyone with it. BUT if the crap hits the fan I want one of these before somebody gets in office that wants to control this stuff again. Yeah I could buy a M1A and build it but they are about as pricey as a good version of a DPMS,etc.
Look at it this way why do any of us gear heads on here need a 500+ HP Mustang ? Because even though we shouldn't speed or street race it's nice to know you got the power. Same thing for the gun.

 

[Wildpony]

I bought two Colt SP1 Sporter's new in 1983..Used one, sold it, and kept one in the safe. I also have a Bushmaster M-17 which I shoot regularly. If I were to buy an AR for shooting- I'd go with Bushmaster.

As for the .450 and 6.8- the ammo cost would be of concern- How "available" is that ammunition?

Again exactly why I want the .308. It would be nice to build one in the .260 Rem or the new .338 Federal but I don't want Weatherby priced ammo to shoot it. If I was going that crazy route I would probably be looking at the Barrett .416 at over $5 /round.
The .308 can get you out to 1000 and that's enough for me. The rounds are still cheap as they are NATO or mil spec (lots to go around)...Just like a .223