I need an AR-15

[RoyJackson]

Here is a link to the AR-7. I assume the AR-5 would be similar.

Armalite AR-7 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yep...Henry makes those now...I'd like to get one of those little rifles.

 

[bcp]

Armalite made more than most people realize, and they didn't stop development with the AR-15.

ArmaLite Product List - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bruce

 

[Sigarms]

I wouldn't trade either of my present AR15's for 20 copies of the M16's (my original was still labeled an AR15) that I carried around for 3+ years in USAF in late 1960's.

If you look at the parts, the rifle isn't a copy of the "AR-15" by any means, just happens to resemble one from the exterior.

 

[Sigarms]

That is an expensive weapon with a removable barrel like that.

You can find them used for $1,000 no problem. Even new, at least 20-30% less than a SCAR.

The nice thing is it takes 30 seconds to change the 5.56 barrel to a 300 blackout barrel. Run it suppressed and it's a very quiet gun. I have one approraching 5k rounds with steel ammo (in 5.56) and still haven't had one FTF yet (with very little cleaning).

 

[lostcreekranch]

If you look at the parts, the rifle isn't a copy of the "AR-15" by any means, just happens to resemble one from the exterior.

I guess my comment was confusing, I'm saying that I very much prefer my present AR15's over the two rifles I used in the USAF.

 

[LD1]

I think I remember reading or hearing somewhere that the big deal about mil-spec as it pertains to the military and M16, was parts interchangeability. The Govt used, or wanted to use more than one supplier for M16 parts, And didnt want to have any issues in the field with parts from one mfg not fitting with another mfg's stuff.

Kinda like you cannot take a mossberg 500 barrel and put on a remington 870. But you can take a colt mil-spec barrel, and put on a armalite upper, with a smith and wesson lower.....if they are all mil spec.....its no issue.

 

[aTexasYankee]

I need advice on an AR-15. I want a reliable, no frills, iron sight AR-15. Nothing fancy and no expensive addons.

Any brands, suggestions?

Guns are my job (literally, I'm an FFL). Now is the time to buy ARs. The market is flooded with them at great prices. You can easily get a quality, reliable, and acceptably accurate (sub 2 MOA gun) AR for under $700. Diamondback DB-15 CCB (fantastic deal right now of you can find them), DPMS Oracle, M&P Sport, and Bushmaster QRC are just a few of them. You can sure build your own with slightly better quality of parts for around the same cost, possibly even lower, but if you're just looking for a ready out of the box gun, there's no reason to build one for cost savings, really.

Mil-spec really means nothing in the civilian AR world, it's just marketing. Mil-spec in guns just means the gun falls within range of acceptable military variances and tolerances. That's it. No one ever mentions how big those tolerances can be! Considering the M4 and M16 are designed to be around 4 MOA guns, most civilian manufactures are actually better than that and are often under 2 to 3 MOA.

There aren't too many ARs that I would absolutely say stay away from, except maybe for 100% polymer lowers (carbon fiber is 100% OK). If you haven't heard of the name before, do a little research, that's it.

Hope that helps.

 

[aTexasYankee]

I think I remember reading or hearing somewhere that the big deal about mil-spec as it pertains to the military and M16, was parts interchangeability. The Govt used, or wanted to use more than one supplier for M16 parts, And didnt want to have any issues in the field with parts from one mfg not fitting with another mfg's stuff.

Kinda like you cannot take a mossberg 500 barrel and put on a remington 870. But you can take a colt mil-spec barrel, and put on a armalite upper, with a smith and wesson lower.....if they are all mil spec.....its no issue.

Firearm contracts usually only involve one primary manufacturer for a particular firearm, not multiple (colt for example, until they lost it). Mil-spec doesn't always mean it will work on all guns. The colt large vs small pin once caused (and still occasionally) headaches because of lack of compatibility.

 

[RoyJackson]

I think I remember reading or hearing somewhere that the big deal about mil-spec as it pertains to the military and M16, was parts interchangeability. The Govt used, or wanted to use more than one supplier for M16 parts, And didnt want to have any issues in the field with parts from one mfg not fitting with another mfg's stuff.

Kinda like you cannot take a mossberg 500 barrel and put on a remington 870. But you can take a colt mil-spec barrel, and put on a armalite upper, with a smith and wesson lower.....if they are all mil spec.....its no issue.

That is true, to a degree.
The part dwg controls the nominal dimensions and tolerances. The MIL-SPEC would control the material properties (chemistry, metallurgical), coatings (if any), torques (sometimes, but that might be on the part dwg. which would have precedence over the mil-spec).
MIL-SPECs also control the inspection processes and certifications. These can be pretty tight or loose, depending on the criticality of the part.

Guns made to MIL-SPEC don't necessarily mean super accurate. The soldier needs reliability in a weapon...his target is normally the size of a man's trunk...not a dime sized bulls eye at a hundred yards.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

You can find them used for $1,000 no problem. Even new, at least 20-30% less than a SCAR.

The nice thing is it takes 30 seconds to change the 5.56 barrel to a 300 blackout barrel. Run it suppressed and it's a very quiet gun. I have one approraching 5k rounds with steel ammo (in 5.56) and still haven't had one FTF yet (with very little cleaning).

What model is it?