ARs to avoid, which brands are not worth the money?

[Dawico]

I am seeing many preowned ARs for sale, some with very low price tags. I know enough about which ones are good and which parts are worth a premium but I am not familiar with which names to avoid.

So I ask, which brands are nothing but trouble? Which ones do not run, are totally built using inferior parts, and are not worth their low price tags?

Let me state now that I am not trying to start an arf.com type of debate. I do not need to hear from the fanboys that state "if it isn't a Colt" or "if it doesn't cost $3k" then it is junk.

I am mainly curious which ARs you would avoid that run about $700 or so with some mags and ammo. Or are there any that aren't worth that? I do know many builders get their parts from the same venders and have their name stamped on them.

I do remember TXARGUYS problem with a New Frontier lower and will avoid them. I am mainly curious about aluminum/ metal lowers.

Please keep it civil ladies and gentleman.

 

[Texas42]

Most of the lower end AR's are pretty decent. I probably wouldn't buy a model 1, especially seeing how much most everyone raves over PSA (though I hear quite a bit of grumblings regarding their PTAC line).

 

[tango5seven]

Gawd, next you are gonna want to know what oul to use in your car....

Lol


Sent from Cheyenne Mountain to confuse the NSA

 

[itchin]

Model 1, dpms, olympic, and bushmaster.

 

[Moonpie]

Vulcan
Hesse
early Olympic

approach these like you would a land mine.

 

[Dawico]

Gawd, next you are gonna want to know what oul to use in your car....

Lol


Sent from Cheyenne Mountain to confuse the NSA

What do you use in your car? Ha.

I am mainly just curious if any manufacturer is making total junk.

I know the question is wide open but I haven't read too many threads about guys having issues with a particular manufacturer.

 

[Das Jared]

With as much as the lower end ones cost, there is absolutely just no sense in not coughing up an extra 2-300 bucks and buying said colt, or better yet, a BCM.

sent from Jennifer Lawrence's bedroom

 

[tango5seven]

What do you use in your car? Ha.
.

Straight Marvel Mystery Oil.

I got your question, I just smelt a flame war brewing.

IMHO the quality of the upper would be more important than the lower. Lowers are pretty simple and low stress.

Sent from Cheyenne Mountain to confuse the NSA

 

[TxDad]

I speak in reference of the only ones I have used. DPMS and Bushmaster have never given me problems.

 

[Andy]

Vulcan
Hesse
early Olympic

approach these like you would a land mine.

Great minds think alike.

Hesse, Vulcan and Blackthorne - all Robert Hesse companies. Absolute shyster.

AR fanboys whining about DPMS, Bushmaster, Model 1, etc - pffft. They might be lower-spec than the big names, but I don't believe I've heard of them conning folks with seconds.

 

[grumper]

Olympic yes avoid at all costs.

Never had any issues with DPMS personally.

Had a ton of issues with Olympic: multiple milspec uppers (that I can swap around on my Colt, DPMS, Doublestar, and Nodak Spud lowers) could not fit on the Olympic lower, screwed up non-uniform machining on the insides, proprietary parts, magwells so tight USGI mags won't drop free and Pmags plain won't fit, the list goes on.

 

[AustinN4]

With as much as the lower end ones cost, there is absolutely just no sense in not coughing up an extra 2-300 bucks and buying said colt, or better yet, a BCM.

Agree with the above statement. Most people don't need (want is a different issue) an expensive KAC or Noveske, but at under $1,000, a Colt 6920 is a really really good deal on a high quality AR.

That said, the quality of the AR usually doesn't show itself until said AR is put to hard use such as in a class or in tactical matchs. Lesser brands tend to choke sooner or later under hard use. If the AR is to be used for home/personal defense, I would not be willing to trust one of the lesser brands. The bottom of my list for a defense AR would start with a 6920 priced at $995 at GT. But for punching paper with a few rounds a couple of times a year, almost any AR will do. Your intended use should dictate how high up the chain of quality you go.

 

[mitchntx]

The only issue I've run into with a DPMS is the bolt release lever mounting.
Requires a tiny allen head wrench instead of a roll pin. And it strips ever so easy (so I've read).

The only AR I've gotten my hands on and got rid of ASAP was a polymer lower.

If your goal is to have fun and punch 100 holes in paper once a month, the lesser expensive ones will serve you well and leave $2-300 for a box of ammo.

If you are defending our country and the bad guys are defending theirs, then I might consider spending a few hundred extra.

I ran Penzoil 10W30 in a road race car. Not sure what the oil temp peaked at because the gauge only read to 310*. Never an engine failure.

 

[jordanmills]

Does anyone have an opinion on daniel defense parts?

 

[kusai]

Does anyone have an opinion on daniel defense parts?

if you are asking about the LPK then yes its pretty slick stuff. Or if you can get your hands on spikes enhanced LPK.

 

[Das Jared]

Does anyone have an opinion on daniel defense parts?

Anything DD is good stuff. They pay attention to quality with everything they make.

sent from Jennifer Lawrence's bedroom

 

[Andy]

If your goal is to have fun and punch 100 holes in paper once a month, the lesser expensive ones will serve you well and leave $2-300 for a box of ammo.

If you are defending our country and the bad guys are defending theirs, then I might consider spending a few hundred extra.

^^^^This.

The only AR I've gotten my hands on and got rid of ASAP was a polymer lower.

I bought a polymer lower (New Frontier) to experiment with and break - I'm curious to see what happens. It would be nice to be able to afford more ammo for it and come to conclusions quicker, but... perhaps I'll open another thread specifically to log the ongoing experiments.

 

[AustinN4]

Does anyone have an opinion on daniel defense parts?

DD is very good as is Bravo Company (BCM).

 

[Moonpie]

Daniel Defense, Bravo Co. , Troy, LaRue, LMT, etc all make top flight equipment.
Colt is the top of the line in major manufacturers.
Bushmaster(Remngton), DPMS, Windham are good too.
I can not comment on PSA as I've never handled one of their firearms.

 

[Southpaw]

Agree with the above statement. Most people don't need (want is a different issue) an expensive KAC or Noveske, but at under $1,000, a Colt 6920 is a really really good deal on a high quality AR.

That said, the quality of the AR usually doesn't show itself until said AR is put to hard use such as in a class or in tactical matchs. Lesser brands tend to choke sooner or later under hard use. If the AR is to be used for home/personal defense, I would not be willing to trust one of the lesser brands. The bottom of my list for a defense AR would start with a 6920 priced at $995 at GT. But for punching paper with a few rounds a couple of times a year, almost any AR will do. Your intended use should dictate how high up the chain of quality you go.

I'm going to assume you are speaking from experience, so I ask. What are the problem areas you have encountered with these lower tier AR's choking during matches/classes?