The AR15/M4 Carbine has become a fixture in America today. I dare say the AR is more popular now than ever and with good reason. The M4 is a light handy carbine and is the current rifle of our US Fighting Men. Rifle used by the US Military and Law Enforcement usually finds favor with the American public.
A peculiar thing tends to occur when a firearm become "popular". Greed begins to set in and manufacturers begin to jump on the bandwagon to make a few bucks. I have no issues with making money. If you're the one spending the money you're best off spending it wisely. Buy once, Cry Once...I didn't invent the saying, but I sure do use it often. When it comes to buying an M4 I hope I can give you some ideas on how you can spend wisely.
Bargain AR's: what really constitutes a bargain? Building a gun from an “AR kit” is a risky proposition. Unless you have significant experience building firearms or you are a professional armorer, building your own weapon is probably not your best choice. When you consider that you are building something that will be producing an explosion just in front of your face, building your own rifle may be a risky proposition unless you are highly skilled. Better to seek out companies that build rifles that are affordable.
I have worked on AR's for the USAF as a CATM (Combat Arms Training and Maintenance) Instructor and I have owned and used AR's that cost a variety of dollar amounts and were at various levels of quality. If you buy a firearm from a reputable manufacturer or retailer and you have problems with the weapon, it can be returned for repair, replacement, or sometimes a complete refund. Pick a rifle from a commercial manufacturer and you have those options. When you buy from a trusted retailer you have those options. Those are good options to have, especially if you are new to owning ARs.
Of the lower-priced ARs, I put DPMS, Del-Ton, and Bushmaster in the same category. They aren't the least expensive and but they definitely aren't the most expensive. You can find a very serviceable rifle from one of these companies. I’ve used weapons from all three companies and put them through tests much more rugged than just a day at the range punching holes in paper. There are things you need to know about an AR that cannot be ascertained by just firing a weapon at the range. I base my opinions on shooting these rifles in a variety of different scenarios and conditions.
The Bushmaster has a chrome lined bore. If you're going to shoot in tropical environments, shoot tracers, and clean your barrel infrequently this is important. However, if you clean your barrel after each shooting session and take care of it, a non-lined barrel will last just fine. There is no doubt the chrome lined bore is harder, very corrosion resistant, and it’s a good option to have. It’s just not a deal breaker for me with an entry level AR. The DPMS and Del-Ton aren’t that different from the Bushmaster with the exception of the chrome lined bore.
The more expensive high-end rifles are more expensive for a reason. There parts are often individually tested instead of being selected from a batch and the rifles generally come with more features. These high-end rifles are not “bad buys” and I would never fault someone for owning them, but you can get into the AR game for less money and spend the difference in ammo and training. In America we tend to be more gear driven than skill driven. All the cool guy gun gear on your high dollar AR won’t make you a better shooter. A good shooter can benefit from a top end rifle and certain accessories.
You need to take your AR out and shoot it. By shooting it and practicing your Rifle Marksmanship Fundamentals you can start thinking about optimizing your rifle for you. My training partner runs his AR box stock. No red dot sight, no scope, just straight irons with the carrying handle that came from the factory. He has decided to go with an ACOG when he’s ready to put optics on his rifle, but for now he is satisfied in becoming the best rifleman he can be with a stock rifle. I tend to think the same way, but there are some advantages to utilizing today’s technology.
In my opinion, holographic sights are the best thing since sliced bread. The good ones are exceptional and the cheap copies are junk. If you go with Aimpoint, Trijicon, or Eotech, you won’t be disappointed. Keep air soft junk off your fighting rifle. The awesome thing about a holographic sight is you go from having three things to line up to sight in a target to just one. When using iron sights you have to align the rear sight with the front sight and then center them on the target. With the holographic sights, when zeroed, you just superimpose the dot on your target. It’s fast and it’s simple. The only problem is anything man-made can fail, even holographic sights. That’s why every rifle I own has Back Up Iron Sights (BUIS).
Again, fundamentals are everything. You have to be able to use iron sights to be a good rifleman. If your holographic sight goes down you’ll need irons to get you back in the fight. The BUIS I use is made by GG&G and it is the flip up type. There are several makers of good back up sights. Again, steer clear of junk. Buy good quality kit and know it will serve its intended purpose. Make sure you zero your BUIS. Sights are important on a rifle whether they be optics or irons, but what about the trigger?
A service trigger in an AR15 is not the best target trigger. A match trigger is not the best service trigger. I like the Rock River Single Stage Match Trigger for target use, but for a carry rifle I use a stock trigger. If you shoot a stock trigger enough you might be surprised at how well it smooths itself out. On one of my rifles I’ve been accused of having a trigger job done, but that’s what about 2500 rounds will do for your trigger along with allot of dry practice.
Now you have some information on how to break into the AR scene without breaking the bank. Buy quality, stay away from cheap components, and get good solid training. Follow those simple rules and you can reach your and your rifle’s full potential.
Jon Payne
Suarez International Staff Instructor
A peculiar thing tends to occur when a firearm become "popular". Greed begins to set in and manufacturers begin to jump on the bandwagon to make a few bucks. I have no issues with making money. If you're the one spending the money you're best off spending it wisely. Buy once, Cry Once...I didn't invent the saying, but I sure do use it often. When it comes to buying an M4 I hope I can give you some ideas on how you can spend wisely.
Bargain AR's: what really constitutes a bargain? Building a gun from an “AR kit” is a risky proposition. Unless you have significant experience building firearms or you are a professional armorer, building your own weapon is probably not your best choice. When you consider that you are building something that will be producing an explosion just in front of your face, building your own rifle may be a risky proposition unless you are highly skilled. Better to seek out companies that build rifles that are affordable.
I have worked on AR's for the USAF as a CATM (Combat Arms Training and Maintenance) Instructor and I have owned and used AR's that cost a variety of dollar amounts and were at various levels of quality. If you buy a firearm from a reputable manufacturer or retailer and you have problems with the weapon, it can be returned for repair, replacement, or sometimes a complete refund. Pick a rifle from a commercial manufacturer and you have those options. When you buy from a trusted retailer you have those options. Those are good options to have, especially if you are new to owning ARs.
Of the lower-priced ARs, I put DPMS, Del-Ton, and Bushmaster in the same category. They aren't the least expensive and but they definitely aren't the most expensive. You can find a very serviceable rifle from one of these companies. I’ve used weapons from all three companies and put them through tests much more rugged than just a day at the range punching holes in paper. There are things you need to know about an AR that cannot be ascertained by just firing a weapon at the range. I base my opinions on shooting these rifles in a variety of different scenarios and conditions.
The Bushmaster has a chrome lined bore. If you're going to shoot in tropical environments, shoot tracers, and clean your barrel infrequently this is important. However, if you clean your barrel after each shooting session and take care of it, a non-lined barrel will last just fine. There is no doubt the chrome lined bore is harder, very corrosion resistant, and it’s a good option to have. It’s just not a deal breaker for me with an entry level AR. The DPMS and Del-Ton aren’t that different from the Bushmaster with the exception of the chrome lined bore.
The more expensive high-end rifles are more expensive for a reason. There parts are often individually tested instead of being selected from a batch and the rifles generally come with more features. These high-end rifles are not “bad buys” and I would never fault someone for owning them, but you can get into the AR game for less money and spend the difference in ammo and training. In America we tend to be more gear driven than skill driven. All the cool guy gun gear on your high dollar AR won’t make you a better shooter. A good shooter can benefit from a top end rifle and certain accessories.
You need to take your AR out and shoot it. By shooting it and practicing your Rifle Marksmanship Fundamentals you can start thinking about optimizing your rifle for you. My training partner runs his AR box stock. No red dot sight, no scope, just straight irons with the carrying handle that came from the factory. He has decided to go with an ACOG when he’s ready to put optics on his rifle, but for now he is satisfied in becoming the best rifleman he can be with a stock rifle. I tend to think the same way, but there are some advantages to utilizing today’s technology.
In my opinion, holographic sights are the best thing since sliced bread. The good ones are exceptional and the cheap copies are junk. If you go with Aimpoint, Trijicon, or Eotech, you won’t be disappointed. Keep air soft junk off your fighting rifle. The awesome thing about a holographic sight is you go from having three things to line up to sight in a target to just one. When using iron sights you have to align the rear sight with the front sight and then center them on the target. With the holographic sights, when zeroed, you just superimpose the dot on your target. It’s fast and it’s simple. The only problem is anything man-made can fail, even holographic sights. That’s why every rifle I own has Back Up Iron Sights (BUIS).
Again, fundamentals are everything. You have to be able to use iron sights to be a good rifleman. If your holographic sight goes down you’ll need irons to get you back in the fight. The BUIS I use is made by GG&G and it is the flip up type. There are several makers of good back up sights. Again, steer clear of junk. Buy good quality kit and know it will serve its intended purpose. Make sure you zero your BUIS. Sights are important on a rifle whether they be optics or irons, but what about the trigger?
A service trigger in an AR15 is not the best target trigger. A match trigger is not the best service trigger. I like the Rock River Single Stage Match Trigger for target use, but for a carry rifle I use a stock trigger. If you shoot a stock trigger enough you might be surprised at how well it smooths itself out. On one of my rifles I’ve been accused of having a trigger job done, but that’s what about 2500 rounds will do for your trigger along with allot of dry practice.
Now you have some information on how to break into the AR scene without breaking the bank. Buy quality, stay away from cheap components, and get good solid training. Follow those simple rules and you can reach your and your rifle’s full potential.
Jon Payne
Suarez International Staff Instructor
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