Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles I am confused about Rock River ARs

9310 has not been proven better than C158 only easier to work with but the redesigned bolt could be tougher. I'd like to see them tested by someone who ain't selling them.

But I can tell you this, RR, BM and dpms are not using these new miracle steels.

The last M4 pattern RRA I owned gas key was not staked, figures that the DEA bought them, wonder if they use 8620 bolts as well but don't know.

Nothing is different until it breaks.

Again, awesome. Congratulations.

Now all you have to do is establish that:
1-Reelman knew about that bolt (he didn't, he admitted he knew nothing about the steels used).
2-"Most" ARs today are using that better bolt.

(Hint:You can't. Sooner or later I'm bound to probably be wrong about something. And when I am you're welcome to serve the crow. But this ain't it. Don't be so quick on the keyboard TAK, it makes you look desperate.)

i finally found something in this thread that i understand.





not that the other stuff isn't interesting, it's just that at my age the rest doesn't really seem to matter.

it took me all night to kill these hogs. by 5:00am the weather turned bad. i quit before the dpms did. i can't ask for more than that.

Love the pics. it looks like you had some fun last night. They tell me the feral hogs are migrating close to here in Desoto Co Mississippi.

If i was buying a AR just for hunting it would be a RR or Stag, if for duty use it would be a Daniel Defense. Colt would be my last choice. The only AR I ever used that malfunctioned at least one or two times every magazine was a New Colt H Bar my buddy purchased. It would do this with every mag you tried. When in the Military in the early 70's my M16 was a New Harrington & Richardson and i shot this rifle a few thousand times on semi-auto and full auto with zero malfunction and mil issued ammo. This rifle sold me on the AR Platform early in my life .

First colt I've ever heard of having problems. That goes for about probably 1000 folks I know in competition.. well maybe only 500...

To hear a Colt be bad is somethign you DO NOT EVER hear of.

The triggers usually suck and accuracy isn't the greatest, but the guns run.

Unfortunately your buddy had the sample of one.

I haven't been called "desperate" in decades. Haven't seen that gal in a coon's age. I heard she has a huge azz now. Dr. Pepper fan.

The Dr Pepper challenge was a classic!

I look at it like Colt, DPMS, RRA all have to compete to stay in business. Colt has been the "Mil-Spec" rifle for the military for years but that does not mean DPMS and RRA is junk just because they are not "Mil-Spec". Mil-Spec involves more than the quality of the steel and aluminum. It also has to do with the manufacturing process and testing to suit the government requirements. That is why Colts typically cost more. Colt claims the rifles they sell at Walmart is the same rifle that goes to Afghanistan and is in the militaries armories so they ALL have to be Mil-Spec.

If DPMS and RRA wanted to jump through the hoops to get their guns into the Armory's of America then I'm sure they have a good start on getting there. My guess is some of the technology they use is also used by every AR manufacturer including Colt. I know some folks will look at the RRA's and DPMS' as a "hobby" gun and would not want to own one just because it's not Mil-Spec. Oh well. I'm sure DPMS and RRA will still be in business 20, 40, 60 years from now as long as they fulfill the needs of their customers and meet their expectations.

I see nothing wrong with owning a RRA. In fact, I have been looking at one of their uppers for some time. I just don't need a new one. That does not mean I won't some day have one. But, I have no fear of owning a RRA for what I want to do with it. Shoot critters, put holes in paper and defend the home front.

I suggest a person looks more at the features they want. If you find the features you want at a price you will pay, then go that direction. If you want Mil-spec only, then you know where you have to go to get it and you know what you have to pay to get it.

Hobby gun or Mil-Spec. The choice is yours. If you like what you bought and it works for you I'm sure the manufacturer welcomes your public input and encourages you to tell you friends and family just how well your choice fits your needs.

If it turns out to be junk, maybe some public input will encourage the makers to do better the next time. Maybe they will fix the shortcomings and produce a better product. The average "Joe" really only cares that they get a good product that fits their needs for a fair price. I think a RRA qualifies for that.

kwg

What Colt available to the public is all Mil-Spec? As far as I know they don't sell 14.5" barrels to the public and they can't sell full auto or 3 shot bursts to the public.

some are more milspec than others. also milspec is the minimal performance level acceptable.

The 14.5" barrels have to have the flash hider permanently attached to sell in the civilian world. The full autos or 3 shot bursts require a class 3 license. That's a no brainer. The Colts at our Walmarts have 16 inch barrels. It's the only difference I know of. The article I read about Colts selling the Mil-Spec rifles to civilians was in American Rifleman. It's the NRA's magazine. I did not question it's validity. kwg

They do sell 14.5" barrels and FA to the public. Either the flash hider is pinned as has been said or one just has to do the right paperwork in order to skip the pinning.

14.5 barrels, yes. FA, no.

As for mil-spec...its not so much the configuration, but the materials used, and the QC maintained in the manufacturing. Of course, the majority of folks kind of understand that, but like to use red herrings to make them feel better about their purchase.

Is it a Mil-Spec to pin the flash hider? I didn't think so. The point is that some parts are probably Mil-Spec on all the different brands and some parts are not Mil-Spec on any brand. Unless you have a stolen from the government Colt or FN your gun is not completely Mil-Spec.

In general and not pointed at anyone person.....

I wouldn't worry about Mil Spec unless it means compatibility/interchangeability with other parts. Govt issue doesn't always equal the best equipment, usually it means lowest bidder in a lot of cases!

People may want a "combat" rifle and sure if you have the money you can buy the best, but reality of it is most will never need/use it in a combat style situation. It will go to the range and be shot or taken to the field for hunting. That is about as extreme as it will get? Most any produced AR would fit those needs and double to protect the homestead.

I would focus more on maintenance and using quality ammuntion/magazines which would help keep the AR running smoothly?

What about the SPR or even the RECCE? Those are mil spec guns that are completely legal to own

. There are those who will defend the non mil spec hobby guns out of pure ignorance, saying they are just as good or even better. That will never change cause some people have to justify their purchases. Buy what you like and live with it, we really don't care just quit deceiving yourselves, we know better.

Will a mil-spec AR kill more coyotes and p-dogs than my Rock River?
Will they die a more tactical death?

I don't think milspec makes any difference on hobby guns, I also don't believe that the discount manufacturers use the same quality of parts as a DD or Colt. How can a $895 Windham have the same quality of parts in it that a $1400 DD gun does and still make the manufacturer a dime or two? While I am sure Windham, Bushmaster, RRA, DPMS, work fine they just cannot incorporate the same cost basis parts as guns that are built from quality parts.

If your good with that, no problemo, me I am willing to pay extra such that the chances of a failure are lowered.

I mean get serious guys, I don't care if Reelman wants to hunt with the Handirifle equivilent of an AR.