Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Couple of lessons learned

With all the money people "save" on their budget builds, you think they'd carry a spare BCG when they go to a class. Makes for a quick fix for any of many several common problems.

They probably don't carry a backup for the same reason they used a cheap one in the 1st place.

MM

Bluedreaux, were there any other brands notable for reliability or failure?

As a trend Colts, DD and BCM are always good. Radical and Underground Tactical are trash. Nobody cares more about your build than you do, so double check everything.

Thanks. Pretty much what I figured.

I wonder where the Rugers fit.

I have seen a couple of posts on this thread that emphasize using the best parts possible. I am puzzled by those who would not do so. Why would you NOT use the best available parts/components, for any gun, not just AR's? I will concede that "Best Quality" is somewhat subjective but knowingly using inferior parts, just to complete a gun, will always be a foreign concept to me.

From what I've seen most people don't know what quality is and equate name recognition with quality.

And when you try to educate them they either don't believe you or don't believe that it matters.

I've never seen a Ruger in person.

And when that "quality" costs more, many just simply won't pony up; they cut corners & knowingly or not, settle for something less.

MM

Colt, DD, LMT, BC, LaRue, KNS, Geisslee for parts.
Lowers I am not 100% sure how much this matters with a good parts kit and good trigger?
Uppers do matter to me more DD, Colt, VLTOR, BCM,YHM

Here is a question for you...does anyone know if the anderson lowers are the same hardness as a Colt lower? I kind of regret building a gun using an Anderson lower back during Zero's reign and wonder if it will wear out faster?

Once you build a quality AR using quality parts, it's easy to understand why one gun costs $500 and another $1200.

"Here is a question for you...does anyone know if the anderson lowers are the same hardness as a Colt lower? I kind of regret building a gun using an Anderson lower back during Zero's reign and wonder if it will wear out faster?" from jimmyp.



I suspect it will take a lot of shooting to wear it out.

I have a lower that I built on back about 1976 or '77 that was by Scheutzen Gun Works (that somehow morphed into Olympic or Olympia) and it was machined out of 6061 aluminum that is supposed to be softer than 7075 or whatever they're using nowadays. It's still fine. Doesn't get shot much anymore. The only reason I found out it was the softer alloy is that I had it refinished (re-anodized) and the anodizing processes are a bit different I've been told.

Back when I was taking classes it worked, and a Colt or two I had worked. I never saw any need for anything else. Have them, just don't see that BCM or DD is better than Colt.


Not that it matters but the build might have been a few years later.

"Back when I was taking classes it worked, and a Colt or two I had worked. I never saw any need for anything else. Have them, just don't see that BCM or DD is better than Colt."

They aren't. But they are way ahead of the cheaper guns.

I do think it would be nice to have a midlength gas system from Colt.

Having mid lengths from Krieger, Noveske and LaRue , comparing carbine gas from Colt and DD, I just don't think it makes that much difference but here you go...
http://www.colt.com/Media/Press-Rel...-Carbine-Featuring-Mid-Length-Gas-System

I think the Andersons are 7075 and Mil spec anodized but that is what they say, have no idea if it's the truth

Colt 6960. TALO dealers. Thanks.

add: After looking at Slickguns with prices $1150 and up, I may just replace a barrel.

Ya, I like Colt Defense, Colt Mfg. May not be up to specs but a new barrel is always a good thing.

Determining if the carrier staking is adequate is easily assured with a punch. I had one that appeared staked with beautiful punch marks but the screws turned freely despite that.

You will not wear out a "softer" lower in your lifetime....trust me on that. The two lowers I have that had sloppy pins were... a colt... we swaged those holes a bit by the USMC AMU team armorer and I've done it to one other lower, that is the only Oly lower I have. Both have seen a LOT of rounds down, well lets just say at one point I figured we had shot about 250K rounds at one point... I figure 5K per barrel give or take... and I know both the Colt and the trash Oly, have at least 35K rounds on each one. I don't know many folks that will put 35K rounds on a single AR in their lives unless specific competition...

I'll go back to basics.. yes you have to have good parts. They do not have to have a single specific name on them. You need a better trigger and the best barrel... between those you'll have a top line gun capability wise, regardless of if perfectly mated and paired colors or frankengun looking...

But for those that don't know what it takes, buying brand name of the big names as noted by Blue and TWR and others sure never hurts reliability.