Thoughts on this AR deal

[Richard Simmons]

My gun club is putting together a group buy with a local gun store for an AR-15 purchase.

Here are the AR-15 specs:

- Forged Aluminum upper and lower receivers, branded "local store name and logo"

- CMMG lower parts kit

- UTG or Blackhawk US-made 6 position adjustable stock w/ buffer tube

- 16" 4140 Chrome Vanadium barrel (1:7 or 1:9 twist, based on available inventory)

- Flat top (railed gas block) or A2 front sight post

- Carbine-length gas system

- Standard birdcage flash hider

- 30rnd Magpul Pmag”

Don't know what manufacturer the receivers is. Also the store will swap the existing barrels with a heavy barrel for an additional $25. Cost of the base AR as spec'ed above is $500 plus sales tax of 5.3&

Been thinking about getting an AR and this one sounds fairly inexpensive. Was wondering what you all thought and what further questions I need to be asking? Was thinking I'd go with a railed gas block and add some type of BUS to it. Between the UTG or Blackhawk stocks is one better than the other?

[Helen Keller]

so basically $530 out the door.


cant really beat that.

[FunkyPertwee]

I prefer a chrome lined barrel, but that may or may not matter to you. Its not like any of us are actually going to war or anything. I hope.

As far as the stock goes, I would replace it with a magpul stock no matter which it came with so it wouldn't really matter to me.

If you want to save money with backup sights, then get the fixed front so you only have to buy one folding sight. If you're using a red dot sight then the fixed front won't really matter, unless you're anal about having a clean sight picture.

Just my $0.02.

[Richard Simmons]

Thanks for the replies. Do you think it's worth the extra $25 to swap the original barrel with a heavy barrel?

[Helen Keller]

what barrel is on it now? smooth medium contour or m4 style?

[Richard Simmons]

what barrel is on it now? smooth medium contour or m4 style?

No idea. What I posted is what I got in an email from my gun club. We have a meeting on 10/2 so I can get answers then or I guess I can call the gunstore. I just heard about it in the email. Guess I should go to more meetings?

[Adog]

I have a bull barrel on my CAR that I really like. The added weight makes recoil and muzzle rise about nill.

[Krupski]

My gun club is putting together a group buy with a local gun store for an AR-15 purchase.

Here are the AR-15 specs:

- Forged Aluminum upper and lower receivers, branded "local store name and logo"

- CMMG lower parts kit

- UTG or Blackhawk US-made 6 position adjustable stock w/ buffer tube

- 16" 4140 Chrome Vanadium barrel (1:7 or 1:9 twist, based on available inventory)

- Flat top (railed gas block) or A2 front sight post

- Carbine-length gas system

- Standard birdcage flash hider

- 30rnd Magpul Pmag”

Don't know what manufacturer the receivers is. Also the store will swap the existing barrels with a heavy barrel for an additional $25. Cost of the base AR as spec'ed above is $500 plus sales tax of 5.3&

Been thinking about getting an AR and this one sounds fairly inexpensive. Was wondering what you all thought and what further questions I need to be asking? Was thinking I'd go with a railed gas block and add some type of BUS to it. Between the UTG or Blackhawk stocks is one better than the other?

I would research the REAL differences between 1:7 and 1:9 barrels. I don't know if this means anything, but my Bushmaster rifles (1:9 twist) are a lot more accurate than my "real Colt" (1:7 twist) rifles.

All of them are 6520 pattern (16 inch carbines with telestocks).

This is shooting ordinary 55 grain FMJ ammo such as Federal, PMC, Fioochi, etc... (no Wolf or steel though).

Lastly, I'm sure you know but I'll say it anyway... "Chrome Vanadium" is a steel alloy. It does NOT mean that the barrels are chrome lined.

Just in case you didn't know.......

[Krupski]

Thanks for the replies. Do you think it's worth the extra $25 to swap the original barrel with a heavy barrel?

Personally I would not. Why get a CAR style rifle then make it heavier? The HBAR barrel doesn't do anything that I could perceive (except add weight).

[cevulirn]

1 in 7 would work better for heavy bullets, 55gr is marginal in that twist. For that type of gun, you'd want a 1 in 9 twist. But at that price, go for it.

[Richard Simmons]

Personally I would not. Why get a CAR style rifle then make it heavier? The HBAR barrel doesn't do anything that I could perceive (except add weight).

I don't think it's the HBAR barrel they are talking about. The M4 heavy barrel is just slightly thicker and isn't relived for the M203. It's about 4oz heavier than a standard M4 profile barrel from what I've been digging up.

[imanaknut]

Sounds like a really good deal.

Personally:

I prefer the 1:9 barrel as most of the easy to buy and affordable ammo will work just fine with this twist unless you plan on using heavier bullets as some competition rounds are.

If the barrels are chrome lined, great as usually they last longer and are corrosion resistant, but non-chrome barrels are ok as most in not all .223/5.56x45 is non-corrosive which is really the prime reason for chrome lining. Many people feel that non-chrome lined is more accurate, but I cannot verify it with a proper range test.

[Zygomatic]

Sounds like a good deal but make sure these 'store branded' ARs don't originate from Blackthorn. I'd be worried at that price point.

[l921428x]

funky we are at war, we just do not know which way to look or push.
the faster the bbl 7 the heavier the bullet weight you can use.
buy it.

[jakebrake]

530? that'd be a tough one to beat.

[Richard Simmons]

Thanks again for the replies. Gonna try and find out where they are getting the receivers from. Do all receivers come with the M4 feed ramps or should I ask about that too? Been considering an AR as I don't have one. I'd probably order another 4-5 mags, take it to the range and make sure everything works then except for the occasional range trip it would pretty much just be my Go To rifle if I needed it. I just don't want to get a deal on a piece of crap.

[l921428x]

Richard anything you can think of, I would ask about.
I was told along time ago that the only dumb question is the one that
is not asked.

[L1A1Rocker]

Thanks again for the replies. Gonna try and find out where they are getting the receivers from. Do all receivers come with the M4 feed ramps or should I ask about that too? Been considering an AR as I don't have one. I'd probably order another 4-5 mags, take it to the range and make sure everything works then except for the occasional range trip it would pretty much just be my Go To rifle if I needed it. I just don't want to get a deal on a piece of crap.

Yes, ask about the feed ramps.

I once read an article about a guy that went to a two day carbine class. He said that those without a chrome lined barrel learned why chrome lineing was so important during that class. If you ever expect to (or are making the purchase incase you may have to) do serious shooting with that rifle you want; chrome lined, stainless steal, or melonite coating.

Also, (and for the same reasons) you want a medium contour barrel profile. Anything less and the barrel heats up with just a few mag dumps to a point that accuracy goes by by. This is a BIG complaint from our current riflemen in theater right now. The thin barreled rifles, while lighter to carry, are losing accuracy in firefights to the point of being useless in combat.

Regarding the butt stock, you will want to swap that one out for a stock that can take the "slop" out once it is set to the length you like. Magpuls are very good, but there are a few others out there that do the same thing.

[FunkyPertwee]

About the light vs medium vs heavy barrel, choose which one you need based on how much shooting you expect to do vs how much walking you expect to do. Not everyone needs the ability to dump 8 mags and then still have pin-point accuracy.

Also, the light barrels cool down faster than the heavy, so its just a trade off.

[Richard Simmons]

Update:

Ok, went by the store today to get the specs on the rifle and they guy said my club had gotten enough orders to make the group buy minimum so I went ahead and bought my rifle outright. As I noted in my first post, these are the specs they gave my club to work with:

- Forged Aluminum upper and lower receivers, branded "local store name and logo"

- CMMG lower parts kit

- UTG or Blackhawk US-made 6 position adjustable stock w/ buffer tube

- 16" 4140 Chrome Vanadium barrel (1:7 or 1:9 twist, based on available inventory)

- Flat top (railed gas block) or A2 front sight post

- Carbine-length gas system

- Standard birdcage flash hider

- 30rnd Magpul Pmag”

I opted for the 1:9 heavy barrel with railed gas block and flat top receiver. I also upgraded, (at least I feel it's an upgrade) to a mid-length gas system over the carbine length and I went with the UTG stock. Barrel is not chrome lined. Gun has the M4 feed ramps. Overall I think I did fairly well at $575.00 OTD. Now I need some BUIS, mags and ammo.

The gun came with one PMag Gen2 MOE 30rd mag. Seems to fit fine. Was looking on line figuring I could find some cheaper than what they had at the store but it looks like their price, $12.99 is pretty good. AIMsurplus has the same mags for $12.50. I need to get a front BUIS that is made for a railed gas block according to the store but it sure looks to me like the rail on the receiver and the one on the gas block are on the same plain. Either way I need to find a good place to get the front and rear BUIS.

Not sure about ammo? I'm on vacation in two weeks and would like to have this ready to take to the range one or twice during the week I'm off. Thought about just buying 500rds of Wolf or something but then I thought maybe a few hundred rounds of Federal or something else brass cased.

Anyway, thoughts on the purchase in general and or suggestions on the sights, ammo, mags, etc, would be very welcome. TIA