I am new to AR15s and have the sudden desire to buy one.

L

Lightsped

New member
While I am pretty knowledgable with modern handguns, I am pretty dumb when it comes to long guns. Anyways, I have this sudden desire to buy a AR15, and need help with a few questions.

1. The gun would be used for a duty gun, and a fun gun. What is a decent and affordable brand to look into? I have a Busmaster catalog with me but prices aren't listed.

2. I'd really like to have a 9mm AR15 with a SWAT "style" stock and short barrel. Are these for sale or does one have to build his himself?

I am sure I will have more questions, but these are the fist two that come to mind. Thanks for answers to these and any other tid bits of knowledge anyone can share.
 
Any new AR must have a non-collapsible stock.

Barrels can't be shorter than 16" without that license thingy.

It's a matter of taste--I've seen them in .223, .222 magnum, .224, 6mm something, .308, .300 WM, 9mm, .40 (I think), .50 BMG and likely some customs.

As pistols, as carbines, as rifles up to 24", as machineguns (belt feed adapter), and for sniping/varmint/targets.

For police, military, civilian.

Versatile things, my 3 ARs....
What do you mean by "duty" weapon? Doesn't your department specify a weapon?

Despite raves all around, I recommend against Bushmasters. Too many bad QC issues. At least 3 cases I've heard of (2 happened to me) of sights that had to be maxed left or right to get a good pattern (barrel/upper mating crooked) and a crooked flash suppressor--bored 20 degrees or so off. If they'll let those leave the factory, I ain't leaving them money.

Go with DPMS or Olympic. My Olympic shoots marvelously, and the machinework inside looks like a brochure pic--VERY clean and neat.
 
I have to disagree w/ madmike about the bushmaster quality. The ones that I have shot have been 100% reliable.

To answer your question I think that you have your answer in the Bushmaster catalog. The 14 inch barrel w/ 2 inch fixed comp. It also has a Non-collapsable, collapsable looking stock???

If this doesn't float your boat The dpms LO-pro looks promising.

Good luck
 
By SWAT stock do you mean collapsable stock? If so the only way to get one is if you department will issue you a letter stating you are allowed to purchase an LEO gun for duty use. The restricted LEO guns can have the "evil" features such as flash supressors, collapsable stocks, and bayonet mounts. If they won't give you the letter, you have to buy a regular PC gun. It isn't a big diference, but that collapsable stock can come in handy.

There will also be the issue of it being a "fun" gun. LEO guns are supposed to be for LEO use only. My department is pretty good about allowing the rifles to be used for just about anything - thier view is that if I'm using the gun I am practicing, becoming more familiar with, and more proficient with a tool that takes a lot of working with to get good at. If your department's definition of LOE use is less than this it could be pretty sticky in using your new rifle for much more than qualification and training days. :rolleyes:

I also recommend Bushmasters. My department issues them and we've never had a problem with them. They are absolutely beautifully finished! I was in on the purchasing process and found that Colts are difficult to get and you pay a lot extra for the name, (still good guns - one of my personal ARs is a Colt) Armalite is difficult to deal with - they seemed very busy for what we were trying to do with LEO guns and cater more to the nonLEO crowd, and Bushmaster was the easiest to work with and came through with the best price for what we wanted. Other runner ups were DPMS and lastly Olympic arms.

If you end up settling for a non LEO gun, look into Rock River Arms - I hear nothing but raves about them.
 
A few points

First of all, if you added up all the AR-15 rifles sold on the civilian market in 1999 (no government or foreign sales), Bushmaster produced about 10,000 more rifles than all other AR-15 makers COMBINED.

In the same year that Olympic sold 7,456 rifles, Bushmaster sold 64,506 rifles. Just by virtue of selling a lot of rifles, you should be more likely to see problems with Bushmasters reported than you are with any other rifle.

I've owned a Olympic pre-ban and several Bushies. I have no problem with Olympic and have never had to use their customer service. I have had two problems with one rifle from Bushmaster - the old purple-parkerized-parts-problem and the problem where the upper is overtorqued and requires excessive windage to zero the rifle. Bushmaster was prompt to remedy the second problem (I have a growing pile of surplus AR parts so I remedied the first problem myself with a new charging handle).

There are a lot of good AR makers out there so there is no need to limit yourself to Bushmaster (particularly when they still show signs of the overtorquing problem slipping through QC after several years of customer complaints on it). Having said that, I still buy Bushmaster and I am happy to do so.

Any manufacturer is going to have lemons, and Bushmaster does an admirable job of limiting its QC issues (particularly compared to its next closest competitor - Colt's) and providing excellent customer service when they do arise.
 
My dept does not isssue AR-15 style guns yet. W only get two Glock 40s (22 and 27) and a 12 gauge. We are allowed to buy a AR for our own duty weapon, but it must come out of our own pocket.

I'd be satisfied with a postban civilian model. I just need something affordable and reliable to keep in the car's trunk.

I'd really like a 9mm AR. I did some research and came across the Olympic Arms PCR-9. How is this one? http://www.olyarms.com/usa.html. Click "Retail Catalog".

Where is the best place to get one of these 9mm ARs?
 
i can only say from experience and personal opinion .. if your a law enforcement officer .. i would not even consider any other than colt .. buy yourself a preban colt ar-15 .. it might have to save your life some day .. and you can shoot it all day and have little to no problems .. thats what i recomend .. your lucky that your department even allows you to carry an ar .. if i were a LEO, i would have had one of them puppies from day one ... YESSIR .. day one .. good luck .. :cool:
 
A VERY WELL BROKEN IN AR from the top 3 or 4. Colt, Bushmaster, Armalite, or DPMS or Rock river. BUT, put at least 1000+ rnds thru it before you trust your or fellow officer's life with it. Keep bolt and carrier clean with VERY light to DRY lube. Chamber must be clean as well. New mags with strong springs and your golden. 16" versions are best comprimise for CQB and any sub 100yd situation. Flash supps., bayo lugs, are not worth extra tarrif if dept. won't approve. Stay safe.
 
How does this one look? It is a Olympic Arms PCR-9 9mm.

Olympic_PC9b.jpg


Olympic_PC9c.jpg
 
nice .. but im not much for the 9 mil ars .. just a gut feeling .. if im gonna buy a subgun.. it wont be a 9 mil ar .. definately an uzi, or even better an H&K 94 .. but not a 9 mil ar .. dunno why .. just my personal opinion .. plus i think 9 mil rifles should be meant for close quarter combat .. in a LEO 's case, you want distance and strength in the caliber .. i would ONLY recomend an AR in .223 .. never less .. unless we are talking close quarter fights ..
spray and pray .. wehew ! just kidding ...
 
if you are carrying a rifle
IMHO you want it shooting rifle ammo

9mm AR 15s solve what problem?

being "cool" is not a known issue
;)
if cheap to shoot is an issue look at 22lr AR adaptors

check out these "cool" ARs
www.tromix.com
woomp
 
Get an AR15. You will love it. I have owned several including a Colt 9mm. Forget the 9mm. It is pretty useless as a rifle. I would recommend a 223. Best. Watch-Six
 
What is the "purple charging handle problem " all about?

My plans are to eventually get a 223 upper if I buy this particular gun.
 
Its just the way the parkerizing reacts with the aluminium parts on the AR15 - if you aren't careful with the mix, the aluminium parts in a manganese phosphate parkerizing process can come out with a purplish-black tint. If you look at the charging handle in the lower picture of the Oly, you can see what I am talking about.

It isn't a serious problem and it doesn't affect function at all - its just an aesthetic thing. Its no an unusual problem among AR manufacturers (although I've never seen it with Colt).

One thing you may want to consider is that finding 5.56mm pre-ban mags for the AR is much, much easier than finding pre-ban 9mm mags. Since you plan to use it as a duty weapon, that may not be an issue for you.
 
A new person to jump on the AR-15 bandwagon. Isn't life grand! Good luck with whatever you get, but remember this, you can always trade stuff out if you don't like it, or it gets old, or whatever. That is what makes AR's so great. After some swapping around, here is what I have come up with:

Top gun:
-- Bushmaster Y2K Limited Edition lower
-- DPMS A# flattop upper free floated HBAR w/ slipover
-- Tactical latch
-- Hogue grip
-- Cheap rings and scope

Bottom gun:
-- Pre-ban Oly Arms lower
-- Bushmaster collapsible stock
-- FN upper
-- Wilson Hbar
-- Leepers dual-stage sight rail
-- Tasco Aimpoint PDP3 red dot scope
-- M3 Tactical Illuminator
-- Laser
-- Extended flash suppressor

ar_15%20collage.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top