Jump to content
Practically Shooting

BEST AR-15 Under $1000


Pablo

Recommended Posts

My order; 1) Colt. 2) S&W

I don't know if Colt will slip under $1K or not. The tag on the Colt I traded for last week was $1099 and there are models under it, so I would think a Colt could be had for $1k, or so close the change in the car seat should make up the difference.

Why Colt? I'll use my example again:

Instructors see what works and what doesn't. Every one of them I know has a Colt. They may have others, but they all have a Colt or several.

I had not bought a new Colt AR in a few years, so seeing the details was a reminder of sorts when I got that one last week. Everything was staked that should be staked, the cross pins retaining the front sight were tight, the push pins were secure yet could be pushed out under finger pressure...all the little details that make the difference were there. They magnaflux all of their bolts, not just random samples. Just seeing the "HPT" (high pressure test) on the barrel put it ahead of many others and made it worth what little it cost over others that are "almost".

Sorry to sound like bragging on my Colts but I've had others and still do, but I've always liked Colt ARs. The difference is in the details, and they have them. These things may cost a little more, but have been worth it to me.

Sorry the 10mm isn't coming.

I was looking forward to you testing that out for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Pablo,

I just bought a Bushmaster AR-15 ORC (Optics Ready Carbine) on sale for $800 at Bass Pro. It's a 16" barrel flattop with no front or rear sight. I think this was a pretty darn good deal from a retail store and I still think it's a good deal.

Wayne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally Posted By: BarryinIN
Originally Posted By: Pablo
So far Sig M400 is in the lead.

Based on what? I don't know anything about them.

quality/cost/accuracy/features

I'm going to order one. The M400 Enhanced. I just can't decide on COLOR. Seems silly I know! Black? OD? FDE? What do you guys think?

See the articles in Gun Digest and American Rifleman on the M400. The feel really solid compared to the rivals in that same just below $1000 range.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was flipping through a pile of SWAT magazines and caught a glimpse of "Sig M400" on one's cover. Sure enough, there was a test article on one inside. This was the Jan 2012 issue, a I recall.

I was happy to see it's a gas tube gun instead of a gas piston like some Sig ARs. I'm not a piston fan.

They (and I) liked the built-in QD sling sockets. I think that's a good idea, but hope the small steel ball bearings that hold those push-button swivels in place don't wear tracks in the alum receiver.

The solid feel is probably from a tensioner thingy in the lower receiver. The articles you saw probably described that.

I've never heard that these things actually help accuracy but they make it feel good, so there is that.

This may or may not have any bearing, but it was all I could think about as I read about that: I tried an Accu-Wedge once. I put it in my old SP1 20" AR and headed off to my first 3-gun match. It doubled twice in that match. The first time I pretended it didn't happen and got away with it. The second time I got a scolding. Gunsmith investigation said the fire control parts had worn enough that when the Accu-Wedge lifted the upper away from the lower receiver, the hammer was not pushed far enough down for the disconnector to catch it and it followed the bolt home. I took out the Accu-Wedge an it was back to normal. Would the Sig's system do this? I doubt it, not as it came, but I have to wonder if any such device that tries to push the receiver halves apart would cause bolt following doubling from wear earlier than it would otherwise. Don't know. Just a theory.

I also thought about that steel plunger pressing against the aluminum and wearing a dimple or slight hole. The steel parts sliding in the receiver are bearing differently from that small spring-loaded tip bearing directly against alum.

I'm sure the spring and plunger could come out if I got one and it worried me.

Color? I'd get FDE. It's the cool thing now, but I'd get it anyway. Black gets so hot when the sun beats down on it. I hate not being able to shoot the things without burning my cheek on the stock. OD would be better, but not by much. And FDE matches the farm fields around here half the year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...