Which High Quality Workhorse AR15 (or variant) for first AR?

[The King]

Also, i have had the bren 805. in fact, we made the first folding pistol brace for the pistol on my milling machine.

It was effectively a $1500 scar 16. The new bren 2 is notably better and in that price range.

I only have an ar over the bren due to accuracy - my proof barreled radian model 1 shoots much better than any piston gun. The bren was a 2 moa setup.

The FN sport model with the mlok rail has lots of features for the money.

https://fnamerica.com/products/rifles/fn-15-tactical-carbine-fde-p-lok/

 

[Jsp556]

You’ve gotten a lot of good recommendations. With $1500 you can buy a high quality rifle. For $1500, buy a Colt trooper. Then buy either an Aimpoint Pro or a Steiner PX4 and get to shooting. If you’re intent on spending $1500 on the gun alone, LMT CQB Monolithic, BCM, Sionics, or DD. I didn’t list KAC because you cannot buy a new KAC for $1500. I didn’t list any bargain brands because your post was titled “High quality workhorse”. Bargain basement guns are shit. Don’t buy shit.

ETA: FN is not allowed to sell a TDP spec M4 rifle to the public. Their consumer AR’s are not the same quality as the ones they provide the military.

 

[Jsp556]

LMT SPM16 $869.95

No way are you buying a defender 2000 lower, the upper, BCG, and CH for that let alone $100 less and the rifle comes with the sight which is over $100, plus some other extras. The best deal you're going to find on a standard LMT lower is going to be about $325 and then $500 for the bare upper and you've still got to get a BCG, CH, hand guard, and sight.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but if I’m not mistaken, LMT doesn’t parkerize under their fsb, uses straight pins instead of tapered, and uses a commercial receiver extension on the rifles linked. They are good rifles, but not on par with a 6920.

 

[rxer311]

Of what you have listed there, I like the LWCRi DI

 

[rxer311]

Also, don't forget that Daniel Defense is also in that price range.

 

[hypno02]

Also, don't forget that Daniel Defense is also in that price range.

Also, don’t forget that the CEO of Daniel Defense supported the anti 2A FIXNICS bill.

$1500 or less—LMT MRP. End of thread. You can find used ones for $1200-$1300.

 

[Novak77]

I think everyone already said LMT. So +1 for LMT.

 

[65overlander]

Haven't looked it up in a while, but the testing BCM did on their weapon system is intense! Weapon was at like 25,000 rounds or some crazy shit like that. Was in a SWAT article. Have to look for it. My Recce 16 mid gas, is the best shooting, smoothest AR-15 I have ever owned.

 

[Maggot]

Most important to me:

(1) Reliability
(2) Customer Service (even if they don’t have a written warranty, I want to know that they back up their products)
(3) Easily Serviceable
(4) Availability of Parts (replacement barrels, not too crazy on proprietary parts, etc)
(5) Accuracy

Budget: $1500*** (but I’d like to stay under)

***Note on Budget: I have a 35% off one-time-use promo code at a retailer (Example: Colt Trooper Regular Cost: $1000, with one-time promo code: $650). However, they have a limited selection of models available. From highest to lowest cost they are:

-H&K MR556 A1 (over budget)
-FN 15 Competition
-POF Gen 4 P415
-CZ 805 Bren S1
-Sig MCX Vitrus Patrol
-POF Renegade+
-FN 15 Collector M4
-Barrett REC7 DI Gen II
-LWRCI DI
-Colt LE6920-R Trooper
-Colt LE6920
The retailer also carries other rifles including those from Black Rain Ordnance, Adams Arms, Spike’s Tactical, Bushmaster (ACR), Armalite, DPMS, Sig (M400), Smith & Wesson, Steyr (AUG), and IWI (Tavor X95), Ruger. However, from my limited amount of research, it looks like these are not as highly regarded as those in the list above.
I am also strongly considering the LMT DI CQB Upper on sale at Brownells.
If I can spend below my budget and not sacrifice too much, I’d prefer to do that. For example, would it be a noticeable, big jump going from a Colt LE6920 to a LWRCI DI?
I can look at others in the $1500 price range if it would be worth it, these are just the ones I can get a discount on. Thanks!

Hard to beat the Colt for the price but look at the 1640. comes with the integrated rail system.

 

[XP1K]

I see a lot of people recommend Colt. I had one H-bar a few years ago. Didn’t run very well, and wasn’t accurate at all regardless of the ammo I put through it. Wasn’t that the point of the H-bar, to have a fairly accurate match rifle right out of the box? Also had a Combat Elite 45 from the same time frame. Gun wouldn’t run. Third smith to work on it finally figured out that the pin holes for the slide stop were drilled crooked in the frame. He fixed it and it runs great now (after spending three times the cost of the gun because I was to stubborn to give up on it), but who the hell machines pin holes cock eyed in a frame bad enough that it won’t work? Between the two, I’m done with colt. Won’t have another one. The are riding on a reputation, and I hope they are turning out a better product than they used to.

This was my experience with my colt Hbar as well. Just wouldn't run no matter what and didn't shoot all that great. I had a rock river at the time also and it would outshoot the colt even on it's worst day. Both of those rifles are gone now and I'm currently shooting a PWS mk116 and couldn't be happier. Love the long stroke piston setup. Runs clean even suppressed, shoots soft and hasn't hiccuped once since I've had it.

 

[richthe1]

I know it’s been over a year since I originally asked, but I just wanted to let you guys know these posts and your advice do help beginners like me! Just purchased a complete LMT-CQB rifle. Got a rifle length upper and 24” LMT SS Valkyrie barrel to go with it. The rifle should be here by February. Thank you guys for all the help!

 

[The DFC]

I know it’s been over a year since I originally asked, but I just wanted to let you guys know these posts and your advice do help beginners like me! Just purchased a complete LMT-CQB rifle. Got a rifle length upper and 24” LMT SS Valkyrie barrel to go with it. The rifle should be here by February. Thank you guys for all the help!

Baller rifle-good work.