Shopping for an AR for son’s 18th birthday

[GyroF-16]

As the title says, my son turns 18 soon, is a responsible shooter in IDPA, and very mature.
A recent legal reprieve has made it possible for 18-yr-olds to own rifles for the time being, and he’s interested in my ARs…
I’m looking for a good intersection of quality and price.

The target price is +/- $1000, but I’ll go a bit higher for the right gun.

Here are the players so far:

Ruger AR-556 MRP for $890
https://ruger.com/products/ar556MPR/...eets/8542.html

Colt LE6920-R Trooper for $1100
https://www.colt.com/detail-page/col...ooper-556mm-16

FN15 SRP 14.5” for $1150
https://fnamerica.com/products/rifle...-5-srp-g2-2-2/

FN15 SRP 16” for $1150
https://fnamerica.com/products/fn-15.../fn-15-srp-g2/


The Ruger has nice stock, grip, trigger for the money, but I’m concerned that the quality isn’t there.
The Colt seems like it has good bones, an can be improved over time if he chooses to.
Th FNs seem like the best intersection of quality and value to me so far, and come with iron sights. That, and my son loves the feel of my 11.5” Geissele SBR, and the 14.5” FN has an almost identical overall length.

Any inputs from those with more experience than me?

[Joe in PNG]

It's hard to go wrong with the Pony.

[BillSWPA]

I have experience with 2 Colts and 1 Ruger, although the round counts for all are low, and 1 Colt was from the 1980’s. I know of no reason to avoid either of these.

[Suvorov]

Colt and FN are the standard. Daniel Defense also makes them for the .mil. While the Ruger seems like a fine gun, I would spend the extra for a gun built to or above the standard. Would you put the 14.5 gun in the trust or pin a longer flash hider on?

Or you could just buy him an AK

[pangloss]

I bought 6920s to put back for my girls. They are not old enough for ARs yet, so the rifles remain unshot. I would also watched the BCM sales. They may be a little over your price point, but still probably worth watching.

Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk

[ASH556]

Colt 100%

[fatdog]

Colt, I have had two FN's and sent them both down the road, one had serious problems and their warranty service was less than impressive in my one dealing with them.

Trooper looks like a nice package. The 6960 would be my first preference because of the factory midlength gas system. I own a pair of them. A few NIB specimens are out there but I fear Colt only makes batches from time to time.

[CSW]

I was gifted this for my 30th anniversary from the Mrs.
Really great AR.

https://fnamerica.com/products/fn-15...rbine-mlok-16/

[Beat Trash]

I own a Colt Trooper. It’s a nice gun for what it is, but it’s a carbine length gas system. Any VFG I would want to mount is right where their gas block is, and the Centurion rail is so small in diameter that the M-Lok hardware presses against the gas block.

The 16” FN you linked would be my choice. I like the combination of features along with it being a mid length gas system.

[fatdog]

FN15 SRP 14.5” for $1150
https://fnamerica.com/products/rifle...-5-srp-g2-2-2/


Any inputs from those with more experience than me?

Okay I am going to warn you off that specific model with first hand experience. The rifle is badly undergassed between the midlength gas and the 14.5 barrel. This was the one where my FN warranty experience was poor.

I picked one up in like late 2019 or early 2020. It ran reliably with full power M193 ammo, e.g. Federal xm193 or equivalent. The minute I fed it lesser powered .223 ammo malfunctions started happening. My USPSA 3gun load at the time was a 55gr Hornady BT loaded with H335 to about 2900 fps and it would not run 100% in that rifle. I had some .223 spec ammo, specifically Hornady's old 55gr Steelmatch which was wonderfully accurate and stuff I also used in 3gun, and it would not run 100% in that rifle. I tested some .223 PMC Bronze and it would not run reliably in that rifle.

FN finally after 2 discussions agreed to send me a return label. They tested the gun and sent it back to me and let me know it was in spec for them and that their rifles were "only designed to run with full power ammunition".

I think overall a 14.5" barrel with midlength gas is generally a bad idea, any brand, it is likely on the edge of reliability unless they opened up the gas port. The other FN I owned was the 16" midlength gas rifle and it ran very reliably with everything but I was so pissed off at FN by that time I sold it to a friend at my gun club, he loves it, nothing wrong with it. My warning is if you get the FN, go with the full 16" midlength gas but if you go with a 14.5 with the pinned and welded flash hider make sure it has a carbine length gas system.