I'd buy a palmetto before a ruger, I like ruger and all. Can't really go wrong with a m&p either. Rattle traps float my boat more though.
I'd buy a palmetto before a ruger, I like ruger and all. Can't really go wrong with a m&p either. Rattle traps float my boat more though.
For the record, I was not trying to make the case that 'parts is parts' simply that if you don't do everything in house it's simply impossible to guarantee a working rifle 100% of the time.
If it were me in your situation, I would build the lower and buy PWS MK116 PRO 16" upper, unless you want to SBR go with the 11". https://www.primaryweapons.com/mk116-pro-upper
I believe they have actually succeeded in making a great piston AR rifle work like it should. Contrary to popular belief, their system is not a true closed system... it will function 100% with any Mil-Spec BCG parts should you have anything break in the field, just not ideal until you can get their parts sourced.
I know the piston craze has long since past, but PWS is the only piston-AR I would buy with the long stroke gas system. Just realize you would also want to build the lower with one of their buffer tubes where the extension goes well into the lower receiver. This will eliminate any carrier tilt issues along with the long stroke gas system.
I will also echo the sentiment of going a little higher in price if possible, if you want something that needs to work every time and hopefully not need a trip back to the mothership. If you are truly against piston systems and can get around to spending a bit more, their have already been some great recommendations for complete systems that are well proven.
Just for curiosities sake, which parts are you referring to?Originally Posted by BehindBlueI's
Last edited by Thy.Will.Be.Done; 08-01-2019 at 07:49 AM.
If you have a lower and $700 budget, you could assemble a pretty solid rifle. There's some smoking deals on parts if you catch the sales from Primary Arms, Brownells, etc.
AAC has stripped uppers on clearance for $39. Primary Arms has great deals on SOLGW barrels, rails, and lower parts kits right now. Palmetto has decent BCG's for under $70. You should be able to put together a solid middy build with good parts for that budget.
http://www.midwest-distributors.com/Trade-ins_c_8.html
If you just want a basic blaster
PD trade in S&W M&P AR lowers. $155. - uppers $275. - gets you a decent gun for $430. $400 if you are ok with a bushmaster lower.
When they came out people were complaining about the handguard attachment ring being threaded instead of spring loaded and something with the FSB and gas block.
Sorta around sometimes for some of your shitty mod needs.
If all you are gonna do is hobby shoot and all you are attaching is a optic then you should be okay.....ish. Gas blocks are different, slip rings are different... typical ruger being slightly different for the sake of being different issues so some things won't drop right in. Can't remember offhand but probably commercial spec reciever extension. It's built to a pricepoint... with all that entails.... and with the bottom having fallen out of tactical rifles you can get much better for the same price or just a little more....
I owned two. One had chatter marks on the crown, 4-8 MOA with a variety of ammo including 77 SMK, Plastic Delta Ring. The barrel is mounted using copious quantities of super strength thread locker that would not budge even after 24 hours in a deep freezer then multiple applications of a propane torch, front sight was bottomed out and still shot 10 inches low at 50 yards. I traded that in at a hefty loss and was glad to be rid of it. I sold the other one NIB to a friend for a very good price. He has 4K rounds through it, no problems, and loves the thing. Go figure.
I know that this Youtuber is very polarizing and probably not very well respected here, but I find his opinions to be honest and accurate for the most part. He found the AR-556 to be a solid value (in his opinion of value), based on his report I would agree with this statement for the most part.
This is the kind of story that I see that just baffles me, did you contact the manufacturer at any point? I can almost guarantee Ruger would have paid to have you ship that to them so they could make it right (according to their specs, whatever that is). I am not one bit surprised the second one has worked fine, you cannot expect that one example is representative of all examples.
Last edited by Thy.Will.Be.Done; 08-04-2019 at 07:36 AM.
I did not send it in. When I attempted to diagnose the poor accuracy and zeroing problems I learned of the threadlocker used in the barrel mounting process. A properly assembled AR does not call for threadlock on the barrel nut as a substitute for proper torque. Unless Ruger changed their assembly process I was never going to be satisfied with that rifle.
That's fair enough, it is certainly NOT a 'mil-spec' gun as it is build to compete at a certain price point... not for agency contracts. That being said, assuming they sent you a brand new rifle which shot 1 MOA and functioned... which is what the test rifle in the video I linked was claimed capable... I would be happy with this as a training weapon or duty weapon if I could only afford this much gun for what they sell for at $500 currently.
It is also entirely possible that Ruger did put quite a bit of testing into the thread locker and determined THEIR assembly method was sufficient, though it is definitely not 'mil-spec'. I am all for getting using the best equipment, but many folks literally have no choice but to buy at a certain price point. I doubt Ruger ever expected many people would be swapping barrels on a value AR. They likely did expect many would change the Handguard, hence the plastic delta ring which allows change in seconds literally.
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