For my needs, the advantage of BCM is the ability to purchase separate complete lowers at reasonable prices with no issues. If I could purchase complete Colt lowers at the prices I pay for BCM lowers, I would do so.
For my needs, the advantage of BCM is the ability to purchase separate complete lowers at reasonable prices with no issues. If I could purchase complete Colt lowers at the prices I pay for BCM lowers, I would do so.
There are multiple “duty grade” ARs - Colt, BCM, LMT, DD, Sionics, SOLGW, S&W M&P but Colt set the original standard.Originally Posted by SecondsCount
It is an largely an emotional / sentimental choice.
I celebrate diversity by putting BCM uppers on Colt lowers.
You missed out. Brownells sold complete Colt lowers for $299 up until a few months ago, and they would put them on sale for $199 on occasion. I bought a few.
I would completely agree with this. I've carried one on every deployment, slept with it in the sand and everywhere in between. I've also had more than one at home in a safe or by my bed all since I was 18 (going on 21 years now). I have an emotional connection to Colt guns I that I share with no other I've ever owned. I hate to admit it but it is absolutely true. Most likely any of the above could carry you through some rough times so long as you have good mags, ammo and apply lube and maintenance as required.
Last edited by Mike C; 09-21-2019 at 01:39 PM.
It’s been along time since I was fully buried in the minutiae of AR specs and manufacturing, and I could probably go back and dig up some of my notes and research (which included phone calls with Paul from Bravo, and several Colt Armorer instructors, as well as at least one colt executive that I can remember), but the conclusion I came to at that time was that BCM came the closest to matching all of the Colt TDP specs, but was still just shy in a few tiny places.
None of which would make me feel at all bad about a BCM, but frankly would probably make me feel a little uneasy with just about anyone else.
The real issue, as I see it, in today’s market is all of the claims of “better than”. Different isn’t always better, and most of the “better” I hear about is likely snake oil at best, and downright bad at worst. Then there are the “improvements” to the design that are incremental at best and therefore not really worth wasting the time considering. I understand enough about the system to “think” that the KAC SR15, for example! may very well be better, but I don’t know enough about the system to be 100% certain of that and so I would always arrive back at Colt.
Or, I suppose, now BCM.
It looks like it might be time.
It seems like a lot of “common knowledge” went down the memory hole the last few years. Looking at a few threads around here recently, some of us who’ve been through all this may yet have something to offer.
Oh man.
KAC guns remind me of Inspector Clouseau’s car, the Silver Hornet.
"The influence of the 1970s and James Bond were beginning to catch up with the series by now, and the theme music took on a disco sound, and we finally see Clouseau’s supercar, 'The Silver Hornet,' which had the ability to break down all the time. It was a Citroën 2CV named after The Green Hornet, and they’d added a few extra fins to it."
I remember as a little boy I got so excited when Peter Sellers’ Inspector Clouseau hyped up using the Silver Hornet - only for it to be a big let down. Now I understand that it was supposed to be a joke.
This post will probably really piss off four or five guys. There seems to be an emotional attachment to KAC guns which is stronger than almost any other brand.
Last edited by Jay Cunningham; 09-22-2019 at 08:19 AM.
Stronger than Colt?
What is your personal experience with the SR-15?
Last edited by SecondsCount; 09-22-2019 at 10:52 AM.
-Seconds Count. Misses Don't-
HCM
Love you like a brother. Maybe my information is dated, but my first armorer course was from Ken Elmore. One of the original standards by the CoC to Colt was the TDP. According to Ken, what set the Colt product apart from the run of the mill AR was the inspection process. When Colt lost the .mil contract they had 340 separate inspection stations on the line... they continued to employ those people on the line to inspect and certify the end products as .mil spec. Colt setting the initial standard meant an adherence to quality control. Don't know what has changed today, but yes, there are others that meet the spec ...MilSpec governs everything from hot pocket to aglets.
What milspec is the question.
pat
There are many solid choices for quality AR's with BCM being one of those. Regarding Colt, I no longer have blind faith in their products and don't give two poo's about having a pony roll mark on my gun. Once Colt started licensing their name to other makers and releasing "expanse" carbines, I figured all of their civilian AR/M4 offerings were likely compromised to some degree. Factor in Colt's we hate you almost as much as HK does viewpoint and I'm good letting them live or die on the government sales sword.
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