Inexpensive ARs

[UNM1136]

My early standard (tactical) has no issues. S&W standard were the main POW rifle option via the officers association for our local city PD for several years before they switched to SOLGW a few years ago. They haven’t had the issues you describe.

The move to SOLGW was driven by supporting a local company rather than problems with the S&W..

Current LE price for a Sport II is $700 to $ 750.

Thanks. It has been a few years. Now I have some admin issues with the next round of purchases of Title II Colt rifles.And cans.

pat

ETA: not all of them had all of those issues, but most had at least one of those issues..

[MD7305]

My department issued patrol rifle is a S&W Sport II with an Aimpoint Pro. My past experiences with BCM, Colt, and Daniel Defense caused me to raise my gun snob nose at it but I had no other choice. I have to admit it's been solid rifle so far. The only issue I've had was the minimally staked castle nut loosened, probably as a result of constantly riding around in a vertical rack. I re-staked the castle nut properly with no further issues. I estimate it's digested ~5k rounds over 5 years.

If I had my choice and could carry a personally owned rifle I'd probably pick something else but so far the Sport II has been adequate.

[helothar]

Sample of 1 so ymmv: i attended a carbine class about 3 years ago, one guy came with a sw sport ii, the castle nut was not staked. He won the shooting competition at the end of the class anyway

[OlongJohnson]

My department issued patrol rifle is a S&W Sport II with an Aimpoint Pro. My past experiences with BCM, Colt, and Daniel Defense caused me to raise my gun snob nose at it but I had no other choice. I have to admit it's been solid rifle so far. The only issue I've had was the minimally staked castle nut loosened, probably as a result of constantly riding around in a vertical rack. I re-staked the castle nut properly with no further issues. I estimate it's digested ~5k rounds over 5 years.

If I had my choice and could carry a personally owned rifle I'd probably pick something else but so far the Sport II has been adequate.

Sample of 1 so ymmv: i attended a carbine class about 3 years ago, one guy came with a sw sport ii, the castle nut was not staked. He won the shooting competition at the end of the class anyway

Unstaked castle nuts work fine until they don't.

It's consistent with my personal experience with S&W that they're issuing guns deficient in a key assembly characteristic that anyone who's spent an hour reading arfcom knows is important.

[helothar]

Unstaked castle nuts work fine until they don't.

It's consistent with my personal experience with S&W that they're issuing guns deficient in a key assembly characteristic that anyone who's spent an hour reading arfcom knows is important.

sure, my point which my post probably was bad at conveying is that while the guns shoot fine they can have qc issues. i wouldn't suggest anyone leave their castle nut unstaked especially since it can be done with a 10 dollar tool from amazon.

[LockedBreech]

Somehow this thread on inexpensive ARs got me looking at expensive ones. I can currently get a very good price on several FN-15 variants (about $250-300 off the typical street price, about $1050-1110) and while I have absolutely no need for another 16" carbine it's starting to get hooks in me.

As much as I tend to be a bit of a S&W fanboy, it's...harder to recommend a budget approach in the current market. When the Sports were like $500-600 there was more of a discussion to be had. I don't think most people would argue they're a steal at $500-600 but when you have them in the $700-900 range....shoot, that's a few boxes of ammo difference from a Colt/FN/DD. Harder to justify not just getting the nicer one.

[Suvorov]

Somehow this thread on inexpensive ARs got me looking at expensive ones. I can currently get a very good price on several FN-15 variants (about $250-300 off the typical street price, about $1050-1110) and while I have absolutely no need for another 16" carbine it's starting to get hooks in me.

I don't think most people would argue they're a steal at $500-600 but when you have them in the $700-900 range....shoot, that's a few boxes of ammo difference from a Colt/FN/DD.

I thought the “word” was than FN-15s are substandard in quality to their military contract brethren? I have long lusted for an FN “A4” configuration rifle that would remind me of the brand new FN built M-16A2 I was issued in 1994 and remains in my mind the best rifle I ever used in the military.

I know it’s going to get me “killed in the streets”, but I have a thing for muskets.

[LockedBreech]

I thought the “word” was than FN-15s are substandard in quality to their military contract brethren? I have long lusted for an FN “A4” configuration rifle that would remind me of the brand new FN built M-16A2 I was issued in 1994 and remains in my mind the best rifle I ever used in the military.

I know it’s going to get me “killed in the streets”, but I have a thing for muskets.

The A4 config 20" is the one I most want as well. So if this is wrong NOBODY CORRECT HIM. I'll just accept that they're substandard and it'll save my wallet.

[jnc36rcpd]

My former agency is issuing FN AR-15' SBR's. Despite our unfortunate experience with the FNS-9, I'm told the AR's are solid.

[JRB]

Based on my own mixed experience between Colt and FN contract military guns (M4's, M4A1's, M16A2's, and a handful of A4's) and the civilian market guns they offer (LE6920's, FN-15's SRP's etc) I'd trust an out of the box Colt or FN rifle more than I would trust most any other out of box firearm available. Perhaps not quite Gen 5 G17 'just trust it' but I can't think of another new rifle that I'd innately trust more.

Most of my civilian market FN experience have been with the SRP's, DMR's, and the 'Military Collector' M4 and M16A4 clones though, not any of the less-expensive entry level FN-15's.