Best Hard-Use AR15s in 2022?

[willie]

Maintaining machinery to keep tolerances within certain limits requires replacing worn parts at specified intervals. This is expensive, and so is culling rejected products. Once I sent back to Olin a high dollar but defective double shotgun. Olin replaced it. The head man told me they destroyed the one I returned. He added that they had also destroyed a large number of double rifles that failed to meet standards. After cutting them up, they ceased selling double rifles. Few manufacturers can afford this QC standard. Those shipping defective firearms probably know the score but ship duds anyway.

[BK14]

Interesting info.

I recently bought a slightly used complete AERO AR15, so if I replaced the LPK with a premium brand it would be good to go?

Thanks.

I personally think it depends on how you’re defining “good to go”. Duty use, or depending how seriously you take home defense, I’d put more work into checking everything and replacing some more things. Fun range gun, might as well just run it as is, replace parts if you have issues.

Assuming you have the skills, I’d run through the whole gun to check for properly torqued parts, and proper staking. Checking torque/thread locker on the gas block, torque on barrel nut (my aero upper barrel nut was over torqued, and no aeroshell on the threads), gas key staking, castle nut staking. Depending on the barrel/gas system length, I’d likely throw a heavier buffer than the standard car buffer most of their guns come with, and I run sprinco springs for my buffer springs. While you’re in there, might be worth replacing the extractor and ejector spring in the bolt, or replacing the bolt entirely depending on the use for the gun. I don’t think the Aero bolts are C158/MPI/HPI if you’re of the opinion that those things matter. If you really want to get into the weeds, consider that if the buffer tube is 6061 vs 7075, it’s technically not as strong. Although very unlikely to ever have issues from what I’ve seen.

[Wake27]

I personally think it depends on how you’re defining “good to go”. Duty use, or depending how seriously you take home defense, I’d put more work into checking everything and replacing some more things. Fun range gun, might as well just run it as is, replace parts if you have issues.

Assuming you have the skills, I’d run through the whole gun to check for properly torqued parts, and proper staking. Checking torque/thread locker on the gas block, torque on barrel nut (my aero upper barrel nut was over torqued, and no aeroshell on the threads), gas key staking, castle nut staking. Depending on the barrel/gas system length, I’d likely throw a heavier buffer than the standard car buffer most of their guns come with, and I run sprinco springs for my buffer springs. While you’re in there, might be worth replacing the extractor and ejector spring in the bolt, or replacing the bolt entirely depending on the use for the gun. I don’t think the Aero bolts are C158/MPI/HPI if you’re of the opinion that those things matter. If you really want to get into the weeds, consider that if the buffer tube is 6061 vs 7075, it’s technically not as strong. Although very unlikely to ever have issues from what I’ve seen.

All very well said. I don’t mess with assembly on uppers but I usually just look at staking of the castle nut and gas key. If those aren’t done properly, I assume other corners have been cut and decide how I want to proceed.


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[azant]

Any love for Lone Star Armory?

We have 29 Lone Star Armory guns at our department. They are very solid guns. Six of them are suppressed guns. LSA does a very good job with tuning guns for the cans and ammo that you use. Their customer service has been exemplary in my experience.

I have had fewer problems with LSA than with BCM (24 guns) and SOLGW (6 guns). We had one that needed a lighter buffer spring for consistent bolt lock on an empty magazine and one that developed a small burr on the bolt catch that made it harder than normal to manually lock open by a user. In both cases the owner responded personally to effect repairs or delivered parts for me to do it. We are close by.

I have two LSA guns. One that I carried on duty has about 9000 rounds on it with no issues. It still shoots right at 1 moa with match ammo. I moved to a red dot rifle for work example reasons and still have the LSA set up with a Razor 1-6 for home. I also have an LSA 12.5" gun with a can.

We have 8 Aero complete guns in service. Four of them developed issues in the initial class. One broken buffer spring, one broken extractor, one broken bolt, and one had the gas block offset far enough to cause cycling issues. I have had two broken bolts in the succeeding years from the four guns that went unscathed through the initial class. As has been said, the the Aero receiver sets are fine, but avoid any of their parts.

We have quite a few Daniel Defense guns, but we no longer authorize them for new purchases. We kept having issues with the handguard coming loose. When I contacted the company, they said that it happens from time to time and I should just pull the handguards and loc-tite the screws when I get them.

No company is immune to some QC issues squeaking through, but LSA, BCM, Colt, SOLGW, Sionics, etc have excellent track records.

Lone Star Armory is happy to take my money for the guns I own and provides an excellent product and customer service in exchange.

[Wake27]

We have 29 Lone Star Armory guns at our department. They are very solid guns. Six of them are suppressed guns. LSA does a very good job with tuning guns for the cans and ammo that you use. Their customer service has been exemplary in my experience.

I have had fewer problems with LSA than with BCM (24 guns) and SOLGW (6 guns). We had one that needed a lighter buffer spring for consistent bolt lock on an empty magazine and one that developed a small burr on the bolt catch that made it harder than normal to manually lock open by a user. In both cases the owner responded personally to effect repairs or delivered parts for me to do it. We are close by.

I have two LSA guns. One that I carried on duty has about 9000 rounds on it with no issues. It still shoots right at 1 moa with match ammo. I moved to a red dot rifle for work example reasons and still have the LSA set up with a Razor 1-6 for home. I also have an LSA 12.5" gun with a can.

We have 8 Aero complete guns in service. Four of them developed issues in the initial class. One broken buffer spring, one broken extractor, one broken bolt, and one had the gas block offset far enough to cause cycling issues. I have had two broken bolts in the succeeding years from the four guns that went unscathed through the initial class. As has been said, the the Aero receiver sets are fine, but avoid any of their parts.

We have quite a few Daniel Defense guns, but we no longer authorize them for new purchases. We kept having issues with the handguard coming loose. When I contacted the company, they said that it happens from time to time and I should just pull the handguards and loc-tite the screws when I get them.

No company is immune to some QC issues squeaking through, but LSA, BCM, Colt, SOLGW, Sionics, etc have excellent track records.

Lone Star Armory is happy to take my money for the guns I own and provides an excellent product and customer service in exchange.

That's a wide variety. Mind sharing what was up with the BCMs?

[Andy T]

We have quite a few Daniel Defense guns, but we no longer authorize them for new purchases. We kept having issues with the handguard coming loose. When I contacted the company, they said that it happens from time to time and I should just pull the handguards and loc-tite the screws when I get them.

What model handguard was coming loose? What were the symptoms?

[Mercworx]

Thanks for all the help in here. I purchased a Colt 6960, have some cash to spare for a quality optic and sling.

[Sig_Fiend]

When building those uppers, always remember the first rule of The Joy of Building AR-15's™:

[azant]

That's a wide variety. Mind sharing what was up with the BCMs?

We have one BCM with a slightly long magazine well, so some PMags won't lock in. I've seen this with a Troy as well. We had two BCMs where the PNT hammer was missing the detent and spring that locates the hammer on the hammer pin, which allowed the hammer pins to walk.

As far as variety, I hadn't even gotten to telling you about all the Bushmaster, DPMS, Rock River, and more nightmares that I have. In the distant past, there were no rules and they are all grandfathered. Now they can buy Colt, LSA, BCM, and SOLGW.

[azant]

What model handguard was coming loose? What were the symptoms?

I don't remember the model of handguard, but it had four screws that screwed into a proprietary barrel nut. The screws would back out in a string of fire and it wasn't apparent until the iron sight zero changed, or someone noticed the movement of the handguard. Cops don't always notice issues like a loosening handguard as soon as they should. The ones I put Loc-tite on are still tight and work fine, even though the witness marks have long since rubbed off. I grew out of the buy a gun and take it to the gunsmith phase when I left 1911s. As an armorer I don't need the extra work of even the easy task of re-applying screws like that with thread locker. Otherwise, the DD guns have been fine.