Best Hard-Use AR15s in 2022?

[WobblyPossum]

BCM, Colt, or Sionics.

If chrome lined barrels are a requirement, then these three and Daniel Defense would be my votes. If you’re flexible on chrome lined barrels, you can buy SOLGW rifles without the skull roll marks. The Loyal9 and Rebellious Stripes roll marks they offer are much less “in your face.”

[Trigger]

Geissele Super Duty gets my vote. They go on special periodically, and the company is a strong supporter of the shooting sports and shooting professionals.

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Geissele Super Duty gets my vote. They go on special periodically, and the company is a strong supporter of the shooting sports and shooting professionals.

Geissele briefs well, but too many quality issues through the years for me to comfortably recommend, including relatively recent reports. Wouldn't necessarily steer anyone away from them, but be cautious.

[Wake27]

I’m much more of an AR enthusiast than pistol. I don’t have a single AR with even 5k rounds on it, but I’ve put 1k+ through probably close to a dozen from PSA, BCM, DD, KAC, Noveske, and Geissele. Plus the work Colts. I’ve put a few (maybe 250) hundred through a SOLGW. I also have or have had custom uppers built with Triarc and Hodge barrels that have gotten at least 500 rounds.

I’ve had issues with KAC, Noveske, Geissele, and potentially my newest BCM (still need to diagnose). I also thought I had an issue with a BCM that turned out not to be their fault but I worked with their CS anyways.

I can go into a lot of detail if desired, but if I hit each point above, that’ll take a while. My largest sample size in parts to include uppers and lowers is BCM and their failure rate for me has still been incredibly small - nonexistent if my current issue turns out to be something not attributable to a factory issue.

BCM has been my first choice for many years and my number one recommendation for every single question like this unless some real niche desire comes out.

As TGS said, you can get a 6920 and it’ll probably be good. But you can probably do a lot better for not much more money by 2022 standards.


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[Paul Blackburn]

The "problem" with SoLGW from a specs perspective is that they don't do chrome lined barrels, only stainless steel or else nitrided. Some folks are fine with that, so not necessarily a real issue, but if you're one of those who still strongly prefer chrome-lined and/or CHF over nitrided, it's something to know. Other than that, their rifles are great. They've had some CS issues in the past, but haven't heard much about any issues recently.

I would also consider BCM, Colt, DD, and Sionics for no-frills, out-of-the-box. LMT does still ships with S/A carriers, and I believe they still use CAR buffers. That being said, replacing those are pretty easy.

Fairly new and interesting to me with minimal proprietary small parts would be the Colt M5 and DD RIII series. That being said, I personally like to just pick my own parts and have a reputable smith assemble the parts.

This video explains why SOLGW uses the barrels they do.
Additionally SOLGW does their own destructive testing. Something most manufactures don't do because its expensive.

[titsonritz]

I own Colt, BCM, SIONICS and SOLGW factory guns and would not hesitate to recommend any of them. My SOLGW rifle is an SPR so chrome lining is a non-issue for me there, that said the rest of AR do have chrome line barrel, which I prefer on a hard use gun.

[SwampDweller]

Define hard use?

What is the purpose primarily for the rifle?

Problems in “classes” without any other parameters are often based on maintenance and skill of the user not the tool.

A $600 M&P sport II can run well and long (in my experience)

Ammo and mags can be a huge factor

Hard use would be a minimum of a few carbine classes a year where one might go through 800-1000 rounds a day, maybe two days in a row. With proper lubrication as necessary. Minimum reliability would be at least 1k rounds without a stoppage using quality mags and ammo and a properly lubed/cleaned gun, and a minimum MRBS of 2000 rounds. May also be exposed in the field to harsh conditions or elements. I'm aware that several more budget-oriented AR15s can and have done this, but I'd rather hedge my bets with a proven "duty rifle" manufacturer with widespread professional use and track record.

[SwampDweller]

I know many believe nitride barrels to be equal to chrome lining, but I'd rather go with the known quantity that has seen decades of service and has gone through extensive government testing, more than a single company for profit could do.

If nothing else, it's a peace of mind thing. I want chrome lined.

This isn't going to be my first AR, but I'd like it to be what I pick up when I need to count on it.

[DDTSGM]

I have never bought a complete rifle. I just build what I want from parts that I choose. The accuracy is in the upper, so I use BCM blem receivers, ToolCraft BCG's, a good barrel - most often a Green Mountain unless they don't have what I want - and Geissele gas blocks bought from ALG Defense. As long as the holes in the lower are in the correct place and the receiver is a 7075-T forging, I have no cares as to who the mfgr is.

[titsonritz]

I know many believe nitride barrels to be equal to chrome lining

Show me an M240, M249 or similar weapon with a nitride barrel and I might believe it, however, he fact that SOLGW will replace a shot out barrel for free makes it more than worth it, IMO.