Best Hard-Use AR15s in 2022?

[SwampDweller]

My SRT guys have RIS III rails. These are the guys who killed 3 P320s during our RDS testing by slamming mags in so hard they bent ejectors despite using proper mags/basepads.

Those Gorillas have had zero issues with the RIS III.

Are these RIS III rails on DD uppers or were the DD RIS III rails simply adapted to existing uppers?

[Wake27]

Which from my quick look around is barely more than BCM, while also not being eternally out of stock.

Even more, I was outright shocked that I could find the Colt 6960 in stock when Rob mentioned it a few pages back.

Rainier and Brownells both Have BCM Recce 16s in the $1,500s while DD's closest option is over $1,900. If complete rifle is a must, I'd reconsider rolling the dice on Geissele.

[c_rion]

Maybe "cutting edge" isn't the right pair of words. But it was as cutting edge as was at least somewhat obtainable at that particular time (at least what I could find). And yeah, I saved up the money from my farming job and gave it to my dad, he bought it and kept possession of it (though we frequently went out with it together on the farm to shoot) for the year before I turned 18. At the time I was going after the look that my cousin's M4 had in Iraq. It didn't really occur to me that I was so behind the times until someone called my LE6920 a "retro build." I didn't even build it, it was just a factory LE6920 that I put a RAS on.

Then they went gaga over the "RESTRICTED" markings, which at the time I got it I thought of as a nasty reminder of the AWB.

I do remember when Keymod came out, I was working part time at a gun store at that time in college. I never really thought much of it's merits and cynically thought of it as a way for accessories manufacturers to sell more gadgets because most accessories at the time required a keymod specific accessory or a 1913 rail section.

What is the purpose for your rifle? Are you going to be acting as an Assaulter in a stack going after an HVT under nods with IR lasers at 0330 somewhere? Probably not. Then do you really need a current standard SMU carbine setup with all of the stuff that entails? While your carbine may be "out of date" for those guys and their purposes, is it really out of date for you and your purposes? Can you attach a white light, a Red Dot, and a sling to your Colt? Will that work just as well as it did 20 years ago to bunker down and shoot methbillies that break into your house ,when they inevitably enter the fatal funnel of one of your doorways? Absodamnfuckinglutely. So, while you may not have a current standard CAG assaulters rifle setup, does it really matter for you? Who is not doing a CAG assaulters job? Your Colt 6920 with a Knights Quad will work just fine for you and your purposes. Don't be caught behind that LARPing gear train chasing the latest and greatest thing that the guys in SMUs use, that in reality in no way applies to you and your application. If you must spend the money, buy another Colt and duplicate your current rifle, and ammo. More Ammo. Wear that damn barrel out on your current rifle. That will prepare you for a real life lethal engagement far better than chasing the latest gear that in no way applies to you and your situation.

[HCM]

Are these RIS III rails on DD uppers or were the DD RIS III rails simply adapted to existing uppers?

The armorers in our national armory build all our guns. So rails as part of new builds. Doesn't really matter as they are properly build, standard AR pattern guns. There's nothing to "adapt."

It's mostly just to keep them busy. Nothing wrong with their work, most are former .MIL armorers who've been rebuilding guns for DOD for years but I'd be just as happy to buy DD or BCM uppers and lower rebuild kits like CBP was doing.

We've run 14.5' standard M4's with 7" rails and A frame front sight towers most of my career. We transitioned to the same set up with 11.5' barrels a few years ago. While a free float Mlok rail would be nice, standard carbine length no FF guns do what we need to do.

Once you have a reliable reasonably accurate rifle, training matters a lot more than gear.

Kyle Defoor summarized it well. He mentioned doing .MIL and LE classes where students bemoaned not having free float rail, LPVOs etc. His response was that a 4x ACOG might not be his first choice, but he can make you "pretty deadly" with that ACOG.

[Paul Blackburn]

First define hard use. Its definitely more than just a firing schedule. A carbine takes lots of hard knocks just carrying it around everyday.

[Wake27]

What is the purpose for your rifle? Are you going to be acting as an Assaulter in a stack going after an HVT under nods with IR lasers at 0330 somewhere? Probably not. Then do you really need a current standard SMU carbine setup with all of the stuff that entails? While your carbine may be "out of date" for those guys and their purposes, is it really out of date for you and your purposes? Can you attach a white light, a Red Dot, and a sling to your Colt? Will that work just as well as it did 20 years ago to bunker down and shoot methbillies that break into your house ,when they inevitably enter the fatal funnel of one of your doorways? Absodamnfuckinglutely. So, while you may not have a current standard CAG assaulters rifle setup, does it really matter for you? Who is not doing a CAG assaulters job? Your Colt 6920 with a Knights Quad will work just fine for you and your purposes. Don't be caught behind that LARPing gear train chasing the latest and greatest thing that the guys in SMUs use, that in reality in no way applies to you and your application. If you must spend the money, buy another Colt and duplicate your current rifle, and ammo. More Ammo. Wear that damn barrel out on your current rifle. That will prepare you for a real life lethal engagement far better than chasing the latest gear that in no way applies to you and your situation.

You don’t have to be chasing a CAG clone to want something more than a 6920 with quad rail.


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[c_rion]

You don’t have to be chasing a CAG clone to want something more than a 6920 with quad rail.


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LOL, mmmhhmmm. "WANT something more than a 6920 with a quad rail". Okay. Well if a crappy Colt just won't work for you and your mission set and you just have to have it.....

[HCM]

First define hard use. Its definitely more than just a firing schedule. A carbine takes lots of hard knocks just carrying it around everyday.

A few years back USBP evaluated their carbine program. One of the key takeaways in support of free float rails was carbine barrels getting bent because they were being jammed in between the front seats for quick access while inside the vehicle.

[rob_s]

If you can find a KAC and if you do find one it's going to run you $3500-$4k.

KAC guns, including used ones, essentially doubled from 2020 to 2022.

They're great guns though. KAC is a defense contractor first and foremost. Their availability is driven by how busy they are fulfilling MIL/GOV orders, which they consider their primary customers. They're not wrong, KAC makes and sells a lot more than just rifles.

DD's prices got a bit silly for a while but they have been settling back into the $1500 to $1800 range.

I get all that, and I’m ignoring market conditions, availability, etc.

My point is moreso that I think there are design changes that make it “better” not just “we put a different finish on some parts, used a different steel, and install some horrendous furniture” better. Arguably the RIS III is a better hand guard than the Centurion on the Colt as well, but I’m betting the Centurion is more than serviceable.

[LittleLebowski]

LOL, mmmhhmmm. "WANT something more than a 6920 with a quad rail". Okay. Well if a crappy Colt just won't work for you and your mission set and you just have to have it.....

What if I just like it, want it, and can afford it?