Hello,

 

I'm on the fence, deciding which first AR it will be. Few things that after long research see as important for people:

Barrel twist - ideal would be 1/8 or 1/7 

Chrome lined barrel - I intend to shoot cheater ammo

A pillar front sight - I don't wanna deal with buying additional sights and zeroing them

 

So, I saw Stag 2T for $1200 or Colt 6920 for $1300 and of course S&W MP15 for $700.

 

The question is, if the additional spend is justified? I'm not really planning to replace gun components anytime soon. I want good right of the box experience.

Want to hear your opinions.

 

Oh BTW, the purpose of the gun is: fun range shooting and gun proficiency and home defence (who am I kidding, I live in Bergen County).  Also If I would think or another rifle for next year that would be .308 one.

 

Thanks 

Matroskin

Can't go wrong with a S&W M&P Sport II for $700.  Plus you get their lifetime warranty.  I had the original Sport model and it was a fine rifle.

 

Others would suggest assembling your own to your liking if you're up for it.  It's like a lego set for a grown man with minimal tools.

Stag is having an anniversary sale  on ARs https://www.stagarms.com/ar15-rifles/

Buy a Colt LE901.

308 cal, but with the adapter kit, you can throw on a 5.56mm upper. Best of both worlds.

 

I LOVE mine .

If you are spending $1300 on a 6920 you are getting ripped off. You should be looking at BCM at that price. Or even something like a 6920-oem2 with a centurion rail. But yes, I'd pick a 6920 over the other two.

If you are spending $1300 on a 6920 you are getting ripped off. You should be looking at BCM at that price. Or even something like a 6920-oem2 with a centurion rail. But yes, I'd pick a 6920 over the other two.

Forgot to mention it's 6920 Magpul "edition", is it still a rip off?

Yes. That's a $900 without compliance work. Even if you figure $200 in compliance work then you are at $1100. And you can find it cheaper.

 

Are you specifically looking for that style rifle?

With a little work, you can find the Colt for under $800 - that would be my choice.

 

The S&W would be my second choice.

Yes. That's a $900 without compliance work. Even if you figure $200 in compliance work then you are at $1100. And you can find it cheaper.

 

Are you specifically looking for that style rifle?

1/7 twist with chrome lined barrel are important parts, but I also consider local availability. I'm open to any suggestions and opinions.

It's not just the barrel. If you think about it, most receivers are just about the same no matter where you get them from, but colt builds theirs to milspec. I hate that term, but it's important to realize why it's not the same as a bushmaster.

 

The colt will have a 7075 buffer tube in milspec size. I'm not sure but I'll assume the stag is sold as milspec but it's probably 6061. If it was 7075 I assume they'd say it.

 

The bolt carrier is properly staked, m16 style, and the right steel and testing done on the colt. It's hard to argue that it's not a better unit compared to the semi auto the other two probably have.

 

There are more differences, but those are material differences.

 

I'd suggest a 6920 for anyone any day. For $1300 you could get a BCM but sights will probably put you over. You can get a BCM lower without stock for $380. A Magpul fixed carbine stock for $30 and their 14.5" barreled upper with kmr alpha 13" rail with pinned BCM mod 1 comp with bolt carrier and charging handle for $850ish. That's just under $1300 but you still need shipping, transfer, and sights. But it's a lot better than any of the other options.

With a little work, you can find the Colt for under $800 - that would be my choice.

 

The S&W would be my second choice.

 

Why S&W for a second choice? is there anything in between that you would recommend?

For your stated purpose, really just range fun why spend  twice the $ on a gun that shoots the same ammo? I have the original $600 Sport and I've shot 1 1/2 groups on the center dot at 100 yds, maybe better with more time and better ammo. My eyes do need an optic but thats not the guns fault... If you MUST do better spend twice the money on the gun and use match grade ammo. If your taking the gun into battle spend 3 times the money. IMO people put way too much thought into a fun gun destined to live its life on a range. get a good name brand and go shoot it. You have the rest of your life to change your mind. Need it for something else? then have at it and do whatever.

Colt is my first choice because they are mil-spec in materials, dimensions, and manufacturing. I am issued two different rifles for work from two different agencies and they have both run flawlessly. But I have seen Colt quality take a nose dive recently with some out of the box issues.

 

S&W has been solid for the last few years (especially since they got away from the Mossberg barrel debacle), but they use materials that are less than spec and cut a few corners. To make a $700 AR you have to, but of all the less-than-spec AR's out there S&W would be my first choice.

 

I have not seen such great products from Stag. I use their lowers because they are decent and affordable, but I would not buy their complete rifles. I have seen more than one Stag rifle fail spectacularly during classes, and have yet to see one make it through an entire class without puking. Every one I have seen have had less than spec chambers and poor staking in the BCG. If you are looking for a range toy and you are only planning on shooting a few hundred rounds of Wolf ammo a year, the Stag may be just fine for you.

 

Yes, I know people will now jump on me and say "My Stag has been flawless". Good for you. I hope it stays that way. Personally, I wouldn't take a Stag if it was free, except to sell it and buy something else.

 

Any other complete rifles I would recommend would be equal to or superior to the Colt and be significantly out of your price range -

BCM

Noveske

LMT

Daniel Defense

Knights

 

My best suggestion would be to by an upper from BCM and build your own lower.

My best suggestion would be to by an upper from BCM and build your own lower.

 

^ what a lot of us have done.  I run a BCM 14.5 LW upper with an anderson lower.  Not 1 hiccup for thousands of rounds

I've seen Steve @ Monmouth Arms selling the M4 Expanse Colt for $765 + tax and NICS in the past, not sure if he has one now - honestly at that price point to have the choice of the M4 or for $100 less, the Ruger 556 or the Sport II I dont think you can go wrong with any of them in the least.

Thank you all for your opinions, your recommendation against $1200/$1300 gun sounds like a consensus to me .

I'll probably go with S&W or Ruger for $700 and buy better upper and Magpul parts later.

$1300 for a 6920 is nuts. If you look around, they can be had for $900. A few bucks for compliance work and you're GTG.

Also, as H.E. suggested, buy a BCM upper (or DD, if you prefer), and build a lower.

I don't think there is a consensus against a $1300 rifle.

 

I think of the three rifles you suggested, the consensus is you can get the best option (either S&W or Colt) for under $1k.

 

If you have $1300 or want to save a bit more and get a better gun, I doubt many here will talk you out if it. With NJ being what it is and the way the election and all politics are going, you may not get a chance to "upgrade" at later date. Don't settle.

 

Good luck.

I've seen Steve @ Monmouth Arms selling the M4 Expanse Colt for $765 + tax and NICS in the past, not sure if he has one now - honestly at that price point to have the choice of the M4 or for $100 less, the Ruger 556 or the Sport II I dont think you can go wrong with any of them in the least.

The expanse is probably more similar to the m&p than the 6920. There's a thread on m4 carbine. Essentially it's the same receivers as the 6920 with everything else being cheaper parts.

Thank you all for your opinions, your recommendation against $1200/$1300 gun sounds like a consensus to me .

I'll probably go with S&W or Ruger for $700 and buy better upper and Magpul parts later.

. The consensus was that the colt was a better gun. Just not at $1300. $1300 gets you better than all three.

You can get a spikes complete lower and Daniel defense upper for about $1300.

I can't believe somebody is selling a Stag for $1200.

 

That Colt is pricey, too. But the Stag is ridiculous.

This is the one I was looking at: https://www.stagarms.com/model-2t/ , Heritage Guild has it for $1200.

 

I still cannot understand why some firearms are commonly sold under MSRP while others above - supply and demand rule or something else.

Call up Ray Tanner over at Tanner's Sport Center in Jamison, PA Bucks County. He as M&P Sport II NJ Legal for $556 plus PICS and tax, OTD $600 about. Get on the net and order a case of Wolf Gold delivered for under $320,  Take a nice ride in the country on Saturday and pick it up.  All for under $920 bucks, problem solved, Don;t wait they are on sale. Ray knows the ropes on NJ sales.  Google fu on this site and see it;s been done many times before.

Colt. All the above what HE said. Just. Colt. Ive shot a few in my time. I got some really nice palmetto state builds for sale and deltons. All milspec with heavy barells for 6-800 nj compliant i might sell before the elections.

HE. Dont forget lwrc. Aint had an issue yet.

Went to a store today, told the guy that I'll take it for $1100, he laughed at me. There was a another person standing next to me ready to pull the cash for it. 1299+tax and nics. The seller said it's very rare gun hence the premium.