So I want to get a new AR. I have 1 AR now…a Colt 6920 ( pictured here) I the Colt bought new about 10 years ago. I put a Geissele trigger in it, Vltor stock, Eotech and DD RISI-II rail for front sight post. It’s been a perfect operating rifle. I will keep it forever.
I want a mid-length 16" top tier rifle. I had a Knights SR15 Mod 0 for years that was awesome but sold it locally to a good friend. Now I want to get something else, DI, Mid-Length, no proprietary parts. Locally a couple of my stores have Geissele Super Duty and Daniel Defense for top tier AR’s. There is also FN, Wilson, Colt, POF, Black Rain, Sig, S&W, Springfield etc for other AR’s in stock.
I believe I have narrowed it down to the Geissele Super Duty or Daniel Defense DDM$ V7 but I am stuck on a decision.
I love the Geissele due to trigger, furniture an options. I am interested in the Daniel Defense but I would replace the trigger. Trigger upgrade on the DD would make it the same price as the Geissele Super Duty… around $2100. Price isn’t so much an issue…100 here or there just want to get the better DI rifle.
I keep hearing that the Daniel Defense rifle has a great barrel. How is the Geissele barrel compared? If I replace the trigger in the DD rifle would that make it an overall better rifle due to any parts on the Daniel Defense rifle being better? I don’t mind the DD stock and I love the DD hand guard.
On an other note…the 2 POF rifles looked really really nice, felt great…if I was getting a piston rifle but I know nothing about or really heard of POF before.
I have also been toying with the idea of another premium AR, and I also narrowed it down to the DD V7 and the Geissele SD. As an FYI, the Geissele SD can be had for $1700 or under if you shop around. Even going for that price on Gunbroker.
I think I’m leaning towards the Geissele for a few different reasons, and what’s important to me, may be a non factor for others. But the SD comes with a premium trigger and an enhanced BCG, whereas the DD is all mil-spec in that department. Furthermore, the SD’s finish is hard anodized instead of the higher wear Cerakote used by DD.
The barrels, on paper at least, seem to be very similar. Both hammer forged and chrome lined (Geissele also offers the nitrided versions, so make sure you’re looking at the right one), but DD has an established reputation for accuracy, whereas Geissele is still relatively new to the market. One ding I would give Geissele is that their chrome lined barrels aren’t phosphated on the outside, but rather they use a black oxide finish which isn’t supposed to be as corrosion resistant.
I’ve a black oxide coated barrel from another manufacturer for about a decade and have never seen even a hint of rust on it. Even when I found some light rust on the muzzle brake attached to it. So there’s that.
ETA: Another plus for the Geissele is the enhanced lower parts kit and the nice ambi charging handle. FWIW.
Buy a Colt.
Pull the barrel and sell it.
Use the money to buy a BRT barrel.
Install the trigger of choice.
Handguards, grip & stock according to taste.
Top with your favorite optic.
A lot of online retailers have a FFL lookup of all the FFL’s in your area that they have on file to transfer the firearm to.
Gunbroker also has a good search tool to find on in your area.
1- I already have a Colt and the barrel in it is just fine
2- I am not looking to build a rifle
3- I am currently building a rifle out of an extra Colt upper receiver I have with a Aero lower…deciding on 14.5 w/ brace or Form1 or 16"
4- I am just wanting to go over to my local store and get either a Daniel Defense or Geissele they have in stock…
Parts wise on these 2 FACTORY rifles I lean to the Geissele Super Duty but I do not know anything about the Geissele barrel. I looked at a Geissele at a different store here in Tampa late yesterday and the coating on the outside of the barrel is somewhat shiny and nothing like the coating on the Colt I own.
Except he already bought a Colt and did almost all of that to it. I think he wants something different.
If the decision is between the DD and the G, I would opt for the G. That is only based on personal preference. I hate the DD furniture and, like you said, the trigger is crap. And the ambi lower on the G is nice. I think you get more for your money feature wise with the G.
Now if you are opening up your scope, Sionics, BCM, Centurion all deserve a look too. My next will be a Centurion. And I dont mind waiting until they come back in stock.
So I am at the store now… went over to shoot at the range on my lunch break. The Daniel Defense rail is much nicer, seems more sturdy…that and long with the barrel is suppose to be nicer too. The DD is $300’ish cheaper…price is not an issue bt I can drop in a Geissele trigger into the Daniel Defense and be good to go for same price as Geissele. I do not my the DD stock and grip and have no opinion on how it works because I haven’t shot with it or lived with the DD stock and grip yet.
I bought one of the 6920 OEM’s a couple years ago for like $600 or thereabouts. Pulled the barrel and replaced it with a $425 Hodge Defense 14.5" one (CHF, chrome lined, supposedly made by FN specifically for Hodge). Replaced the BCG with a Cryptic Coatings Mystic Black BCG and threw the Colt in my spare parts collection. Got a Bravo Co. MCMR handguard, Geissele SD-C trigger, and had a Bravo Co. extended A2 FH pinned and welded. Put a Steiner 1-4X P4Xi LPVO on it. Now it costs a HELL of a lot more than the ~$600 I paid for the base weapon! (It’s a disease, I know)
Gave my buddy the Colt barrel in return for putting it together and Duracoating the entire weapon.
The 6920 doesn’t come with a 16 inch middy. Otherwise, the original 6920 barrel is perfectly fine.
I bought a 6920 OEM, sold the 16 inch carbine barrel and used the money to buy a Colt 14.5 inch barrel pinned to 16 because I like it better.
Obviously, it’s not configured they way you want your new AR to be. Doesn’t mean you can’t buy another and reconfigure it with the barrel, trigger and furniture you want.
I love the Geissele due to trigger, furniture an options. I am interested in the Daniel Defense but I would replace the trigger. Trigger upgrade on the DD would make it the same price as the Geissele Super Duty… around $2100. Price isn’t so much an issue…100 here or there just want to get the better DI rifle.
I bet if you price it out, reconfiguring a new Colt will give you more bang for the buck.
I think $2100 is a bit much for a G AR. At that price, I’d spend a bit more for a KAC. Used and new, they keep going up in price. But I do get it- the heart wants what it wants.
I agree…2100 is too much. I had a Knights, mentioned that in my post but sold if a while ago… few years. It was nice but I wanted something that doesn’t have proprietary parts. Knights bolts lugs and chamber are proprietary.
I ended up getting the DD rifle today. It was 1649…I added a G ssa-e trigger and still was less with tax than the G they had in stock at 2249.