i have been seeing alot of mixed reviews online over Armalite Rifles. Are they truly junk or is that just people running their mouths with out having hands on experience? if this is true what are the things that make them junk or make them a good rifle.
The Chart is your friend…
https://www.m4carbine.net/showpost.php?p=67567&postcount=1
They are not high enough quality for anyone to use one for anything other than range work.
With what you are going to spend on the Armalite, you would be better off spending a few dollars more, and getting a Colt or BCM.
Good quality rifles don’t cost much more than the Armalite…
Seriously, it depends on what “junk” means to you.
By civilian sporting standards they are pretty good rifles - high quality, well finished, generally put together very well. My first AR was an Armalite, it has worked well (few jams and no other failures) and is a pretty decent rifle.
However, on this site many people are looking only for rifles that they feel they could bet their lives on without hesitation. Armalite isn’t there based on some deviations from the military standard. If you want quality, durability and reliability no lower than a genuine Colt M4, the Armalite isn’t there.
actually the revised version of the chart does not have anything listed for armalite due to them not responding to RFI.
on the old chart barrel steel was listed 11595E which is the same spec Bravo Co. lists their standard barrels. on the current website, they claim this same barrel is chrome lined and double lapped. no mention is made of HPT or MP testing. the LEC (Law Enforcement Carbine)models have a 1/9 twist but current SPR models use 1/7.
both upper and lower receivers are listed as 7075-T6 aluminum and in addition, the lower is listed as forged.
I owned a LEC for awhile and at that time, castle nut and carrier key were properly staked, bolt was not marked MP but is listed as 158 Carpenter steel. it used a “deprecated” lug opposite the extractor. this was their own design and was done for durability in response to testing which indicated uneven shear forces on conventional bolt lugs.
my 1/9 twist barrel shot 69gr bullets accurately and was generally very accurate overall. it came with the Tactical Two-stage trigger which was smooth with no creep or stacking in the second stage. I thought it was a very good trigger.
before S&W stepped up their game with MP bolts and barrels and staking, these guns were considered equal. now S&W is considered a good alternative to the top-level guns and I would be surprised if Armaite would not give similar service.
at $975, the LEC carbine is within a few dollars of available Colt 6920s, which is 100% of the accepted spec and comes with a detatch carry handle so I see no reason to own one. they do come with a very good 2-stage trigger but that is a matter of personal preference.
I would not rate them as junk by any stretch of the imagination but I sold mine and replaced it with BCM and Daniel Defense (when 6920’s were $1300) as I can afford the peace of mind of having a known “best” now…
That is $45 more than Grant is selling Colt rifles for…
actually the revised version of the chart does not have anything listed for armalite due to them not responding to RFI.
I wasn’t posting the link to the Chart for any information on Armalite, as much as for what the OP said here…
what are the things that make them junk or make them a good rifle
Junk? No. Lacking some desirable features for hard-use rifles? Yes. Check what they have, what they’re missing, and determine if that’s a problem for you.
Junk? No. A good AR to buy? No.
C4
I would not say Armalite is junk, they are just an average middle of the road carbine which is probably better than a DPMS or Bushmaster but inferior to the hard use carbines like a Colt or BCM. With the exceptional prices of high quality weapons like the Colt 6920 which can now be had for under $950 there is little reason to spend $800-$900 for an Armalite.
They aren’t junk in the sense of the word. But, all things considered there are numerous other choices on the market in the similar price range. So it’s kind of like the other 200 or so threads we have had on the subject. Why?
As others have said, not junk but not military quality. If the worst thing that is going to happen to you is your day at the range is ruined because your rifle went down, then no big deal.
However, if you want to get serious in this game then you may sorely disappointed if you dropped several hundred dollars on a training class only to have your rifle take a crap in the middle of class.
If you ever expect to have to defend yourself with this thing, then forget it. A properly built AR is a state of the art military grade rifle. A poorly built one an accident waiting to happen.
Where are 6920s just $930? Thanks.
The “new” ArmaLite company (previously Eagle Arms) doesn’t put out junk but as already said there are better choices. In addition to the relieved bolt lug ra2bach mentioned, they have another major innovation: the midlength gas system that’s so popular today and that’s the reason I went with an ArmaLite upper years ago. Still have it but it’s a heavy beast with the full HBAR profile; it weighs a pound more than my Daniel Defense LW upper.
Today I’d look at BCM, Colt, Daniel Defense, etc.
$975 is MSRP. they can be had for less and they would make a significantly better entry-level choice than any DPMS (or the like) out there.
in fact, at this price point, the PSA Patrol Carbine with Aimpoint PRO would make it hard to look at anything else…
I’m past “entry-level” though, and for my money, I’ll only choose a known “best” among the current offerings…
Thanks for all yalls imput, the reason i asked that question is cause i was given one by a guy who owed me money and I have shot about 300 rounds through it no problem but dont know any one personally that could tell me anything about them or problems with them. i am saving up right now for a larue tactical AR. just taking time since i am out of the marines and back to full time student.
I guess how good a deal it was depends on how much he owed you! 
But you could do a lot worse than getting an ArmaLite in trade like that. Don’t make it out to be more gun than it is but it sounds like a perfectlly fine range gun, as mine is. I have mine (a 16" M15A4C) configured with a carry handle and A1 stock plus with the ArmaLite rollmark it’s a little like the rifle I carried in Vietnam but much more flexible with the flat top upper.
I’ll continue hanging on to it but for a more serious rifle I have a Daniel Defense 16" LW.
I bought a NM A2 at Camp Perry in ’10 for $750. That was combining the “end of show” discount with the Military/LEO discount. It shoots well but the bolt carrier is not chrome lined. I was surprised to see that but as a target rifle I’m not too concerned.
BTW Southern Ohio Gun has a special this DEC. on Colt MD 6920’s for $800 dollars. If you can get over the fact that you have a carry handle or you don’t mind switching out the upper receiver for a flattop it looks to be a good buy. I’m tempted to pick one up and part out the upper assembly and BCG so I can have a colt lower and LPK on my 14.5 middy.
Isn’t it a Model 6520?
yeah 6520. 
No reason to even consider buying one since there are many other reputable choices out there to be had for similar money.