I don’t know why anyone would get one unless they’re nostalgic for their issued M4. You can get a BCM Recce and right off the back have the longer, lighter, freefloated rail, great accuracy, no front sight base, and a weapon with a better trigger, stock, and pistol grip. Pay another $200-400 and be done from the start rather than start off with a 6920 and then wind up upgrading the thing and sinking more coin into it.
If I ever buy another chrome lined barrel, it will be in a Colt.
Assuming you don’t mind carbine gas, you can get a Colt OEM2 for around $700. Toss in your favorite free float rail, stock, trigger guard, and you’re up and running (AND you get the rail you like). No waste of “extraneous” parts and you can upgrade stuff down the line at your own pace once you figure out what you like and don’t like. And if you decide to sell it, Colts seem to hold their resell value pretty well compared to other brands.
Molon did a review of the SOCOM barrel and it was pretty damn accurate (IIRC, just about as accurate as the Noveske he also tested). Not sure how much of a performance difference (if much at all) it would have compared to the gov profile of the 6920 (assuming slow fire), but it shows that Colt sure knows how to make a barrel.
Part of my point is: For beginner AR owners, are those extra $400 better spent on ammo and range time or a longer rail and a lighter barrel?
I consider myself fairly competent behind the trigger of an AR and aside from having a less comfortable shooting stance my new 6920 does everything just as well as my 11.5" BCM KMR LW.
I like colt because for ~$800 you can get a great quality rifle that you won’t feel bad about dragging through the mud. Most people who just dropped $2000+ on a higher end rifle are afraid to even put it down on concrete.
I tell all my friends who are new to guns and want an AR15 to buy a Colt 6920. Every single one of them is happy with theirs. But once you get into guns… and you know what’s out there, I don’t think the 6920 has much value other than for collecting.
I considered getting an OEM2 but ultimately I built a far more capable rifle for the same money.
Larue Stealth Barrel $200
Larue MBT Trigger $115
Geissele Blem MLok Rail $180
SLR Adjustable Gas Block $110
Anderson Stripped Upper $40
Anderson Stripped Lower $40
LPK $40
Magpul CTR stock $50
Magpul Moe+ $25
Precision Armament M4-72 Muzzle brake $85
Palmetto State Armory Premium BCG $80
Miscellaneous parts/springs/charging handle <$70
Total came out to be around $1000 for my AR15. Maybe I’m biased, but I think I got a hell of a lot more gun than from a Colt 6920. A Colt 6920 OEM and a free float rail would have put me near my current total and it wouldn’t have an awesome trigger, adjustable gas block and midlength gas, awesome muzzle brake, and better furniture. Only thing I’m missing is the Colt prancing pony but the charging Anderson horse ain’t that bad. Some rattle can would also help.
Don’t get me wrong, still like the Colt 6920 and think it’s the best starting point for a guy new to guns. Set up already, super reliable, and retains value well.
Colt is the benchmark. It shoots well, is super reliable, and is simple. It will give you peace of mind and satisfy all your needs.
But AR-15s are a hobby, and most of the people on this forum, other forums, and online in general are hobbyists. It doesn’t matter if they use their rifle every day for work, most people still log in to these websites because they’re interested in the rifle. It’s a cool thing to do and it’s fun. People need to stop passively denying that and own up to it. Shooting is fun.
Having your own, custom built/purpose built tool is cool. It’s like tuning a car or buying a performance car. Do I really need to drive a little faster in traffic and look cooler instead of just buying a Honda Civic? Probably not, but I want to and I might reap the benefits of a better car.
They’re good guns, but quality’s been “meh.” I had my dealer swap out my 6920 upper due to canted front sight (it was pretty bad). I’m not a big fit and finish kind of guy, but my blem “junk” PSA lower was finished nicer than my 6920 lower.
That said, I like my 6920 a lot, and it out shoots (accuracy) my BCM free floated upper. Not my main go-to gun, but I’m not getting rid of it and will definitely be keeping it. I’m keeping the gun mostly stock so I don’t forget how to shoot “standard” AR15s (as Colt did set the “standard” on a properly built AR/M4).
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=LE6920-OEM1
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=LE6920-OEM2
Well I guess you still have one reason.
This is a joke, right? When you make silly statements with words like “prancing pony”, “Colt fanboys”, etc… you take away any potential for people to take you seriously.
I wouldn’t touch Delton or PSA with a 20’ pole. If you asking in the industry people will still tell you that the M4 carbine or 6920 is still the standard.
Amen…
My Colt LE6920 is branded as an M4. I bought it right before Sandy Hook for around $1K. It is the MOE FDE edition, and I have kept it stock, but just added a Burris scope. It is a sub MOA rifle bench rested with Federal M855 ammo. It has been 100% reliable. I am a fan.
“Offshore” handgun owners use these same buzz words on the 1911 forums.
Been down that road myself. After selling off pre-ban stuff to buy a few Noveskes and BCMs I stumbled onto an older 6920…and yeah, despite the FSB, plastic hand guard, etc. the damn thing impresses…
Dont get me wrong, Colt makes a good rifle. Especially for a first AR or someone looking for a basic rifle and isnt looking for any particular features.
once you get beyond that, the myriad of options BCM for example offers just blows colt’s selection out of the water.
As I expected, the ridicule was coming. Sometimes I wonder just how much experience with different manufacturer’s products some of you guys really have. I have owned about four dozen ARs, built about three dozen of them, and still own three dozen of them. I have experience with the likes of Colt, Del-Ton, DS Arms, LMT, Noveske, BCM, PSA, CMMG, DPMS, Rock River Arms, Knights Armament, Spikes Tactical, Sabre Defence, and Quentin Defense, not to mention parts from a number of other companies. Like I said, the Colt 6920 is not the quintessential M4 type AR anymore. That is based on my experiences with a number of different ARs over the years. BTW, I have been shooting M16s/AR15s for 37 years now. I do have some experience. Have a great day. 
I think IG been around a few different products, LOL
Parts aren’t all created alike. Just because some company says they are ‘mil-spec’, doesn’t mean they are.
Colts parts ARE, and are verifiable as such. Can’t say that about nearly anyone else.
Assembly of said parts is the same way. I would venture to say that in 50 years of building AR’s/M-16’s/M4’s, that Colt has forgotten more than these other manufactures/builders have ever known about these rifles.
Just from my perspective, I got sick and tired of Colt’s nonsense of receiver blocks, action pins of non-standard size, double-screw-hinge front pivots, and just general attempts to make it really hard to like their rifles. I also encountered QC problems in their 1990’s guns (like rusted and pitted handguard springs), and less than perfect finishes on some examples. They were also priced higher than most other offerings back in the day. People also made jokes about Colts being “union made”, meant to imply that they were slapped together by uncaring monkeys that were probably drunk on the job.
In short, Colt was the General Motors of the firearms industry.
When I returned to the era of AR’s in 2010, I didn’t even really consider a Colt. They were a pariah in my mind. Only the opinions on this forum turned me around.
Real hard to beat the value that ~$870 OTD for a 6920 provides. I am not brand loyal, but I have enough experience to know that BCM for example is no better than Colt. Especially when I can take a 6920 and put a FF rail on it for less than the price of a BCM. I see no real world difference in carbine vs mid-length other than handguard real estate. Re-sale value on a Colt is also top notch.