What is the general Consensus on Companies like Stag, RRA, Doublestar, PSA and Armalite when it comes to complete rifles? Thinking it might be cheaper to buy a complete rifle and then configure it how I want than building from the ground up which might take a while to find certain deals.
These companies offer similar product lines at similar price points, so I’m wondering if in this grouping if anyone manufacturer stands out.
There’s a lot of information on those brands as well as others. But besides PSA none are considered great manufacturers, and PSA isn’t amazing. Rra, and double star are junk, and armalite and stag ok but for the price there better options. I personally would look at BCM as I feel they are the very best value for the price, or buy a Colt 6920 or 6720 from PSA when they do the $799 special.
You haven’t been here long, have you?
Don’t buy those
If you want a good cheap rifle look at the Smith and Wesson M&P line
You can also find great deals on Colt 6920’s if you look around.
You spend more money buying a complete rifle then switching parts than you would building it the way you want the first time, if able, build it from good parts, not the parts that are in the discount bin.
Buy once cry once
Of those (if I had to) I would go with PSA. My rifles are LMT and BCM. Buy once, cry once 
Read the thread entitled “Knowledge Based Threads” in the AR General Discussion stickies. The threads will seem dated but directly answer the questions you asked.
This is a knowledge based site. Read the threads, use the search function and learn about the M4 platform from the SMEs on this site. Things have toned down significantly over the past couple of years but you can still get smoked if you ask people to do your legwork for you. But, if you have been lurking here, you already know this.
PSA premium line for a inexpensive carbine…
You have to be careful with PSA and read and know the specs of the item you are buying. Some of the stuff they sell is ok, most is on the lower-end.
I can’t understand why at this time anyone would buy ANYTHING cheaper than a colt. BCM may be a little more than a 6920, but you get more options.
IMHO:
<$1000 - stock Colt
$1000 - $1800 BCM or Colt + RDS and accessories
$2000+ KAC , LMT MWS, Noveske
Me either. Makes no sense.
I find it hard to fault this. Having used other brands the QC just is not there. And the only thing I could see using them for is if I find stripped lwoers buy them on the cheap. And I mean the cheap. Otherwise, I would buy a Colt, BCM, ect. And considering if you watch the sales you can built a BCM with BCM lower and upper at the moment for around the 1K mark I don’t see why you’d bother with others unless you are going up after something semi custom or very specialized.
They’re all at similar price points because they all junk. I wouldnt buy an AR from any of those when I can spend $50-100 more and get something high quality.
Is the M&P Sport any good? At 550 I just don’t see how they can produce a quality rifle with decent components and make any money. My friend was trying to tell me how he could build a gun with a used Eotech for $800. I tried to tell him not to do it and just get a decent rifle to start with and I think it may have taken hold.
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=811036
P.S. I used to own a Bushmaster. That was a painful lesson. Buy once cry once. The price difference really isn’t that much.
Mine’s been 100% over 1200 rounds.
It’s a well-regarded budget rifle, which is why I ended up getting one. MPI bolt, which is also batch HP tested from my research, decent staking on gas key and castle nut, F-Marked FSB, an LPK that seems fine and likely is the same as the rest of their rifles (equating to less cost per unit), Magpul flip-up rear, chrome-lined carrier, M4 feed ramps, melonite-lined barrel (which I have done some research on, and supposedly it’s got some merits… I haven’t formed an opinion yet)… all great for a $550 rifle, IMO. The cheap spots are the barrel, which is 4140, RE is likely 6061, semi-auto carrier, stock grip and handguards are all just cheap plastic parts, and they save money on machining costs of the receivers and barrel profile. But, they run well and I saw it first-hand.
As for why spend under $1000 for an AR? I didn’t really think I wanted an AR to be any more than a range gun… I’ve since decided on one for HD, and while do recognize the merits of higher-quality rifles and am throwing dollars in a jar for a DD, I trust the Sport in the meantime, as blasphemous as it may be.
I’ll have to say that I would buy a Colt with the prices what they are now, of course I’m a Colt whore. However, PSA premium is the way to go for a low-end build. Then there’s BCM which is unbeatable for their price bracket. Most everything beyond the Bravo could be labeled “boutique AR’s”, buy hey… if you got the money and that’s what you want, why not. Seems to me that a basic concept comes into play here. The One Gun Charlie scenario… Don’t be a One Gun Charlie.
Out of the OP’s list… Go PSA Premium line and never look back… only forward to the next build! JMO
If you want good specs and affordable take a look at SIONICS. The prices are hard to beat and we GUARANTEE you will be happy with your purchase.
The first thing I did before beginning my first AR build was to research the M4C forums extensively for recommendations for parts and manufacturers. There are so many great posts related to what to buy and not buy. A little digging will provide some great suggestions.
However, what I learned most was that you can’t go wrong with a Colt or BCM. for a rifle that will be with you for a long time Prices right now are great for either manufacturer.
I have only been on the edge of the AR world for a the past while and for some reason I thought Sionics was only high end stuff. Are you guys going for a wide product line covering both ends of the spectrum and everything in between?
I should have mentioned Sionics. They are building good stuff. I handled one of their SBRs at my LGS and it was really nice.
Sionics is very affordable. They have an excellent “base model” AR which is well south of $900. Their more premium builds cost within the BCM / Daniel Defense range.
Sometimes I feel like a Sionics shill, but I have been extremely pleased with my sample of one, the customer service has been excellent so far (even if they can’t get their act together to make shirts ;)), and they did not get all crazy and jack prices during the post-Newtown craziness.
Very satisfied customer here.
When it came time for me to purchase a rifle I elected to buy a BCM upper direct from BCM and then later a lower through G&R Tactical. In so doing I was able to have an upper and lower from the same company to which I just purchased a BCM bolt, Raptor Charging Handle, and B5 Systems stock later on to complete. By doing that I also was able to spread the cost of the rifle over a period of months making it affordable for me. I often recommend this method to first time AR folks since it’s not as demanding as doing a build, but not such a hit to the wallet all at once as buying a complete rifle. Requires a bit of patience though and commitment.
Mister, You Get It! If more people who are entering the AR market followed this, there would be a lot less threads and posts concerning the quality or lack thereof of their present/proposed purchase, and save them money in the long run.