I have read many many articles and watched many many youtube vids, as homework prior to making the decision to purchasing an A.r. type battle weapon.

and have a question for those with a lot more experience , than I

Question:
If you have shot 1 a.r.-15 type rifle, scoped or not,
haven't you shot them all ?

Choices:
yes, thats correct
more often than not, but some are more accurate than others
no, not at all correct, and here is why ( see explination below)
can not answer, I am an sks guy

 

Changing a single part on these guns change their characteristics and capabilities. Change the gas system it recoil different, change the trigger and the gun becomes more predictable and faster to break the shot. The optic changing is even more of a game changer. With a large scope it becomes easy aim small, with a small variable power you get a mixture of a fast optic and the ability to take precise shots on a rifle you are not resting on something, dot sights are fast but take a large workload to hit small targets with when compared to larger magified optics.

Even irons can be great under ideal circumstances. Some optics are better under non ideal circumstances.

As guardianangel762 said above, and I'll add that the different barrel lengths available make these an almost infinitely adjustable platform.

But maybe you were thinking just the plain-jane AR-15 (16" barrel, DI, carry handle sight, standard carbine butt stock)... are those all the same?
Again, no. While the differences will be more minute, there are noticeable differences in fit and finish between a Colt 6290 and a Del-Ton or PSA.

You have 4 or 5 different types of gas systems, 3 or 4 different types of buffer systems, dozens or stock and pistol grip choices, perhaps a dozen different calibers, free float vs non free float barrels. 4140,4150,410,or 416 barrel steel. They are all unique.

Well, sure. Much the same way that if you've drive one car, you've driven them all. They have four wheels (most of the time), and a motor. How different could they be?

The more one shoots different ARs, the more one understands the common features and functions centered around the receiver set.

The more one shoots different ARs, the more one realizes how furniture, barrel, sighting systems, trigger, gas systems, and assembly makes different ARs.....different.

If you've fired one, you've fired them all?

Kinda.

Lot's of good replies here.

Now, since you said you've done your online/reading homework, you need to start going around to gun stores, gun shows, friends/fellow shooters who own various brands of ARs and kick some tires, so to speak. Go handle them, feel them, shoulder them, dry fire them, ( ask first an clear it! ) etc. As you do so, you will begin to see the differences between DPMSs, S&Ws, Rugers, Colts, SIGs, LWRCs, Daniel Defense and so on.

Also, ask the above folks for their feedback. In some cases, you're likely to get fan boy repsonses, Ford versus Chevy, etc. Make sure you know roughly what your budget is going into this quest. Know what you want to do with this AR.

Remember that accessory items such as additional magazines, ammo, sights, cleaning equipment, etc, should be factored into some of your AR budget.

quote:

If you have shot 1 a.r.-15 type rifle, scoped or not, haven't you shot them all ?

That’s the question I answered, not “Are there differences in the features, reliability, etc., among different AR-type rifles?”

I suppose we can debate the definition of “shot,” but to me it refers to what happens when I actually fire the gun. Within my definition, accuracy varies as does felt recoil and even noise due to things like muzzle devices and gun weight, but nothing else I can think of—at least nothing significant.

If, however, we are indeed asking about reliability and various features such as fit and finish, then of course there are differences.

Drop in a high quality trigger to replace the lowest bidder milspec one and you'll answer your own question.

Due to their modularity and sheer number of available parts, the AR-15 is probably the firearm with the most diverse number of configuration ever.

You're really going to tell me that an AR "pistol" is the same as a 26" bull-barreled varmint rifle?

Even narrowing to "Scoped AR-15 rifles" there is a tremendous handling difference between an ultra-light 14.5" and a 20" HBAR.

No, I don't believe they are all the same. As others have stated, it is probably the most versatile weapon system on the planet - particularly if you count AR-10 variants.

My short, suppressed piston gun is a totally different weapon than my 18" DI SPR build, which is a completely different animal from a purpose-built 3-gun match carbine, which feels nothing like the M4 I carried overseas, which doesn't even remotely handle like a big varmint rig, which is completely unlike a shorty PDW, which...

Kinda like asking "If you have slept with one woman, haven't you slept with them all?"


Ahem, no Bendable.

No.

Just like any rifle,you have different grades.From off the shelf to match grade. Good triggers,mediocre triggers,bad triggers. Off the shelf barrels to match barrels.They might or might not look the same,or shoot with the same accuracy.

I have 4. My Sig 716 with its SSA-E trigger, LMT marksman stock and Nightforce scope is the same but different from my Colt LE6920 with Trijicon MRO, which is different than my Colt A3 Tactical Carbine with carry handle sight is different than my Troy with its Leupold 1-4 VXR Patrol. They all do the same thing, they just do it different. Is one better than the other? Sure, depending what you need or want done. Any one of them will do in a pinch, but if I had the opportunity to develop a plan, I would pick the one that would accomplish what I needed to do the best. Like they say, variety is the spice of life.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Marcushoss,

Most the people who will tell you that they are all the same with no real differences between them, haven't shot a wide variety.



There is a vast disparity for example, between a Colt 6920 and a JP CTR-02.



Every single AR I have ever owned or handled, benefits tremendously from a quality improved trigger. I've tried quite a few. Geissele, CMC, JP, Larue, Timney, AR Gold, Hiperfire.

My favorite is still my adjustable JP single stage but for a non adjustable and simple install the Larue MBT is excellent and very affordable.

wouldn't it be wonderful for a dozen members to get together with a dozen different rifles , just to see the way they all behave

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
wouldn't it be wonderful for a dozen AR enthusiast members to get together with a dozen different their 100-plus rifles...

fixed

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
wouldn't it be wonderful for a dozen AR enthusiast members to get together with a dozen different their 100-plus rifles...

fixed

Heh. Yeah. I'm not even that far gone and I have three complete AR-15s, an extra lower, an extra stripped lower, a complete AR-10, and an extra stripped AR-10 upper.

A group of coworkers went to the range a few years ago. I brought my MP15 and another guy brought his MP15. I had changed the grip (CAA), the stock (CTR), handguard (free float quad of some kind), VFG, a rail mounted light and an Aimpoint Comp 4. His was a stock flat top Optics Ready model with iron sight, A2 stock, grip and handguard.

Of course the Aimpoint was a significant difference but everyone commented on how much softer mine shot and how much easier it was to shoot. The barrel, upper receiver, lower receiver and fire control group were both stock and identical.

Lewis machine offers what they call a Quick change barrel system.

Does anyone here ever change the barrel from one twist rate to another ,
for one distance ,
I guess you would change the bullet weight as well.

bbl # 1 for out to 250 yards and
bbl # 2 for 250 to 400 yards ?

vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKjO4QuiU38&t=1s