EDIT UPDATE (9/30/25)

Ok, as the thread gets long, I want to show newcomers that the it's developed as follows: I made a decision to move things along. After a bit of study, I ordered the Geissele suggestion made early in the thread by Voshterkoff. Made in my home state, not overly "skulled-up", but still tactical-premium enough to make the gun nerd in me happy. As Voshterkoff said, "if I were to buy one", which is my intent. One and done, and I'm back in the .556 game. Starting ~ page 3, we're now debating optics.
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ORIGINAL THREAD:

I've been around a long time, and had many rifles over my lifetime, but for the past decade or so, I'd settled on a single caliber (not counting .22lr) solution -- with a 9mm Ruger PC Carbine as my only long gun. In short, I've changed my mind on this approach, and I look to get an AR package and a supply of .556 for it in the relative near future.

While nothing is off the table, I was kind of thinking a full package might be more efficient than my prior approaches. I once built an LMT lower / upper, with various furniture and a supply of some sort of aluminum magazines which were said to be good at that time. I was thinking maybe the Colt is a good option, but as I'm an Internet-nerd from way back, here I am to check in and see how far off the mark I'm gone in my presumed conclusion!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: r0gue,

Just like with most other irons, not really ‘one’ best or correct choice.

Sounds like a generally kicking around, mid-weight, 16” barreled AR?

That’s a rather crowded field, even though I have a Colt, I like my Stag, Bushmaster, and even newer model from Midwest Industries.

I don’t own one, but likely nothing wrong with the 6920, though others should easily match it.

Personally, I’d pass on a Colt unless you specifically want the name. Colt quality and finish have been hit and miss for a while, and there are a lot better options and configurations for the same price or less. Also, there’s little reason to limit yourself to a carbine length gas system these days.

If I was to buy one AR15 I would buy a geissele super duty 16“ when they go on sale this holiday season.

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:
If I was to buy one AR15 I would buy a geissele super duty 16“ when they go on sale this holiday season.

This would also be my choice. However, this past spring, they did their blem sale through Palmetto State Armory and the markup PSA put on everything made them a hell of a lot less of a deal than a Geissele blem sale has ever been, and the selection was ass. There were a lot of pissed off people in both subreddits, speculation that the PSA employees picked everything over first because there was hardly any inventory. Geissele says they want to focus on manufacturing and sales rather than a blowout sale twice a year, and that it's just easier to sell everything to PSA in bulk and be done with it, and PSA says they need to make a little on top of it for it to be worth their time. The customer loses out.

So, Geissele may or may not do a fall Blemula sale this year through their site. If they do, a Super Duty is my recommendation. In fact, I'm hoping to pick up a couple of matched receiver sets if they do. If they do it through PSA again, you'll save a little over new, but it's nowhere near as good of a deal.

What do you want out of it? What do you plan to do with it/how will you outfit it?

quote:

Originally posted by MikeGLI:
What do you want out of it? What do you plan to do with it/how will you outfit it?

Defensive just-in-case carbine. Short distance only (10-100 ft. focused). Likely red dot, offset irons.

No need for offset iron sights with a red dot...

You can use irons in conjunction with a red dot, or through the red dots window if the optic goes down.

Offset irons are for use alongside magnified optics.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
No need for offset iron sights with a red dot...

You can use irons in conjunction with a red dot, or through the red dots window if the optic goes down.

Offset irons are for use alongside magnified optics.

That makes sense. I once had an LMD with a 14.5" barrel that was pinned and welded at the flash suppressor to get it to 16". It had a mid-length gas system. I was thinking that might be a good option again. The Geisseles also look very good.

Colt ARs used to be a no-brainer, but now they're just run of the mill. There's nothing wrong with them but they're not exceptional.

The only advantage might be a possible premium on resale value, but I'm not sure of even that.

As Dwill pointed out, get yourself a rifle with a mid-length gas system, and that's not going to be a Colt.

I follow you now, that Colt doesn't offer the mid-length gas system. I agree that is my preference. So I'm glad I checked in on this decision. I used to be better up to speed on these systems, but a lot of time has passed, and I've forgotten much of the detail.

Did you really mean 10-100 feet or yards?
Either way, perhaps a AR pistol with a brace may be interesting to you. Something in the 11.5"-12.5" range.

quote:

Originally posted by Delta-3:
Either way, perhaps a AR pistol with a brace may be interesting to you. Something in the 11.5"-12.5" range.

This, and a suppressor. OP would be just dandy out to about 300 yards or so with a red dot.

For bang for the buck, look over the ARs from Ruger or S&W.

Colt does sell a mid-length carbine now - the CR6960. I've also seen it labeled as the Colt LE6960-CCU, or "Colt Combat Unit" Carbine. They also sell just the complete mid-length upper under the same name.
Brownells lists both items though they're currently out of stock. There's plenty on GB.

.

A lot of value in these as well:

https://iwi.us/firearms/zion-15/rifle-5-56-nato/

But, how fancy are you wanting this thing? Full ambi? All the latest goodies?

I agree theres a lot of value in the M&P or Rugers. I also would 2nd the midlength gas system.

In order of less money to more money, I'd look in this direction:
M&P
BCM
Geissle

I'd stick with an M-lock rail system and get a red dot.

quote:

Originally posted by Delta-3:
Did you really mean 10-100 feet or yards?
Either way, perhaps a AR pistol with a brace may be interesting to you. Something in the 11.5"-12.5" range.

I'm thinking the stereotypical SHTF scenario, and in my area (hilly, wooded), if I'm a few hundred feet away, I'm probably ok to flee. But yeah, in general, a 100 yard carbine, that I would intend would be sighted in for far less distance.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
But yeah, in general, a 100 yard carbine, that I would intend would be sighted in for far less distance.

You don't want to sight your 100 yard rifle in at a close distance, because then you'll be shooting noticeably high at even just 100 yards.

That's just how ballistic trajectories work.

For example, if you zero your new AR at 25 yards, your bullets will be impacting about 6 inches above your point of aim at 100 yards and about 10 inches high at 200 yards. (And if you sight it in at an even shorter distance like 10 or 15 yards, the POI height above POA will be even more dramatic.)

Whereas if you use a 50 or 100 yard zero, your point of impact will be within an inch or two of your point of aim all the way from the muzzle out to couple hundred yards.

So a 50 or 100 yard zero is the better option for an AR, even if you mostly intend to shoot at 100 yards and in.

And if the concern is that you don't have easy access to a 50 or 100 yard range, there are modified zero targets that you can download and use to get a rough 50 or 100 yard zero at the 25 yard range, and then just fine tune it at the actual 50 or 100 yard line when possible. Like these: https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar...and-AK-47/18-529846/