AR-15 Brands Ranked

[O4L]

$1/round is the mil-spec stuff. I’d rather not shoot the $2/round duty stuff.

I recently bought some mil-spec stuff for less than 50 cents per round. It's out there

 

[Seadog]

Ahh the good old "the name engraved on my receiver is better than the name engraved on your receiver" article when both are made with parts from the same supplier. I really like that several S, A, and B list maker share the same supplier with all the same quality of parts!
My engraver can beat up your engraver!

It is indeed hilarious and complete BS. Barrel and BCG is the important stuff. The rest is fluff.

 

[thor447]

Where is Rijas? This list is obviously flawed.

 

[CSeverns]

Being that he’s such an expert on AR-15 manufacturers, there are a lot of notable brands that this guy failed to mention. Apparently these all just slipped his mind:

Top tier: Battle Arms Development
Patriot Ordnance Factory
Primary Weapons Systems
Noveske Rifleworks
Zev Tech
Silencerco
Sionics Weapon Systems
Christiensen Arms
JP Enterprises
Noreen
DRD Tactical
Mid tier: Yankee Hill Machine
Lancer Systems
Odin Works
Troy Industries
IWI
Grey Ghost Precision
Black Rain Ordnance
Andro Corp.
Fostech
Alex Pro Firearms
KE Arms
Franklin Armory
Alexander Arms
Armalite (the company that actually developed the AR-15)
Windham Weaponry
Adams Arms
Standard Mfg.
HM Defense
Kopes Precision
Double star tactical
Mega Arms
Griffin Armament
Interarms
Cobalt Kinetics
Next Level Armament
ZRO Delta
Lower tier: SOTA
Core15
Radical
DPMS
ATI
Del-Ton
Diamondback
Olympic Arms

Yeah, they weren't trying to name them all. That would be a very long list.

"One last thing to remember is that not every single company that makes an AR-15 is on this list. Sorry, but we had to draw a line somewhere."

Yeah that’s basically just a cop-out because if he didn’t “draw the line somewhere,” his stupid little list might lose all of its credibility. As if it had any to begin with. This kid builds a few ARs and shoots a few high-end ARs and now he thinks he knows what he’s talking about. His philosophy is the more expensive, the better. But as we all know that’s not always the case with firearms. We’ve all fired some inexpensive gems and some overpriced turds. Its funny how he says the Knights Armament SR-15 is such an engineering masterpiece. That thing might be the most overrated and overpriced firearm ever made. You can pay about $1000-$1500 less for a LMT, Daniel Defense, or LWRCI and get the same performance out of it.

 

[Duncandl]

I think I have seen some of the Knights Armament stuff in pictures and I do not personally know anything about them I will certainly google it this morning out of curiosity.

I am out of the buying of anymore AR parts...I think, lol. But in all honesty, I will be downsizing almost all of my gun stuff as I just do not get out and shoot anymore and my interests are beginning to shift towards my restoration of a Toyota 4Runner from a fellow member on OSA.

With that being said I need to muster the patience to answer the same questions over and over again when I post something for sale on here. We all KNOW what the best is in our mind but when someone tries to sell the BEST all the skeptics come out of the woodwork and that has got old.

 

[KurtM]

Seadog typed "It is indeed hilarious and complete BS. Barrel and BCG is the important stuff. The rest is fluff."

What is hilarious is that you think everyone on that list makes their own barrels, bolts and carriers! Colt has used at least 3 different barrel makers at times to include GM and Diemaco, all licensed by Colt, but not made by Colt. Green Mountain barrels supply several of the mentioned makers. Saber Defence made barrels, bolts and carriers for FN, Bushmaster, Noveske (bolts and carriers). Nordic Components make all sorts of parts, for at least 1/4 of all listed companies. I could go on, but you get the idea, or don't.
Maybe you guys think the New Process transmission in your Ford was made by Ford, and the New Process transmission in your Chevy was made by Chevy instead of the New Process transmission company, but everyone knows the New Process transmission in the Ford is better because Ford is engraved on it!

 

[Duncandl]

I went to buy a COLT Carry handle for my little rifle and was told that COLT makes all of them.

I was at the McDonalds on I-35 and 23rd street at midnight when I was informed of this...

I dunno.

 

[HiredHand]

2009 called and wants it’s AR manufacturer thread back.

 

[CSeverns]

Seadog typed "It is indeed hilarious and complete BS. Barrel and BCG is the important stuff. The rest is fluff."

What is hilarious is that you think everyone on that list makes their own barrels, bolts and carriers! Colt has used at least 3 different barrel makers at times to include GM and Diemaco, all licensed by Colt, but not made by Colt. Green Mountain barrels supply several of the mentioned makers. Saber Defence made barrels, bolts and carriers for FN, Bushmaster, Noveske (bolts and carriers). Nordic Components make all sorts of parts, for at least 1/4 of all listed companies. I could go on, but you get the idea, or don't.
Maybe you guys think the New Process transmission in your Ford was made by Ford, and the New Process transmission in your Chevy was made by Chevy instead of the New Process transmission company, but everyone knows the New Process transmission in the Ford is better because Ford is engraved on it!

I think they’ve all used the same aluminum forging companies for their parts. There’s maybe only 10 total across the country. I don’t think that an ambi billet lower and a gas piston upper should drive the price of any production gun into the $2000+ price range. The AR snobs just want the logo on their lower more than anything, then they’ll throw on an Eotech or a Nightforce scope just so they can take pictures of their guns to flex on each other on Facebook.

 

[HiredHand]

Being that he’s such an expert on AR-15 manufacturers, there are a lot of notable brands that this guy failed to mention. Apparently these all just slipped his mind:

Top tier: Battle Arms Development
Patriot Ordnance Factory
Primary Weapons Systems
Noveske Rifleworks
Zev Tech
Silencerco
Sionics Weapon Systems
Christiensen Arms
JP Enterprises
Noreen
DRD Tactical
Mid tier: Yankee Hill Machine
Lancer Systems
Odin Works
Troy Industries
IWI
Grey Ghost Precision
Black Rain Ordnance
Andro Corp.
Fostech
Alex Pro Firearms
KE Arms
Franklin Armory
Alexander Arms
Armalite (the company that actually developed the AR-15)
Windham Weaponry
Adams Arms
Standard Mfg.
HM Defense
Kopes Precision
Double star tactical
Mega Arms
Griffin Armament
Interarms
Cobalt Kinetics
Next Level Armament
ZRO Delta
Lower tier: SOTA
Core15
Radical
DPMS
ATI
Del-Ton
Diamondback
Olympic Arms

Yeah that’s basically just a cop-out because if he didn’t “draw the line somewhere,” his stupid little list might lose all of its credibility. As if it had any to begin with. This kid builds a few ARs and shoots a few high-end ARs and now he thinks he knows what he’s talking about. His philosophy is the more expensive, the better. But as we all know that’s not always the case with firearms. We’ve all fired some inexpensive gems and some overpriced turds. Its funny how he says the Knights Armament SR-15 is such an engineering masterpiece. That thing might be the most overrated and overpriced firearm ever made. You can pay about $1000-$1500 less for a LMT, Daniel Defense, or LWRCI and get the same performance out of it.

I bet most aren’t manufacturers, but more like assemblers from parts that are sourced from the companies actually make the parts.

Any functional differences might be in parts tolerances, if I had to make a guess.