FN F15 Military Classic 20" vs Colt AR15A4 vs BCM 20" A4 - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - FN F15 Military Classic 20" vs Colt AR15A4 vs BCM 20" A4

Posted: 5/30/2016 12:31:21 PM EDT

Like the title says, given The choice for a do it all SHTF 20" A4 build which would you go for and why?

ETA: and we're talking the newest FN with the RAS, UID, mil roll mark etc($1600) not the old ugly commercial one with white logo.

ETA2: Colt is about $1300, BCM can be built for about $1000, and FN is $1600

Posted: 5/30/2016 12:36:10 PM EDT

[#1]

Colt.

Posted: 5/30/2016 12:38:11 PM EDT

[#2]

Personally I am a Colt guy. However, I wouldn't feel bad having a BCM either.

Posted: 5/30/2016 12:55:15 PM EDT

[#3]

If you're not trying to do a .mil clone and don't care about the logo, I would get the BCM. Especially if the prices you quoted are accurate.

I would trust any of those manufacturers so it would just come down to price.

Posted: 5/30/2016 12:57:14 PM EDT

[#4]

Aero 20" rifle is nice.

Posted: 5/30/2016 1:01:19 PM EDT

[#5]

Which one would hold their value the best?

Posted: 5/30/2016 1:04:47 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
Which one would hold their value the best?

View Quote

Probably the Colt.

Posted: 5/30/2016 1:36:07 PM EDT

[#7]

Colt.......

Posted: 5/30/2016 2:02:31 PM EDT

[#8]

Get the BCM!

Full length rifles are best rifles.

Posted: 5/30/2016 2:05:15 PM EDT

[#9]

Wait till colt starts making the A4 again. During the last batch, the standard price was around 1000. I think I paid 875 shipped and transferred for mine last summer.

Posted: 5/30/2016 2:15:31 PM EDT

[#10]

Colt had some early issues with the 20 inch rifles when they brought them back but those seem to have been fixed.

If it is a shooter I'd go with the BCM rifle. I'm a little biased as I went with them when they were the only option and have been very happy. The last few colts I've seen just don't have that nice of a finish on them. Things like forging marks on the lowers, bad anodizing, etc. It isn't that they will not run, just that I'd rather have the BCM.

Posted: 5/30/2016 2:23:38 PM EDT

[#11]

The Colt is damn near unobtanium right now. Colt is what I would choose, but I would end up going with the BCM since its in stock. The FN seems interesting with the collectors marketing, but the BCM will come in cheaper and you can always buy a new RAS kit in the EE for really cheap.

Posted: 5/30/2016 2:34:24 PM EDT

[#12]

With Colt QC taking big hits over the years...BCM all the way baby!

Posted: 5/30/2016 3:05:55 PM EDT

[#13]

Colt:

I own a Colt M4.
They make really good barrels.
Holds value better than any other brand.
No, there QC is not lacking regardless of what a poster states with zero data to back up a claim. Anecdotal comments to persuade someone should be taken with a grain of salt.
Can proably be found for less money than your other listed options.

All three are good rifles but a Colt will always be a Colt.

Posted: 5/30/2016 3:37:52 PM EDT

[#14]

Regardless of the price difference, the FN all day long. Personally, I built my own A4s.

Posted: 5/30/2016 6:23:17 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:

Colt:

I own a Colt M4.
They make really good barrels.
Holds value better than any other brand.
No, there QC is not lacking regardless of what a poster states with zero data to back up a claim. Anecdotal comments to persuade someone should be taken with a grain of salt.
Can proably be found for less money than your other listed options.

All three are good rifles but a Colt will always be a Colt.

View Quote

I've seen talk on here, m4carbine, and reddit on the lack of finish quality. Their was a thread on m4 about some of the issues with the front sights on the a4 colt as well. Reddit had a post a few months ago of one with really bad anodizing.

The last colt I bought(6920) was a gift for my nephew that we plan on teaching him how to shoot on. It had pretty bad forging lap(I think thats what it is called) around the trigger. Will it effect function? No. Is it a sign of bad QC? I say yes. Just because it is a tool doesn't mean that finish shouldn't matter. BCM has said their stuff is tools before and might not have perfect finishes but form my experience they usually are pretty good.

Here is a picture of some marks on one from a thread on here.
http://s117.photobucket.com/user/thatonekidmatt/media/Colt2.jpg.html

I'm not saying that the colt is a bad option, chances are it will run great. The cosmetics might be a notch or two below the other two options(can't really speak for the FN's as I haven't really seen much on them).

Posted: 5/30/2016 7:06:05 PM EDT

[#16]

Simple, Colt. But, I would not turn any of them down.

Posted: 5/30/2016 7:09:27 PM EDT

[#17]

My first choice would be a Colt, then a BCM, and finally the FN. But what do I know?!?

Posted: 5/30/2016 7:17:29 PM EDT

[#18]

IF...the FN had a cold hammer forged 20" barrel (something I simply prefer), and...
IF...the FN lower was marked "Safe, SEMI, Burst" instead of "Safe, FIRE, Burst", and...
IF...the FN UID label data matrix was of the .mil format instead of the .communist (commercial) one, and...
IF...the price total for the FN was about $400 less, well then...

I'd probably purchase one of their A4 clones, but honestly - That's simply way too many "IFs" for me to compromise on @ a $1600 price point.

I'd vote to roll your own on a custom engraved 80% lower, but it wasn't listed among the poll options, so instead I checked "Colt".

Personally, I built one up around an original Bushmaster brand rifle (Windham, ME) which has worked out just fine for me thus far.

FlDiveCop71

Posted: 5/30/2016 9:10:41 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
IF...the FN had a cold hammer forged 20" barrel (something I simply prefer), and...
IF...the FN lower was marked "Safe, SEMI, Burst" instead of "Safe, FIRE, Burst", and...
IF...the FN UID label data matrix was of the .mil format instead of the .communist (commercial) one, and...
IF...the price total for the FN was about $400 less, well then...

I'd probably purchase one of their A4 clones, but honestly - That's simply way too many "IFs" for me to compromise on @ a $1600 price point.

I'd vote to roll your own on a custom engraved 80% lower, but it wasn't listed among the poll options, so instead I checked "Colt".

Personally, I built one up around an original Bushmaster brand rifle (Windham, ME) which has worked out just fine for me thus far.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u235/FLDiveCop71/IMAG0277.jpg

FlDiveCop71

View Quote

That looks really nice

Posted: 5/30/2016 9:55:04 PM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
Colt.

View Quote

Posted: 5/30/2016 10:34:40 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:

I've seen talk on here, m4carbine, and reddit on the lack of finish quality. Their was a thread on m4 about some of the issues with the front sights on the a4 colt as well. Reddit had a post a few months ago of one with really bad anodizing.

The last colt I bought(6920) was a gift for my nephew that we plan on teaching him how to shoot on. It had pretty bad forging lap(I think thats what it is called) around the trigger. Will it effect function? No. Is it a sign of bad QC? I say yes. Just because it is a tool doesn't mean that finish shouldn't matter. BCM has said their stuff is tools before and might not have perfect finishes but form my experience they usually are pretty good.

Here is a picture of some marks on one from a thread on here.
http://s117.photobucket.com/user/thatonekidmatt/media/Colt2.jpg.html

I'm not saying that the colt is a bad option, chances are it will run great. The cosmetics might be a notch or two below the other two options(can't really speak for the FN's as I haven't really seen much on them).

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

Colt:

I own a Colt M4.
They make really good barrels.
Holds value better than any other brand.
No, there QC is not lacking regardless of what a poster states with zero data to back up a claim. Anecdotal comments to persuade someone should be taken with a grain of salt.
Can proably be found for less money than your other listed options.

All three are good rifles but a Colt will always be a Colt.

I've seen talk on here, m4carbine, and reddit on the lack of finish quality. Their was a thread on m4 about some of the issues with the front sights on the a4 colt as well. Reddit had a post a few months ago of one with really bad anodizing.

The last colt I bought(6920) was a gift for my nephew that we plan on teaching him how to shoot on. It had pretty bad forging lap(I think thats what it is called) around the trigger. Will it effect function? No. Is it a sign of bad QC? I say yes. Just because it is a tool doesn't mean that finish shouldn't matter. BCM has said their stuff is tools before and might not have perfect finishes but form my experience they usually are pretty good.

Here is a picture of some marks on one from a thread on here.
http://s117.photobucket.com/user/thatonekidmatt/media/Colt2.jpg.html

I'm not saying that the colt is a bad option, chances are it will run great. The cosmetics might be a notch or two below the other two options(can't really speak for the FN's as I haven't really seen much on them).

Forging lap? You mean the flashing? How is that bad qc? It literally has no effect on anything, all Colts, H&R, GM, FN, and even Balimoy military M16's have it, you mean to say all those companies have bad qc?

William

Posted: 5/31/2016 1:07:23 PM EDT

[#22]

Those are all excellent, so you're not going to make a bad choice.

If I had to pick one then I'd pick the Colt based on Molon's accuracy success with factory Colt barrels.

FWIW, my Colt AR15A4 that I picked up at the LGS a couple montha ago was $999:

Posted: 5/31/2016 1:33:35 PM EDT

[#23]

All I can say is that is a tough choice. My guess is you'd be happy with any of them.

Posted: 5/31/2016 3:24:24 PM EDT

[#24]

BCM because it has M4 fee ramps.

if the FN came with M4 ramps, it'd take that first though.

Posted: 5/31/2016 3:40:36 PM EDT

[#25]

Colt... It's the only one of the three choices that is known to come with a 7075 buffer tube.

I'm pretty sure that all three of the choices have M4 feed ramps.

Posted: 5/31/2016 3:58:57 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:

BCM because it has M4 fee ramps.

if the FN came with M4 ramps, it'd take that first though.

View Quote

The Colt has M4 feed ramps.

Posted: 5/31/2016 4:03:16 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
Colt... It's the only one of the three choices that is known to come with a 7075 buffer tube.

I'm pretty sure that all three of the choices have M4 feed ramps.

View Quote

ah, i see they got on that wagon, good.

in that case, i'd take the PSA built upper with the FN CHF barrel and 7075 upper.