I live not to far from a place called Quality Arms that makes AR's and I'm wondering if any of you guys here are familiar with them or know anything of them?

I don't have an AR yet, but I've been looking at them recently, trying to decide about getting one.  I don't know much at all (if anything) about them.

http://www.qualityarmsidaho.com/

I have never heard of them.  I did check out the website, not much info on the parts they use.  One thing that worries me is that they use a barska acog style scope on one of their AR models they sale for $1200, that doesn't give me warm feelings about the quality of their stuff.

Why does that bother you?  I'm truly new to AR's and so I have no idea why that would be bad.  Inferior equipment or improper equipment for the use intended or...?  Please expand a bit on your answer if you would.


Just for the sake of comparison, how does their Liberator compare to something like the RRA LAR-15 Tactical Opertator2 from Rock River Arms?
Similar?
Very different?
Better?
Worse?

And of course, why?

Thanks for your time.

Does that mean certain questions are off limits in this forum?  I understand what a troll is, but I didn't count on the fact that being uneducated about AR's would have me being labeled as a troll...

That is not my intent.  I have no ties to Quality Arms - as stated in the original post they are a company that is not too far from where I live, but be that as it may, that does not make them a quality shop - it was my intent to find out if I would be wasting my time in checking them out and thought the best place to ask would be an AR forum...

Cool - thanks for taking the time to answer - much appreciated.  So now knowing that, what would you recommend for a guy that doesn't know anything about AR's?  I don't really think I want to buy all the parts and build one myself, at least not until I'm more comfortable with the entire firearm itself.  Knowing that, is there a company that people recommend?  I don't necessarily want to drop several thousand dollars, but it does look like a guy could get started for somewhere between $1000 and $1500.  Is it realistic to think a guy could get a worthwhile AR in that price range or is that being too cheap?

You can get a damn good top of the line AR for that price range.
Look at
http://www.noveskerifleworks.com/
Bravocompanyusa.com
Daniel defense
Spikes tactical
You can find Colts for around 1000 now.
LMT

Call CDNN Investments in TX, get a Colt 6920 for $1099 + $20 shipping to an FFL dealer near you. Pay the dealer somewhere between $20-$40 and you will have *the* standard semi 16" M4 pattern rifle for under $1200. Buy a case of XM193 ammo for $300 and learn how to shoot it using the carry handle sight included with the rifle.

I'm not such a big Colt fanboy, but that is a great price from CDNN for as close to milspec as you're going to get.

in the $1000-1500 price range, you are going to get some of the best AR's on the market.
BCM, LMT, Colt, even the Noveske N4 Lite - Basic model

Personally i would take either a Colt LE6920 or BCM MID-16

i applaud your logic, as many people rush on here, throw something together not knowing the platform and end up with some POS frankengun...

I do not think he meant troll....I think he was thinking shill.

Most all of the local and not so local LEO's that have fired their rifles seem to like them. Only fingered one at a fun show, but seem like a decent rifle. When I get back from the field I am going to go test a few.

I would pass on those quality arms.  

In the current market you have MANY different options.  and that doesn't even come close.  

here is a build that would put you right where you want to be with the best parts youll get without going complete custom.  

DD Upper - $525
Spikes NiB BCG-$225
BCM CH - $25
SAA Complete Lower - $165

Thats a SOLID rifle, for $940 before shipping.  Rest of your budget can go to BUIS and an optic... id suggest a cheap Primary Arms optic for a starter if you HAVE to have an optic starting out.  

You could even trim some fat from that build and go with a cheaper BCG, but i personally think the NiB BCGs are the best in the business and well worth the extra cost.

This build is about 3 parts away from being just about the best you could buy... (not including optic, because top of the line optics can easily cost as much as the whole rifle)


Just my opinion, but its a drool worthy rifle.


ETA...

btw, i would value that Quality Arms rifle at about ... $6-700 value in the current market... and even then you have better options at that price point. (my opinion)


ETA again...

I forgot COMPLETELY about the Spikes Upper from AIM Surplus for $480  Thats another GREAT option if you don't want/need rails and a NiB BCG

Very cool - thanks guys.  I'm not sure what some of the acronyms are but I'll figure those out and see what I can come up with - thanks again for the help - much appreciated.

hey welcome and congrats on getting the black rifle disease!

I would go with what everyone else has said and buy a known brand. As Durabo has said you have way to many quality options to take a chance. I just picked up one of those Spikes uppers from AIM if they haven't sold out I would have said jump on that. Poke around on the sight a little bit you'll quickly get a feel for what brands rank where (in opinion and facts) and what you should be able to get for your money.

IMO the NiB BCG's arent necessary, the standard phosphate will handle everything you can throw at it. With your build I would just recommend putting it together yourselfl if you feel comfortable doing that (with a lower, I don't feel comfortable messing with uppers myself), it just feels great to sit back and see what you've created. Even if you don't do that, buying an upper and lower seperate should save you some money. Take a look at Spikes, Bravo Company Mfc, Daniel Defense, Colt etc. CDNN has Colt 6920's (considered the standard by many) for $1099 Here -  EDIt: oops paintitblack had said this. Oh well made it hot

ETA - Found Spikes LE Mid-length uppers here at primary arms for $474, not a bad deal at all

There you go, cleaned up those pesky acronyms for ya

Very cool - thanks again.  I'll start looking through all of this and I'm sure I'll have more questions thereafter.

**DD Upper - $525 DD - Daniel Defense (one of the best in the business)
-On this you have a few choices to make: Barrel, Lite Rail, Flash Hider

Barrel:
Govt Profile
Lightweight Profile
M4 Profile

I'm not sure what the differences are in those barrels.  Other than length, what is the difference and or benefit of one over the other?

Lite Rail:
I found the differences for these on the DD Page, so that I could actually get a visual comparison.  I kind of like the AR15 Lite Rail 12.0 FSP.  I assume that's just personal preference more than anything.

Flash Hider:
Three different options here - I assume they do pretty much the same thing?


**Spikes NiB BCG-$225 NiB - a coating put on the BCG (bolt carrier group) that self lubricates
-This one seems self explanatory.


**BCM CH - $25 BCM - bravo company machining (another top outfit) CH - Charging handle
-Again, just one part so it seems self explanatory.

**SAA Complete Lower - $165 SAA - Surplus ammo and arms (an inexpensive lower reciever assembly)
-I assume all the parts are there so this also seems self explanatory.





**So other than BUIS or an optic, is that everything you need for a functioning AR?  I'm guessing none of that comes with a magazine so a guy would have to find that as well?  And this might seem like a stupid question also, so once again please forgive my learning curve for a bit here, but I assume that's a 5.56 NATO caliber?  Or can that shoot a .223?  Or is that basically one and the same?  Or how do you determine what caliber it will be?

Thanks again, guys.

It is 5.56, but you can shoot .223 in it with zero problems.  The caliber will be stamped most often on the barrel.

This place is about 10 minutes from my house....I stopped in there a while ago and looked at their shop.  It is actually a desk next to a gunsafe in a Carpet store.  They seemed really proud of their stuff.  It was UTG and Sportsman's Guide level parts, with unknown name barrels and CTD scopes and such.  Had some nickel or chrome-plated bolt carriers that looked like they came out of a south-american cocaine lords' rifle.  The guy there also claimed you did not have to lube the rifle due to the chrome plated carrier.