This topic does indeed come up on a fairly regular basis. Here is what I seem to notice. Guys who own a couple AR's or so will say how their DPMS is as good as their Bushmaster or Colt, or whatever. Or, how their friends DPMS is as good as everyone else's gun. How their gun has never had a malfunction or some similar story. One thread not too long ago had a gunsmith saying how many AR's he builds from DPMS kits and parts. As I recall, he never once mentioned having shot any of them extensively though.

Then theres the people who have used a wide selection of ARs over a long period of time. People who have put a lot of rounds through a wider variety of guns. These people tend to complain on DPMS quite a bit more. They have seen more problems over time and through a far more extensive test sample than the guys who have seen and really USED maybe a dozen (usually less) different ARs in their life.

Im sure both parties have valid points. The problem is the former group doesnt believe the latter group because their one or two guns run great. They cant seem to grasp that the maybe because their rifle runs great, another DPMS might not have met someone else's expectations.

When you see professionals, who give classes most every weekend of the year saying you might want to reconsider the purchase of a DPMS, consider that these folks see more rifles in a month than most of us will see in our lives. They keep logs of malfunctions and problem guns, and when a manufacturers name keeps popping up in the log, its enough to take notice.

I think the fact is, every manufacturer has their problems, some just have more than others. Some of these problems are more serious than others. When you take a look at two guns that are set up very nearly the same way, and one is several hundred dollars less than the other, do you really think that the one company can just afford to sell the same quality gun for that much less? The folks who think the less expensive DPMS is as good as the gun from that other manufacturer (insert brand name here), which costs much a few to several hundred dollars more are simply fooling themselves.

This doesnt necessarily mean the gun is a piece of crap. It may in fact meet your needs. In the end it probably depends as much on what your expectations of the gun is. If you are looking for something fun to hit the range with a several times a year, the less expensive gun will probably meet and possibly exceed your needs. And if so, good for you. However, if you are expecting to shoot many more rounds out of your gun in classes, or competition, or, in the world where people carry rifles to protect themselves and others, it might not be the time to be looking to find a "bargain".