Hindsight is always 20/20, so I would like to ask you guys to share some of your's with the rest of us. Knowing what you know now about the various manufacturers and variations of AR's, If you were going to buy your first AR15, which one would you chose and why? Please keep cost in mind, but not your bottom line. Thanks in advance for any help.

Nothing at all would change, my Bushmaster has been very kind to me, however if I were to start all over again Colt would be a big temptation, but Bushmaster would still be my first

I've always owned Colt or Bushmaster AR-15 rifles, so luckily I haven't ever had to experience any regrets.

Seriously, there are many fine manufacturers now.

I had a Cav Arms lower and threw a questionable upper on it,  never ran quite right, Id just buy a complete rifle.

Bushmaster. I've always paid a premium for Colt. Now I have a Bushy and I am sorry that I never bought them before. Fit, finish, function is flawless.


- rem

With what I know now I wished I'd moved to the US years ago.

I miss my handguns and semi auto rifles

Merry Christmas
Taffy

Not that I particularly regret any decision, but I've gone through a few parts in the quest to figure out what I like!

If you get a bad part, take it up with the Mfr. they should repair or replace.
If you get a part you don't like, just sell it - you'll get most of what you paid for it.

That said, I might have started out with a mid-length barrel...

or gotten wise 10 years ago and bought a machinegun!!

have nothing but Colts, no problems with them whatsoever.  Most were bought pre 1994 AWB, then bought a couple 6920's after the ban, so not really a Colt bigot per se, just happen to own all Colts.  Getting the urge to do a build it yourself thing, maybe get a Del Ton upper for starters

no change.
I build what I like/need/want and not care what anybody else says or does.

I would shoot more Wolf though

I should of not listened to a dumbass friend of mine who talked me into buying an armalite, said dumbass claimed 1/4 inch groups off the bench...I should have known that was B.S., now its Bushy and RRA for me......

ABC. not in any particular order.

Would have built a Midlength instead of an M4, and would have purchased the barrel already installed on the upper so no troubles with zeroing the components together

Nothing would change. My first was a standerd  20" A2, I bought it from a guy I was in the military with, it has an Armalite lower, with parts from who knows where. It never has jammed or anything, it is perfect.

My second AR was a Bushmaster lower with a M1S kit. I built it myself. That M1S kit is how I learned to fix ARs, from all the shit that was screwed up in that kit. I wouldn't  change a thing though, 'cause I learned so much from my expieriance.

It would definatly be a Bushmaster because a guy who co-owns a local gun shop will make more money off a colt brand sale but he told me why pay 200.00 dollars more for a colt when you do not get more gun for your money, buy a bushmaster he said and I did, 2 times that is, 20 inch target and 16 inch !

Very happy with my Rock Rivers,  they run flawlessly.  I owned about five Colts previously and see no difference in reliability for my purposes.  I'll go RRA for my next one too.

Merry Christmas,

Phil

Way back in '71 when I got started with AR-15 there was no choices so I got a Colt SP1.

I had a total of 6 Colts since my first one, but this year I got started again and I bought the same brand except it's a LE 6721 Tactical Carbine.

After I got my 6721, I changed the barrel with Denny's 16-inch Operator mid length gas system barrel, installed a LaRue 9.0 rails, Magpul MIAD grip and Vltor club foot modstock.

From what I have learned what brand had the least problems in carbine classes according to the instructors and students, the consensus is Colt.

If I would keep cost in mind, I would consider Stag Arms, RRA and LMT.

I would have come here first, did some research, then purchased! Instead I went to a show and purchased an Oly Plinker with cast lower, came home, did the Google search thing then stumbled upon ARFCOM and found out I could have done MUCH better!  

Owned both Bushmaster and Colt. My first was a pre-ban colt...traded for an POS FAL..what was I thinking!?!? Then I got a Bushmaster 16" HB during the ban. flawless performance, fine accuracy, traded it for a pre-ban olympic arms...again, WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!?!
Then sold it to buy a Norinco Type 56...great choice....then bought a Colt 6721 then a 6920...sold the 6721 to buy SP1, now bought a Bushy A3 20" but not here yet. Both colt and Bushmaster have been great...Olympic Arms.... Will buy Colt but strictly for collection, for everyday I will go Bushmaster...they both look the same and why pay $200-$300 more for an everyday gun.... Still like Colt rifles though

EDIT: I will not bother for the "tactical" short barrels, 20" government profile barrels for me from now on. No heavy barrels either, they are, well......HEAVY and I do not need 1/4MOA accuracy on my AR at 600 yards so why bother

I am a priss now. I would build mine from a ADCO barrel up.

I built all 4 of mine, and I'd do the same again. There are plenty of parts kits and lowers that are every bit the equal of Colt/Bushmaster, and you get exactly what you want for way cheaper. I can build two rifles for the gunshop price of a Colt. And don't talk to me about "resale value" - I will never sell them unless they accrue huge value due to a ban, in which case nobody will care if it has a pony on the side.

I would probably get a MSTN-built midlength with all the trimmings vs. the LMT M4 I got.  I love the M4, but I think I want more of a precision gun now.  That'll be AR #2.  Also, I wish I had made certain I was getting a Vltor with the easy to open compartments.  The Gen II compartments are a pain to get open.

As for complete rifles I have bought two. Both Bushies. Wouldn't go any other way for a complete rifle. However my next will be a build and probably all there after as well.

m4 instead of the heavy Bbl. 16''

Colt, they have never let me down and I have never, not in owning 8 Colts, needed theri customer service. ..I have a Bushmaster and their customer service, in regards to me, has sucked. Busmaster dropped the ball in taking care of a canted FSB that was on a un-altered, factory rifle.

Never agian will I buy a complete, factory built Bushmaster.

Bushmaster would probly be my first, DPMSwould be a close second and if I had the money, Rock Rivers.  I've been shootn DPMS and havent had any problems.  Woulda went with Bushmaster but didnt have the money at the time.

I would have bought about a dozen of the early PWA lowers when they were from the A1 forgings,  instead of the A2 forgings with the reinforcements, and used them on all of my retro builds.

I couldn't have gotten to where I am without taking the road I took.

I have always had ARs but only got really interested in them in the last year or so.  I read the forums, fingered some gear, and decided to build two rifles with the top two manufacturers of each type of gear.  This way I could make up my own mind as to what gear worked for me.  So if one rifle had a Larue rail, the other had DD, if one had an M4 barrel, the other had an A1, etc.  I'll try and post pics of the two after the hollidays.  I had already tried running a 16" HBAR and a 20" A1 and knew that neither of those fit my needs.

What I figured out is what works for me, for now.  That may change based on the kind of shooting I do in the future, but for now, for the competitions I shoot and the defensive role I envision for the gun(s), this is what works for me.

1)
Start with a Colt 6520.
Change out the upper receiver for a Colt M4 flattop.
Shave stock FSB and install Daniel Defense 9.0 forend.
Install Vltor stock over factory receiver extension.
Install Tango Down pistol grip.
Install Troy flipup front and rear BIUS.
Install Surefire light with Larue throwlever mount.
Install Aimpoint ML2 in Larue mount as well as interchanging with mini ACOG in Larue mount.

2)
Start with a second Colt 6520.
Install Colt M4 handguards.
Install A1 pistol grip and gapper.

2 is the backup/loaner for 1.  I don't need anything else.