Looking to buy my 1st AR and I'm very confused. I was set on a bushmaster and was told today that they jam easy. Pre-ban or post-ban. And a lot of other considerations. Please someone direct me in the right direction. Thanks, Trucker

Trucker; Bushmaster is arguably the best production AR15 today.  And better than most "custom" ARs.  Whoever told you Bushys jam easy did not know what he was talking about.

/r,

Deucer01  

Bushmaster
ARH

Hey,
You might want to take a serious look at Rock River Arms.
I have two of there lowers and they are SWEET.
I also have a Colt and I think the RRA is just as good if not better.
Hope this helps.
GSX

ARMALITE

As for postban vs. preban, it depends on what you want and how much you want to spend.  A postban will cost much less but the prebans are more deliciously evil since you can have a flash hider, bayonet lug, and telescoping buttstock.

I do have two friends with Bushmasters and maybe it's their magazines, but they do seem to have a problem with failure to feed.

You won't go wrong with either a Bushmaster or an Armalite. FTF's are almost, if not always, mag related. Get a factory assembled one for your first, unless you're mechanically inclined.
You'll find that there are some folks that are completely loyal to their favorite brand (Hi LARRYG), but that is usually because they have had nothing but good experience with said brand, and maybe not so good experience with another brand. It used to be that Colt was the way to go, but between their quality slipping and aftermarket manufacturers getting better, that's no longer the case, IMHO.
Pre-ban costs a lot more and the only advantages are you can have a telescoping stock, bayonet lug, and flash hider. Post ban guns shoot just as well and are just as effective, especially if you're just going to be plinking or shooting at paper targets.

Quoted: Looking to buy my 1st AR and I'm very confused. I was set on a bushmaster and was told today that they jam easy. Pre-ban or post-ban. And a lot of other considerations. Please someone direct me in the right direction. Thanks, Trucker

Trucker I'm prejudiced in favor of the ArmaLite M15A4 probably because that's what I have and like !

Whatever brand you finally decide on consider getting the flattop receiver.  That receiver gives you a ton of scope/mount options not available on carry-handle guns.

For your first AR (Here I'm betting it won't be your last !) get a post-ban rifle.  After you've shot the post-ban for a while and you like the AR then start looking for your pre-ban.

Also make sure your rifle (or carbine ?) comes with a 1:9 twist barrel as this twist gives you the most versatility with ammunition.

The Armalite/Colt/Bushmaster/RRA/etc. war of religon always amazes me. It actually kept me away from buying an AR because it seemed like everyone's guns were always jamming and having trouble.

Any of the brands above are well made guns when maintained properly and fed good ammo are going to function. There's no history with any of the makers that ties them back with the original AR any more... research Armalite and Colt to discover how far they are from the original companies.

The biggest thing I see is that there's a massive false economy where people will buy a $1500 rifle and then put some who-knows-where-it-came-from 80's vintage ammo "stored in a blast furnance under a waterfall" to save a few pennies. The funny part is that they'll blame the rifle when the thing gets all gummed up from lacquer and unburnt power. ("That damn Bushalite Arms OM-15 has jammed on every other round since I picked it up, what a piece of junk. Yeah, I'll take another case of the Molf 223, can't pass it up for that price!")

I like my Bushmaster which hasn't had a problem with a single cycle yet. But set new AR's from all the makers side by side firing the same good quality ammo and I think you'll get bored waiting for the first failure.

The prices are all pretty close so pick whichever maker gives you the configuration you want. I doubt it will be the only AR you ever buy anyways.

I have Bushys and a Rock River.  They are both great and function well.  No recurring probs with jams on either.  If I were buying my first right now, I would look very closely at the LEGP offered here.  It is a great gun for a price that you can't find elswhere.

As I own several different makes including Colt, Bushmaster, Oly, and Armalite, I'd recommend an Olympic Arms for a first AR-15.  The price is probably the lowest and the gun functions great too.  I hear that Olys don't like Russian ammo because of their tight chmabers.  I haven't had this problem, so I can't address it.  I'd say that Bushmaster which I agree with the above is probably the best made rifle out right now would be my second choice for a 1st AR-15.  The price is only a little more and you're getting the best rifle for it.  Buy Colt only if you are buying an investment as they hold their value well.  This is because so many people are willing to pay a fortune for the little pony logo on the side and don't care about the quality.

I would either go with a Colt, Bushmaster, or a DPMS. These guns are all about the same price and are the highest quality AR-15's made. Bushmaster and DPMS might be a little better and cheaper than a colt. I would aslo not get an olympic arms. A friend of mine had one and it jammed up all the time then  he had to replace the upper on it.

Bushmaster Dissipator(16") or Target(20"); A3.

If you're mechanically inclined, you might consider building one (sort of). Gunsmoke Enterprises sells new RRA stripped lowers for $95 and has a free shipping offer to boot. Get an FFL holder to receive the lower who won't stick you too badly. Next, get a Bushmaster XM15 E2S kit (Gunsmoke has 'em on sale for $575) sent to a family member or friend (so you can get free shipping on that, too). Assemble the lower and attach the upper. You've got a total of $670 tied up in the gun itself unless the FFL takes a cut.

Bushmaster or ArmaLite? Six of one, half-a-dozen of the other. Go with whatever deal's best.

There seems to be something of a consensus for Armalite, Bushmaster, and Colt, but no one has addressed Castle Arms.  I was considering getting the LEGP rifle, can someone testify as to the quality of AR-15's from Castle?

Regards,
FooBarBaz

Another vote for Armalite... I own both Bushy and Armalite, and the quality of my Armalite rifles is first-rate.  That being said, I've never had any type of 'jam' with either Bushmaster or Armalite I didn't create myself... anyone who says a Bushie will 'jam' should spend more time at the range learning the weapon and how to care for it...

Get you a truck-load of USGI magazines and go have fun... No matter if you settle on Bushmaster, Armalite, Colt, Rock River, or build it yourself, you'll have the best weapon system you can get...

But beware... betcha can't own just one...

My vote is for Bushmaster, then Armalite..  Both are great..  

I have a Bushmaster, and I love it!  I hear good things about Armalite, too.  IMHO, you can't go wrong with a Bushmaster or an Armalite.  Either way, get some of that Lake City XM193 ammo while you still can...it is AWESOME!

My first AR was a Cavalry Arms plastic lower.  I was cheap, wanted low cost, and assembling myself was the only way.....

        AMERICAN SPIRIT ARMS
I know some of you will not agree. The only people who don't agree that ASA makes a fine rifle are the ones who get most of their AR knowledge from this website. That is not a bad thing it just means you are uniformed.

Quoted: You won't go wrong with either a Bushmaster or an Armalite. FTF's are almost, if not always, mag related. Get a factory assembled one for your first, unless you're mechanically inclined. You'll find that there are some folks that are completely loyal to their favorite brand (Hi LARRYG)

Hey, I'm not the only one guilty of that.  

Quoted: Quoted: You won't go wrong with either a Bushmaster or an Armalite. FTF's are almost, if not always, mag related. Get a factory assembled one for your first, unless you're mechanically inclined. You'll find that there are some folks that are completely loyal to their favorite brand (Hi LARRYG) Hey, I'm not the only one guilty of that.

I didn't mean to imply that you were!! Just that your post was the one directly prior to mine so it would be easy to see what I meant.
Sorry!!!

And FooBarBaz said:

There seems to be something of a consensus for Armalite, Bushmaster, and Colt, but no one has addressed Castle Arms. I was considering getting the LEGP rifle, can someone testify as to the quality of AR-15's from Castle?

Castle doesn't make the LEGP rifles. Last year's was from RRA and this year it's a DPMS. Both are great deals though and would certainly be worthy of consideration. I have the 2001 LEGP and it's great. Still thinking about getting this year's model too, but I already have 5 AR's....  Thinking about an AR10 or the ZM deal.

Go with the Bushmaster. Mine has had no problems that haven't been caused by the operator. (I learned about the cam pin the hard way! J/K)

Follow your abc's...

Armalite, Bushmaster, Colt, DPMS.

I have a DPMS and it has been flawless.  Highly recommended!!!!!  

 Just don't go out and buy a Hess or some other kind of gun that looks like an AR. Out of the pool of rifles that me and my buddies shoot...3 Colts (absolutely flawless)but parts are not spec and it may be easier to buy off someone currently dealing with the public so that you can get parts if needed.  Bushmaster has great customer service but the only reason I know this is because we had to send back 2 and other buddy should have sent back 3rd for failure to extract but he's an idiot. I would also buy a whole gun and not some 'unknown' upper for a cheaper price.I had these same questions before and I still don't know the answers but whatever you get make sure there is a warranty because it might be cheaper in the long run.

My first AR was an Armalite.  I have nothing but good things to say about that good ol' rifle.  
My feeling is shared, I think, by many others here (wouldn't ever speak for them, of course), and it is that you ought to think about what features are most important to you:

Mil Spec?
Customer Service and Warranty?
Name?
Price?
Fit and Finish?
Free Case?
Optics?

I'd suggest making a list, looking at the rifles next to one another if you can, and going from there.  I think that these posts will indicate that opinions concerning the final choice among "good" ABC names are like bellybuttons. . .  

I second what everyone above me said...

www.bushmaster.com

Surf the catalog and find what you like. For a first AR I'd recommend a carbine length gun. It will serve well in most any shooting situation. Go with a post ban and an A3 (removable carry handle/ flat top) upper. You will thank yourself later. My personal recommendation for a first AR-15 for anyone:



www.bushmaster.com/shopping/weapons/pcwa2x14m4my.asp

It's the M4 look alike (M4's are all the rage with SpecOps) it has a pinned in place telescopic looking stock and no bayo lug. There is a compensator on the end instead of a flash hider, and the one in the pic does not show the flat-top but it is an available option. It will look much better when you ditch that cheesy 10 round mag and put in a USGI 30 round mag too.

Get the Bushmaster.  I don't have any probs with mine.  Instead of buying Expen$ive AR15 from start, buy Bushmaster and you can use the money saved to customize your AR later on.  Thats what I did.  As for Pre and Post.  Only difference is that pre comes with flash hider, bayonet lug and you can mount collapsible stock.  You'll most likely pay few hundred dollars more for pre and it will most likely be used.  To me AR15 is AR15.  I don't care if its preban or postban.  I don't need flash hider and I don't need bayonet lug.      

Depends on your budget.  I bought an Oly A2 20-inch HB over the same model Bushmaster because I could work a trade deal with one dealer.  Has had zero failures with 4 or 5 different types of ammo. (I clean it well.) Just built a Century/Model 1 16 inch kit; same reliability.

If you take all the good advice above, you will find one overriding truth.  AR's if carefully assembled from decent parts and equipped with USGI mags will all function reliably.  Bad rifles do occur occasionally in all brands, and most makers will make it right.  

Buy a post-ban in whatever config you want and have fun.  

Lots of good info...get what you can afford and don't forget some M-16/AR-15 literature to go with it...and lots and lots of ammo!!! Have fun!
I have a custom gun...Oly Ultra Match barrel, FN upper, PWA preban lower and a rucksack full of gizmos....it just goes on and on and on....

Brand aside.

Are you going to shoot some club matches, varmints, tin cans?  
This would affect your choice of length and config. such as flat top, stock etc.  
The LEGP gun that they sell here looks like a good value.   You can always chang the upper latter.   It looks legal for CMP matches (civilian marksmanship program).
I shoot a Bushmaster post ban 20 inch HBAR bone stock.   The only reason I chose it over a DPMS or RRA is because I got it new for $700.00 .  I figured that i would spend the extra bones on ammo, and quality sling, and mags.  I'll upgrade the barrel and trigger latter.