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What makes an AR reliable or not?

4K views 55 replies 29 participants last post by  ChrisMD 
#1 ·
New to the AR world and have been doing quite a bit of reading. AR's vary in price wildly and I read a lot of opinions that this or that rifle is reliable or unreliable and "I wouldn't trust my life" to such and such gun/maker. But along with these remarks there isn't any follow up as to what the weak points of the said rifle are.

This has nothing to do with accuracy, triggers, optics ready or no, carbine/mid/rifle length, barrels, etc... I assume people are concerned about catastrophic failure of certain parts or function issues. I have read very few reports about rifles that have FTF, FTE, FTF, BCG failure(staked), etc... on guns that were well maintained of just about any price range?

If reasonable care is taken to select a gun that has parts from a know manugacturer made to the accepted minimum spec (mil spec) the guns seem to function fine?

What parts are you concerned with that make the gun reliable and dependable or not? Is it the springs (trigger, bolt, etc)? Bolt material (carp. 158 vs 9130)? Fitment of parts (upper/lower, bolt, etc....)? I'm looking for something other than that gun is a " POS and completely unreliable". Doesn't really tell a fellow much.

Happy Thanksgiving
 
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#2 ·
A few things that make an AR malfunction: Bad ejector or ejector spring, bad extractor or spring, misaligned gas block, bad magazines. Using a good quality BCG and magazines is the easy fix. I don't know of any one brand of AR that has a reputation for being unreliable. I've had some problems with my PSA premium upper, and no problems with my 4 year old Bushmaster. I'd say a good quality bolt carrier group goes a long way to insure reliability.
 
#3 ·
#4 ·
No doubt a decent gun but what makes that more reliable than other similar guns? Nuntfancy also praised the heck out of the sport II and said that it was the best value gun ever.

I hadn't intended this to be about which gun to buy but more about the features that make one gun more "reliable" than another.

Have a good one.
 
#6 ·
One of the big complaints about cheaper SW Sport II and Ruger AR556 is that they don't have "mil spec" barrels. I guess these AR experts must know something that I don't. Somehow the less than mil spec barrel must blow up or keyhole after a few hundred rounds or something, I guess.

I have about maybe 300-400 rounds shot through my SW Sport II and Ruger AR556. The Ruger's front sight pins fell off (problem with the first run that is now fixed by Ruger from the factory) and Ruger fixed it. So...my guns haven't gone through ten thousand rounds torture test, nor were they mud dipped tested. But for all intents and purposes, they should be able to help me defend my house and hearth, right? I mean, is there any reason why they both would just die during a possible home invasion shootout?

How reliable is reliable enough? Is life worth more than the $500 Ruger? If yes then how much more? My $900 Colt LE6920? My $800 Colt AR6720? Or just to be safe and use my $2500 SCAR16S exclusively? After all, it's 21st Century design and not mid-1950s design.
 
#8 ·
OP, quality parts, learning how to use it effectively, and proper maintenance are what make AR's reliable. Everybody has their own flavor, including the uber cheapy ones, the same as the $2000+ ones. I enjoy figuring it out for myself on the range.

One of the big complaints about cheaper SW Sport II and Ruger AR556 is that they don't have "mil spec" barrels. I guess these AR experts must know something that I don't. Somehow the less than mil spec barrel must blow up or keyhole after a few hundred rounds or something, I guess.

I have about maybe 300-400 rounds shot through my SW Sport II and Ruger AR556. The Ruger's front sight pins fell off (problem with the first run that is now fixed by Ruger from the factory) and Ruger fixed it. So...my guns haven't gone through ten thousand rounds torture test, nor were they mud dipped tested. But for all intents and purposes, they should be able to help me defend my house and hearth, right? I mean, is there any reason why they both would just die during a possible home invasion shootout?

How reliable is reliable enough? Is life worth more than the $500 Ruger? If yes then how much more? My $900 Colt LE6920? My $800 Colt AR6720? Or just to be safe and use my $2500 SCAR16S exclusively? After all, it's 21st Century design and not mid-1950s design.
Hell, I'd use the SCAR just for the shock and awe effect while telling the story during the press interviews. "Your home defense rifle retails for HOW MUCH????"
 
#12 ·
It all depends on what one's definition of reliability means to them; nothing more, nothing less.
Me?

Take a properly lubed AR, dump (3 ) 30-round mags through it as fast and safely a you can without any malfunctions.

Guess what?

Yes, it's probably as reliable as you will ever need.
 
#16 ·
If reasonable care is taken to select a gun that has parts from a know manugacturer made to the accepted minimum spec (mil spec) the guns seem to function fine?
First, "mil spec" would not be considered the "minimum spec." The military in combination with Colt, who had the exclusive on the technical data package (TDP) until just recently, worked very hard since the 1960s to get the AR/M4 family to the almost unheard of levels of reliability it is today.

Most manufacturers do not follow all of the requirements of the TDP.

Like it or not unless you have a quality manufacturer like Colt or FN, it is likely you are not getting the full TDP.

Most non-military people do not need the full TDP for a bedroom closet home defense rifle or even a "mall ninja" or "weekend camo-dress up" shooting session, but that is up to each owner. Is your life worth more or less?

I think Clint Smith is accused, at least, of having said that people should not do stupid things like building their own ARs. If he didn't say it, he should have.

I happen to agree. And, if you want a "real" M4, then get the Colt or FN. If price is a factor, then get the S&W Sport II or the Ruger AR556. There is no point to DD or any of the other real pricey rifles when for the same money you can get the real deal - Colt or FN.

There are other brands that people are real possessive of, especially if their pet brand is not included. They will likely be along momentarily to accuse me of all sorts of ignorance. So, I will just say this to those folks in advance, "get back with me when your pet brand gets the next military contract."
 
#17 ·
My cheap ass DPMS .308 was at least as functionally reliably as any of my Glocks, going 2500 total rounds with no malfunctions, the last 1500 of which were without cleaning (I would just add maybe a quarter teaspoon of motor oil each range trip to the bolt and carrier). I sold it to a friend and it was still going strong.

It really isnt hard to make an AR these days. Some features like staked gas keys *can* eliminate certain .01% failure modes, but again, it really isnt that hard to make an AR anymore.
 
#20 ·
Every AR I've shot or have shot with has been reliable. The only problems I ever really seen are due to an ammunition problem or magazine fault. With the exception of pistons which are proprietary, they are all pretty much copies of one design.

Materials might be different, coatings may differ, external hardware my differ, cosmetics may differ, but they are all pretty much the same. Same thing, different flavor.

I started with an S&W because I wasn't sure if I wanted to get into it and it was a cheap way to introduce myself into the genre. I now use S&W lowers and receivers for builds. I've also collected several other brands and calibers and none have shown to be anything but reliable.

If you do get one with a problem, or have a problem with one, unless it is major like a cracked forging, they are usually easy fixes.
 
#23 · (Edited)
You said it....I'm a newbie at building, the top of the line guys baught me along. I was gathering what I needed this same time last year. The two most important things to be aware of the BCG and the BARREL. I've built 5 this year and planning on one next year. (I hope I can only do one ).
I have had not one problem. I've switched to using Mobile 1 synthetic oil.
 
#25 ·
What makes an AR reliable or not?
The presence - or, sadly, the absence - of a Prancing Pony.

:rofl:

Sorry, ... couldn't resist.

Just bored here while the turkey's cooking. :popcorn:
 
#26 ·
#29 ·
#31 ·
Except for maybe two, my AR's are piston and all have regulators so I can tune the action depending on what I am shooting, if there is a suppressor, or it I want to shoot it as a single shot. You don't have to run them as wet. They don't get as dirty and are a lot easier to clean.

The trade off is price and a little more weight.
 
#32 · (Edited)
What makes an AR reliable? Building it from parts that work and play well together. A proper bolt carrier group, proper gas block, appropriate buffer tube, buffer and spring that all work together for the intended application.

I did a lot of research before building my first AR. It's a Frankengun built for longer range accuracy and hunting with an 18-inch fluted stainless barrel, rifle length gas system and a drop-in trigger. Topped with a 4-16X scope, it's been 100% reliable, accurate and fun. I've used it for deer hunting and gotten a few strange looks, but what the heck. The downside to this build is that with the heavy barrel and a Diamondhead 15-inch aluminum hand guard (which feels great!), the rifle tops the scales at right around ten pounds. It gets a bit heavy when carried around the woods.

The most recent "build" has been on a Colt LE-6920 OEM-1 which now wears OD Magpul SL furniture and a Sig Romeo 4M RDS (which is excellent BTW). The Colt has also been 100% reliable. The build quality is also better than they were a decade or more ago. Nothing has been altered or replaced internally. Its mil-spec trigger has been surprisingly good. The LE-6920 is light and quick on target with the RDS (tho I can also use the back up sights, just not nearly as quickly). It weighs in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces.

For those who say a carbine gas system has too much recoil, have they ever hunted or fired anything larger and more powerful? The rifle-length build has very little recoil and the Colt's carbine-length gas system isn't noticeably different. Compared to an '06, these feel like BB guns. I've also found them to be excellent training tools for learning how to shoot with both eyes open and for overcoming recoil anticipation or "flinch." Those lessons have also carried over into better handgun accuracy.

If you're going to be a casual user of the AR platform, you don't need to invest heavily and you don't need a chrome-lined barrel. (The 6920 has one because it follows mil-spec and uses the government profile barrel.) Keep asking questions, do your research, then find what works for you. The AR platform is modular and easily customized which is why they are sometimes referred to as Legos for adults.

Enjoy and be safe.

ETA: I forgot that I did change the 6920's safety to an ambi. Acquiring the OEM Colt part some time. I may also swap out the mil spec charging handle for an ambi, like a Raptor (just 'cause I like 'em).
 
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#36 ·
What makes an AR pattern rifle reliable (beyond the quality of the parts used, which in many cases is the same) is the fit of those parts;

I have a number of different brands- Colt, Anderson, CMMG, Palmetto, and they all run fine; My son's first build was a Palmetto, from parts, and it has run 100% since the very first shot; likewise, for the shooting school that we operate we use Palmetto M-4 profile rifles for school rentals, and they have also run flawlessly under hard use.....
 
#37 ·
If you want a reliable rifle to shoot a 5.56 round in without needing constant cleaning and lubing buy a Ruger Mini-14.
Yup, I agree, it costs about half of a AR15 and is great for a casual shooter ,rugged and reliable, and they also come in black just like the extra killy scary evil black AR's!
Firearm Gun Rifle Trigger Ranged weapon
 
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#40 ·
Yup, I agree, it costs about half of a AR15 and is great for a casual shooter ,rugged and reliable, and they also come in black just like the extra killy scary evil black AR's! View attachment 366236
I don't know where you get that price. AR's are cheaper than Mini-14's by half. Suggested retail for a new basic Mini is almost $1,000.00. Also, I have an older Mini-14 purchased in the late 70's that is no longer fully supported as some parts are no longer available so longevity is an issue.
 
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#42 ·
More than a few of you have mentioned "quality parts" when buying or building a reliable AR. What's a quality part? Do BCG's have to be high pressure tested, magnetic particle inspected, heat treated and shot peened, chrome lined, etc...? DO upper and lowers have to be made out of 7075? Forged or billet? Barrel and BCG bought as a matched set? Does every part have to be at least mil spec?

There has been a little jabbing a Colt in this thread and if you read around the same has happened to a number of different manufacturers. PSA would be another that seems to get a lot of grief. Some of the criticism of Colt I get the feeling is generated by disappointment that maybe they are not quite what they once were and PSA for having some budget "parts"? Yet they both seem to still shoot?

When talking about reliability I am not talking about shooter who goes out and runs a 1000 rounds a week or more through his AR shooting multiple mags in a row. For that I agree, you would want the best that you can possibly buy. Even then though, it seems as if most of the expense gives you longer life by preventing wear and ease of maintenance. If a gun is wearing out and will only give 8" groups at a 100yds it will still take care of the bad guy 45' away as long as it still goes bang.

Have a good one.....
 
#43 ·
I don't know where you get that price. AR's are cheaper than Mini-14's by half. Suggested retail for a new basic Mini is almost $1,000.00. Also, I have an older Mini-14 purchased in the late 70's that is no longer fully supported as some parts are no longer available so longevity is an issue.
I realize that it's just my area in new england that I can say that. Most Ar15's are banned around here and the grandfathered ones cost $1500 and up......everyone is buying Mini 14's now . They cost about $699 here for the base model wood/blue 5 round mag
 
#45 ·
I feel your pain. We have to keep modifying ours in some states to keep them.

There is nothing wrong with a Mini14. I've been thinking about getting another one myself and my brother recently purchased a target version. I was just pointing out the incorrect information on the price and the fact that support does drop due to production changes vs the AR.
 
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