Ok... decided on my first AR...

[Scott in Houston]

I haven't purchased yet, but of all that I looked at, this seemed to fit my needs the best.

I like the 1/7 twist that I didn't find on the RRA, S&W, or DPMS that I looked into. I really liked all those rifles for their price point, but I kept going to back to the Colt 6920. I have a few (3) military friends who kept telling me to stay away from Colt. That shocked me, but it made me look around.

I fell in love with this rifle:


My guess is that it's going to be similar to the Colt. I don't believe my buddies that I wouldn't be happy with a Colt, but now in comparing them side by side, I gave the slight edge to the Sig 516. Its fit & finish is fantastic and it just seems well balanced.
I haven't shot it or the Colt, so I'm relying on what I've read and how they feel.
The Sig just "feels" right to me for the price.

I'll likely dump the red dot not too far down the road, and I know I need to get some BUIS. That's my first priority along with a tac light.

I hope to pick it up this month. $1350 at my local gun shop.


I started another thread asking about AR's here.
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=40915" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for all your help!

[74novaman]

Just curious by why are you planning on dumping the red dot?

[Scott in Houston]

Just curious by why are you planning on dumping the red dot?

I've read, so I'm only basing this on what I've read, that it doesn't stay true as well as the higher end EOTechs, etc.

I think it will be just fine for a lot of shooting and getting up and running with it, but I plan on doing 3-gun matches and I think I'll need something a little higher quality.

[eureka40]

"I hope to pick it up this month. $1350 at my local gun shop."

I don't know about that, seems kind of high for an AR. That's 2x what I paid just last year. That counts for a lot of ammo and other goodies.

[rm9792]

Colt doesnt make a magic rifle. I am willing to bet that Sig shoots every bit as good as any factory colt. Just as reliable too. I am not sure why Colt impresses people so much, I have some Colt 1911's and they dont seem any better or worse than the Springers or high end Kimbers.

[jeeperbryan]

"I hope to pick it up this month. $1350 at my local gun shop."

I don't know about that, seems kind of high for an AR. That's 2x what I paid just last year. That counts for a lot of ammo and other goodies.

I concur. Seems a bit expensive for a Sig AR. I can think of 3 or 4 manufacturers that would be a better use of $1350. But if it's what you want, go for it.

[Scott in Houston]

"I hope to pick it up this month. $1350 at my local gun shop."

I don't know about that, seems kind of high for an AR. That's 2x what I paid just last year. That counts for a lot of ammo and other goodies.

I concur. Seems a bit expensive for a Sig AR. I can think of 3 or 4 manufacturers that would be a better use of $1350. But if it's what you want, go for it.

Would love to hear which you'd recommend. I'm always looking for new info.

[eureka40]

"I hope to pick it up this month. $1350 at my local gun shop."

I don't know about that, seems kind of high for an AR. That's 2x what I paid just last year. That counts for a lot of ammo and other goodies.

I concur. Seems a bit expensive for a Sig AR. I can think of 3 or 4 manufacturers that would be a better use of $1350. But if it's what you want, go for it.

Would love to hear which you'd recommend. I'm always looking for new info.

I would for sure look at something like this:

http://www.gtdist.com/ProductDetail.asp ... =SW-311003" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm not sure, but maybe, CDNN might have a better deal than this. It's just my old fart dummy opinion that 1350 is a little steep, that's all I'm saying. Just trying to help. I'll shut up now.

[Scott in Houston]

Don't shut up. I appreciate the opinion and tip.


That's a nice rifle alright. I like the S&W. The thing about this Sig that I'm attracted to is the gas piston. It keeps is *very* clean. And normally you can't find a gas piston setup in a rifle less than $1800.
Also, it comes with a 'decent' red dot optic. The jury's still out on that being really good or not, but it's better than nothing. I like that it has the Troy quad rail already.
Also comes with a real nice hard case. :)

I just wish it had BUIS already.

[WEC]

Disclaimer: I tend to lean more towards DI AR's than gas piston.

IMHO, piston AR's are a solution looking for a problem. I don't clean my DI AR's but every ~1500-2000 rounds, and we're talking the most spartan of cleaning, and they run without a hiccup. I just keep them properly lubricated and every once in a while wipe down the BCG.

That being said, it all starts with your intended purpose for the rifle. Plinking, hunting, competition, long range shooting, home defense, carbine course, duty?

This is only my opinion, but Sigarms USA has taken Sig firearms from "doing one thing and doing it well" to a market-based, sale-oriented company. Their quality has declined markedly since the days of German-made pistols. They are making all sorts of odds and ends now, forsaking quality for quantity. They still make some quality guns, but they are a far cry from the Sig of yesteryear. The 516 is yet another installment of my sentiment. Sig issued a recall for the 516, but issued no particular reason for it.

I do understand the appeal of piston AR's, but I feel that if you're going to get one, save the green, go for the gusto and get a LWRC. Buy once, cry once.

Regardless of your choice, the bottom line is this: if you shoot well with it and you like it, by all means, buy it! Good luck with your purchase.

[gigag04]

For that price you're getting into LMT or BCM territory. If you dont want a Colt those are the next two I would look at at.

[eureka40]

Good info here too:

http://www.texasguntalk.com/forums/rifl ... ng-ar.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck.

[Scott in Houston]

Thanks everyone. More good info. :)

No purchase has been made yet, so I appreciate the pointers.

[The Annoyed Man]

The thing about this Sig that I'm attracted to is the gas piston. It keeps is *very* clean.

Gas-pistons aren't new. I have an M1A, which is basically an extension of the M1 Garand design of the mid 1930s, and it has a gas-piston. You still have to clean the receiver group and keep it properly lubed. A rifle's chamber will still become dirty without gas blowback from a tube. That fouling will still accumulate around the bolt, bolt face, and the receiver. A gas-piston design doesn't guarantee cleanliness. It simply reduces the amount of fouling around the chamber and the receiver and its parts, and it makes cleaning them easier. If it weren't so, you would never have to clean a bolt action rifle.

I have nothing against gas pistons. I think my M1A's system is pretty cool. But I just like for there to be clarity about their use in the real world. A gas piston won't keep your rifle spic and span. It will merely reduce the amount of effort to clean it, and it will fire a lot more rounds before become too fouled to fire. But if you don't clean your gas piston rifle with some regularity, you will sooner or later experience failures related to fouling. Furthermore, you still have to lube them about the same amount, and they will go "dry" about as fast as any other semi-automatic "assault" type rifle. They aren't an absolute panacea, but they are being marketed as if they were, and manufacturers are charging a pretty penny for adding this gizmo to your rifle. Gas-pistons are a good idea, and there are some reliability benefits to having one if you are stuck in a protracted firefight and burning up lots and lots of ammo. But if you ask any professional who stakes his life on a gas-piston AR type rifle if he cleans and lubes it any less often than he did the direct gas impingement rifle he carried before, he would think it was a dumb question.

I don't say these things to discourage you from buying a gas-piston AR. By all means get one. I wouldn't mind having one myself. They are pretty nifty. That said, they aren't the be all end all, and my direct gas impingement ARs are clean and lubed and reliable because I keep them that way, and not because of any magical set of parts.

[gigag04]

Regards,

A gas piston AR owner/user