Need help with a decision

[Stinger]

I am going to purchase my first AR and have narrowed it down to the Charles Daly M4LE and the Daniel Defense M4 XV Carbine. I like the features of both and from the reviews they both sound like they are very well built. The price difference is marginal between the two.

As a first AR, my expectations are a little unclear. I primarily will see it as a target rifle, doing some limited local club competitions, using it in Appleseed events and just getting used to shooting this type of weapon. I have primarily shot handguns and a Marlin 22LR to date. I am not anticipating making it a tacticool weapon, just looking for something accurate and reliable.

I would appreciate any input from you all if one is clearly better than the other or is it a coin flip.

Thanks from a new guy

[spamsammich]

Get the DD, you get a flared mag well and a hammer forged barrel for dirt cheap. The CD is a good gun for the money, the DD is an amazing bargain as well as the better gun.

[bigcoastie]

I would definately get the DD, right now if you buy one from a dealer you get a voucher for 250$ of Daniels Defense gear which you can pretty much get an omega rail for or whatever you need, at that price w/ the deal you really can't go wrong.

[Stinger]

One concern that was voiced by a friend of mine is that neither one of these guns (DD or CD) have been used by the Military or police departments which would imply they arent reliable. Your reaction??

[CCK]

I think its a toss up between the two for quality. I would put the DD ahead only for the 250 credit right now.

Chris

[jeeves915]

Stinger:
Both are new weapons, and thus haven't been fielded by police departments. However, I'm fairly certain the DD is GTG. If Stickman pays this thread a visit, I'm fairly certain he'll weigh in on sharing the same opinion. However, I could be wrong. The CHF barrel in the DD is a nice touch for the money, IMHO

Admission: I own a DD M4 that I think the world of.

Also, for similar money, you could souce a build from BCM, piecing together their built lower, a middy upper, etc. Their stuff IS bulletproof.

So, if it was MY money being spent, it'd be on either the DD or the BCM.
-Adam

[Stinger]

I am definitely leaning toward the DD. I am anxious to get my first AR. This has been a heck of a year - going from never having held a gun to starting in march now having 2 XDs, a Taurus 709slim, a Dan Wesson CBOB, a Berretta NEOS and a Marlin 795. What a hobby!

[Stickman]

One concern that was voiced by a friend of mine is that neither one of these guns (DD or CD) have been used by the Military or police departments which would imply they arent reliable. Your reaction??

Your friend has no idea what he is talking about, and I don't say that to be insulting. The Military does not have the option of grabbing off the shelf weapons, they are issued Colt and FN, nothing else. As far as Police not using either of them, that is simply untrue, I know Officers who carry both CD and DD carbines.

To state or imply that these weapons are unreliable based on the given context of your friend is faulty.

[Stinger]

Your friend has no idea what he is talking about, and I don't say that to be insulting. The Military does not have the option of grabbing off the shelf weapons, they are issued Colt and FN, nothing else. As far as Police not using either of them, that is simply untrue, I know Officers who carry both CD and DD carbines.

To state or imply that these weapons are unreliable based on the given context of your friend is faulty.

Whoa. I didnt imply or state these weapons were unreliable, I merely stated what my friend (just retired after 30yrs as a LEO, included SWAT Commander) had told me. Certainly he is biased toward Colt because that was what he used.

I am new to the board and guess I better be much more careful in my wording. I only wanted to know the board members perception/experience wrt reliability for these two brands.

[Stickman]

Whoa. I didnt imply or state these weapons were unreliable, I merely stated what my friend (just retired after 30yrs as a LEO, included SWAT Commander) had told me. Certainly he is biased toward Colt because that was what he used.

I am new to the board and guess I better be much more careful in my wording. I only wanted to know the board members perception/experience wrt reliability for these two brands.

I don't think anyone has any heartburn with what you said, your wording was fine. Having been a LEO and team commander for 30 years means he has worn a badge longer than me, and has certainly earned his retirement.

Thats being said, it is not the same as having weapon experience with different manufacturers and putting various weapons through their paces.

There is a rather lengthy writeup on the Charles Daly weapon in which we ran it through its paces pretty hard. Its currently sitting at roughly 5,000+ rounds, and has been nothing but a solid performer.

Daniel Defense has not supplied us with a weapon for evaluation, but I carried a Daniel Defense complete upper on my duty weapon for several years, and it was an outstanding performer. The worst thing I've ever heard about the Daniel Defense weapons is that a few made it out the door without the rail being tightened down all the way. That was with a couple of the early models, but the weapons have all been assembled of high quality parts and have been doing well out in the field.

As I already commented, I know LEO who are carrying both on a daily basis.




ETA- There are DD weapons that have standard barrels, and ones that have CHF barrels. The one I carried was a standard barrel, but the hammer forged version should show itself to be even better.

I now carry a complete Noveske weapon, and it also has a CHF barrel, but is a little different.