Looking for both positive and negative input regarding the Olympic Arms AR15 .223 .?

they are good sporting rifles for plinking. I wouldn't consider them "combat worthy". I have heard complaints on the finish (machining marks and missing anodizing, like under the fsb) and non chrome lined barrels. Personally I would buy the Oly and buy an upgraded chrome lined 9:1barrel, bolt, make sure the gas block is centered and pinned and the bolt carrier key is properly staked.

Forget what the Colt elitists say. If you want to spend 45% more on a name, then go for it. The Colt you get will not shoot any better than my Bushmaster or DPMS.

As stated Olympic is an assembler. I would look at the cost difference. The Olympic will probably serve you well, But the Colts and Bushmaster will hold there value better if you decide to sell or trade it. It may be just a name but thats how things go. I was very impressed with the Quality of the Bushmaster I bought my wife. She put the DPMS's and Olympics back on the table and said the Bushmaster just seems better made. Who knows I'm just happy to have a wife that like shooting so buying her what she wanted was worth the extra 100.

Olympic arms AR guns are like Hesse Arms AR guns. They are cheaper because these companies are more assemblers of outsourced parts than anything else. On the plus side you get a great deal and you can always swap parts if you think that a part could be better made. The only minus is that it is not a Colt, Armalite, or Bushmaster-but so what. It's an AR. I'd rather have an Olympic Arms AR instead of a Colt than get a Rock Island Armory 1911 because I did not want to pay for a Kimber.

I really like Olympic arms AR's. I built a bunch of them for guys in my department, both full length 20" barreled and the XM model with the 10" barrel and long fixed flash supressor and adjustable stock. I have only ever had one problem. I received one of their parts kits and had to return the trigger due to poor quality. That's it. Not bad to have one minor problem out of at least 25 rifles built.

Not bad if you can't get a Colt. Better than being without that's for sure.