Aero Alternative to the Sport II $579!

[WVSig]

I know this is the Smith and Wesson forum but if you cannot find a S&W Sport II for a fair price which IMHO is less than $650 I would take a look at this Aero Rifle. Aero is a true manufacturer and makes lowers for companies like Spikes Tactical. They make quality handguards, uppers, lowers and other parts. They stand behind their stuff and it is very well finished. They have been in the AR15 game longer than S&W.

It is currently $599 + Shipping but you can get free shipping Coupon "LBE" or $20 off "LBL". Not sure which will be better but still you are looking at $579 plus shipping plus transfer. You will need a BUIS but you can get a Magpul BUIS for about $35-$40. Less for LNIB used parts. You will also need mags but Brownells has pretty good pricing for Magpul Gen2s right now. IIRC 10 for right around $100.

AC-15 5.56MM 16" MID-LENGTH RIFLE | Brownells

The spec on this rifle is great IMHO. Better than the Sport II.

M4 Aero Precision Upper Receiver:

Mid-Length Gas & Barrel System
16” 5.56 NATO, 1:7 Twist Barrel with M4 feed ramps
Barrel is machined from 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium steel to a Government, mid-length profile, then treated with a QPQ corrosion-resistant finish
½-28 barrel thread pitch includes an installed A2 flash hider
Barrel includes pinned front sight base & front sight components
M16 Bolt/Carrier Group features 8620 steel carrier with phosphate finish & chrome lining, and has a properly-staked Gas Key
Bolt machined from Carpenter 158 – High Pressure Tested & Magnetic Particle Inspected
Upper includes standard carbine polymer handguards


Aero Precision Gen 2 Lower Receiver

Flared mag well & upper tension screw
Standard AR-15 Lower Parts Kit
Mil-spec AR-15/M14 Buffer Kit
Forged from 7075 T6 Aluminum
Matte black hard anodized finish
Lower receiver includes mil-spec M4 buttstock & A2 pistol grip

 

[danco]

I know this is the Smith and Wesson forum but if you cannot find a S&W Sport II for a fair price which IMHO is less than $650 I would take a look at this Aero Rifle.

Do you work for Aero? Your post looks suspiciously like an ad...

If I couldn't find an S&W Sport II for less than $650, I'd fork over the extra $250 and get a Colt 6920.

 

[arnoob]

You can get an Anderson AM-15 for $499 shipped from Primary Arms....

 

[sgtsandman]

WVSig has been a member for a while and has not put up anything for Aero before that I remember.

 

[WVSig]

Do you work for Aero? Your post looks suspiciously like an ad...

If I couldn't find an S&W Sport II for less than $650, I'd fork over the extra $250 and get a Colt 6920.

No I don't work for Aero. I do own and have been rifles on their lowers. I don't work for S&W but recommend their products as well. Many people are having a hard time finding a budget friendly complete rifle. The Sport II was the go to recommendation for a lot of people including me but that was when they were everywhere for $499. Now it is hard to find them in the $650 range.

I like Colts as well and there was a time I paid more for the prancing Pony. I have a LE6920 with the large trigger pins. So that tells you how long ago I got it and it has served me well. That said I would not pay a premium for the Pony these days. If I am going to spend more on an AR15 I am going to BCM, Daniel Defense, Noveske etc... Colt is good but not that good.

In the end my reasoning for posting this rifle is that it is a good deal and it is in stock and is priced lower than most people are selling the Sport II for. Just trying to help. If mods deem this an inappropriate post I ask them to please remove it.

 

[WVSig]

You can get an Anderson AM-15 for $499 shipped from Primary Arms....

I personally do not think the Anderson is the same quality as the Aero. They are not a OEM for other major AR15 builders like Aero is. I think Anderson makes a decent lower but it is priced as it should be which is lower than Aero, Spikes & PSA etc...

 

[Moe Mentum]

Never heard of Aero. But I have heard of Smith & Wesson.

 

[danco]

No I don't work for Aero.
. . .
In the end my reasoning for posting this rifle is that it is a good deal and it is in stock and is priced lower than most people are selling the Sport II for. Just trying to help. If mods deem this an inappropriate post I ask them to please remove it.

My mistake; I apologize.

We're 3 months away from a likely explosion of prices and shortage of goods, so tips about bargains should be welcomed...

 

[Kadonny]

I personally would not buy an Aero complete rifle, but that's just me. As much as the Sport II is a "budget" rifle, it's still a S&W.

 

[Disabled1]

I personally would not buy an Aero complete rifle, but that's just me. As much as the Sport II is a "budget" rifle, it's still a S&W.

Personally, I would choose almost ANYTHING over a Sport 2. S&W has lost its touch on QC with the Sport 2 VS the original Sport 1.
I still miss my Sport 1.

 

[cyphertext]

I am a big S&W Sport fan boy as they come and I have previously posted that if I were in the market for a budget rifle today, I would be getting one of the Aero offerings.

This is the one I would be looking at... add sights, stock, and free float hand guard of my choosing.

OEM MID-LENGTH 16" RIFLE | Brownells

 

[Kadonny]

Personally, I would choose almost ANYTHING over a Sport 2. S&W has lost its touch on QC with the Sport 2 VS the original Sport 1.
I still miss my Sport 1.

Ok so maybe I need some schooling. I love my Sport I too and so do most people here, but I have not heard that the Sport II has taken a nosedive quality wise. The Sport I is an awesome rifle IMO, is the Sport II that bad?

 

[WVSig]

I am a big S&W Sport fan boy as they come and I have previously posted that if I were in the market for a budget rifle today, I would be getting one of the Aero offerings.

This is the one I would be looking at... add sights, stock, and free float hand guard of my choosing.

OEM MID-LENGTH 16" RIFLE | Brownells

I like that configuration too but it has been out of stock for a while and will end up costing a more than what the Sport II is going for but I personally think it's worth it. I see a lot of people changing out furnature on A2 style rifles adding 50% to the cost of budget rifles.

 

[arnoob]

Ok so maybe I need some schooling. I love my Sport I too and so do most people here, but I have not heard that the Sport II has taken a nosedive quality wise. The Sport I is an awesome rifle IMO, is the Sport II that bad?

No, unless you have the early Sport I with the 1:8 5R barrel then the Sport I and II are basically identical except the FA and dust cover. I have both, there has been no "nosedive" in quality that I can ascertain.

 

[KSDeputy]

I don't work for Colt, but all of my AR-15 rifles are made by them. You get what you pay for.

 

[WVSig]

I don't work for Colt, but all of my AR-15 rifles are made by them. You get what you pay for.

I agree 100% except that with some companies you get more for your money then Colt. That does not mean the Colt is not a good rifle it but in terms of value they do not come out on top for me. Colts configurations are outdated. They still use quad rails, A2 posts and outdated stocks and grips. They are a good base but once you buy one you have to modify it to make it "modern" IMHO. I love my LE6920 and have had it for a long time and it has served me well but if I had to do it today it would not have been a Colt.

I would take one of these over the Colt these days. 14.5" lightweight BCM.

Or one of these and configure it exactly the way I want it. It is BCM Recce lightweight 16".

AR-15 OEM RECCE MID-LENGTH LIGHTWEIGHT 16" RIFLE | Brownells

 

[Arm]

Aero makes quality parts and, complete rifles. This is one I put together using an Aero lower, A2 upper a friend had laying around and added an Anderson 1:8 twist barrel, MFT stock....cost $425 total. Works well.

 

[WVSig]

Ok so maybe I need some schooling. I love my Sport I too and so do most people here, but I have not heard that the Sport II has taken a nosedive quality wise. The Sport I is an awesome rifle IMO, is the Sport II that bad?

IMHO they have been cracking out a ton of these rifles. So many that the price dropped down to $499 + Shipping and transfer before the latest round of shootings. Now they are up to $625+.

With a ramp up in production there has been some slop in the production. I have seen more reports of QC issues in the last 6 months than in the past. It is not that they are not still good rifles. They are but the details have slipped a bit. Most of fit and finish issues not catastrophic function issues but it still shows a quality drop.

I also prefer the 1/8 twist of the older Sport I and early Sport IIs but for most shooters the 1/9 will be fine.

 

[Kadonny]

No, unless you have the early Sport I with the 1:8 5R barrel then the Sport I and II are basically identical except the FA and dust cover. I have both, there has been no "nosedive" in quality that I can ascertain.

I understand the Sport features fully and also understand the 1:8 5R barrel was discontinued from the rifle long ago. What I don't understand is the comment from @Disabled1 that he would choose almost any other rifle rather than the Sport II because of the lack of quality anymore. That prompted my comment about quality slipping dramatically. If that has happened, then I am unaware of it. No doubt S&W has pumped out a ton Sport IIs recently.....a ton, so it's not inconceivable that quality has indeed slipped.

 

[SWMP15Pks]

I agree 100% except that with some companies you get more for your money then Colt. That does not mean the Colt is not a good rifle it but in terms of value they do not come out on top for me. Colts configurations are outdated. They still use quad rails, A2 posts and outdated stocks and grips. They are a good base but once you buy one you have to modify it to make it "modern" IMHO. I love my LE6920 and have had it for a long time and it has served me well but if I had to do it today it would not have been a Colt.

I would take one of these over the Colt these days. 14.5" lightweight BCM.

Or one of these and configure it exactly the way I want it. It is BCM Recce lightweight 16".

AR-15 OEM RECCE MID-LENGTH LIGHTWEIGHT 16" RIFLE | Brownells

So, I guess without realizing it, I took your advice. I must have bought one of the last ones, Brownells now says its out of stock.

Furniture choices: Midwest industries M3 15 inch Mlok handguard in FDE, Magpul fixed MOE buttstock in FDE ($20?!? take my money!), Magpul poly MBUS front and rear, and an as of yet uknown optic/dot. I can hear the angels singing now - and it sounds an awful lot like they're having fun. >;D