Piggy, I'm not a Colt fan and I would probably go for a BushMaster or something else rather than pay the price for Colt. I read something once about Colts being more proprietary for parts, too. Most of the AR-15's being auctioned are new from the dealer. A few are used. Like I said, you need to see the rating of the seller and see if there is a return period and read the description and look at the pics. Ask any questions to the seller.Quote from PiggyBank:
Also, in your opinion is colt etc really the same as the others I listed, in terms of quality? Like some guys say steel barrels are better, or cold hammer forged, but is there really a noticeable difference or is it just a matter of preference? I would prefer durability over anything else.
I don't have an AR-15 so I don't have enough knowledge/experience to advise you on the questions you are asking. There is quite a bit of info out there on various gun sites. Maybe a google search for AR-15 and manufacturer name or option can turn up some answers for you.
I think Bushmaster says they sell most to militaries and DPMS is one of the US M-16 suppliers (I think). Others here can probably tell you more than I can.
It's always best to buy local if you can on expensive items but I have found this a good online way to go.