I think that'll handle it's business just fine Smokering.

I am a fan, no doubt, of the AK design, but I won't downplay a well maintained AR. I was one of the few privates who never had a malfunction with thier weapon in basic, largely because I went into basic knowing to keep the thing clean. Even with a REALLY old worn out Colt M16A2, it still ran just fine, although the sears were pretty worn out and the three shot burst was more of a slow bap bap bap then a Burp like the newer FNs. A clean AR is a Happy AR. and with modern dry lubricants, the moondust in the middle east becomes less of an issue, and stateside I find debris malfunctions almost non-existant. Setting aside the beauracracy factor, the M16 isn't a terrible weapon, it just has a few kinks, nothing that can't be worked around. Hence why it's still around 50 years later.

Wanna know what Eugene Stoners solution to the extraction issues in the M16 was? Beef up the extractor clip, and add a second spring to it. No piston systems, no anti tilt bolt carriers, yada yada yada. I think if Eugene Stoner had that kind of confidence in his weapon, I can afford it the same.

Bill- A friend of mine owns a Rock River, I've shot it a few times now, and can't find anything bad about it, it's solid, doesn't rattle, and the only malfunctions it had were bad mags. They're a bit pricey for my tastes, especially for a DGI system, but a solid offering, and largely mil-spec parts. I particularly like thier proprietary rail systems, the half picatinny and half smooth handgaurds, they feel nice in the hand with the stock extended, and with the Magpul angled foregrip, it's FAST with the stock collapsed. Not a bad way to go if you want an AR.