The AR-15 is often called ‘America’s Rifle’, and there are a number of reasons why…
The AR platform is inherently accurate, ergonomic, and easy (and fun!) to shoot…
On top of that, it’s an extremely customizable rifle, and there are many AR-15s that are being built and sold at incredibly affordable price points…
One of these AR-15s is the Diamondback DB15…
And one of the questions that I often see asked is this… What are the Diamondback AR-15 problems…?
Well in this post, I’m going to explain if the Diamondback DB15 does have any major problems by giving you a thorough overview of the AR parts used to build it…
In the end, you’ll know whether the Diamondback AR-15 is good or bad, and you should be able to determine if it’s the right AR-15 for you or not…
Let’s get straight to the point…
Diamondback AR-15 Problems? – Is It A Quality AR-15…?
The new line of Diamondback AR-15s don’t really have any problems. These AR-15s are not over-gassed, and they’re assembled with high-quality parts. Additionally, the fit and finish on these AR-15s is very good, and even though they come with a number of upgraded components, they are set at an affordable price point…
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The following will give you more detail regarding the quality of the different components that you get with the Diamondback DB15…
Upper Receiver…
The actual upper receiver on the Diamondback AR-15 is made from Forged 7075 T-6 Aluminum, which is a very strong material, and it makes the upper extremely rugged…
Now there are some budget ARs that use inferior aluminum in their uppers, so it’s nice to see that Diamondback is using high-quality aluminum in the DB15…
In addition to that, this Diamondback upper features an optic rail on top. This is a pretty standard addition to AR-15s these days, but it’s important because it will allow you to easily mount a red dot or a scope onto your AR.
Barrel And Chamber…
The barrel is one of the most important parts on an AR-15 because it can affect reliability and (of course) the accuracy of your gun…
And it’s also a place where many manufacturers of budget ARs will attempt to cut costs…
That’s not the case with the Diamondback DB15 because it features an incredibly high-quality barrel…
First of all, the barrel that you get is made from 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium steel, which is a very strong and high-quality barrel material…
On top of that, the barrel features a 1/8 twist rate which, again, is nice to see on an affordable AR-15 because many of them come with a 1/9 twist rate…
And the reason why that matters is because a 1/8 twist can usually fire both heavy and light bullets very accurately, whereas a 1/9 twist generally has problems firing heavy bullets accurately…
Last, the most common version of the DB15 is chambered in 5.56 Nato, and you definitely want a rifle that is chambered in 5.56 Nato (or .223 Wylde) and NOT chambered in .223 Remington…
The reason why is because an AR-15 chambered in .223 Remington cannot safely handle the pressure of 5.56 rounds…
However, rifles that are chambered in 5.56 Nato (or .223 Wylde) can safely fire 5.56 rounds or .223 Remington rounds…
So all in all, I’m very impressed with the barrel that you get with the DB15 because even though it’s an affordable gun, it has some pretty cool upgraded features.
Gas System…
The DB15 comes with a Mid-Length gas system. Once again, most budget AR-15s will feature a Carbine-Length gas system which will work reliably…
But the advantage that you get with a Mid-Length gas system is that it generally makes you’re AR-15 a little smoother and softer-shooting than a Carbine-Length system…
Now I have seen reports online of the DB15 being over-gassed, but that has not been the case with the DB15s that I’ve seen which all eject brass-cased rounds in the 3 to4 o’clock position, which is what you want…
So, I think that the DB15 is gas correctly, and I like that it has a Mid-Length gas system because it makes the gun a smooth shooter.
Muzzle Device…
The muzzle device that you get with your Diamondback AR-15 will be dependent upon which version you choose to go with…
If you choose to go with the Standard Rifle or the Budget Rifle, then you’ll get Diamondbacks’s CNC DBSB IV Flash Hider, which I think looks really cool and does a good job hiding flash when you fire in lowlight conditions…
I do think it’s a slight upgrade over an A2 ‘birdcage’ flash hider, which is what you’ll find on most budget AR 15s, and I think that it gives a unique look to the Standard DB15 as well…
Now if you go with the Fully Upgraded DB15 then you’ll get the Diamondback CNC Muzzle Brake, and it’s an awesome muzzle device…
It keeps the gun incredibly flat when you’re shooting, and it allows you to fire shot after shot very quickly and very accurately…
Last, the threading on the DB15’s barrel is 1/2×28 so if you don’t like the flash hider or the Fully Loaded DB15’s muzzle brake, you can easily replace it with a muzzle device of your choice.
Bolt Carrier Group…
The bolt carrier group or BCG is another incredibly important part of an AR-15…
It’s often called the heart of the rifle, and you really want to make sure that you get quality components within the BCG to keep your gun running reliably (without any parts breaking)…
The Diamondback DB15 comes with a very strong and high-quality bolt carrier group…
First of all, the carrier itself is made from 8620 steel which is a very strong steel and meets military specifications…
On top of that, the BCG is shot-peened which is a process used to harden the surface layer of the steel, and the bolt is Magnetic Particle Inspected to ensure that the steel doesn’t have any weak points or cracks in it…
So overall, the DB15’s BCG is made from very strong components which should give it a very long life, and it’s also inspected to make sure that the quality level is there.
Rail/Handguard…
The rail that you get with the DB15 will also depend on which version you choose to go with…
The Standard Rifle and the Budget Rifle come with Diamondback’s 15-inch V Rail…
This is a pretty good rail because it free-floats the barrel to allow for more accuracy, and it’s also fairly lightweight because most of the top picatinny rail is removed (except for in the places that you need it for backup iron sights)…
In addition to that, it locks onto the barrel nut very securely, and it features M-LOK slots on both sides and on the top and bottom which will allow you to easily mount lights, lasers, vertical foregrips, and any other accessories you can think of…
Now if you go with the Fully Loaded DB15, then you get Diamondback’s S Rail which I think is even cooler…
First of all, the S Rail free-floats the barrel, has M-Loks slots for accessories, and locks onto the barrel nut very securely as well…
The difference is that it’s built to be a little more lightweight than the V Rail…
This balances the gun a little bit better when you’re shooting, and out of the two rails, it’s the one I think looks better and performs a little bit better as well…
That being said, the V Rail is a fantastic rail for a budget or even mid-range AR-15 because it’s strong, fairly lightweight, and goes the full 15 inches on a 16-inch barreled AR.
Lower Receiver…
The lower that you get with the Diamondback DB15 is unlike any that I’ve seen on an affordable AR-15…
First of all, it’s made from Forged 7075 T-6 Aluminum which, as I said when discussing the upper, is very strong and high-quality aluminum…
But it also has a very unique mag well (which is awesome and we’ll discuss in a little bit) and an enhanced trigger guard with lightening cuts…
I really like the enhanced trigger guard because it’s enlarged (just in case you need to shoot with winter gloves on), and the lightening cuts lighten up the lower without taking any strength or reliability away…
So it’s not the typical run-of-the-mill lower that most AR-15s have, and the unique features actually do enhance the performance of the gun.
Trigger…
The trigger that you get with the DB15 also depends on which version you choose to go with…
The Standard Rifle and the Budget Rifle both feature a typical mil-spec AR-15 trigger…
You can shoot well with it and it’s reliable, but it’s not really different from any other mil-spec triggers that are on the market…
That being said, if you go with the Fully Loaded Rifle, you get a Flat-Faced CMC 3.5lb Single Stage Drop in Trigger, and it’s incredible…
It’s my favorite trigger for any AR-15 because it’s reliable, and the clean and light break helps you shoot faster and more accurately…
So to sum up this section, the mil-spec trigger that you get with the Standard DB15 is fine (and you can upgrade it later if you want to)…
…but I love that the Fully Loaded Rifle comes with the CMC 3.5lb trigger, and I don’t think they could have made a better choice for the upgraded version of this rifle.
Pistol Grip…
Just as with many other accessories included on the DB15, the pistol grip that you get will depend on which version of the rifle you choose to go with…
The Standard Rifle and the Budget Rifle both come with a Magpul MOE K2 Grip…
I love Magpul grips in general, and ever since the K2 grip came out, I prefer it over the standard MOE grip because it sits at a more 90 degree angle which feels a little bit more comfortable for me…
It’s a huge upgrade over the standard A2 grip that comes on many budget AR-15s, which I can’t stand because it’s too skinny and the finger ledge always gets in the way when I try to shoot…
Now, the Fully Loaded Rifle comes with the Magpul MOE K2+ grip which I like even better than the regular K2…
It has the same angle as the regular K2 grip which, again, I find to be very comfortable to use…
But in addition to that, it also has a rubber over-mold around it, and I like the rubber over-mold for 3 reasons…
First, it gives you great traction when you’re shooting, which helps you shoot faster…
Second, it feels more comfortable that a naked plastic grip, and third, I shoot in the Nevada desert and the rubber grips don’t get scorching hot when sitting in the sun the way plastic grips do…
So, both grips are good, but I do prefer the K2+ for those reasons, and since the K2+ is only around 20 bucks, you could easily upgrade the Standard or Budget Rifle with it on your own.
Stock…
Once again, the stock that you get with the DB15 will depend on the version that you choose to go with…
The Standard Rifle and the Budget Rifle both come with the Magpul CTR stock, which is a fantastic stock…
It’s a huge upgrade over a standard M4-style stock (which many budget rifles come with) because it’s a lot stronger, and you also have the ability to lock the stock into place so it doesn’t rattle around at all…
The Fully Loaded DB15 comes with the Magpul ACS stock which is also a fantastic stock because it’s very strong and locks into place…
Many people also find the ACS to be more comfortable than the CTR to form a cheek weld on when you’re shooting, but for me, they’re both equally comfortable and I like them both.
Safety…
The safety that comes on the Diamondback AR-15 is a standard AR-15 safety. It works just fine, and I don’t see any reason to change it…
That being said, you can upgrade it to a 45-degree throw safety or add an ambidextrous safety to the gun pretty easily if you want to.
Magazine & Mag Well…
With the Diamondback AR-15 you get 1 30-Round Magpul PMAG. I love PMAGs because they’re strong and reliable, but you will want to pick up some more on your own (I recommend at least 5 Mags per gun)…
Now the mag well that comes on the DB15 rifle is really cool. First of all, it’s flared out which helps funnel your mags into the gun easier, and that can be helpful when you’re trying to reload in a hurry…
But on top of that, it’s cut in a way that removes a lot of unnecessary material from the lower (which, again, helps you reload easier and faster)…
And it also saves some weight on the gun (I like lightweight rifles because they’re faster into action and handier)…
Last, I should also mention that the DB15’s unique mag well gives the gun a really cool look…
It’s the type of thing that you usually find on ARs that cost over 2,000 bucks, but with the DB15 you’re getting that kind of unique look (which also adds function) at an affordable price point.
Mag Release & Bolt Release…
The mag release and the bolt release that come on the DB15 are just standard AR-15 controls which is perfect in my opinion…
These ergonomic controls are part of the reason the AR-15 is so great, and they can both be manipulated very easily to get your gun reloaded and back into action quickly.
Shootability And Accuracy…
The Diamondback DB15 is an accurate AR-15. Part of the reason for that is that the AR-15 platform is inherently fairly accurate from the start…
But keep in mind that the DB15 has a very well-built barrel, which is always important to accuracy, that features a 1/8 twist rate…
On top of that, the DB15 has a free-float rail. So you have nothing touching the barrel when you’re shooting which had the potential to mess with the barrel harmonics…
In addition to that, the DB15 is gassed correctly, and the mid-length gas system actually makes it a pretty smooth-shooting AR-15.
Diamondback AR-15 Accessories…
Since the DB15 is an AR-15, the sky is the limit when it comes to accessories because you can easily change out the rail, the stock, the grip, and pretty much any other part…
That being said, because these rifles come set up really well from the factory, there are not a lot of accessories that I would recommend…
One area that you could improve the gun is to get an upgraded charging handle, and there are tons of great options out there (including one here)…
But aside from that, you should choose either a red dot or a good scope to mount as your optic…
And put a weapon light of your choice on the rail, and your Diamondback AR-15 is good to go in my opinion.
Is The Diamondback AR-15 Good OR Bad?
The Diamondback AR-15 is a good rifle because it’s accurate, reliable, and built using high-quality components such as the 4150 Chrome Moly Vanadium steel barrel and the 8620 steel carrier. It also comes with some truly unique features such as the quick-reload mag well and free float M-LOK rail…
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I Highly Recommend it, if you’re in the market for a budget or mid-range AR-15.