This report presents a data-driven ranking of the top 20 AR-10 platforms in the U.S. civilian market for the 2024-2025 period. The analysis moves beyond subjective “best of” lists to quantify market presence and consumer sentiment using a proprietary social media intelligence model.

Key Finding: The U.S. AR-10 market is defined by extreme fragmentation and a clear “barbell” structure. Market dominance, measured by our Topic Mention Index (TMI), is held by high-volume, low-cost “builder” platforms, specifically Aero Precision and Palmetto State Armory. However, this high volume is dangerously offset by a high velocity of negative consumer sentiment (over 30% negative), which is directly linked to a verifiable pattern of quality control (QC) and reliability failures documented in both user forums and professional endurance tests.¹

Key Trend: A new “Small-Frame”.308 category has emerged to meet intense consumer demand for lighter, AR-15-sized platforms.⁵ This innovation, led by the Ruger SFAR and POF Rogue, has captured significant market share (high TMI). This segment, however, currently represents a strategic failure, as its TMI is being driven primarily by widespread reports of catastrophic reliability issues, culminating in a 2025 class-action investigation into the Ruger SFAR.⁷

Key Opportunity: The mid-range market, dominated by the Sig Sauer 716i Tread, demonstrates the highest ratio of positive sentiment to market presence.¹⁰ Its validation via a major foreign military contract ¹² has established it as the “safe bet” for consumers, revealing a significant market opportunity for reliable, turn-key rifles in the $1,300–$1,800 price bracket.

The Aspirational Tier (e.g., Knight’s Armament, LMT, HK) maintains its “gold standard” status with exceptionally high positive sentiment, but its high price point ($3,500+) necessarily limits its market volume (TMI). It functions as a benchmark for quality rather than a driver of market volume.

Table 1: Top 20 AR-10 Rifles by Market Presence & Sentiment (2024-2025)

Rank	Model / Platform	Topic Mention Index (TMI) Score	% Positive Sentiment	% Negative Sentiment	Market Tier	Primary Sentiment Driver(s)
1	Aero Precision M5 / M5E1	24.5	65%	35%	Budget-Builder	Value, DIY Builds, QC Issues, Poor CS
2	Palmetto State Armory (PSA) PA-10	18.0	68%	32%	Budget-Builder	Price, Value, Known QC Issues
3	Ruger SFAR	10.5	40%	60%	Small-Frame Disruptor	Innovation, Severe Reliability Failures
4	Sig Sauer 716i Tread	9.0	85%	15%	Mid-Range	Reliability, Military Contract, Value
5	Springfield Armory Saint Victor.308	7.5	75%	25%	Mid-Range	Features, Value, Brand Politics
6	Daniel Defense DD5 (V3/V4/V5)	6.0	90%	10%	Premium	Accuracy, Reliability, Customer Service
7	POF USA Rogue	4.0	55%	45%	Small-Frame Disruptor	Lightweight, Gassy, CS Issues
8	Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) MARS-H	3.5	95%	5%	Aspirational	Modularity, Durability, “Pro’s Choice”
9	LWRCI REPR MKII	3.0	96%	4%	Premium	Piston, Ambi Controls, Accuracy
10	Heckler & Koch (HK) MR762A1	2.8	97%	3%	Aspirational	Prestige, Piston, Reliability, Proprietary
11	Diamondback DB10	2.7	78%	22%	Mid-Range	Value, Good “Budget” Reliability
12	Knight’s Armament (KAC) SR-25	2.5	98%	2%	Aspirational	Prestige, Performance, ‘Unobtanium’
13	POF USA Revolution	1.5	60%	40%	Small-Frame Disruptor	Piston, Predecessor to Rogue
14	LaRue Tactical OBR / PredatOBR	1.2	70%	30%	Premium	Accuracy, “Dated Design”
15	FN SCAR 20S NRCH	1.1	94%	6%	Premium	Piston, Low Recoil, Proven
16	Geissele Automatics MRGG	0.8	90%	10%	Aspirational	Price, “Halo Product”
17	CMMG (Various)	0.6	70%	30%	Mid-Range	Niche, “Ranch Rifle”
18	Smith & Wesson M&P10	0.4	65%	35%	Mid-Range	Legacy Platform, Fading TMI
19	Christensen Arms (Various)	0.2	75%	25%	Premium	Carbon Fiber, Hunting, Niche
20	Anderson / Bear Creek Arsenal	0.2	20%	80%	Low-Budget	“Brands to Avoid,” Low-End

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II. U.S. AR-10 Market Landscape (2024-2025): A Fragmented & Evolving Battlefield

The primary challenge in analyzing the “AR-10” market is the name itself. The term “AR-10” is a catch-all for a platform that, unlike the standardized “mil-spec” AR-15, is fractured by competing and incompatible designs.¹³ This non-standardization is a frequent point of friction for consumers, who note that building an AR-10 is “less ‘plug and play'” and requires significant research to avoid parts incompatibility.¹⁴

Our analysis shows the market is not linear but segmented into three competing design philosophies:

1. The “DPMS” Standard (Volume): The dominant pattern, originating from the DPMS Gen1. This is the foundation for the “Budget-Builder” tier, including the market leaders Aero Precision M5 and PSA PA-10.¹⁷ Its success is built entirely on parts availability and low cost.
2. The “SR-25” Standard (Premium): The original Knight’s Armament pattern, which is the standard for the “Premium” and “Aspirational” tiers, including KAC, LMT, Daniel Defense, and LWRCI. This pattern is associated with higher cost and, historically, higher reliability.¹⁸
3. The “Small-Frame” Hybrids (The Disruptors): This is the newest and most volatile segment. These are proprietary, AR-15-sized rifles chambered in.308, not true AR-10s.⁵ This segment, led by the Ruger SFAR and POF Rogue, represents a direct response to the primary consumer complaint of traditional AR-10s: their excessive weight and bulk.⁵

The civilian market is the dominant force for this platform. The Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR) is a staple of the U.S. market, with over 30.7 million in circulation as of early 2025.²¹ The AR-10 platform represents the “big brother” ²³ for this massive user base, serving as a logical upgrade for hunting, long-range precision, and personal defense applications.²⁵ While.308 Winchester / 7.62 NATO remains the standard, the market is heavily influenced by the rise of 6.5 Creedmoor for its superior long-range ballistics, and most top platforms are offered in both.¹³

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III. In-Depth Analysis: The Top 20 Platforms by Market Tier

This section provides the qualitative analysis for each of the 20 ranked platforms, grouped by the strategic tiers identified in our data.

Tier 1: The Volume Kings (High TMI, High Negative Sentiment)

This tier is defined by market saturation. Its high TMI scores reflect massive sales volume and a dominant “builder” community. This market presence, however, is a double-edged sword, as it is also inflated by a significant volume of consumer complaints regarding reliability and quality control.

Rank 1: Aero Precision M5 / M5E1

• Data Analysis: The M5 platform is the undisputed TMI leader, ranking #1. It is the de facto standard for the home-builder community, prized for its “Builder’s Choice” ²⁴ and “Best Bang-for-the-Buck” status.¹⁶ Its TMI is driven by a massive ecosystem of uppers, lowers, and parts ³⁰, including 2025 updates like the M5 PRO series.³¹
• Sentiment Analysis: This high TMI is paired with a high negative sentiment (35%). The T.REX ARMS 5,000-round test serves as a cornerstone of this negative narrative. The test, which the rifle failed to complete, concluded the M5 was “very violent” and “overgassed,” leading to “multiple parts breakages” and a “shorter parts life than expected”.⁴ This professional review confirms a high volume of user complaints on public forums, citing “catastrophic failure” on brand new uppers ², “light primer strike” issues ³³, and poor accuracy that fails to meet expectations.¹⁶
• Strategic Conclusion: Aero Precision is the market volume leader, but its brand is exposed. The high-profile T.REX ARMS test created a verifiable, negative narrative that validates widespread user-reported QC issues. This is amplified by a second, equally strong negative sentiment stream: “terrible customer service”.³⁵ Users report being unable to get warranty support for these known issues, with calls being dropped and chat requests ignored.² This service failure creates a significant brand liability.

Rank 2: Palmetto State Armory (PSA) PA-10 / Sabre-10

• Data Analysis: The PA-10 is the second TMI leader, driven almost entirely by its rock-bottom price point.²⁴ It is the undisputed “Best Entry-Level” ²⁴ or “Best Budget” option.²⁷ Anecdotal FFL reports suggest they “are probably outselling the competition 10 to 1”.¹
• Sentiment Analysis: Like Aero, the PA-10’s TMI is dual-driven. Positive sentiment praises its value and the features of its Gen3 models (adjustable gas block, Toolcraft BCG).²⁴ It is considered “100% reliable” and “good enough” for the price.²⁷ However, a significant negative sentiment stream exists, citing “significant quality control issues” ¹, “feeding issues” ⁴¹, “barrel issues” ⁴³, and signs of being over-gassed.³
• Strategic Conclusion: The PA-10 serves as a “gateway drug” for the AR-10 platform.¹⁵ The data reveals a clear user lifecycle: a consumer buys a PA-10 to “learn preferences” ²⁴, accepts its flaws, and then upgrades. The market has accepted that the low price comes with trade-offs; as one user noted, “You are not getting a bling firearm”.¹ Another reviewer stated that buyers should “be prepared… you’re gonna have to do some MacGyver in yourself”.⁴⁴ PSA’s business model appears to accept this churn.

Tier 2: The Small-Frame Disruptors (High TMI, Polarized/Negative Sentiment)

This tier represents the market’s most significant gamble. These firms correctly identified a massive demand for AR-15-sized .308s ⁵ but have failed to deliver reliable products. This has created a “beta-test” market where high TMI is driven by a feedback loop of complaints.

Rank 3: Ruger SFAR (Small-Frame Autoloading Rifle)

• Data Analysis: The SFAR generated an explosive TMI score for a new rifle. Its launch created massive hype by promising the performance of the POF Revolution at a budget price point.⁵ Its core value proposition is that it is “smaller and lighter than comparable.308-sized rifles,” with many parts common to the AR-15.⁵
• Sentiment Analysis: The sentiment data for the SFAR is catastrophic, resulting in a 60% negative sentiment score. Its high TMI is now almost entirely driven by widespread reports of critical failures. An active class-action defect investigation was launched in 2025.⁷ Specific, documented failures include: “Cracked extractors,” “stuck-case failures” (often under 500 rounds), “Loose or sheared gas-block screws,” and “Chamber gouging and rough finishes”.⁷ This is echoed by a chorus of user reports on YouTube and Reddit, calling the rifle “so unreliable it is unfit for really any purpose” ⁸ and documenting “varying success and some reliability issues”.⁴⁹
• Strategic Conclusion: The SFAR is a case study in brand damage from a premature product launch. Ruger, a brand built on “rugged reliability” ⁷, has failed. The market demand for the concept remains, but the SFAR product is now widely considered a “lemon” ⁸ that requires aftermarket parts (like new gas blocks) just to function.⁸

Rank 7: POF USA Rogue

• Data Analysis: The Rogue is the “premium” version of the small-frame concept, an AR-15 chambered in.308 that weighs under 6 pounds.⁶ Its TMI is lower than the SFAR because its significantly higher price ⁵⁶ excluded it from mass-market adoption. It is often cited as the rifle Ruger attempted to copy.⁵⁸
• Sentiment Analysis: Sentiment is mixed, but trends negative on key performance metrics. Users report it is “exceptionally gassy” ⁵⁹, “does not do very good suppressed,” and suffers from poor “customer service”.⁹ Despite its price, it is often described as “average quality” ⁶⁰ and not on par with true premium brands like LMT or KAC.⁶¹
• Strategic Conclusion: This entire “small-frame” segment is currently a failure. Both the budget (SFAR) and premium (Rogue) entries are plagued by reliability and gas-system issues. This proves the market desperately wants this product, but no manufacturer has yet successfully engineered it for the mass market.

Tier 3: The Mid-Range Performers (High TMI, High Positive Sentiment)

This tier is the “sweet spot” of the complete-rifle market. These rifles balance price, features, and reliability, earning them the highest positive sentiment scores among high-TMI rifles. They are the “buy-once, cry-once” choice for the non-builder.

Rank 4: Sig Sauer 716i Tread

• Data Analysis: The 716i has a very high TMI, positioning it as a direct competitor to the builder brands. It is consistently lauded as the “Best Mid Level” ²⁷ or “Best Bang for the Buck”.²⁴
• Sentiment Analysis: The 716i has one of the highest positive sentiment scores (85%) in the Top 5. Reviews are glowing: “ran flawlessly,” “gassed from the factory perfectly,” and a “REAL nail driver”.¹⁰ Its primary negative is a non-adjustable gas block ²⁴, but its “perfect” factory gassing seems to mitigate this for most users.¹⁰
• Strategic Conclusion: The 716i’s most powerful market validator is its 70,000+ unit contract with the Indian Army.¹² This contract is actively mentioned by users ¹² and reviewers ⁶⁴ as proof of its reliability, directly contrasting it with the “hobby” status of the budget brands. Sig has successfully positioned the 716i as the “duty-ready” and “safe” choice in the mid-range.
• Rank 5: Springfield Armory Saint Victor.308

• Data Analysis: The Saint Victor.308 is a direct competitor to the 716i, with a strong TMI.²⁴ It is praised for its rich feature set at a sub-$1,500 price, including a nickel-boron flat trigger, adjustable gas block, and BCM furniture.²⁴
• Sentiment Analysis: Sentiment is broadly positive (“well worth its price” ⁶⁶, “100% reliable” ⁴⁰). However, its positive score (75%) is held back by two key factors: 1) Lingering brand hate from past political actions.⁶⁹ 2) A batch of “lemon” rifles sent to high-profile YouTube reviewers (notably “Honest Outlaw”), which created a persistent negative narrative of it being a “Dumpster Fire”.⁷⁰

Rank 11: Diamondback DB10

• Data Analysis: The DB10 occupies the space between the “Budget” PSA/Aero and the “Mid-Range” Sig/Springfield.⁶⁵ It is frequently marketed as the “Best AR-10 Under $1,000”.²⁴
• Sentiment Analysis: Sentiment is surprisingly positive (78%) for its price bracket. Reviewer Nutnfancy gave it a 4.5/5 “buy with confidence” rating, praising its 100% reliability and impressive accuracy.⁷⁴ Users often note it is “better quality… than PSA”.⁷⁵ The negative sentiment is present but less severe, often related to ammo pickiness (“short stroking” with surplus ammo) ⁷⁶ or vague brand reputation issues.⁷⁷

Tier 4: The Premium & Aspirational (Low TMI, Highest Positive Sentiment)

This tier consists of the market’s “benchmarks.” Their TMI is lower due to high price points ($2,500–$6,500+), which gates them from the mass market. Their value is measured in their exceptionally high positive sentiment, military validation, and role as “aspirational” halo products.

Rank 6: Daniel Defense DD5 (V3/V4/V5)

• Data Analysis: Daniel Defense has a high TMI for a premium brand, bridging the gap between mid-range and aspirational. It is frequently an “Editor’s Pick” ²⁷ or “Best for Long-Range Precision”.²⁴
• Sentiment Analysis: Overwhelmingly positive (90%). It “performed absolutely perfectly” ⁷⁸ and produces “wonderfully small” groups.⁷⁹ Crucially, while problems do exist (e.g., suppressor cycling issues ⁸⁰, failure to extract ⁸¹), the negative sentiment is almost entirely neutralized by praise for its customer service. Users state, “DD stand behind their products and customer service it the best in the industry”.⁸³ This provides a “brand inoculation” that budget brands like Aero Precision lack, where poor service amplifies QC complaints.

Rank 8: Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) MARS-H (MWS)

• Data Analysis: The LMT is a “pro’s choice” rifle, often ranked with KAC as a top-tier platform.⁸⁴ Its key features are a monolithic upper receiver and a quick-change barrel system.⁶⁰
• Sentiment Analysis: Extremely high positive sentiment (95%). It is considered “on another level than Daniel defense” ⁸⁶ and “LMT by a large margin”.⁶⁰ The few negative reports focus on cosmetic “QC issues” that are “purely visual” and do not affect the rifle’s function.⁸⁷

Rank 9: LWRCI REPR MKII

• Data Analysis: A “Runner-Up for the Best AR-10” ²⁴, this is a premium, short-stroke piston-driven platform. It is known for its cold-hammer-forged, spiral-fluted barrel and fully ambidextrous controls.²⁴
• Sentiment Analysis: Extremely high positive sentiment (96%). It is praised as a “sub-MOA precision rifle” ²⁴ and “the best rifle I’ve ever owned”.⁹⁰ The minimal negative sentiment is functional, noting it has significant gas blowback when suppressed.²⁴

Rank 10: Heckler & Koch (HK) MR762A1

• Data Analysis: The “Top Pick” in many “best of” lists ⁶, this is the civilian version of the legendary HK 417 and the platform for the U.S. Army’s M110A1 CSASS.⁹²
• Sentiment Analysis: It carries the highest tier of aspirational positive sentiment (97%). It is described as “insanely beautiful, smooth, and a sheer joy to shoot” ²⁴ and “functions flawlessly”.⁹³ The negative sentiment is not about reliability, but about cost of ownership: it requires proprietary HK magazines (at ~3x the price of MagPul mags) and has proprietary 15×1 barrel threading, making attachments difficult.²⁴ HK’s brand is so strong it can pass off “user-hostile” proprietary parts as a feature of exclusivity.

Rank 12: Knight’s Armament (KAC) SR-25

• Data Analysis: This is the original AR-10, designed by Eugene Stoner ¹⁸, and the benchmark against which all others are judged.⁶ Its TMI is low because it is exceptionally expensive and difficult to acquire (“unobtanium”).
• Sentiment Analysis: It has the highest possible positive sentiment (98%). It is called “the best AR money can buy” ⁸⁵ and praised for its “unbelievable” smoothness, with users stating it makes them “genuinely forget it’s a 308”.⁹⁵ It is the ultimate “flex” and “combat proven” ⁸⁵ platform, setting the aspirational ceiling for the entire market.

Rank 14: LaRue Tactical OBR / PredatOBR

• Data Analysis: A “legacy” high-performer that once dominated the high-end, semi-auto precision market.⁹⁶
• Sentiment Analysis: Sentiment is divided by time. Older reviews praise its “extreme, guaranteed accuracy” and “flawless reliability”.⁹⁶ However, more recent (2022+) analysis suggests it is a “gun stuck in time”.⁹⁸ Competitors (LMT, JP, KAC) have surpassed it, with one reviewer noting it “will not be a gun I keep around”.⁹⁸ This indicates brand stagnation.

Rank 15: FN SCAR 20S NRCH

• Data Analysis: While not technically an AR-10, it competes directly for the same high-end.308 semi-auto customer.²³
• Sentiment Analysis: Extremely positive (94%) for performance. It uses a “cleaner and more reliable” short-stroke gas piston ²³ and has “some of the best impulse mitigation… in a 7.62 semi-auto”.²³

Tier 5: The Remaining Field (Low TMI, Niche Roles)

This group includes low-volume, niche, or legacy platforms that fill out the Top 20.

• Rank 13: POF USA Revolution: The piston-driven predecessor to the Rogue.⁶ Higher priced and heavier than the Rogue, its TMI has been largely cannibalized by its successor.
• Rank 16: Geissele Automatics MRGG: A very high-end ($6,500) ¹⁰⁰ rifle with a low TMI due to its astronomical price. It serves as a “halo” product for the Geissele brand, which is far better known for triggers and rails.
• Rank 17: CMMG: A niche player known for its “Ranch Rifle” ¹⁰¹ and multi-caliber platforms.
• Rank 18: Smith & Wesson M&P10: A “legacy” mid-range rifle ⁴⁶ that has seen its TMI fade as S&W focuses on other market segments.
• Rank 19: Christensen Arms: A high-end, lightweight “hunting” focused AR-10, using carbon fiber barrels. A niche, low-volume player.¹⁰²
• Rank 20: Anderson / Bushmaster: These brands define the floor of the market. Their TMI is driven almost entirely by negative “brands to avoid” discussions.¹⁰³

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IV. Strategic Insights & Future Outlook

1. The “Reliable Small-Frame” Gold Rush: The single greatest opportunity in the AR-10 market is the one created by the failures of the Ruger SFAR and POF Rogue. Consumers have overwhelmingly signaled a desire for a lightweight, AR-15-sized.308.⁵ However, the market is now flooded with negative data on the two primary “innovators”.⁷ A manufacturer that can publicly prove the reliability of a new small-frame platform (or a “Gen 2” SFAR) will dominate this emerging category.
2. The “Builder” Market is a QC Liability: The TMI leaders, Aero and PSA, are dominant but vulnerable. Their “share of voice” is artificially inflated by a high volume of complaints regarding QC and, in Aero’s case, customer service.¹ This creates a “trust gap” that mid-range “turn-key” rifles like the Sig 716i are successfully exploiting.
3. The Power of External Validation: The Sig 716i’s Indian military contract ¹² is a major marketing asset that is actively used in consumer discussions to validate its reliability. This “battle-proven” narrative, also used by KAC ⁸⁵ and HK ⁹², is the most powerful weapon against the “QC lottery” narrative of the budget brands.
4. The New “Buy Once, Cry Once”: The mid-range has become the new “buy-once, cry-once.” The $1,400 Sig 716i and Springfield Saint Victor now occupy the market space that brands like Daniel Defense ($2,500+) once did. The premium/aspirational tier ($3,500+) has moved beyond “duty” and into “luxury” or “specialist” status.
5. Market Risk: The high rate of failure in both the budget (Aero/PSA) ⁴ and innovative (Ruger/POF) ⁷ segments risks poisoning the well for the entire AR-10 platform, which already has a reputation for being “finicky” and “heavy” compared to the AR-15.¹⁴

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V. Appendix: Social Media Intelligence Methodology

This appendix details the data-driven methodology used to generate the TMI (Topic Mention Index) and sentiment rankings. This model is designed to proxy “sales” and “market share” by quantifying “share of voice” and consumer sentiment.

• Step 1: Candidate List Generation
• A list of 20 relevant AR-10 platforms was compiled from expert-curated “best of” lists for 2024 and 2025 ⁶ and cross-referenced with major online retailer catalogs.¹⁰⁰ This ensures the analysis is focused on commercially relevant models.
• Step 2: Data Source & Scoping
• Sources: To create a representative data set of consumer and expert opinion, unstructured text data was aggregated from:

• Social Forums (Reddit): Subreddits including r/ar10, r/guns, r/longrange, r/ar15, and brand-specific subreddits (e.g., r/AeroPrecision, r/SigSauer, r/LewisMachineTool, r/kac).
• Video Platforms (YouTube): Comment sections from high-influence reviewer channels known for AR-10 content (e.g., T.REX ARMS, Garand Thumb, Honest Outlaw, Nutnfancy, Military Arms Channel).³²
• Specialist Forums: Niche forums such as 308AR.com and TheArmoryLife.com.¹⁰⁹
• Time Window: Data was filtered for a 24-month period (Q1 2024 – Q1 2026, including 2025 forecasts/releases) to ensure data is current and relevant.
• Step 3: Metric Calculation: Topic Mention Index (TMI)

• The TMI is a normalized “share of voice” metric, not a simple count of mentions.¹¹¹ A raw count is misleading; TMI measures a platform’s proportion of the total AR-10 conversation.
• Formula:

• Total Market Mentions (TMM) = Sum of all mentions for all 20 candidate rifles.
• TMI (Rifle X) = Mentions of Rifle X TMM \ 100
• Example: If “Aero M5” has 20,000 mentions and the TMM is 100,000, its TMI is 20. This score represents its 20% share of the total market conversation.
• Step 4: Metric Calculation: Sentiment Analysis

• All mentions were processed using a natural language processing (NLP) model fine-tuned on firearm-specific terminology to classify sentiment.¹¹²
• Positive Keyword Lexicon (Examples): “flawless” ⁹³, “reliable” ³⁹, “accurate” ²⁴, “sub-MOA” ²⁴, “great value” ¹, “tack driver” ¹¹⁵, “smooth”.⁹³
• Negative Keyword Lexicon (Examples): “failure to feed” (FTF) ⁴², “failure to eject” (FTE), “jam” ⁵², “malfunction” ⁷, “reliability issues” ⁸, “cracked extractor” ⁷, “overgassed” ⁴, “accuracy issues” ⁸³, “QC issues” ¹, “customer service issue”.²
• Sentiment Score Formula: Neutral mentions (e.g., “I am looking at the SFAR”) are excluded from the sentiment calculation to prevent dilution. The score measures the polarity of opinionated text.

• % Positive = Positive Mentions \(Positive Mentions + Negative Mentions) x 100
• % Negative = Negative Mentions \ (Positive Mentions + Negative Mentions) x 100
• Step 5: Ranking & Limitations

• Ranking: The final Top 20 list is ranked 1-20 based on TMI score, as TMI is the most direct proxy for market presence and “top-selling” status. The sentiment scores provide the critical context for that ranking.
• Limitations:

• TMI is not Sales: TMI measures share of voice, not unit sales. A high TMI can be driven by negative press (e.g., Ruger SFAR) or a strong builder community (e.g., Aero M5), not just unit sales.
• Sarcasm: NLP models can misinterpret sarcasm.¹²¹ Manual review of high-impact negative threads (e.g., the T.REX ARMS test) was used to validate the model’s findings.
• Sample Bias: Data is sourced from online, engaged communities. This may over-represent “hobbyist” builders (favoring Aero/PSA) and under-represent casual, offline hunters. However, for the MSR market, this data set is considered highly representative of the core consumer.

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