Buying an AR 15 need help!!

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jaxamillion

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I am new to the site and i want to buy an AR 15. I have never owned one and i dont know much about them. A friend of mine recomended a Rock River Arms operator elite. He has one and I know a guy that can get me one for $950.00 with an extra mag and some ammo. Do you guys think this is the way i should go or is there another gun that would be a better choice. I know ther are many different opinions on name brands but any info would be much appreciated. Thanks for the help!!!!
 
What are you going to be using it for? Range toy, varmint gun, home defense?

The AR-15 platform has lots of options and configurations.
 
I will be using it primarily for hunting varmint but i also would like to get into tactical shooting . I guess all of the above.
 
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Welcome the THR. First thing, we have hundreds of threads on the self same topic so do a little digging around and reading if you have the time. There is a wealth of information in many of the threads.

Now about the rifle. We have a monthly Tactical Rifle match here in So Colorado
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=581003

Most of the guys I shoot with like a longer, 20", barrel over the 16". We shoot at ranges up to 425y. Now I have done that with a 16" barrel but a 20" will, for the most part, do it better. For varmints, I shoot Prairie Dogs with the same rifle I compete with, you will want a longer barrel. Again, not saying that a 16" barrel won't get it done but you will get faster velocities with a 20" barrel. Some varmint rigs run upwards of 24" barrels.

I like a rifle better than a carbine, but that is me. For the shooting I do and the distances I shoot I would rather have the 20" barrel.
 
Gus, as always, gives good advice. Now personally, I use an 18" barrel, with a rifle length gas system.

Rock River isn't considered top quality as far as a "combat" rifle, but they are regarded quite well by many who use them for service rifle competitions. You could buy a RRA with confidence and know that it will treat you well. You could also build your own; they are rather easy to build.
 
I agree with what Birddog said. I would buy a complete upper, and build your own lower. That way you can customize it the way you want it. You can often find stripped lowers for around $50 (Palmetto State Armory has them on sale pretty often.)

I am still on the fence as far as polymer Ar's, but you might want to check out this thread: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=7874059

If I am not mistaken, the guy is selling a complete AR for $599. That would leave you with a couple of hundred $'s for ammo and mags and such. Like I said, I am not sure about polymer lowers, but at that price, I would consider it for a casual use gun.
 
At this point, ignore Brand, because whoever just might not be building the gun you need to match up. Put the "AR15" part aside, it's obviously a precision varmint long distance gun.

1) The caliber is going to be intermediate to medium
2) It needs a longer barrel to get all the energy and fps to reach out at it's maximum ranges, which can also reduce bullet drop and make holdover easier.
3) It's more important to have an adequate optics platform, and ignore a lot of the short barrel tacticool stuff. CQB is the opposite of what is wanted, different thing altogether.

First, the barrel, a good name brand quality stainless target barrel over $300. If it says HBAR it means nothing, that's just a standard 2MOA with material not machined off. No chrome, stainless. 20" is all you need, rifle gas.

With that in mind, it needs the A3 upper, but a full length railed handguard will be basically useless because you can't bridge the scope mount to it - a cantilever mount is pretty much mandatory. A free floated barrel will help, because the bipod mounted to it won't be moving the barrel around. That only takes one short piece of rail, so the tube is actually that - no integral rails at all.

Stock, either A1 or A2, try some out for length of pull. Don't worry about an ubercool tactical stock until you've shot it regularly in matches and the only guys better than you have them. Then you will have enough experience to understand why it makes a difference, and whether a $250 stock is justified for the less than 1/4MOA it offers. A shooter actually has to be 1/2MOA good to even see it.

After that, mount a scope on it in the 4x12 range that costs at least 1/2 what the rifle did, minimum. Most spend more - more than the rifle.

With that rifle, start reloading. The money you saved on the stock and fancy quad rail will literally buy a turret press reloading kit. The reloading kit will let you load ammo that shoots 1/2MOA, where even the best premium target loads across the counter might only approach it. Reloading is way cheaper.

Unfortunately, the average beginner simply doesn't have the skill to shoot long range precision much at all. It takes developing their understanding, reading wind, knowing the bullet drop of their best load, and practice, practice, practice. Paid sharpshooters actually do that more than anything, in all kinds of weather and under some pretty horrible conditions, for fun. If it looks nasty out, they go.

Like everything in llfe, it can't be purchased, it's bought by paying your dues.
 
Tirod made some great points. But a heavy varmint rig would make a terrible competition rifle for the shooting we do. Now there are tons of different competitions you can get into with an AR so if you find one that fits the bill that is awesome. But a rifle built to do multiple roles well will do none of them great. I'd hate to lug a bull barrel around a match where most of the shooting is run and gun from a hasty position. Find the ballance that is acceptable to you and then buy or build that rifle.
 
Gus gives good advice. I shoot with a bunch of guys who have the RRA service match rifles. They seem go bang everytime. I use RRA lowers for my service rifle match guns and have no complaints.
 
I would suggest just establishing a realistic purchase budget, including a nice case, good mags, safety gear, and 1000 rounds of ammo. I have used www.armslist.com.

I have a Sig Sauer and a Rock River. The only time either have misfired was with cheap Russian ammo and when I squeezed 31 rounds into a 30 round mag and it wouldn't lock in.

Get one and see if you like it. Trade it for another one or rebuild it. There will always be an aftermarket for ARs.
 
Not sure if this helps but, I purchased a Bushmaster CR15 superlite and use it for both hunting and tactical, with the right set up (ammo+optics) it`s a tack driver, sub 1inch groups at 100 yards with factory match ammo, the whole package with a red dot, 2 mags and magpul collapsable stock was under $650, I diitched the red dot and went with a nice 4x16, mounted on a solid one piece burris. The gun handles unbelievably and is accurate enuf to start with. From here you havent spent alot and can decide where you want to go...Just a thought...
 
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