What is the highest quality, precision AR chambered for .223/5.56

Larue is building some good stuff these days and JP and White Oak have always had a good reputation for accuracy.

JP Enterprises is hard to beat. Falkor Defense would also be among my top choices for a Precision AR. Lots and lots of brands out there that build extremely accurate rifles.

I also forgot to mention Les Baer

Wilson Combat is also building some extremely accurate rifles, though I think it is because they have really good barrels. Their overall build quality is not as good as their price would suggest. Never seen one that was not a shooter, but I hate the amount of slop between their uppers and lowers.

That’s like asking what’s the highest quality, precision 1911.

Rock River used to be well known at various rifle matches.

I think it’s clear a lot of folks are irrationally smitten with the idea that milspec rifles are built to some unattainable precision standard. More often than not, even “sniper,” or DMR type military arms fall a long, long ways behind civilian market firearms in terms of precision.

If I were spending money on an AR-15 to meet a need of “bring your rifle to prove which maker is best,” I can say it wouldn’t be anything except a rifle built by Mike Milli at Dtech or by George Gardner at GA Precision. JP and Seekins are honorable mentions, White Oak and Compass Lake as well, and frankly, I have seen and delivered exceptionally small groups from DPMS (defunct) and Rock River. But if I were challenged by “buy a rifle and prove it is the best,” it would be a Dtech or a GAP. These have been the only rifles I have owned which I had to really consider whether I thought I could build something more accurate on my own - which typically IS the case.

Varminterror said:

I think it’s clear a lot of folks are irrationally smitten with the idea that milspec rifles are built to some unattainable precision standard. More often than not, even “sniper,” or DMR type military arms fall a long, long ways behind civilian market firearms in terms of precision.

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Exactly. Milspec is a bare minimum standard for a lowest bidder to meet. I wish more people would remember that.

Varminterror said:

I think it’s clear a lot of folks are irrationally smitten with the idea that milspec rifles are built to some unattainable precision standard. More often than not, even “sniper,” or DMR type military arms fall a long, long ways behind civilian market firearms in terms of precision.

If I were spending money on an AR-15 to meet a need of “bring your rifle to prove which maker is best,” I can say it wouldn’t be anything except a rifle built by Mike Milli at Dtech or by George Gardner at GA Precision. JP and Seekins are honorable mentions, White Oak and Compass Lake as well, and frankly, I have seen and delivered exceptionally small groups from DPMS (defunct) and Rock River. But if I were challenged by “buy a rifle and prove it is the best,” it would be a Dtech or a GAP. These have been the only rifles I have owned which I had to really consider whether I thought I could build something more accurate on my own - which typically IS the case.

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I’d urge you to try a Falkor Defense rifle if you have the opportunity.

marksman13 said:

Wilson Combat is also building some extremely accurate rifles, though I think it is because they have really good barrels. Their overall build quality is not as good as their price would suggest. Never seen one that was not a shooter, but I hate the amount of slop between their uppers and lowers.

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I have a Wilson Combat "matched" upper & lower. Mine has no slop & feels solid as a rock.

TEKoken813 said:

I have a Wilson Combat "matched" upper & lower. Mine has no slop & feels solid as a rock.

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To be sure, there are some very tight fitting WC rifles in circulation, but I worked for a WC dealer for a few years and the most difficult part of selling a WC rifle was not the price point. It was convincing a customer that the slop between the WC upper and lower would not affect accuracy. Also had to convince them that the extremely tight fit of a Rock River rifle did not necessarily mean that it was a better built rifle than the WC. I’m not saying all WCs are sloppy or that all Rock Rivers are tight. I’m just saying that I saw enough sloppy WCs to make that stand out as my lasting impression of Wilson Combat ARs.

Varminterror said:

exceptionally small groups from DPMS (defunct)

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They used to get a lot of flack, but I had two of their 24" fluted stainless barrels 25 years ago on prairie dog rigs. Very tight 223 chambers and consistent groups covered by a dime at 100 yards.

As far as current production rifles, my only personal experience is JP and White Oak. Contact either John and tell them what accuracy you expect.
I know they are not the only game(s) in town, just my only experiences in the last 20 years that are still around.

Varminterror said:

If I were spending money on an AR-15 to meet a need of “bring your rifle to prove which maker is best,” I can say it wouldn’t be anything except a rifle built by Mike Milli at Dtech

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I had an AR built by Mike. He uses (or at least used to use) Shilen match grade barrels. Mine was a .358 and would shoot sub 1/2” with good hunting bullets.

I have a older Windham Bushmaster that’s exceptionally accurate. It has a Wilson air gauged match barrel

taliv said:

I got my distinguished badge shooting a Clinton ban era rock river that had a white oak barrel. Bought a lot of white oak parts over the years. He’s not the most personable guy in the world but his work is serviceable.

I think some of the brands mentioned have tight chambers and I’d take a hard pass on them because there’s no use for an AR that’s not reliable no matter how accurate it is.

Knights armament is something to look at too

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I think Knights is an excellent choice for someone needing the highest accuracy without sacrificing reliability.

DustyGmt said:

if I can form any consensus

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Forum much? -haha. There will be no consensus on anything.

It's the "one gun to rule them all" question. You pick two opposite criteria and ask which thing embodies both, without concessions. Or, in this case, a person picks one criteria while the other opposite criteria is an integral part of the object in question.

With two criteria you get a few answers, but also those who do not like those answers because they do not fit another criterion that the downplayer thinks is integral to the question. None of the most accurate AR rifles are "mil spec." That's why BCM isn't in the conversation if extreme accuracy is the driving criterion. It's not that BCM is a bad AR, it just doesn't focus on the criterion. It's a very good AR when reliability is the driving criterion.

Accurate guns need tight tolerances. Semi-auto guns need slop to run reliably. Our military needs to field firearms that function clean/dirty, wet/dry, and with debris trying to make the firearm choke. You don't get "mil-spec reliability" and national match accuracy in the same thing. The manufacturers that make tight-tolerance AR's still need high quality, consistent ammo. A high end rifle plus low end ammo is good (and better than average) but not extremely accurate.

It's even worse with three criteria because you get a Goldilocks question and have to ascertain the driving criteria. For example, "I'm looking for the most accurate, most reliable, lowest cost AR." That kind of question gets answered with entry level models since low cost usually drives. But could get answered with buying a high end upper and a lower cost lower that embodies either accuracy or reliability.

All this to say that divergent criteria won't net good information. Consider that precision AR's shouldn't use 5.56mm ammo because who wants inexpensive, high pressure, 3moa ammo in a tight chambered $2,500+ gun? Not me. If someone responds that they want the most accurate that can use 5.56... then the best accuracy isn't the driving criterion. If they respond that their budget is well below what the going rate of a premium rifle is going to cost... then the best accuracy isn't the driving criterion. Finally, if they don't handload to tune their ammo to their high performance rifle... then the best accuracy isn't the driving criterion.

Making a choice means that something else is not chosen. Decisions always require concessions.

There is 5.56 pressure ammo that is 1 MOA capable, typically loaded with a 77 grain SMK, not a 55 or 62 FMJ.

You.

Most decently built ARs are capable of more accuracy than most shooters can utilize.

daniel craig said:

Most decently built ARs are capable of more accuracy than most shooters can utilize.

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What standard for accuracy are most shooters capable of utilizing?

Exactly. Milspec is a bare minimum standard for a lowest bidder to meet. I wish more people would remember that.

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As well as likely to function more reliably with just about everything you could drag off the shelf.

The OP is full of qualitative words (many of the others too. “Milspec” is a quantifiable standard, nothing more.

Extremely, precision, accuracy, decent, exceptional, respectable, all really don’t mean much until you quantify them with some sort of a standard.