Deserthunter
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Which AR-15 uppers on the market are the most accurate, defined as sub 1 MOA at 100 yards?
Most accurate AR-15 uppers
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Better question would be which barrel.
I like either Ballistic Advantage or Faxon barrels. Heavy, fluted, stainless crowned instead of muzzle break. But that's my preference
I like either Ballistic Advantage or Faxon barrels. Heavy, fluted, stainless crowned instead of muzzle break. But that's my preference
Gone Hiking
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The heavy barreled NRA/CMP High Power match / service rifle uppers are going to be the most precise vs. something like a pencil barreled combat rifle.
For barrels, look at;
JP Enterprises
Bartlein
Krieger
White Oak Armament
Green Mountain
Wilson Combat
My service rifle with a Green Mountain barrel, chambered in .223 CLE Match with a 1:7 twist, for example, is sub-MOA.
For barrels, look at;
JP Enterprises
Bartlein
Krieger
White Oak Armament
Green Mountain
Wilson Combat
My service rifle with a Green Mountain barrel, chambered in .223 CLE Match with a 1:7 twist, for example, is sub-MOA.
earlthegoat2
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The Rock River National Match uppers guarantee 3/4 MOA. A well built upper can better that a bit.
Varminterror
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If I were buying an upper with an expectation for precision, GA Precision, White Oak, Compass Lake, or Mike Milli of Dtech are the only four which would get my money. None of these would shoot as loose as 1moa.
In a second tier, the ocean is wide and deep. Many, many factory uppers and rifles will shoot 1moa.
In a second tier, the ocean is wide and deep. Many, many factory uppers and rifles will shoot 1moa.
redneck2
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He uses Shilen barrels, or at least did on my .358 WSSM he made for me. Shot sub 1/2”
In the FWIW category, long ago I got an AR with a Wilson match grade air gauged barrel. Extremely accurate
Varminterror
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Indeed he does. And his uppers come out more accurate than I can build myself, despite having built literally hundreds of them, even using the same Shilen barrels. Hence he can have my money when an application calls for more precision than I can coax out of rifles myself, as can these other 3 I listed.
I’m certain there are more than 4 builders in the world which produce more accurate uppers than can I, but I only need these 4 to keep my appetite sated. When it comes to RRA, JP, Wilson, Seekins, etc, I can typically buy barrels and meet or beat the performance for the money, so I don’t spend that money on an assembled upper, I just buy barrels.
imac98374
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https://www.larue.com/products/larue-ultimate-ar-15-upper/
This would probably fit the bill (as long as you're interested in a heavy-ish 16 inch barrel with mid-length gas.)
This would probably fit the bill (as long as you're interested in a heavy-ish 16 inch barrel with mid-length gas.)
I’m guessing you mean Wilson, not Wilson combat.
And to my knowledge, white oak doesn’t make their own barrels. When I was buying their stuff, their “house” barrels were Wilson and you could pay more for a krieger. compass lake is another good option
I’ve owned all the above except green mountain. Good results for sure.
but for factory uppers, I’d prob look at Larue but you can just take your chances with just about anybody and prob get sub MOA. The DD I just bought is easily sub MOA with mk262
someguy2800
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You can get lucky with any random combination of parts but to be certain costs money.
I bought a DPMS (affordable) upper from Midway USA around 13 years ago with a 24" heavy fluted stainless steel barrel and put it on a Bushmaster lower. I still have the rifle but rarely shoot it. I remember the first trip to the range where a fellow shooter gave me five rounds of Blackhills reman stuff (I forget the bullet weight). That first shot group was easily under 1/2". I then started load development and it was easy to put five rounds into a sub 1/2 moa group over a 0.6 gr range of Varget. I guess my point is that I like high end stuff as much as the next guy, but I've found accuracy to be fairly easy to achieve with a wide range of manufacturers, even at entry level pricing. What isn't always so easy is the functionality aspect.
Gone Hiking
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That wasn't a typo. I mean Wilson Combat, with their logo stamped at the muzzle. I can attest to their MOA precision. I suppose they or White Oak may quietly subcontract, but it doesn't appear so, at least in Wilson Combat's video. They're good barrels in any case.
https://shopwilsoncombat.com/Barrels/departments/108/
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Zerodefect
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Varminterror
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DPMS used to make incredibly accurate rifles, shame to see them be allowed to wither and die. A “sweet 16” and an Oracle I had were very accurate, reliably sub-MOA. I recall several years ago an online contest on Predator Masters forums which was won by a box stock Sweet 16” - and a couple years their convention Egg Shoot at 150yrds was won with DPMS rifles. I lusted after an Arctic Panther for years, never could convince myself to buy an all white AR living and predominantly hunting in the Midwest.
FL-NC
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My Larue stealth upper does 1 MOA with MK262.
On the subject of DPMS, I attended a course for work several years ago, where the DPMS SASS was standing in for the KAC SR-25 (turns out, SR25 rifles are not easy to obtain if you aren't a gov't entity). The only modification to the SASS was the adjustable JP triggers had been removed and replaced with a non-adjustable match type trigger. When I first saw these rifles, what came to mind was the low cost nature of most DPMS products I had handled (I had never messed with one of their AR10 type rifles). I assumed that my performance through the course would be hampered by being forced to use this rifle. It had a Leopold M3 10X mounted, and we were using Fed gold medal match 168 grain ammo. I was pleasantly surprised- through the course, my issued SASS always did 1 MOA or better, and not to brag- I was the highest score in the class on the range and overall, with all of my classmates also holding legit sniper pedigrees .
On the subject of DPMS, I attended a course for work several years ago, where the DPMS SASS was standing in for the KAC SR-25 (turns out, SR25 rifles are not easy to obtain if you aren't a gov't entity). The only modification to the SASS was the adjustable JP triggers had been removed and replaced with a non-adjustable match type trigger. When I first saw these rifles, what came to mind was the low cost nature of most DPMS products I had handled (I had never messed with one of their AR10 type rifles). I assumed that my performance through the course would be hampered by being forced to use this rifle. It had a Leopold M3 10X mounted, and we were using Fed gold medal match 168 grain ammo. I was pleasantly surprised- through the course, my issued SASS always did 1 MOA or better, and not to brag- I was the highest score in the class on the range and overall, with all of my classmates also holding legit sniper pedigrees .
I worked at Remington for two years as an ammunition R&D engineer (2011/2012) and at one point the R&D group was offered a DPMS AR308 at cost. Three of the group ended up buying one but I declined because I considered the DPMS AR308 to be ugly. When the three rifles showed up a bunch of us went down the R&D range and shot some Remington 168gr Premier Match ammunition. All three rifles produced consistent groups in the 1/2" range with very little effort. Ugly for sure, but effective.
Cemetery21
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One of the best shooting barrels I ever had was a 24" fluted SS DPMS (223 chamber). I sold it 'cause I had several "name brand" barrels - White Oak, JP, Shilen, Lilja, ARP, Blackhole.
Cemetery21
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One of the best shooting 16" carbine barrels I've had was a Bergara. Went to size the first 80 rounds and could not get them over half way into the die. Turns out the barrels had oversized chambers. Bergara replaced it (eventually), but the new barrel never shot as well.
JFrank
Member
Lots of good barrel manufacturing, Lilja barrel has a long history and good reputation. Shilen have not impressed me at all dispite the internet following.
if you'd had their crawfish boil, you might change your mind
JFrank
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Lunch sounds great , I'll pass on the barrel.
Cemetery21
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I've only had three Shilens. Two were "match select" blanks, slow twist .224 finished at 27" with very little taper. One was chambered in 22-250 (bolt gun), set back once, then set back again and chambered to 22BR. The other was for an AR, built without a gas port/tube (single shot), later drilled for gas block and cut with a 223AI reamer. They both shot excellent. The third was a pre-finished sporter taper 77-22 barrel. It did not impress.
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