AR for NRA and CMP high power competition

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clutch

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I'd like to get back in to high power, this time with an AR-15 instead of my Garand I shot 8 years ago.

I'm not really up on what is legal, what NRA and what CMP consider a legal rifle and I'd like to buy a decent rifle for both. The club I belong to shoots 200, 300, 500, and 600.

I eagerly await suggestions.

Thank you in advance for your sage advice.

Clutch
 
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I started with an rra nm and had woa rebarrell it after a few years. Compass lake and dpms are also good places to get a nm ar.
 
Shooters have won High Service rifle, President's 100, NTI with stock box National Match Armalites, Rock Rivers, and Bushmasters.

These brands all make National Match AR's that are excellent shooters out of the box.

I don't like the Bushmaster copy of the Compass Lake trigger, neither do I like the Compass Lake trigger. (Frank White does outstanding barreling work and I have Compass lake installed barrels on my space guns.) I like the Rock River two stage trigger and the Armalite. There are more expensive versions of these triggers, and I have buds' who use the Giesselle http://www.geissele.com/ and claim it is the Cat's Meow. However I am happy with what I have.
 
I would vote for a stock National Match model from either Armalite or Bushmaster. Reasonably priced and has exactly what you need to start out well.
 
" I'm curious, Do you have to have a flat top A2 upper with the traditional stock, handguards, grip ect for this kind of shooting? "

Pretty much traditional at least appearance wise. You can have a SR float tube under the normal handguards. Some of the wierd stocks would put in to match rifle class. As issued is the theme. You can shoot a varmint style or non issue types and not be eligible for winning if the match director allows. Now the detatchable carry handle sight is allowed. Slings are limited to the type, you won't be seeing 1 or 3 pt type.

There is a new class in the matches allowing optics, but I don't recall all the details. Most matchshooter don't think the optics will help improve scores. I think the point was to get more people out to the match.

You would do better to look up the rules on the NRA website as I don't remember things I don't need to remember so well.
 
I started out with an Armalite flattop and detachable handle. Two years later I've replaced the upper with the low end White Oak Armament NM upper, replaced the trigger with a Rock River 2-stage (very satisfied with both). I've also heard great things from the guys in my club regarding the Giesselle trigger, but it's pricey. I wish I had asked the same question as the OP when I first bought my AR......I would have gotten a NM rifle to begin with.
 
If you price them out, a White Oak Armament upper and RRA NM lower will not be much more if any than a factory RRA NM rifle, but it will be a much better built upper. I have a bit of experience with this as I have 4 White Oak uppers and I am in charge of 16 RRA NM rifles for our junior program and state association. You have a 1 in 3 chance with the RRA of having to do some adjustments to the rifle like converting front sight to a windage adjustable one due to the fact that the RRA requires more than 1 revolution of windage from mechanical zero to sight it in. The RRA triggers, if they have not bee "tuned" by a competent smith will also be a source of issues. They are good triggers, but not without faults. My service rifle team and friends among them probably field 25 to 30 White Oak uppers, maybe more. No one is dissatisfied. The one problem that was experienced was quickly fixed by WOA (bad barrel for some reason) with no hassle. If it isn't right, John will make it so. When any new shooter asks what I recommend, the answer is always WOA pinned upper and RRA NM lower or better yet, any lower with the Geisselle trigger.

How many of the guys touting the factory RRAs have direct feedback from 16 rifles? When they are good, they are pretty good; but all of them are not what I find acceptable. I am not talking about accuracy. I am talking about the care with which they are put together.
 
I have to pile on and say White Oak Armament upper and a RRA lower with a tuned trigger. Knowing what I know now, this is the best recommendation I have.

Having said that, my rifle started life as an Armalite National Match model. Well, it still is, all I've done is replace the barrel after shooting out the factory tube. I haven't had any issues with it over the last several years. My shooting friends are always amazed when they see I don't have pinned sights, a hooded aperture or any other real wizardy on my rifle. But it works for me, so?

The only one I've ever seen real issues with are the stock Bushmaster triggers. I can't think of anybody I know who hasn't had the Bushmaster trigger go bad. And I have seen one of the RRA triggers go down also, on a parts-lower.
 
A word of advice - have your RRA trigger tuned by a competent smith like John Holliger at White Oak. RRA's trigger from the factory is usable at best and a substantial percent will give you problems like failure to make weight or loss of the first stage. This is most likely to occur at a leg match.
 
Ah, thank you dzelenka, I definitely want that option.

Back to RRA and lowers, which one do I buy? Would you buy AR0940X or is there something else on their site that I missed? I have the funds sitting next to me, (lots of quarters rolled up from the change can) and I think I found someone to do the transfer.

Thanks,

Clutch
 
Clutch, that is the correct lower assembly, but don't pay anything near to the $380 MSRP. You should be able to beat that by at least 20%. Shop around at the RRA distributors' sites. Let me know if you have any other questions.
 
I checked the distributors page and everyone is at least 2 hours or more away from me. Travel costs would eat up the savings. Thanks for the tip though.

Clutch
 
Find the distributor with the cheapest price and get an FFL dealer to order it for you. Pay up front, you should be able to save the taxes and the dealer's mark up. Most dealers will charge you a $10 to $25 fee to transfer it. If I run across a deal, I'll let you know.
 
Well I ended up ordering the White oak upper, 1/4 minute rear, pinned, pre-ban, 0.062" post today. 6 to 8 weeks to deliver. It is a start.

The nice thing about being my 'secret santa' is I always get what I want. ;)

Clutch
 
My upper was *supposed* to arrive today but there was this little storm in Chicago. :(

My lower has been feeling lonely waiting for its mate.

Drove downstate yesterday before the storm and bought a jar of 748, #41 primers and some 69g match kings, the only box they hand and it had been opened. Yup, one is missing, box of 99 but something to start with.

500 new Lake City cases sitting in MTM 100 round boxes just waiting for load development.

:cuss: I'm tired of winter!

Clutch
 
Dont know much about HPR comp. BUT i know a bit about F Class shooting going to start when the range is done! Got my rifle shes all most finished up!!!!!
 
Clutch, you'll be very happy with that upper. I have an 18" White Oak barrel on my 3-gun rifle and it's a consistent sub-MOA gun with Hornady 75grain OTM's. One of these day's I'm going to buy a service rifle upper and it will definitely be a White Oak. John really knows his stuff.
 
Clutch.....

You did good. Go the the WOP web site and check out Johns recommendations for loads. I use the heck out Reloder 15 and 7 1/2 Remington primers. One thing I found with Lake City brass is uniforming the primer pockets is worth the time.

I have two WOP uppers on RRA lowers. One has a Geisselle trigger while the other is a WOP tuned RRA. I really like the Geisselle.
 
P-32 said:
Clutch.....

You did good. Go the the WOP web site and check out Johns recommendations for loads. I use the heck out Reloder 15 and 7 1/2 Remington primers. One thing I found with Lake City brass is uniforming the primer pockets is worth the time.

[snip]
Click to expand...

I looked all over the White Oak site and didn't see anything on loads. You have a direct link?

Thanks,

Clutch
 
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