Bushmaster Varminter or ?

[Gomeler]

I started shooting a few months ago on a cheap Savage chambered in 17HMR. I love my little pea shooter to death but I want something with a little bit more grunt in it to hunt paper/steel past 200 yards. I've been seesawing between a Savage 111 LRH in 300 WSM or a bull barreled AR in .223. After firing a few shots out of a Bushmaster Varminter earlier today I've decided on the AR-15 platform.

I just moved out to Colorado and in just two trips out to the mountains I've already found secluded areas where I'm pretty certain I can shoot out to 300-400 yards. Need to chat with the forest rangers on Monday but consider that to be the typical maximum range. I'll mostly be shooting prone so rifle and scope weight are not a concern.

So, I'm looking for some suggestions of other rifles besides Bushmaster's Varminter that you guys personally enjoy. I've run across a number of DIY build suggestions incorporating various uppers and lowers(RRA lower and WOA upper comes to mind). I'm not against building an AR but I'd like my first one to be assembled so I can tear it apart from a working condition and make it broken Budget for just the rifle I'd cap at $1500. Don't really see a need to go higher than that from what I've researched.

edit: A quick search shows there are about a billion AR-15 threads here. Going to browse through them some but still hoping I'll get a few suggestions in here.

 

[68wj]

For an off-the-shelf AR, check out Rock River Arms' varmint rifle too.

 

[Snowbandit]

I have the Bushmaster and like it fine. Never had a problem with it of any kind. Another one to look at is the Remington R-15 if you happen to like the camo coloring.

 

[wnycollector]

Another vote for RRA. I have an RRA ATH (18" national match barrel) that is boringly accurate (3/4" @100 yards with Black Hillls 68gr heavy match HP).

You might want to check WOA also. I'm contemplating picking up a 24" varmint upper from them. Here is a link http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/

 

[nastynatesfish]

look at the del ton uppers. they have the 18" heavy barrel uppers on sale for 390 shipped most the time when they have them in stock.
i have a 24" sst fluted dpms 204 upper and love it.

 

[TonyAngel]

I've never had the Bushmaster Varminter, but had two of the Predators (20" model) and they do shoot well. I have friends with Rock River Varminters and they are all tack drivers. If an AR is what you want, either of those will do you. I think that the only thing that will truly be a step up would be a build from Compass Lake, White Oak or Krieger.

 

[MistWolf]

Between the RRA and the Bushmaster Varminter, I'd choose the Bushy as it has a lighter barrel profile and makes a better walk-about rifle.

If you build your own, start with a stripped Aero Precision upper & lower as they are high quality and cost less than many others, including RRA.
http://www.jsgunparts.com/store/
https://www.newfrontierarmory.com/catalog/
https://surplusammoandarms.com/

For a barrel, check ADCO, Surplus Ammo & Arms (they carry Black Hole barrels, but you have to call on the phone) DEZ Arms, DSA, or Little Crow Gunworks
http://www.adcofirearms.com/
http://www.dezarms.com/index2.html
http://www.dsarms.com/

Little Crow sells Lothar Walther stainless steel barrels on Gunbroker that come with their own bolt and they are a good barrel for a good price.

ARs are amazingly simple to assemble

 

[ugaarguy]

Based on past experience with S&W AR-15s they have some of the best, in terms of accuracy, hard chromed bbls in the business (I was told by a S&W rep that T/C, who S&W owns, makes the bbls). They're now offering a few models with 1/8 twist 5R bbls, which I have little doubt are still made by T/C (the 5R bbl was a big selling point on the Icon & Venture bolt rifles T/C introduced after S&W bought T/C). T/C is also known for exceptional bbl quality on their Encore & Contender single shots. Again, no first hand experience in regards to accuracy on these new S&W ARs, but past experience would make me take a very close look at them.

 

[Gomeler]

Spent some time looking over the RRA 24" Varmint and it appears to have all the things I liked in the Bushmaster Varminter along with all the praise of RRA. Because the barrel isn't fluted the rifle weighs about 1 pound more but that is only a problem lugging it to where I'll be shooting. More or less for my use it sounds like either rifle will do the job just fine.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Going to see if I can track down either the RRA or Bushy locally and move forward from there. If I end up liking the AR-15 perhaps I'll build out a lighter AR-15 next.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I recently sold a bushy varminter. It was a really sweet shooting upper. I only sold it because I had other projects that I found more interesting.

 

[Sky]

I have the Varminter and Predator and have been pleased with both once I figured out some ammo questions.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=548179

They both have two stage triggers and are my long range 300+ yard rifles with appropriate scopes. Both of mine have low round count ( less than 500 ) but I have confidence they will both preform for me.

 

[jb27]

I had the same debate as you a few months ago. I ended up going with the Rock River LAR-15 Varmint A4. It hasn't arrived yet but hopefully will be here in the next couple weeks. I guess that's one downside going with a RRA, you most likely will have to order and wait for its arrival. Did a bunch of reading to decide between it and the Bushmaster. From what I gathered they will both shoot very well and are priced similar. For me, I liked some of the slight appearance differences on the RRA. Good luck, I don't think you will go wrong either way.