Rock River Varmint versus Les Baer Super Varmint

[Rob96]

I am looking at these two rifles. What does one offer over the othr? Is the Baer that much better that it is twice the cost? I know there are agencies that use Rock River products. Any that use les Baer AR's?

 

[longdayjake]

For a varmint rifle you will not see any difference whatsoever. Obviously varmint rifles will not be put to the same test as a combat rifle. Rock river guarantees 3/4" at 100 yards. I doubt les baer can beat that guarantee. The biggest difference you will see in the rifles are the trigger. Whatever trigger you prefer will be the deciding factor in which rifle is better.

 

[longdayjake]

I take it back, Les Baer guarantees 1/2" MOA. There are a few other things it offers to make the price higher. Chrome bolt carrier group is one of them. A chrome bolt and a versa pod attached.

 

[rogertc1]

Les Bauer moved to Le Claire Iowa and Rock River is still in Colona, Illinois...maybe 19 miles apart. IMHO they are both great AR's...they will make them for you.

 

[DIM]

for a few more bucks get a Stoner SR-25 but I don't have those extra so I would probably choose Rock River A4

 

[mljdeckard]

I'll bet that the RRA will do 1/2 MOA with any ammo the Baer will.

 

[browningguy]

Is the Baer that much better that it is twice the cost?

In a word, yes, or maybe, depending on what you want. Every Baer I have shot, both pistols and rifles, has been incredibly well built and accurate. To be honest once you get past the 95% part of anything, every extra 1% costs a lot of money. RRA is right at the top of production AR's as far as fit, finish, and accuracy, I have a couple of RRA lowers that I love. But if you want something that is just a little better then the price starts going up geometrically, for some it's worth it, for some it's not.

 

[usmc1371]

I have the les baer super varmint and have close to a thousand rounds of .204 through it over the last couple years. Mine BEATS the half MOA mark by a fair margin, the two test groups that came with the rifle were both closer to 1/4 moa and if I do my part I can duplicate those results. The bore is a thing of beauty, the fit and finish are outstanding and I have shot it next to pretty much every other brand of AR/M16 on the market and havent seen one yet that would make me trade my baer. Yes its not cheap. From my dealings with their customer service I am happy with them, I orderd my rifle from Iraq, am an oregon resident, and had it shiped to a gun store in Yuma AZ and they were very helpfull.

One thing I have learned, part of the reason they can claim such small groups is the chamber really likes one load over all others, almost like it was cut for one spicific load. IE 32 grain Hornaday. If I shoot the 40 grain hornaday the groups open up a little but still well inside moa, the 40 grain remy loads shoot at or even a little over 1 moa. So I stick with the 32 grainers from hornaday and stock up when I find a good buy on them. Ragged one hole groups at 100 yards are cool but the groups that put a smile on my face are the sub 2" five shot groups at 400 yds and the occaisonal 1.5" 400yd group is just iceing on the cake.
It comes down to where you want to spend your cash, I wanted the most accurate AR I could buy (not build) and I wanted .204 ruger. I bought mine in the summer of 2006 and at the time Les Baer looked like the winner. The RRA varmint is a nice gun I have shot it next to mine but there is a diffrence in the over all feel.

 

[carbine85]

I have the RRA Varmit A4. It is a great rifle and shoots better then the 3/4 MOA. Varmits are heavy rifles, a lot heavier the standard AR15's. I use mine for target shooting. Th 2-stage trigger releases at about 3 lbs.

 

[SwampWolf]

Another option might be the RRA National Match variant (NM A4). Made for target competition but I've used mine for varmints also with great success. It's also rated to meet a 3/4 MOA and comes with a very nice match 2-stage trigger.

 

[Txhillbilly]

Les Baer does make some fine guns,but to me it isn't worth the price if you are not in competition shooting. My RRA Varmiter will shoot better than I can anyday of the week,but I can shoot 1/2-3/4 MOA with my handloads,and 1MOA with most factory ammo. So it will kill anything that I want to hunt,and thats all that matters to me.

 

[rangerruck]

les baer, guarantees any of their rifles, to be 1/2 moa at 100 yds, no matter what the config. that is impressive. plus I suspect all their parts are made to the toughest standards, in house, and coated an protected by chrome, or some other of the latest and greatest protection products available.

 

[taliv]

you mean those $1100 M4gery police specials are guaranteed 1/2 MOA?? are you sure?

 

[Rob96]

you mean those $1100 M4gery police specials are guaranteed 1/2 MOA?? are you sure?

I believe they are 1 MOA.

 

[usmc1371]

One thing I should mention, the differance between shooting a .5 moa rifle and a 1 moa rifle is really only appearnt shooting off a really good bench under great conditions. In the real world of shooting sage rats off the bipod and impervised rests my friends kill just as many sage rats with rifles that cost half as much as what I paid for the LBC.

 

[rangerruck]

yeah, but the guarantee .5 moa rifle, means you could....

 

[benzy2]

To me the price difference isn't worth it. I'm not a 1/4 MOA shooter. I'm on a limited budget. I'll take the RRA. I can appreciate those who can outshoot the RRA and I can appreciate those who are willing to spend the money for the Les Baer. I personally find the RRA to be enough but thats me. Everyone has to pick where they find the price/performance line worth the cost.

 

[rossiscratch]

Personally, I'd get a rock river with the 3/4 moa guarantee (I recently purchased a RRA predator pursuit), and I would spend the price differential on ammo. Trigger time will make you a better shot than that extra 1/4 moa guarantee, IMO. If money wasn't a factor you wouldn't be asking this question, so I assume you would be a little tight on ammo money if you went with the LBC. Also, cheap ammo will most likely not achieve either of those guarantees further adding to the budget strain...

 

[Rob96]

Personally, I'd get a rock river with the 3/4 moa guarantee (I recently purchased a RRA predator pursuit), and I would spend the price differential on ammo.

Or some nice glass.

 

[Tim the student]

My RRA Varmiter will shoot better than I can anyday of the week,but I can shoot 1/2-3/4 MOA with my handloads,and 1MOA with most factory ammo.

Same here (RRA Varmint EOP), except I can't get junk FMJ handloads to do better than about 1.7". .5"-.75" is normal with good bullets.

I have no doubts that you will get quality from both.

 

[rossiscratch]

Or some nice glass.

+1 to the better glass, can't believe that wasn't my first priority.