looking at getting one of these or the dpms praire panther in camo for a coyote, hog,fun, defense gun...want to be able to do some decent range plinking, and plan to put a bushnell elite tactical 5-15 scope on it with the burris pepr mount..but the actual gun is where im on the fence..looked at rra, but they are a lil out of the price i wanna pay...and around here ive seen lots of r15's in the 6-800$ range..so how are they in terms of accuracy and reliability? i plan to change out the buttshock, grip, and other minor things along the road to suit my needs, but the gun itself i want to be accurate and dependable..any reviews are appreciated! and if you got pics of yours set up for varmint hunting post some pics up so i can get a better idea of the finished product..thanks fellas
Brian

You get what you pay for.

that doesnt really help with the question i asked tho? i know i can spend more than my checkbook will hold to customize one, but im looking to not break the bank, and still have a fine shooting AR...not gonna be a competitive paper puncher, i just want something with a 20" barrel thatll have realiable accuracy

Accurate and dependable will depend on your definition. If your AR does not feed and go bang dependably with either factory ammo or good handloads, it needs to go back to the manufacturer until it does.

AR's by design are accurate, as long as the barrel is decent. Benchrest accuracy will always be a crap shoot with any production rifle.

The dipped camo coating on the Remington tends to peel and flake and look nasty.

I'd buy the RRA, but it's your call.

I don't have a Rem R15, but I understand they shoot pretty good after you replace the trigger. So you take a $800.00 R15 and add a $200.00 RRA two stage chrome trigger group, and you have the cost of a RRA that will shoot 1/2" MOA with reloads.
I do have two RRA's.

RRA for sure - (I have 6 AR rifles/pistol)

I have the RRA mid-length A4 on order and I bought it during the winter sale. $750 + tax is pretty cheap for a MOA gun with a 2 stage match trigger.

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=224

If you give them a few weeks, there will probably be a spring sale going on.

The R-15 should make you a good calling AR even with the stock trigger. Plus the Camo and Light Weight Barrel would be plus. You may also want to look at the Smith & Wesson line of AR'S

I've looked at the s&w line as well, but for a calling gun or even just some regular plinking at 2-300 yards or so I think the r15 should do plenty good for...im used to the less than perfect triggers since I have alot of time on military m16/m4's and as long as the trigger is better than those im happy lol..my mind isn't completely made on exactly what ar configuration I want since I gotta wwait til after my deployment to buy it..just like getting ideas around beforehand

I have never found the regular trigger on a AR a real handicap for hunting and not all that bad for paper shooting if you take your time and get used to it. I believe DPMS makes the R-15 that Remington sells under the Remington name. My personal opinion the R-15 will serve your purpose well right out of the box. If you aren't satisfied you can always trade up or replace the barrel

It's a camo'ed Bushmaster.

My son and nephew both have the R15. The nephew had some jam problems but they went away, believe that it was a bad mag. I have shot my sons and watched both of them shoot paper and coyotes. Both guns are sub 1" at 100 yards, with 50 grain ballistic tips. They don't shoot 40 grain bullets near as accurately. In my view they are great guns. The triggers are not great but liveable.
I am probably going to buy one to add to my AR collection.

some good info here...thanks for the help so far

Agreed on the previous post on the R-15 being a Bushmaster. I think DPMS used to make them for Remington at one time. Anyway if you want a R-15 I suggest you save yourself some money and buy the Bushmaster from Wal-Mart....

Got one stock trigger is fine, rock n roll!

Any other opinions? Im really between the r15 and dpms. prairie panther..both are right about the specs I want and price range

I've had/have everything thus far mentioned and lots that ain't. My R-15's trigger is easily the best feeling OEM Gas Gun trigger I've ever yanked,though my pard's was about threefold the pull weight of mine and laden with copious creep. Have never had a "bad" Bushy,nor ever seen one that wouldn't hang tidy Agg's reliably.

My R-15 beef is the lack of a C/L spout,but admittedly I'm far harder on schit than most and prolly see a little weather on the average day. A 9" suits me,though I've 7's,8's,9's and 14" twist Gassers. COAL is the bane,regarding boolit selection,not twist and a 9" will happily launch everything that has bearing surface above the case mouth in a MilSpec-ish mag.

The PEPR ain't horrid,though the Bushnell is dog schit. My latest RRA upper is fine,but I prefer a gas block that is 1pc,as opposed to any of them that are clamped and trust taper pins far more than threaded fasteners.

30mm PEPR on a DPMS 243Win.



Some R-15 victims,in both fixed(22") and collapsible(18") versions.





If you are going to tinker,the S&W is tough to argue against. The bores are nice,triggers not too shabby and they run reliably. Forward assist means dick to me,but a dust cover is nice,for keeping weather and vegetation outta nether regions.

S&W and a RRA upper(LW C/L spout).



Gassers are like Legos and easy to meld to tastes. The R-15 is the route I'd go,lonngggggggggg before the Panther.

I like the lower M&P rifles name

thanks for your insight...i do agree with your views on the diff guns..but the scope is where i guess we'll agree to disagree..sure there is better and more pricey options out there, but i have a buddy with an elite tactical 6-24 and the glass was real clear and i liked the features of it..i just dont want that much scope for my gun lol..but i do agree that forward assist on an ar really is a moot point 99.9999% of the time, if you rack it back like a man itll never be used(ive put thousands and thousands of rounds thru military m4/16s and never used the forward assist once)...but it def looks like your r15 can kill some stuff! and i do like your dmps 243 as well

any other opinions?

Considering the lifetime warranty, the awarding of government contracts [DEA and FBI], and the custom features [standard on the guns], I'd really look alittle harder at the RRA gun. They give you alot of gun for the money.

Im not counting them out by any means, just weighin out my options first

Most bang for the buck straight from the factory is RRA IMHO.

The Bushy generally shoot real well from what I have seen too.

I cannot say I would ever buy a DPMS, a remington R15, or another bushmaster (fool me once). I also have had a RRA, it was an OK rifle, carrier key was not staked from the factory in mine, and (M4 pattern) was not overly accurate, it went bang every time however. In barrels that say 5.56 chamber you can add a few more grains of powder due to longer throat and they are rated to 60K CUP vs 50 for the .223, look at Barnes bullets website they list separate loads for .223 and 5.56. I would understand what chamber they are talking about before you buy it, for instance WOA uses a wylde chamber which is supposed to be able to shoot both 5.56 and .223. If its a .223 only chamber I would not know if I could shoot milsurp ammo in it. I guess a 1-8 is fine, my barrels are all 1-7 now, it just turned out that way as they are also all 5.56 chambers.

Not having any problems with my unmodified R-15 it shoots nice. Magnum man

how do u have yours set up? what bullets does it like?

So far I've used a lot of bulk 55 gr FMJ and 55gr Hornady SP's with H335 and some TAC. Commercial 223 as well as military brass it doesn't seem at all fussy to brand but I don't mix them and you need to keep them trimmed below max lgth,that's for sure.I will be working on some heavier bullet loads this spring.I did add one of those little rubber cushions between the upper and lower. I have a red dot for it but mostly use a 4 x14x in real tall rings. It doesn't seem to have a magazine preference either but I do. I'll grab GI 20 rounders any day, damn 30's are pain in the butt. I also just use regular RCBS dies. Cabelas has a deal tommorrow AM for GI 62 gr Green tip. I am going to pick some up for a reference. I will try some loads using the 64 gr WW Powerpoint and 63 gr Sierra bullets also. Magnum Man

i was planning to try some of the bulk hornady vmax 55s cabelas has been selling as a good priced plinker and hunting round when i had the option to...but its good to hear that its not an overly picky gun

You shooting much milsurp in it? I have no idea what the chamber is in the rifle but if its a wylde chamber then 5.56 would work. Do they chrome the bore and chamber, is it nitrited (melonite) or just bare metal like in their 7400?

jimmyp ,to date all the ammo I've shot thru it has been my 223 handloads using either commercial brass or GI. The barrel says it's a 223 Rem 1/9 twist 22" chrome moly,I did not see any reference in the Remington catalog from 2008 to having a chromed chamber or bore or any mentioning of a nitride job either.Remington had Bushmaster make the guns for them. Remington sure tried to distance the R-15 VTR from being classed as a "black rifle" to me they are all AR platform guns period. Some will disagree but if it has a failing, it is the no provision for a BUIS frt sight.When I got it I thought this would take care of my AR needs but was wrong.I continually find myself handling the the shorter barrelled carbines with a collapseable stock,flattopped, picatinny rail on the gas block for BUIS. Looking for a behind the seat portability in a short pkg.Owning multiple guns seems to be an life long addiction for me. I quit fighting it too. Magnum Man

All 4 R15s I had were very, very accurate and the one I kept, 18" bbl, CS, I put a 3lb timney trigger in it since its pretty light shoots my coyote load of a 50g vmax into .500-.630" @ 100 yds.
You cant go wrong with the R15 & the only bad is the stock trigger and thats an easy fix.

So buy a gun with a good trigger from the get go. You get what you pay for, and the R-15, DPMS, Bushmaster, S&W M&P 15, etc are entry level guns. Better made guns come with good triggers, good warranties, and don't need anything but a scope and ammo.

I have 2 R15s one rifle 22" barrel and a carbine 18" barrel with the adjustable butt stock. They both shoot under an inch with most loads I've shot.I use 50 gr Ballistic tips and VVN133. Kills coyotes.I like the carbine with the short barrel and the stock can be set where you want it for the position you're in while calling. I've had good luck with different brand ARs too,you can get junk from any of the makers. Do all the different makers, make their own uppers and lowers? No! The parts are basicly all the same (except for aftermarket triggers and barrels) Yes you can nit pick if you want. I know everyone has one that will shoot 1/4 inch all day long but, I have yet to see one at any benchrest matches.
Get what makes you happy and enjoy it.
MB

The R-15 is Bushmaster,The R-25(AR-10) is DPMS.

I have nothing against RRA rifles, the ones I have owned have all shot well. However, I wouldn't buy one for the trigger. Their triggers are known to have issues and a quick Google search will confirm that. Buy what you want but do yourself a favor and put a Geissele trigger in it.

I have never heard anyone who has actually owned a RRA gun complain about the trigger in any way. Anyone can post anything on the 'net and folks will believe it as the truth.

I didn't buy my RRA for the trigger, but having a nice crisp clean 3.5 pound trigger pull from the factory sure is nice. The trigger is just one of the pieces offered that makes them a good buy in the AR market place. Lapped barrels, hogue grips, lifetime warranties, accuracy standards, customer service, available options and models, and price, all factored into my purchases.

How much does RR pay you?

I own both triggers and like both. There are reported failures on the net of the fixed pin in the RR trigger. The easy fix is to replace the pin with a piece of drill rod of the same diameter, cut the length of the inside to inside distance between the reciever sides. This can't break or fall out.

I use a SS pin to "upgrade" all of mine.

I like their triggers and their SS barrels are pretty accurate but I hate the cheapness they wrap it all up with.

I wish I was getting something from someone. Gun stuff if expensive.

And Remington/bushmaster/dpms is top notch? For the same money the RRA is a much better gun.

Nope, they rank right down there with RR.

Bushmaster Varminters will shoot right along side any RR. Probably dpms and the R15's given the same type of barrel would too. Ya their triggers suck but if you think RR's is a great trigger, don't try a good one like say a Millazzo, Giesselle, KAC and probably a few others.

For the same money they're not bad but they could be better.

What is your source for that pin stock if I may ask?

Fastenal, 3/32 x 5/8" 416 SS

Many thanks TWR.

Like my RRA 6.8. Cant complain and would buy again.

Though I admit....trigger didnt factor into my purchase.