Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles best A2 rifle package available?

I looking for an a2 style rifle with carry handle/sight.

weighing accuracy, reliability and cost, which off the shelf rifle?

I'd buy a complete upper from White Oak Armament or piece one together myself.

Have you checked into the Colt a4, I know it's not a true a2 but it has the carry handle.

An option.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/colt-mfg-ar6520-ar15-a2-govt-carbine-le-used.html?___SID=U#.WgeYNGhSyM8

Not really interested in uppers, lowers or piecing anything together. I do work with a ton of guys who love that stuff. Half the guys I work with live in Colona, Geneseo, or Rock Island. A lot of them have wrked at the arsenal, or for RRA or Springfield.

I want a rifle ready out of the box. The used colts look like a decent deal, but would like a tighter twist.

Looking for opinions on rifles like the Springer Saint, or the S&W M&P15 sportII. Possibly even the Ruger ar556.

John,

When you say "A2 style" are you mean with a 20" government profile, rifle gas barrel with the round plastic handguards, or just something with a carry handle and fixed front sight?

By A2 style I assumed he was wanting a true type A2 rifle.

More info is needed:

Those aren't A2 rifles. An A2 rifle would mean it has a 20" barrel and an A2 non-collapsible stock.

If you want a rifle I would get a Colt A4, a RRA A4 or an FN.

I'd honestly get the Colt if it were my money.




Travis

For me, I would get a flattop and put a handle on it.
If you change your mind, scope mounting is easy.
True A2 type, is hardER to scope.

Barrel length isn't as important to me. I do prefer the non collapsible stock, and i really prefer the carry handle sight like on the original m16. It wouldn't bother me to piece on the carry handle/sight.

Almost all of the ARs i've handled in the last few years have had a collapsible stock, and I could live with one.

I likely used the A2 term incorrectly, as my familiarity with the terminology ended in the early 80s

Rock River NM A4 or same from White Oak. Either will be a 1/.2 min. rifle with good ammo

Are all lowers pretty much compatible with any upper?

This forum needs somebody knowledgeable to post a sticky explaining terminology and common acronyms. Reading some of the build descriptions here is like reading the old gearhead articles of the 70s.

Yes.

Yes, your concerns about buying upper and lower separately are unfounded.
Assembly is simply pushing out two captive pins, putting the parts together and pushing the pins back in.

I don't know of anybody building a 16" barreled AR with the A2 stock other than those Colt's that were already posted on this thread.





Travis

Been looking a little deeper and see that 1/9 twist is fairly common. A few conversations with others had me thinking that most stuff made today was barreled 1/8 or even 1/7.

My only current .22 centerfire is rifled 1/14 and I use 50 gr or lighter bullets. Will a 1/9 barrel do well with most available ammo?

I like 1/7 best myself. That opens the doors to any and all ammo, without closing any. I've shot everything from the 40gr VMax up to the 90gr Sierra Matchking in the 20" 1/7 Colt barrel. They all work.

I have a three 1/7 barrels, two 1/9 barrels, and one 1/8 in the inventory.

The 1/9 stabilizes some of the 75/77gr stuff, but the 1/7 is more accurate with it.

My 1/8 is a bolt gun. It works fine with all the 75/77gr stuff.

Yeah but unless you plan on going lighter than 50gr a 1-8 or 1-7 will be fine and allow you to shoot heavy bullets if you ever want to.

+1

Depending on your luck and who you get it from, a 1/9 can be really hinky with 75s. Sometimes you'll get a barrel that is rifled slower than advertised. Rifling buttons sometimes slip and yield a slower twist.
I wouldn't waste my time on one unless I was absolutely sure I was never going to shoot anything more than a 69 Sierra.