Ok gang, for less than 1K money (or darn close) what do you like for factory options in an AR?

I want 223

I want enough barrel length so it won't bark the rest of my hearing

I want a fun rig, that will do work for calling yotes come winter and yet will be fun for my G-kids to work over the steel with.

It will be scoped

I don't want a fat barrel nor a skinny one

And, a darn good factory trigger would be nice

Many thx and fire away with options

Dober

I've been happy with my Bushmaster. It's a 16" HBAR barrel, sorta heavy, but not like a varminter. Trigger is typical milspec....harsh. It shoots well though.

Mine has full length sights and handguard, but carbine gas system.

16" bbl, nott too bad with the compensator. Had a 16" without comp and it was terribly loud.

Had it out a few days ago shooting 60gr VMax over W748. Was rolling pine cones off a hillside at 630 yards.

I added aftermarket grip, stock, handguards from MagPul.





shooting irons,

Hey Mark, not sure about hitting the 1K price point but here are some factors that may help.....you probably already know them but here goes:
1. Standard DI gas system....less $ and lighter.
2. 16 inch midweight tube
3. Try to get one of the newer lighter weight fore arms instead of the heavier cheese grater style...easier on the hands and saves considerable weight....balances nicer and swings easier.
4. Adjustable butt....it fits everybody in the family.

Bravo Company has a LOT of options....just about makes you dizzy sorting it out.

Call Dave @ Beartooth Cash and Gun here in Billings 406-245-4448...he knows a lot about the AR platforms that are out there.

Finally,,,,,,even my wife who doesn't shoot much really likes the AR.....the adjustable butt stock helps a lot.

Oh yeah......flat top receiver also.

If its off the shelf and not a build buy a DPMS Orical and top it of with a Vari X II for 1K


It's hard to get a real nice varmint rig for under a K

That's a lot for a grand considering the trigger. A stock colt 6920 is about 1100. A colt will always hold it's value and they are built better than many you will find in this dollar range. It's carbine gas, the trigger is not good but replaceable, I learned to shoot mine well, it's 5.56 and not 223, and if you get tired of it you can sell it for 900 for as long as you own it. It might even go up in value depending on election. There are black gun builders coming out of the wood works these days, get one that everyone recognizes as good. Colt would be my choice. O and you won't see the front sight at 3x.

I love 16" carbines but if your hearing is better than mine then you might think it too loud. Shoot one first, lot's of folk complain they're too loud but add 2" to it and all is well. I agree a flash hider doesn't make it any louder and some direct the noise away but any comp/brake is gonna be obnoxious.

Smith & Wesson M&P have some of the best ARs IMO out of the box before going to the higher end specialty ARs like Daniel, Spikes, Stag, Ect

That RRA on the classifieds is a sweet deal, but you don't want the fat barrel.. Anyway, I think Sammo is scraping coins out of the sofa for it.

Ifin I were you, I'd look at the RRA Predator Pursuit with the 20" barrel.

You'll need to look around to find it at a thou or less.

The RRA's and S&W's would be my 1st choice. The 20" RRA Coyote is a great out of the box AR but it goes just a little over budget.

Terry

I know it's not "factory" per se, but I'd order an upper from WOA, pick any decent lower outfitted with Magpul furniture, and go to town...

Clark has the solution IMHO.

Pick the upper carefully, put about what you want for a lower on it.

Custom upper and you probably end up a hair over 1000 total, but you can get close and you'll have a premium upper IE accurate and reliable.

White Oak has been my choice for many years now, the owner is a multiple times civilian champ from Camp PErry and knows his stuff. Started doing the work because he wasn't satisified with the guns he had done by others, and ended up his career.

beware he may not do things that others do, IE if you want to skinny of a tube, and he is afraid it won't be accurate, he'll refuse.

And his work load right now is probably crazy being only 2 months from Nationals.

Jeff

BCM, 100%.
If you want room for accessory money, Del-ton kits. If you don't want to build, S&W Sport, though IMO you're getting a slightly worse end product.

You just described the Rock River Arms "ATH" Advanced Tactical Hunter.........one look and you'll be hooked. Mine will be here in a few days!

I like Spikes Tactical, but than that is no secret.

Yes...

Double yes...

I think Mark has been around rifles enough to know when to ask about factory versus custom.

For his needs and wants in killing soup cans and coyotes, I think there's some pretty good factory offerings out there to suit his parameters.

I could be wrong but I assumed the same thing.

Ok -

Thanks for the heads up.

yes he has been around long enough... BUT for not much more, IE close to the 1000 buck mark, you can get a better deal... for more or less same money? And more or less within budget. Whats wrong with that.

If I had to go straight factory I'd go RRA for the value today, or I'd buy a lower and put a model one sales upper on it, and probably with loading get it at 1 moa or less too...

Yep, and you get the RRA National Match trigger, much better than most stock triggers. It's no Giesselle, but not bad. Mine runs around 9-9 1/2 lbs with a VXIII 2.5-8. The 16" carbine version is quite a bit lighter but noisier.

Might want to look at http://www.windhamweaponry.com/

I quit recommending anything... grin

Mark,

I would go with one of these:

http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=225

Or if you could live with a 16" barrel, one of these:

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

My latest is a mid-length flat top, like the bottom link. With the lightweight barrel contour option and fixed stock and a set of Burris rings attached, it goes about 6.5 pounds (no scope yet) and balances well. Haven't shot this one, but my other RRA's have been accurate.

Only downside is they take about six months to get in from order.

Another vote for smith & wesson.

Finally realized you are as dumb as I am eh? grins.

At Walmart we sell a DPMS Sportical for $587. Throw on a $70 Center point scope and for less than $600 you are in the AR business. kwg

Mark, you are going to want a JP(3lb) trigger on what ever you get, especially if kids are going to shoot it.

I hate 16" barrels, loud as hell.

Colt 6920 can be had for around $1000 if you shop around. PSA also makes a good AR for an affordable price. That is where I would start.

I missed the boat.....I tried to put a 1K rifle together with optics


Most here a spending 1K on the rifle....bare

1K is hard to maintain for a bare rifle...

But it's what you wind up with in the end that counts. No different than building a custom bolt gun, good parts = money.

1000 used to be about what I'd spend on average for an accurate bare gun. The only extras we had were scope, and I don't count that or the mounts in the cost of a gun.

Lower with decent trigger. 300 ish bucks. Anyone can live with an A2 stock. If small they can live with an A1. Flat top upper, 120 bucks plus a few parts, float tube 100ish, barrel 500ish. Done.

There are quite a few good brands out there.

Some posters already touched on this Mark, but it is usually cheaper to buy your rifle in two halves, the upper and the lower. You will probably want to replace the factory trigger. There are a few ARs that come with their own special trigger, but if you are coming from a decent factory bolt gun trigger to a good factory AR trigger you will be very dissapointed.

My advice would be to buy a lower reciever. Stipped if you're so inclined. Putting one together is very easy with minimal tools. That way you can just buy the aftermarket trigger you want and install it. You also avoid having to pay an extra 17% tax by buying the gun in two seperate halves.

If you want to save your ears I would select a 20" barrel minimum. I currently have a 223 AR with a 16" barrel and it is very loud. I used to have an 18" 223 and it too, was way too loud for my comfort.

My favorite local gun dealer gave me a great price on a NIB RRA "Elite Operator": $900 plus tax. I enjoy building AR's, but I'd be hard-pressed to build one with the same features at the same price.

I had the RRA Operator gun, back then they did not stake the gas key, it was 1-9, don't think a 5.56 chamber, heavier than my Friends LE marked 6920, and I lost money on it when I sold it.

I am totally happy with my Smith and Wesson .Less than $700 as is.Very accurate.



Jayco

How accurate is the Smith? Nephew and BIL each have one, neither one is better than about 1.25 MOA or so at 100, one has a barrel bore that looks like my gravel drive.

Just curious if those were flukes or a norm?

I'd have no aversion to a Smith at all, especially if the accuracy was a bit better. Other than that their guns have done well, especially once you yanked the junk triggers most ARs come with and put a RRA NM in there.

Too darn many options....uffda a lot to take in.

Does the S&W come with a 20" or so barrel?

Thx
Dober

20 inch barrels are rare these days.

dat sux

Not on RRAs..

Anyone in the Valley carry the RRA's or does Rob?

I know my bud in Billings bought one and really likes it, says that there's a shop up there that's great to work with.

Dober

Haven't seen one in a rack around here.. Your boys at SH should be able to order one?

Or on the internet..

Thx, did you scope yours and if so with what?

Dober

Bushnell 3200 10x Tactical.

That's my kind of rig, cept I'd go with a variable so the G-kids can find their spot easier.

What do you run in yours?

Thx
Dober

Loves 40 gr. bullets across the board - varmeggedons, vmaxes, bt's.. Shoots those 55 gr. nosler cup and cores really well..

That coyote went to a 70 gr. VLD, which fly very nicely, too.

Rancho what does that rifle weight?

A lot!

I'll go put it on the scale and see..

10 lbs. 10 oz. unloaded, with bipod.. Full 20 round Pmag is another 12 ounces.

Sounds like my noveske vis! I may as well add a bipod to that one.

Mark,

This is the route I would go. Rock River 16" light contour (you'll go deaf with either a 16 or 20 without muffs or plugs, so may as well keep some handy) mid-length, flat top, Burris rings, Weaver K scope. Goes 7.5 pounds or a little less as pictured so should be 8 or so with a sling, mag and five rounds. I'm in it for $949, including scope and rings. I will let you know how it shoots in a week or two. Also RRA two-stage trigger is good for me.

Get the varmint upper that suits you from White Oak Armament for $600 and match it to the lower of your choice.

I know I am a little late to the party, but if the OP doesn't mind buying used, there are some bargains on AR's floating around right now. I have bought 6 brand name (4 Bushmasters, a Rock River, and an Armalite) flat top carbines in the last few weeks and paid an average of about $700 each.

Buy a Colt 6920 and don't look back.

FWIW I've shot 20 inch tubes a LOT and a fair amount of 16s. While neither is quite( is any gun?) the 16s are a LOT louder than the 20s...

It would be hard to beat the Colt.

Depending on how much accuracy you want and what kind of trigger you call a "good" trigger, it could be VERY easy to beat the Colt.

Yep I"ve owned a Colt. 2 actually. That was when we started competition shooting and lets just say we owned more than 2 ARs. And I never bought another Colt.

Here's a Rock River lower with the NM trigger for $360. Just add a WOA upper for around $600 and you're good to go for right at $1000.

JoeBob RR Lower

http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/xcart/product.php?productid=17831&cat=261&page=1

Oh, and...

Shot the above RRA today. Was putting five 50 grain NBT and 55 V-Maxes into 1" and 68 Hornadys into 1.5." I think a good value for a lightweight AR that I'm into for less than $950 including Weaver 4x and rings (and it's a chrome lined barrel at that so should be durable).