Read a lot of reviews.
See as many in person as you can.
Check if a Davidson's dealer is nearby.
Check, Check, Check.
So I decided the best buy for my perceived needs was the Ruger AR-556-MPR. I wanted 18", a 5.56 type chamber, a slim fore end and was well prepared to put a $250 trigger into what ever I ended up with.
Well, Gallery of guns showed "allocated" so no price quote on line. Checking my trap line with Ed..." too many letters"... found the little shop around the corner had the rifles for $679. The owner had two in stock. The display gun was quite good and an especially good upper and lower fit, but the trigger pin moved when dry firing the gun...the trigger was gritty but light, both stages.
I asked Tony the owner to see the other stock rifle. Not as great a fit but the trigger was pretty nice just as is the pin was still moving a bit as the oil around the pin made it clear that the pin fit was just so-so. Bought the better-trigger gun. Bolted on a 3x9 VXR in Leupold Mark 2 two piece rings. I had on hand brass, cci military primers 60 grain Sierra hps and H-4895 .loaded some to max over all length in the supplied Magpul magazines.
'Cleaned the bore and the first two shots touched at 100 yards after a super lucky bore site (about 2" high). 30 shots, cleaning the bore every five rounds fired, resulted in groups just over a half inch to just under an inch.
A single five shot group at 200 yards was just over 2". No load development no tuning just a half inch wrench and two allen wrenches to set up the rifle.
Bore is very smooth and it cleans easily. It will take better ammo and optics to get much of an improvement in accuracy.
No malfunctions at all.
None.
Tried another 30 hand loads the following day, this time in SS mags that allowed 2.300" COL instead of the usual 2.250" Groups were 10% larger and a real surprise (to me) about an inch higher on target. So, short loaded ammo for this Ruger.
If it matters I use Forster Bench Rest dies.

Rifle $679
Scope $399
Rings close out $59

Maybe this will help someone wanting a (small) step up from the stripped, basic ARs for sale.

NIce. Looks very promising.

MM

Cool story, Uncas. Congrats on a successful mission.

Been hearing a lot of good things about that mpr. Glad to see Ruger stepping up to the plate here. However, id still like to see someone post up results on the black rifle challenge here.

I like Rock Rivers, super accurate!!!

Hand load update. Tried WW 64 grain PP over Varget. Usual inch, plus a bit. This bullet has been the poorest grouping bullet tested in three rifles. It is supposed to be a deer killer. No two are the same length or weight. Poorest overall bullet in a 22/250 American 10 inch twist.1.25 MOA is just fine for deer, I suppose...the local shop sells them for $12 a bag of 100.
Also tested a new bullet, Nosler 53 grain Varageddon. long bullet with a frail forward jacked (all were deformed while seating over both Varget and H4895). Compressed loads and this bullet seem a bad combination. Accuracy about MOA in the Ruger.
'Will try Benchmark today. 26.0 fills the case to the neck...the same VOLUME and MASS of Varget drops to about a tenth shy of filling the neck of .223 Federal Brass. I suppose some settling occurs during the charge dump.
Maybe the bullet deformation will cease...?
The load to beat so far is H4985 over a 60 grain Sierra HP, loaded to 2.250"

Try some 8208 XBR or VV-133; thank me later.

MM

I shoot the 64’s for killing pigs I trap. They group about like yours in my Rock Rivers. I get half inch groups with 62 Barnes TTSX. I had the Power points left over from trying them in a Swift. The 62 Barnes will punch through a 200 lb pigs shoulders at 200 yards. You might try those. I use Varget powder.

My experience with the 64 grain WW bullets has been poor, wish someone had a magic load because I have 500 of the bullets left. They were shipped to me in plastic bags of 100 each, maybe it’s a case of “what did you expect for this price”. I have not shot anything with one.

Well the Benchmark is a great .223 powder. Very accurate for the first three shots with both 52GR HDY Match and the 53 Noslers. Five shot groups opened to an inch.( I shur was a better shot when I only fired three shot groups).3/8" for three from a cold clean barrel, either bullet only using 25.2gr.100% fill maybe little or no air space.
Great accuracy and the ejected brass formed a group a foot in diameter, eight feet away, at 4 O'Clock.

Picked up a can of CFE223 but it is TOO FINE for a Dillon powder measure...sluggish like metering lard! 'Will have to weight each load...

Found a one and only can of 8208 today....but just unwilling to pay a third more than the CFE.

Benchmark may just be second to 8208 but it is looking at least as good as H4985 and no deformed bullets from compressed (too much) loads.

I have been testing my first build, a Rock River/ Black Hole weaponry barrel,18' mid length, (made in St Helen's OR) /Timney trigger with a snazzy Timber Creek (made in Springfield OR) fore end,Seekins brake and adjustable gas block. A tighter,handier, nicer gun that is just behind the basic off the shelf Ruger...accuracy wise...load for load , shot for shot.

Post Script. About 100 handloads now thru the Ruger without a single hitch. None at all. Load, chamber and fire until empty. Still cleaning (briefly) every 5 or 10 shots.

I checked out a Ruger MPR yesterday. Hate to say it, but the upper looked cheap and flimsy. Rifle felt good in the hands though. However, It's probably better than most lower priced, off the shelf rifles.

I didn't know if my interest in ARs would last, so when I bought, I bought Colt. I don't know anything about cheaper AR copies or more expensive, custom-type copies. These guns may all shoot better than Colt. However, I've found Colt to shoot very well in completely stock form, no after-market triggers, handguards, etc. In comparison with other guns, Colt will retain a high resale value and be easier to sell if that becomes necessary.

I was waiting for parts when I bought the Ruger. I did have two rifles to compare in the store. One was tight with a fair trigger. The other was not as tight top to lower fit but has a very good trigger. I think the barrel is good it cleans easily and really onlt opens up groups when firing the 4th and fifth shot. I did single load it the first time to the range as my hand loads were too long for the supplied MagPul magazine. (I loaded some to ASG 2.318" max and left the ASG magazine on the loading bench)

Agree Colt and Rock River, maybe others will retain more re-sale value.

For the time being guns and ammo are overstocked, prices very attractive and dealers are missing our former Commander in Chief.

Bi Mart has .22 ammo for $17.66 a brick!
The Brother in laws are here for a visit so... ARs for everybody at the range next week.

The reality is that no other manufacturer can match the price of the Ruger MPR with equal features. The MPR is the best deal for a non-carbine rifle. Somebody else may match or beat it later. I think Ruger really shook up the AR market with the AR556 carbine and MPR. My guess is that now that all.the bann hysteria has died down, AR prices are going to stay low.

Did anyone ever post up a 10 shot group with one of those Rugers?

Solid logic and approach here if a guy is unsure..

Ruger is a major manufacturer with a good name. Probably just as good as Colt. And Colt has nothing to compete against the MPR. The Colt name is just something mall-ninjas like to see.

TWR

I've tried but I become frustrated. File size errors, failure to upload and more frustrate me. I may try again when I've some extra time. Bottom line, I need to able to upload pics. My portable device is giving me fits uploading files.

Okay...next up, How to build an AR.

Budget and purpose?

Not to save money with c-AR15s under $500 (I do not suppose you could buy the parts for less than a built, new carbine).
The new complete gun will a have just one place to deal with if is a lemon.
A build can often be four or more suppliers to meet the goal.
A rifle seems a more realistic build. Rifle selection is such a small part of the market the choices are pretty slim.
You build because you cannot get exactly what you want over the counter.
And building them is half of the fun.