Help choosing AR

Doug_M

Doug_M

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I'm going to spend some of my tax refund on an AR. To date my rifle collection is all cheap costing milsurps (which I love) and I want to treat myself to something new and shiny! I don't hunt, just target shoot. I won't be doing 3-gun or anything like that. Bullseye shooting from various positions is what I enjoy. I used the C7 (and C7A1) extensively when I was in the CF but have been out since '06 and have no practical experience with AR15's.

So far I've narrowed it down to three (but that can easily change right!). The first is a Ruger SR-556E. Not looking for pros-cons regarding piston vs DI as I like both. The piston Ruger interests me simply because pistons are "different" in an AR. But reading around on the web I have started to hear bad things about the 556E's trigger.
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I really like the looks of the Ruger (except the flash suppressor). While I will eventually get some type of optic, I've never used one (except briefly with the C7A1) and will be using the irons primarily for now. Wanstalls sells them for $1400. This was my first choice until I saw then next one.

The second is the Sig Sauer M400 Enhanced. I really like the look of this one with the magpul furniture and the A2 front post sight. I am a little concerned about the front post sight getting in the way of an optic but I have zero experience here. This one has a 1 in 7 twist vice the Ruger's 1 in 9 and is lighter. It also comes in a cool (at least I think so) FDE finish.
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SFRC is out of stock but lists the above FDE for $1312. I flip flopped between this and the Ruger until I started to read some negative things online about the Ruger's trigger. Although gotta take what we read online with a grain of salt right?

Then I stumbled across number three which is the Rock River Arms LAR-15 Elite Comp. I like flat tops with flip up irons and the RRA half quad free float hand guard appeals to me as well. I'm not one to hold the hand guard with an elongated grip so for me it makes sense. This rifle has nice furniture, flash suppressor and flip up irons. It also features a two-stage trigger, something I've never used but sounds like it would be great for bullseye shooting. This one is much heavier at 8.4 pounds but I'm not doing 3-gun or the like, may even get a bipod for it.
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Questar has this for $1569 which is the absolute upper limit I want to spend. This is the one I am leaning towards purchasing of the three as it stands now.

So, which of the three should I get? Or is the another I should be considering instead?

Thanks,
Doug
 
On the EE someone is selling a New/Unfired Armalite AR-15A2 14.5" bbl M4 Carbine 5.56mm for ONLY $975.00 ......less than a grand for a 14.5" M4 Carbine 5.56mm and Armalite is the original manufacturer before selling rights to Colt.

Check it out....if I didn't already have an M4 Carbine, I'd buy it in a second.
 
Out of your original three, Sig all the way. I don't have first-hand experience with the RRA; don't care for Ruger.

As far as the other suggestions, Daniel Defense are awesome in my limited experience. Colt seems to be the standard-- have not fired one yet. I love Armalite for some reason, though I do not have one.
 
Okay, thanks for all the suggestions so far! I'm leaning towards mid-length with free-float hand guards. The Daniel Defense are indeed nice and from what I've read they are well made and the company has a good rep. What I don't know yet is how much better made are they than the Rock River. The Rock River in my OP includes flip sights and a two-stage 3.5lb trigger. The Daniel Defense is about $90 more but does not include sights and from what I read, while the trigger is decent, people like to replace them with a Giessele. Regardless, if I forego a replacement trigger, it will still cost an extra $160 to $300 for flip sights.

Now I don't mind paying the extra for sights (and possibly a trigger later). But keeping in mind my budget, I would have to save a month or two for the sights and then again for a crate of ammo. Is it worth doing that in order to get the Daniel Defense or is the difference not really that big?
 
Doug_M said:
Okay, thanks for all the suggestions so far! I'm leaning towards mid-length with free-float hand guards. The Daniel Defense are indeed nice and from what I've read they are well made and the company has a good rep. What I don't know yet is how much better made are they than the Rock River. The Rock River in my OP includes flip sights and a two-stage 3.5lb trigger. The Daniel Defense is about $90 more but does not include sights and from what I read, while the trigger is decent, people like to replace them with a Giessele. Regardless, if I forego a replacement trigger, it will still cost an extra $160 to $300 for flip sights.

Now I don't mind paying the extra for sights (and possibly a trigger later). But keeping in mind my budget, I would have to save a month or two for the sights and then again for a crate of ammo. Is it worth doing that in order to get the Daniel Defense or is the difference not really that big?
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Yep, worth it. Buy once, cry once. Colt is the reference on how to make an AR. DD and BCM match it. A handful of companies surpass the standard (KAC comes to mind). The rest fall below it.
 
yohann160 said:
They are built with the same specs and QC the military guns get.
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Mil-spec doesn't mean much. Military doesn't buy the best equipment - they buy the equipment that meets their standards at the lowest cost.

There are a lot better options out there than mass produced mil-spec AR's.

Don't get hung up on the mil-spec thing, you miss out on some great AR's otherwise ;)
 
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