Help me pick an AR-15 upper

[CApighunter]

In the market for my first AR-15 and have been browsing uppers online and I was originally set on a 20 inch RRA A4 standard flat top, but I just saw PSA has a great deal on their 16 inch mid length upper and it looks hard to pass up. The RRA is about $200 more than the PSA and both come with bcg/ch. My purpose is to put together a varmint/plinking gun. The hunting it would see is coyote hunting that rarely stretches beyond 300 yards. Either one will be getting a fixed stock because I hate the way collapsables feel. Ill put on a 3-9 scope if I get the 20 inch or a 1-4 scope for the 16 inch. I have a feeling the RRA will be more accurate, but is it worth the extra $200?

 

[greyling22]

I had a predator pursuit upper and chrome BCG, sold it and recently bought a PSA premium carbine (not the ptac one) with the PSA BCG.

out to 100yds with my batch of handloads I had laying around from the predator pursuit upper (same lower, same scope) they shoot pretty much identical. I honestly can't tell a difference in how they group. your mileage may vary, but I can't tell a lick of difference in accuracy.

 

[spazzymcgee]

I say go with the PSA. Be prepared to wait though. It took a little under a month for my Brother in law's to arrive. Good 16" uppers can be really accurate.

 

[Rusty Luck]

PSA, and use the money you saved for ammo and such.

 

[horsemen61]

Psa

 

[tuj]

I went with the RRA 20" 1:8 .223 Wylde on my target gun.

 

[Snowdog]

And here I thought I was going to be the first one to recommend PSA. I've been quite impressed with mine.

 

[Casefull]

I am a RR guy with lots of there guns but I really like the model 1 stuff and it is reasonable priced.

 

[gidaeon]

I own a RRA and several PSA's. I would not pay more for a RRA IMO.

My reasons are the bcg, and barrel (depending on model). My gas key was not staked remotely, castle nut wasn't either and buffer tube was commercial. Not has a huge a deal as some make it, but the barrel and slightly off feed ramps bugged me (granted the gun meets my needs fine! has never had feed issues or other problems ;-)) But why have a cheap chevy, if you can have a buick with a few upgrades for the same price.

Granted RRA certainly does the job and I appreciated the 1:9 twist actually for a few applications over 1:7 (.22 conversion works well enough for rifleman at appleseeds for me, not with 1:7 though)

Guess I'm saying PSA offers some superior specs on bcg and barrels for less $ last I checked.

 

[DAdams]

Take a look at BCM, Bravo Company. I built two and that's what I used.

http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/AR15-Upper-Receiver-Groups-s/1.htm

 

[dvdcrr]

I've had good luck with Del ton uppers.

 

[goon]

I don't worry about name brands as much as I look at specs. Things like properly peened gas key, milspec bolt carrier group with MPI testing, etc. Mil spec isn't the gold standard, but it is a basic guideline to compare to. Out of your choices, for the reasons Gidaeon mentions above, I'd take the PSA. Note that PSA uses some buffer tubes that are milspec diameter, but not stated as 7075 aluminum. I'd still take one over the RRA though. Less money and at least as much rifle... Maybe more. No brainer.

 

[Jason248]

PSA is a good gun just pay attention to the specs before you buy.

Spikes and BCM would also be good options and reasonable prices

 

[goon]

A BCM is a great option, but they're about $459 for the upper assembly and another $160-$180 for the BCG. A stock charging handle or BCM Gunfighter adds another $25 to $50 to the cost. Great quality, but out of the PSA price range IMO. What a guy could do though is snap a BCM upper on a PSA lower and probably have a pretty good rifle.

 

[jpwilly]

Have two PSA uppers both shoot very well. One a chrome lined mil spec premium upper $399 with FN barrel the other the economy $289 upper both came with BCG and CH were on sale. Accuracy on both really depends on ammo neither are free floated and I"m getting 1" with handloads. Factory ammo tends to be 1-2" groups.

A friends DPMS rifle with 16" chrome lined bore 1-9" showed amazing accuracy with Black Hills 52gr & 68gr moly coated match ammunition so we replicated the load with 69gr match kings and moly coat the bullets at home. The Moly coated hand loads have been shooting .5-.75" 5 shot groups with 3-4 bullets touching at 200yrds!! Using N135 & carefully prepped LC brass. This rifle shoot M855 and other factory ammo from Federal, American Eagle, PMC etc same as you'd expect 1-2" groups. I'm going to give these a spin in my PSA uppers and are thinking the chrome lined bore plus the moly are a great combo for slickness.

 

[goon]

Thanks for the report. I always look at the PSA stuff when it's on sale, but so far a lack of disposable income and other priorities discourages me from buying. But from what I read of PSA, that's about all that stops me.