High Power Competition Rifle

[fractal7]

So I've been shooting some Garand matches and feel I've gotten my feet wet enough to take a jump into full on high power matches, so I've started looking at ARs and can not figure out where to start.

From what I've found White Oak uppers are pretty much the best out there but how much more would I need to spend to actually put a lower together to mate up with?

I've been looking at the Bushmaster DCM rifles which look like a good out of the box solution, has anyone had any experience with these?

Other than that does anyone else have advice on a good way to get started. I kinda want to keep the price down but I've found with things like this if you don't spend the money the first time around you generally end up with two of something: the first thing you bought and then the one you should have bought.

 

[taliv]

it doesn't get more full on high power than garand matches

lowers will generally run $200 and up for basic, and you may want to add a match trigger which can run $99 to $300 and up. RRA, DMPS make good HP parts and support the CMP games. bushy is ok. compass lake makes good HP stuff

 

[Mike OTDP]

I'd go over to either Champion's Choice or Fulton Armory and have them build you up a Service Rifle.

 

[Canuck-IL]

Stripped lowers are no longer running at the O'Bama-scare prices ... If I were you (and I have been 3 times so far), I'd get a stripped lower (last 2 I got were a RRA and a Stag at 120 and 105) and a lower parts kit (often on sale at Midway and other places) and then pick-up a RRA 2 stage trigger and top it with a WOA 1/4" pinned sight upper. You really don't need to spend the 280 on a Giesselle or Extreme trigger when starting out. Some say (you know, on the 'rumornet') that the RRAs don't last - hasn't been my experience nor that of any club members.

No reason that set-up won't take you to Master level.

Excellent pictorials on ARF15 web site on assembling the lower ... hint - don't drive the roll pins, start them with a small hammer then squeeze them in with vise grips with a little tape on the jaws. Takes 40 minutes maximum for your first lower, less for subsequent builds.

The RRA trigger is available for $99 inc shipping.
http://ar15sa.fatcow.com/store/miscparts.html

/Bryan

 

[dakotasin]

woa is the choice at my club. 'course, i didn't go that route... i had an upper built by a 'smith in virginia using a krieger 7.75 twist barrel. turned out great and is a very competitive rifle. i built the lower myself using a stag lower and a rra lpk. i like the armalite lpk's better, but i got a fantastic deal on the rra lpk w/ the rra 2-stage trigger from eagle armory, so i couldn't pass it up. i am thrilled w/ eagle armory's service and ship times - they have moved ahead of midway on my 'give-money-to' list (but still trail grafs).

the rra 2-stage trigger will eventually get too light. when that happens to me i give the rifle to one of the guys at the club that knows these things, and he bends a spring or two and i make weight again. as far as the trigger wearing out? ehh... maybe it could. dunno.

or, if you want to be competitive to at least sharpshooter, and probably well into master class for the least amount of work, just get a rra match rifle and be done w/ it.

a word on mags... p-mags have been perfect for me after i ran them a few times. before a few uses they would not drop free. something to be aware of on your rapid fire stages. also, p-mags have just a hair less room than gi mags so you may have to seat your bullets just a hair shorter than you otherwise would. stick w/ 20 round mags too, btw...

good luck!

 

[fractal7]

Thanks

Hey thanks guys, with some nudges in the right direction I finally have a better feel for what exactly I need to look for when putting one of these together. It looks like using the RRA lower kit and trigger, a stripped stag lower, and WOA upper, I can assemble one for about the same price as the out of the box competition models but with the nicer upper. Plus as being someone who likes to fiddle with things it will give me something to do .

One last thing, will any buttstock off Midway work? I figure as long as I get one marked A2 it will be proper sizing and dimensions for the NRA/CMP rules.

I'll just throw one more question in while I have the thread open, how much of an advantage is the pinned rear sight? Do the regular sights really move that much that it makes a difference?

 

[Canuck-IL]

For $55 it's cheap insurance - I've seen or heard of maybe 2 in 100 that did move when not pinned - in the overall scheme of things, it was simpler to order them pinned and not ever sweat it.

Any A2 stock should be fine - no fancy buffer needed - just standard. You can often find them ANIB on ARF as takeoffs.

Re the comment on RRA NM standard model - definitely a great gun BUT, you can do the same and be perfectly conpetitive w a build as discussed. One of my trades was into a RRA and it definitely had a looser chamber than my WOAs, altho both are supposed to be Wylde chamber cuts...probably just random variation but, unless you're getting an RRA at Perry this week (or know someone who is), you can save some $$ doing the lower yourself. Plus John Holliger is apparently over the intermittent shortages and his uppers have been getting delivered very promptly of late.
/B

 

[dakotasin]

you can use any a1 or a2 buttstock. if you are short or have short arms get the a1. likewise, tall or long arms get the a2. i define 'short' as 5-10 or under.

i used a model 1 a-2 buttstock. fits fine, no problems at all. beware, though, that the trapdoor assembly is plastic, and i have yet to get mine open. i don't really care because this is a competition rifle so i have no emergency need to get to the trapdoor.

ar sights usually get pinned because some of them really twist a long ways when they adust. if you are running issue sights this is really a non-issue, but if you will be switching to a hooded aperture this is a deal killer. you may start w/ issue sights but you will eventually want the aperture. you might as well head off the trouble now and just pin the sights. besides, it is one less variable for you to get frustrated with on the firing line.

 

[Winston_Smith]

White Oak Upper(pinned rear sight) with Giessele Service Rifle Trigger (SSA if you are on a budget). Everything else is pretty standard. I went with the 1/2 x1/2 rear and have been very happy.

 

[Canuck-IL]

The rear trap door can matter if you want to stick a little shot or a lead bar in there to increase the weight and change the balance point ... I've got about 2 1/2#s in each of mine and find them much better in awful hand and sitting.
/B

 

[wanderinwalker]

First, on the Bushmasters, the trigger WILL go south on you. Maybe in the middle of a match, maybe not, but you can count on it going down at some point. Otherwise, the rifle is solid.

Secondly, I recall the hot ticket used to be a RRA lower with the 2-stage NM trigger and a WOA upper. A box-stock RRA or Armalite will shoot pretty danged good too.

Right now I am running an Armalite rifle with a WOA 1-7" Wilson barrel since I burned out the stock 1-8" it came with. Planning on putting another WOA barrel on it this winter for next season.

Good luck and welcome to the madness! Hope to see you at Camp Perry sometime in the next couple of years. Just got back Friday and can't wait to go back next August.