Rifle Advice needed

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I got my LTC over the summer and have been having a lot of fun with pistols. I picked up a couple and joined a pistol team.

Now I want to start getting into rifles. I think I want an AR and I think I want it to fire .223 Remington. I am looking for advice of what I should buy/build and where can I shoot it? I do belong to a club but would like some sort of competition to give me more of an excuse to practice.

Thoughts? I live in MA so I know that limits me.

I do like the look of the SIG 556 that was in this months American Rifleman magazine but that is not MA compliant.

Thanks.
 
Dan, look up John @ Remsport (see the dealer forums)

He has built me up a couple of great AR's set up exactly how I wanted them for right around the same price as an off the shelf rifle.

Here's a carbine he did for me with a fake supressor.
DSC01996.jpg
 
Pick the competition you want to shoot first, then choose the gear.

B

+1 - But I must admit while I am impressed with the AR crowds vigor, I just love my Remington 700. Stainless Steel Barrel in .308. with a nice Nikon scope. I know bolt guns are slower etc but I just love taking that target all the way to the end of the range and putting 4 holes through a playing card. I'd really like to find a 1000yrd range around here so I could really see what it can do.

I also love knowing that so many great marksmen have used a similiar rifle in the service of our country. God Bless our troops, especially our Snipers.
 
The AR is a terrific rifle and I would definitely endorse getting one. I also have a Remington 700 that is a joy to shoot. As bpm990d suggested "pick the competition and then choose the equipment". You will not be dissatisfied with either choice. My preference is the AR, it just feels better to me. YMMV.

@Mike S

Nice looking AR!
 
Start with a simple .22LR. The 10/22 decked out as an LTR (Liberty Training Rifle) would be a good choice, as the transition to an AR would not be difficult, and the ammo is MUCH less expensive in .22LR.

I will second this opinion. Everyone needs a .22 rimfire rifle, and this one is so versatile and has so many customizing options and parts available, you can make it into exactly what you want (after you shoot it in stock trim for a while at least).

If you're new to rifle shooting, I would also recommend you sign up for an Appleseed shoot or at least a mini Appleseed, see here http://northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=88.

As an alternative to the Appleseed program, consider attending some CMP matches that many clubs run. This will get you some great rifle instruction, usually with M1 Garands or M1 Carbines that the club provides, plus qualify you to purchase some great surplus firearms direct from the CMP, see here http://www.odcmp.com/.

If you have friends with rifles, ask to shoot them, and you will form opinions on what you like. The AR types, like the Ruger 10/22 is a must have for every shooter, and, like the 10/22, come in an endless variety. Shoot as many different types as you can and you will find a favorite configuration. Above all, get proper, formal instruction and you will be a better and safer shooter.

Welcome to NES and the shooting sports. Have fun and be safe.
 
A .22 is good to have anyway even if you want to go right to an AR. Relatively inexpensive gun, and low cost ammo.

If you have time before going to an AR, consider bolt action Marlin or Savage .223. Accurate rifles. Won't burn through as much ammo to start. Decent rifle prices.

Dana
 
^^+1 - If you do get a 10/22, get yourself a set of tech sights.
www.tech-sights.com

These are basically a set of AR style sights for the 10/22.
Here's a shot of my 10/22 that I built up from a used barreled action I purchased. With everything including tech sights, shillen barrel, volquhartson trigger group and laminated hardwood stock, I'm into it for about $425.

DSC_1339.jpg

DSC_1345.jpg


With that said. If you aren't interested in a .22, an AR is the next best thing. Easy to shoot. Great ergonomics and inexpensive ammo.

Also, no AR is complete without a .22 conversion kit. A Spikes kit with 5 - 28 round Black dog machine mags will run you about $300. It will pay for itself in the first 1500 rounds you put through it.

I would suggest that you also learn to properly shoot open sights before moving on to optics. Its a basic skill that everyone should have.

Don
 
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Harvard Sportsmens Club holds 3 gun matches where you could compete with an AR. You could also shoot it out to 300 yards. The M1 is a great rifle and the softest shooting .30/06 I own but would not be my first choice.
 
Another thought. If you want to pick up something historic that will not kick like an M1, consider an M1 Carbine. (its not like its name sounds. Its not a shortened version of the M1. Its an entirely different rifle that fires a .30 cal round thats recoils about 1/4 as hard as a 30-06.
 
Dan, one thing to consider when shopping for a rifle is your ammo budget. How much do you intend to shoot, and how much can you spend on ammo? As a beginner, you want to get as much trigger time as possible. An AR at around $800 is a great rifle, but with ammo running around $0.40/round, it gets expensive to shoot. Moving up, .30-06 and .308 rifles can run you $0.60+/round. You don't want to limit your practice because you can't afford ammo.

On the other hand, you can build a Ruger 10/22 (.22LR caliber) into a Liberty Training Rifle for around $300, as referenced above, and shoot indefinitely for next to nothing - a box of 500 rounds of .22LR costs around $15. And there's so much flexibility in the 10/22, you can make it look and feel like almost anything. If you eventually want an AR, slap an AR-type stock on the 10/22 and you're training with a similar rifle at a fraction of the cost.

But if you REALLY want an AR rifle and don't mind the upfront cost, try a dedicated .22LR upper. You can buy or build a standard AR-15 lower ($200), then slap an upper chambered in .22LR on top - I'd recommend the one offered by Spike Tactical ($500). Then when you're ready (either immediately or in time) you can buy a .223 upper (another $500) which you can switch out in about 2 seconds whenever you feel like shooting the higher power ammunition.

Regardless of what you do, invest in some good training - check out the Appleseed program.
 
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