Cheapest Service Rifle for Junior to get started with...

I shoot a tad bit of service rifle and I use a RRA NMA4 I bought new 5 years ago. My oldest daughter shoots .22 rifle in the Junior program at our gun club. She's really enjoying the junior program, but she's interested in more. She's shooting good enough that I think she could try some service rifle shooting. She'll be 15 this summer.

With that being said, I'd like to get her, her own AR for service rifle matches. She's short and my rifle might be a little heavy for her with the added lead and the A2 stock might be a little bit too long for her. I had thought about just using my Garand for matches and let her use my rock river, but I'd rather not shoot the Garand in matches much more than occasionally.

So, what would be the cheapest way to get her an AR to try at Service rifle? The other thing that comes to mind is if she decides not to do it, it's a lot of expense. Heck, I only shoot a handful of matches a year myself. She's picking things up quick, so I'm sure she'll outshoot me pretty quick.

Thanks for the suggestions/thought ahead of time!

Since it sounds like she has already demonstrated interest and competence in the sport, I'd buy her a "big boy" (or big girl) rifle, rather than try to cobble something together. A name brand, dedicated match rifle will probably have better resale value than a frankengun, just in case she decides not to pursue the sport. A NM rifle is a relatively specialized piece of gear. Some random 20" AR may not get the job done. You need the right tools to play the game.

Since you like RRA, I'd say go with that.

Another possibility is for both of you to share an upper. Build a RRA lower with the trigger of your choosing and an A1 stock for her.

Maybe she can 'take ownership' of it by doing extra chores, getting a part time job, or making some other kind of sacrifice, maybe even volunteering at your church or with a local non-profit. Or just make her wash your car every week for the next six months.

She's lucky to have a dad that supports her in the shooting sports. Good on you for being there for her.

It didn't even occur to me to share the upper. That would somewhat minimize cost, atleast for the time being. I can build her a RRA lower with an A1 stock and when it's time or I see a deal I can't refuse, I can purchase the RRA upper to match.

Yea, she has a 13 year old sister that shoots in the junior league too. When I was young, we seldom target shot, only hunted yearly and that was it. It's nice to have the opportunity to allow the girls to compete. They both seem to really enjoy it...not many of their friends/peers get to do this sort of thing.

Bushmaster used to offer a junior discount. I don't know if they still have the program.

http://www.bushmaster.com/DCMXRCoupon.pdf

Wow, that's pretty good. I'll check that out. Thanks!

If you build a service rifle upper with a standard A2 profile under the handguards, and a service rifle float tube, you can cut the weight significantly. Coupled with an A1 buttstock, it could be just the ticket. This setup would allow you to add as much weight as necessary via the butstock trap and via lead in the handguards, while not being as heavy as a full match barrel.

Both Bushmaster and RRA (Armalite, also?) offer discounts on their NM ARs during the national matches at Camp Perry. They say the discounts are for "junior" shooters, but they honor the price to anyone who wants one. That's where I got mine 2 summers ago, I believe I paid $900 for it (A4), and I think the A2's were $50 cheaper. Definitely a good deal.

Why not try another direction by getting it touch state asso. get support from the junior team program

I know in NY if had a child interested in high power I'm sure there be the possibility loan of all types of equip from rifle to ammo, shooting coat and spotting scope and be a member of the Junior team

orpa highpower

WE ALL NEED JUNIORS TO KEEP OUR SPORT GOING

Great idea! I surely hope ORPA isn't as political as the PR&PA once was! In the past I had several juniors at EMSC who's parents were strapped for cash. As a match director and long time HP shooter (DR & P100) I could see into a juniors eyes as to what it takes to not only compete in this sport but to become outstanding! I had worked with the PR&PA as a junior coach both locally and at Perry. I was also on the board of directors. I was promised at least one state rifle for these individuals BUT the rifle went political and ended up in a gun safe for over a year never seeing the light of day much less on a firing line! Long story made short, I loaned one of the juniors one of my rifles. His name is Lucas Boord for those that want to check him out! I also supplied his ammo for two years and I am not grandstanding! I only want to point out what state association politics is all about! Things are better run in Pa. now but too little too late for competitors like Lucas!

Dave McGrath

I've been to some of the pop-up target matches at Camp Perry that have been organized by ORPA, but when I contacted them looking for info on some of their highpower matches, I was told that I had to be a member to shoot in the match. I was kind of turned off by that style of attitude. This was a couple of years ago, maybe (hopefully) things have changed?

I e-mailed both RRA and bushmaster about any discounts for a Junior/new shooter. I'll wait and see what they have to say. I'd like to have something by April/May time frame which would be before the National Matches at Perry. If that doesn't work out, then I'll try and make it to Perry and hopefully find one there. My back-up plan is to build a lower and later buy an upper, but from a financial standpoint, it looks better to just buy the rifle complete.

Also note that the shorty stock (LE Entry) is now legal for service rifle, so if an A1 stock is too long, the LE stock might be the ticket. My daughter uses one and if fits her great. Set her up with a lower of her own that fits, and share your upper until she decides if it's her game. Then work on her own upper (preferably from White Oak or CLE) or build your own up with a suitable barrel (1:7 or 1: 8 twist) and a float tube.

Roy

Every year on Commercial Row at Perry, RRA has been offering discounts to juniors, teams and one other thing, a just plain competitors discount to all that made the trip to Perry! If you can make due until then, it will be worth your while, rest assured!
The PR&PA, my local club team and several juniors that compete at EMSC have gotten great deals from RRA while at Perry. Besides that, how can anyone beat their quality or service after the sale.
No, I don't work for RRA and the owners, Mark Larson nor his brother Chuck know me from Adam. Just speaking here from past experience, both as a long time competitor and over 20 years as a match director. The latter is just keeping my finger on the pulse of the shooters I encounter! I hear and get to see more than most.

On a kit rifle. My last build was this. Sherluk gun show barrel it's a1x9 but it does shoot 80's very well probably because it's a button rifled barrel. Areo Precision lower receiver, a upper receiver from Brownells I can't remember the name but it was the cheapest they had, RRA lower parts kit, RRA sights, RRA float tube and the remaining parts like a bolt and bolt carrier I bought from Midway. Did I really save a lot of money building this kit? Not really but the Obama thing was in full swing at the time. Will a rifle like this shoot? Well I am retired and on SS but our last match this past October I fired a 487-13x.

So the long and short of the cheapest is a matter of choice because on the AR 15 platform, it's hard to go wrong when the shooter does his part!

Dave McGrath

Kinda jumped the gun...could've waited a while longer, but purchased a RRA NMA2 from the same lady at the gun show I purchased my RRA NMA4 from. Paid $999 and she threw in an extra mag and a gun case(the blue ones that come with the RRA rifles are useless to me).

One thing I noticed that was different was they now come with a chrome bolt and trigger group. The trigger felt even smoother than my other RRA. Anyways, thanks for all the help! I figured, worse comes to worse, if my daughter doesn't stay with it, I'll atleast have a back-up rifle or I'm sure I can sell it and make a good bit of my money back.

Nice rifle and an even nicer dad. Best of luck to her with it!

Thanks! I'm trying my best to get her what she needs. She's gonna need a few other things, shooting mat, glove, good sling, but the rifle's a good start.

The bushmaster voucher is the cheapest you can hope for. It's an excellent deal.

Otherwise, I'd skip straight to the good stuff. The difference in price between crap and quality is very small.

I tried contacting Bushmaster about that voucher and the requirements. Still haven't heard back. I think the Rock River has a little bit more to offer for not much more. I paid $999 +tax for the NMA2 I ended up getting for her. SS barrel and Chrome BCG and trigger were worth the extra bit of money.

Now I just have to wait for the weather to improve so she can get out and start shooting it.

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