I've settles on the 16" A2 shorty.  Fixed carry handle.  Now I have to decide which manufacturer.  I've looked at the bushmaster and I really liked it and thought that it was the one.  But, I didn't care for the heavy trigger pull.  I just check the Rock River Arms website and they have a very similar model but they offer a 2 stage national match trigger.  They seem compareable in price.  Is one better than the other?  I would like to compare them but living in a northwestern suburb of Chicago I don't know anyone who carries RRA.  Your opinions would be appreciated.
Four-Aces

Bushmaster

Take the Snake.

The snake is the one.

IMHO, you don't need a 2 stage NM trigger on a 16" shorty.  You're not going to be shooting any competition with it.  Get the Bushy and if the trigger bothers you, get a drop-in single stage from Accuracy Speaks or one of the other manufacturers.  

get the Bushmaster it has chrome lined barrel RRA does not.

I been using bushmaster for the past forteen years, I would suggest a bushmaster.  but I am planning on buying a NM RRA flat top upper with SS Wilson barrel.  price is good and it seen to have very good workmanship.

RRA... period.  I've the 2001 LEGP and have so far built 1 1/2 others from RRA and few, DPMS parts.  Chromed lined barrels are available for RRAs.  RRA builds a very quality rifle at a decent price.  Just my 2 cents.
W

This sounds like a Ford vs Chevy argument! They are both good and you wouldn't go wrong owning either one. I have both Rock River and Bushmasters and like them both.

I don't have any direct experience with a RRA so I can't say anything authoritative. It seems their forte is target type firearms. If you're looking for a 16" rifle, I'm guessing that ultimate long range accuracy is not your deal.

I do have a Bushy. Love it. You won't be sorry if you go that route. And just about all AR variants are so easy to maintain / modify that a trigger replacement (if you really think you need it) is cake.

There both pretty much equal in quality with the RRA a little less $
You might wan't to consider the RRA 16' mid length handguard carbine that has a litte more sight radius than the 16' CAR upper..

I have ARs from both manufactors. Bushmaster has the name and is good to own. RRA is just as good as a Bushy. The big thing I like about RRA is that the receivers are tight with the uppers I fitted on to them. It does not requires no wedgie to keep the rifle tight. In addition, I have a RRA match trigger setup in one of my ARs. I like the trigger.

I am another who has not owned a RRA so I cant comment on them. I do have lots of experience with Bushmaster and cant recommend them enough. Their customer service has been nothing but outstanding as well. Bushmaster rocks.

The std RRA trigger is the worst I have ever pulled of any brand. The receiver and uppers have the nicest finish work done and anodizing I have seen. Once they get with the program on chrome lining the barrels then I will start buying complete guns from them. I just got in a set of thier 9mm kit parts and quality is good.

They need some help and attitude adjustment in the front office. They are not geared up to deal with the volume of orders they are getting. Need more than one person to answer the phone and take orders. Sometimes multiple calls through out the day just to get through, calling to check on pending order is point lessas they have no apparent ability to track a pending order through thier system. I have ordered, never came, ordered again, order came then the original order came after the first when I had been told there was no record of the original order.

Now to Bushmaster. They have the long track record of quality service and support you can't go wrong, backorders can be up to 6 months on things especially barrels.

Best mating receivers I have ever seen are RRA.  Why not RRA receivers with a Bushy chrome lined barrel?  Best of both worlds.

Either company's rifles should serve you well.

RRA has chrome lined barrels available now?

I have both and having a new match rifle built up on a rra's upper and lower also, sorry about your bad experience on the phone, but have had nothing but great experiences with them on the phone. between nancy and gay I think they go out of to help , like the following.
called them and wanted a matched complete national match lower and a stripped upper and wanted to have the lower sent to me with the the two stage match trigger removed and sent to the gun smith in ill. that was building the upper for me along with the stripped upper and charge the smith seperately for the stripped upper, no problem and it got done correctly,
also have called and wanted to add another complete regular lower to a order that was going out that afternoon and talked to them at 2 in the afternoon their time and they went on pulled my package out of the shipping pile went back to the warehouse and got me another lower and added it to the box and still got it out that day for me.
as far as the triggers yeah I have got a few that were not the greatest on the regular triggers, but just go over to the compitition area on this board if you want to know about their match triggers, (very good )
built a match service rifle last year and by going with the bushmaster lower and then having to ad a decent trigger I was intothe rifle when done $1400 but by going rra's this time it will be at only right at $1300. that extra $100 will buy me a box of 500 77grain smk's and a few pounds of powder.
I know guys that also shoot both and its like they both have a great rap.

I bought a BM CMP model a few months ago and have had it back to BM 3 times. The last time they replaced the barrel and bolt. The sights were also screwed-up. I would not buy a BM again! I have seen many good comments about BM but my experience has been very negative!

unfortunatly I have heard a few negatives on a few of the bushmasters lately and a few others selling rifles threw the cmp. but I think anytime you grow as a company something usually suffers and alot of times its the quality or workmanship or both.
I chose a very good ar15 rifle smith to build my uppers from scratch as it does cost me a little more but I gain alot in what I get.

#1 a rifle you know is going to work right off the bat.

#2 you can get it anyway you want it

#3 I never have to have anything ever upgraded to make it better other than when I wear the barrel out.

#4 you know each part was hand fitted and tested and the upper was taken to the range and tested and the sights are right on when it comes out of the box.

#5 the peace of mind knowing if I had to defend myself or my family I know that its not the rifle or ammo I loaded thats going to let them down.

#5 resale value as it holds its value.

alot of folks do not like the bushmaster two stage trigger and they do not have the greatest respect among highpower service rifle shooters for their trigger but alot of the good shooters use a rock river arms two stage and would not have anything else. they are pretty good out of the box triggers but for $30 to smooth and tune it up is a wise investment.

alot of it comes down to you get what you pay for! a out of the box rifle from a big company that builds them you most likely get a good one most every time but you have a bigger chance of getting a bad one from them also.

RRA is a fine "generic" brand AR. I just built  one up a month ago. Very nice finish, and fit. To me it looks better than that goofy "snake" logo on the Bushies. Also, the finish seems to be smoother than on the Bushmasters. I think the Rock River Arms products are great and have a good price. Bushmasters are great too, but you do pay a little more for the name and that darn snake logo. Its the same tired argument whick is better, a Preban Colt, a purple Bushmaster, etc.... each are great in their own respects. Just don't pay extra for the name/logo if you can be happy with a 'generic' one.