I have decided to buy a new ar and am thinking about going with one from rock river arms. I already have a 20 stainless bushmaster. I am looking for one with a 16 inch barrel and no collapsing stock. This will be used primarily as a defensive rifle. With this in mind does anyone have any suggestions on which one I should purchase. Also what does bbl mean and what is the difference between heavy, free and floated? And is chrome moly the same as chrome lined? Thanks for the help.

I believe that bbl is short for barrel.

Heavy is a really thick barrel, like 1" thick.

A free floated barrel is one that touches nothing except the receiver.  It "floats"  through the handgaurd.  and because it touches nothing, vibrations from the stock have no affect on accuracy.

Chrome/Moly is a barrel that is a steel mixed with Chromium and molyibnum(wrong spelling feel free to correct me)

Chrome lined barrels are chrome moly barrels that also have a lining of chromium in the barrel.

RRA varmint barrels are 1" out to the gas block, have a .938 gas block bore, and are .920 in front of the block.  Very accurate, but heavy to carry mile upon mile every day.  A free floated barrel means there is eithe a tubular handguard or a tube inside the standard plastic handguards so that the barrel only touches where it is seated in the barrel extension.  This is normally thought to be the most accurate way to shoot a rifle, nothing touching the barrel.  a tight sling hold on a gas block attached sling can move groups several inches at 100 yards.  

I'd like to differ in one aspect.  I'd go with a chrome lined barrel because, (1) Easy to clean (2) no real break in procedure (3)  Smoother chamber for reliability. (4) RRA has a real sweet 16" M4gery Chrome lined barrel that is accurate also.  I wouldn't pay any attention to the "chrome aint accurate" crowd.  Just ask any Marine about there M16 at 500 yards.

~P806

I would go with RRA's Tactical Entry carbine. Looks good and same quality as the rest of their guns, which is quite high. I'll be getting a TE for my next AR. Gawd, I've got 4 little guys and two big ones and I'm talking about my next one. I've even turned my Ruger #1V in .260 Rem into the local gun shop in favor of my GA Precision .260 AR 10. Sheesh.

No probs with my Std a2 RRA.

Deffinately go with the Rock River.  I bought a Tactical Entry M4, chrome lined bbl and can't say enough good things about it, especially after shooting our department's Colts.  The only hard part about Rock River is the wait, I got my entry tactical in 10 days, but my department ordered 3 and have been waiting 7 weeks now, hopefully this week.  Since I already have one, I know it's worth the wait.