Hi, well I am looking for a AR-15, I have wanted one for a while and now I am ready, I have some ? so if you can please give me a hand it would be a big help,  thanks
Ok I have only shot 2 colt match sporter (I think)?AR-15s, with the 20 inch barrels,I think they where A2s I was wondering which is better bushmaster?colt?armalite? dpms? or rockriverarms? please post in order best to worst.
2.Should I go with a 16 inch or a 20 inch barrel? (I don't want a carbine when I say carbine I mean the short handguard)
3.Which is better a 1/7 or a 1/9 twist?
4.which is better a A2 or A3? I may never remove the handle but is it a good option to have? Are the iron sites the same between the A2 and A3? I have a colt scope that mounts on the handle.
Does anyone have pics? the colt site has the same pic for all of the models. Thanks alot
P.S I probably will buy new.
What about a flash surpressor? the colt is the only 1 that I see that comes with one, can I add one to the bushmaster if I chose that one?

Also I thought i would sight it in using the rounds I will be useing for hunting (any suggestions on hunting ammo? coyotes and stuff like that) at a hundred yards, and then this should be close enough to target shoot with which I will use the bulk ammo probably surplus stuff or wolf .223 do you have any suggestions?

From the name, are youa LE officer?? if so you will be able to buy new rifle with flash hider to eliminate flash signature during night ops.

Are you going to use it for duty??  dept might have some requirements for what you can buy.  

all the brand name you listed make excellent products.  Colt is probably the best, the Bushmaster, and then the rest.  for the best quality vs. price, Rock river is hard to beat.

If you don't like short handguard, you should look at mid length hand guard for the 16 inch barreled carbine from Rock river.  also disspator from Bushmaster mate a 16 inch barrel with the standard 20 inch barrel handguard.  what are you using the gun for will determine the length of the gun you want to buy.  if you use it for hunting, plinking, and some general purpose use, 20 is the best bet.  

1/9 is a good twist, since it will work great for 55gr or the 65 gr bullets.

A3 is definitely the better choice.  It gives you the most stable and best positioned platform for optic mounting.  you can buy BUIS from DPMS that will give you the same ability as a regular A2 sight.

TAP is a great round for hunting and also defense.  77gr match king is also a great round.  

Do I need to get a letter head from my dept to purchase a leo rifle? For my glock I did needed 1?
What is a good gain ammo? for hunting and target? I would like to stick to the same grain, I probably will buy military surplus for plinking.Thanks

I believe you will need department letterhead to purchase a LEO rifle.

I like to shoot the 62gr ammo--especially the SS109 green tips.  It's a nice heavy projectile that packs a good punch.

NYCOP,

First, welcome to AR15.com you'll find this place to be quite addicting and a wealth of information can be found here.

If you are serious about buying an AR15 may I make a suggestion? If you live in nyc, Long Island, or Southern NY, this Sunday morning (11/27) about 20 or 30 of us NY AR15'ers will be at the Calverton shooting range at appx 09:00. There will be literally dozens of AR15's of all shapes, sizes and calibres. You will have absolutely no problems firing each and every one of them so you can get a feel for each different variant. Best way to figure out what you want is to try it out beforehand. You'll also meet quite a few of your brothers there. NYPD, FDNY, EMS, DA's Office, DOC, and a host of others from various agencies are there so you'll feel right at home.

See the following thread for more info or IM me:

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=8&t=148706

Hi NYCOP!
What Chrisle said would be the best choice, try a bunch of rifles before you decide, since opinions vary a lot. I myself am a big fan of 20" barrels, but a lot of people prefer the 16" or even the 14.5" models. I prefer the higher velocity, balance, and sight radious of the full-size model (I hate the looks of the Dissipator..). The shorter barrels are lighter and swing faster, which is handy for 3-gun matches or for carrying a lot, but again, it depends on the individual shooter.

Regarding ammo, you mention Wolf, and that is somewhat controversial, as many AR shooters hate it with a passion (case lacquer causes gummy buildup in the chamber), while others use it a lot in their ARs with no problems. I don't know what the definite answer is, but I don't use it in my Bushmaster, just to be safe.

For coyotes, any of the 55gr soft points in the market will do the job just fine. At 100 yards the point of impact between those and 62 grain ammo is negligible. Even at 150 yards the difference is not that great, but I would rather keep it inside 100 yards. A very good load for bigger animals is the Winchester 64gr Powerpoint load, although it would work nicely on coyotes as well.

Most of the surplus ammo to be found is 55gr, so it may be a moot point anyway. SS109 ammo is quite a bit more expensive, although it may be better for long-range shooting (although not as good as 69 or 75gr bullets, in any case).

Barrel length: I prefer the 16" over the 20". There is only a small amount of velocity lost from 20" to 16". Better balance with the 16" especially with most barrels being of the heavy type. Most military units that actually have a chance of seeing combat have gotten rid of the 20" barrel for reasons above. You can still reach out to the rifles maximum effective range of about 465 meters. If you have ever had to carry one in the military you will come to appreciate the shorter barreled M16s/AR15s.(The data shows any AR with a barrel shorter than 14.5inches will start to increasingly effect the velocity and therefore wounding potential of the 5.56/.223 rounds)If you are going to use it for mainly hunting and not protection then I could possibly getting a 20inch barrel.

Manufacturer: I would say Armalite, Bushmaster, and RockRiver Arms when it comes to quality is like pumping the same octane of gas at different gas stations. They all are good manufacturers. I believe Colt is over priced for what you get, but the quality is fine.

Handguard length: Armalite and RockRiver Arms both have the mid length handguards. Bushmaster has the Dissipator, but like 1911ar I do not care for the looks. It reminds of the rifles in the original Planet of The Apes.

A2 or A4: I think you are thinking of the A4 and not A3 the A4 is the upper with the fixed front sight and a rail on the receiver. The A4 allows you to attach you optics lower for better ergonomics and allowing for better cheek weld.

Flash suppressor:If you are a leo and you can get letterhead from your department you should be able to get it. I do not know all the specifics on this.

Ammunition: Hornady TAP, Hornady V-Max, and Winchester Powerpoint are all good rounds for hunting different types of critters. You can get a V-max in 40grain (velocity around ~3800fps) that would be interesting at 100-200yards.

STAY AWAY FROM WOLF IN .223

Should I with a heavy barrel or not? how much weight does the heavy barrel add? And if I get the removable handle does the gun need to be shighed in every time I put it back on?

btt

NYCOP,
Most of the questions you ask are pretty much personal preference. The 20" barrel will give you a bit more velocity, but unless you are shooting beyond 200 yards I doubt you will be able to tell the difference.  I happen to prefer 16" barrels.

Barrel weight can be from light to very heavy and will greatly affect the handling and thus practical application of youe AR15.  Check out several in person before you buy.  Never forget that if you want to carry it a lot GO LIGHT!

NYCOP,

First of all, welcome to the site.  It's good to have another contributor!

I suggest you look at the Bushmaster Dissipator.  It is a 16" barrel with full-length handguards for a longer sight radius and (IMO) better accuracy.  The A3 flattop with removable carry handle will allow you to use a scope mount or iron sights.  If you take off the carry handle, it will be zeroed in every time you put it back on.

I have one and I like mine!  It's been very reliable and also they support AR-15.com!

good luck!

Do yourself a favor and buy a rifle with a 1 in 7 inch twist barrel.  You will be able to shoot everything between 50 and 80 grains if you ever decide to try the heavy bulets, and you give up no accuracy from a quality barrel.

This fast twist barrel might not shoot very light bullets (less than 50 grains or so) well, but then again it might.  The jackets on some light bullets might spin off from the higher rpm of the fast twist barrel.

I didn't notice if anyone else answered your question about the removable carry handle sights - they work just as well, but have less vertical travel than the A2 sights (the removable carry handle configuration is also caled the A3).

http://members.aol.com/ar15oneshot/images/ar15%20my%20two%20ladys.jpg

DPMS EXTREME SUPER BULL 24..1:8 Twist W/ LEUPOLD 6.5 X 20 40MM...Mounted with Armalite's one piece scope mount / BELOW/ BUSHMASTER XM15 E2S A3 SHORTY AK MODEL W / EOTECH HOLO SIGHT mounte with ARMS #2 / & harris bipod mount stud / The DPMS is used for long distance shooting / The Bushmaster is used for entry training drills 25 yards or less / Speed shooting / Will soon be adding the Samco hand guard with picanny rails top & bottom / vertical grip / surefire light holder

PS: Personally I think the 1:8 twist is the better choice than the 1:7 / 1:8 is a fast twist but  not to / I've shot up to 80 gr. in the DPMS & as low as 55 FMJ Granted the 55 gr is not as accurate as the heavy loads in my rifle but I can still get 2 inch groups @ 100 yds with the 55gr. With 75gr Black Hills Match HP Ammo I get 1/2 inch groups

WARNING: THIS IS JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION, TO BE TAKEN WITH A CHASER