I want to buy / build a service rifle upper to complete in local "Service Rifle" matches.  I'm not expecting to win, I just want to become a better shooter.  Here's my questions;

1) Will an A3 be OK, or do I really need an A2 upper?
2) All else being equal, is HBAR over Gov. profile really important?
3) Will an "OK" shooter really tell a difference between SS and CM?
4) I starting to reload .223, so is it better to go with 1/7 and use heavier bullets or is 1/9 OK?

I don't plan to incorporate the FF style HGs, I really want it to be a fairly starndard Service Rifle. My local matches are shot from 200 yards, and remember, my goal is to become a better shooter.  Thanks for your help, arfcom is by far the best place to learn about the little black rifle.

Unless the rules have changed you will have to have a fixed carry handle but I have not had a new rulebook in 3 years. I think that stainless is better but that is just my opinion but chrome lined will work. As for the twist rate, if you ever shoot the full course you will want to shoot heavier rounds so in my opinion I would at least get a 1 in 8 twist as it is better to have it because you never know. You might want to go and shoot at Camp Perry someday, who knows. I would also go heavy but I dont think a goverment profile barrel will hinder you. As for the ff hg, I would use them as your zero will be inconsistant while useing your sling, but then again I shot with the sling in the Marine Corps with no problems so who knows. Also, get good glass, I reccomend Kowa, they have some affordable models along with their big ones.

1) The A4 has been legal for service rifle competition since 2004.  Just make sure you use a carry handle for rear sight.  No BUIS, no optics.  A3 is a fully automatic A2, not a flat top, regardless of what Bushmaster says.

2) If you are not going to float the barrel, go HBAR.  an HBAR will be affected by sling tension, but a GI profile will be affected significantly more.  Thicker is stiffer.

3) There are plenty of match grade barrels made of 4140 Chrome-Moly steel.  The steel type is not what determines if a barrel is match grade or not.  The stress relieving of the blank, the dimensional consistency of the rifling, the lack of induced stresses while rifling it, and the quality of the chambering are what makes a barrel "match grade".

4) A 20" 1/9 will stabilize 75 grain bullets,  BTDT.  However, if you are going to buy a barrel, why limit yourself?  A 1/8 or 1/7 will stabilize anything a 1/9 will, while also allowing you to use 80 grain bullets (which a 1/9 will NOT stabilize reliably).

Now that I answered your questions, answer me one.

Why would you buy/build a compromise upper (what you just described) when for the same money you can buy a Rock River NM A4 upper and NM carry handle that have a 1/8 match SS barrel, FF handguards, and a 1/4 X 1/4 MOA rear sight with enough elevation to reach 600 yards?  

Just because your local matches are at 200 yards, that doesn't make them easier.  The targets used for prone rapid fire and prone slow fire have scoring rings that are reduced in diameter (scaled down from the 300 and 600 yard targets) and are very challenging.  The only difference is that you won't have to worry as much about windage corrections.  But even then you still cannot completely ignore the wind, particularly when shooting on the 600 yd target rediced to 200 yds for prone slow fire.

Buy right and cry once.

Quoted: A Free Float handguard should be the absolute first thing one should do, how can you be a better shooter trying to compensate for a barrel changing point of impact every time you sling it or go prone off bipods shooting at prarie dogs.  Yes I would suggest buying the Rock River Arms gun untill you feel the competative need to go custom build.

+1 on the FF.  Another way to go would be to get a A2 HBAR upper cheap off the EE.  Add match sites and FF handguards.  Then go to town.  

Do you belong to a club?  If so, many DCM/CMP affiliated clubs have deals on complete rifle or maybe even uppers.  You can do much better by ordering through them, even joining the club and paying annual dues vs ordering directly from a  mfg or smith.  

SWO- thanks for your comments, I've actually considered RRA NM upper to go on the RRA lower I have sitting in the safe.  I considered a build using a SDI barrel cause I like the midlength I got from them very much.  They only offer it in VCM with a gov profile, hence #2 & #3.  Honestly though, thanks for your opinions.

David H-where the heck did the prarie dog come from?  I have a scoped 18" Kreiger from John Holliger for making one ragged hole.  I want to get better with irons, thats why I'm asking my questions.  Again, thanks for your opinions.

jmart-I am a member of a small club.  However it's not CMP affiliated.  We just shoot for fun.


No need, I finally convinced my boss to resale my 1st AR I ever bought back to me!  I'll start to compete this spring with my Colt MT6601C.  Thanks for the comments guys, and happy shooting!