After pondering an STG-556, every form of tacti-cool AR, high end AKs, and various .308 rifles, I've decided that I'm dead-set on a classic M16A2 style AR-15. Carry handle reciever and iron sights. Just really appealing to me for some reason.   Where's the best place to pick one up for a decent price?

http://www.impactguns.com/store/BCWA2S20.html

RRA is probably the least controversial supplier that readily makes a basic A2 (DPMS, Colt, Bushmaster all make them too).  If I were you I would strongly consider a CMP type rifle.  If you keep it basic iron sights the free float tube really facilitates shooting the traditional sling supported positions.  Or you can do what I did... Take a basic model with the govt. profile barrel and put the float tube on after.  It is fairly accurate (maybe a hair above 1moa from a bench with handloads and an acog) and handles about like an Hbar 20" instead of the dead weight feeling of the CMP rifles (which that weight does have its advantages when shooting standing, but I dont compete so light rifles are more fun).  Hope that helps, again... Bushmaster, Colt, DPMS, RRA in alphabetical order...

EDIT:  I got the rifle from the fellow above me...^^^ Thanks again!

that's beautiful! thanks

Cool info...I'm relatively new to any sort of high-end firearm...I had an AK-74 a while back but sold it to pay for college books Nice Bulgarian too...  

I'm not worried about hair splitting accuracy, but want it to be reasonably accurate. How much of an advantage does the free float tube offer over basic gov't profile barrel? (Group size with/without?) Price difference?  I want a decent rifle that'll primarily be a range toy and something that I can throw over my shoulder when I go for a hike.

Will it be your only AR?  If so, I suggest you get a flat top with detachable carry handle incase you'd want optics in the future.  If not, you can always get Aimpoint T-1 with Botach carry handle mount if you wanted optic / fixed carry handle option.

Have fun and i hope you don't get BRD like most of us did.

Bushmaster makes a chrome-lined 1:7 Govt profile (I think the one linked above is HBAR which is a bit heavier than Govt) in both A2 and A4 configurations.



http://www.pkfirearms.com/content/1/20/56/76 (last one on the page is an A4 but they've had A2s in the past).  Should be able to get a complete lower somewhere under $350.



I love my A2 but if it's your only AR consider going with the A4 (flat-top) with carry handle sight for now.  Carry handle sight will add another $80 of so but will be a much more versatile rifle when you decide to add optics later (and it still sort of has the same A2 'look' and functionality).

If I were you, I would also have to get the bushmaster 20 government flat top, and buy a carry handle. If you change your mind you can add optics, and a drop in rail like a Daniel Defense omega down the road.

Go with an original design Retro.
RRA Lower, USGI Colt Upper, USGI Furniture, RRA Internals.

Basic and does it's original job very well with minimum "Bells & Whistles"

Wow...so many options for what I thought would be a simple A2 lol.  This is awesome though...I might be sold on the A4 with detachable carry handle...will have to think about future optic desires. I don't see myself wanting any sort of optic, but never say never, right? RRA costs about $100 more than Bushmaster. What is that $100 getting me? I have no problem paying for quality if that's the case, just curious. As I make a decision, I want to get a few mags coming my way. AIM Surplus has Cproducts mags for $7.95.  That seems to be really cheap...does their quality reflect that price? I don't need perfection/best of everything, but just a decent setup that works and can handle a little weather

Most likely will be my only AR. for a long time anyway.

this is a colt 6520 , the gentleman I purchased it from swapped out the barrel and stock set with a colt gov profile and colt stock set. he wanted a close copy of his issue rifle,
He did the same thing with a colt 6721 for a flat top 20incher ––- he didn't wanna sell that one.

clean,nice its one of my favorites for some reason

If you want a nice A2 I'd spend a little bit of time browsing the various classifieds for a decent Colt.  20" A2 rifles aren't as popular these days so you can usually get a good deal on them- even the higher end brands.

Before Obama got elected I put together a Colt A2 with a 1/7 gov't profile barrel for ~$700 with a few mags.

I have both Bushmaster & RRA and consider them fairly equal quality-wise, just depends on what you're looking for.
Bushmaster is closer to "milspec configuration" as far as barrel options go but RRA's trigger is better IME (you can replace the trigger easily later).  You can get a 1:7 twist, chrome-lined Govt-profile barrel if that's important (similar to military rifles).  RRA seems to make sporadic runs of those but I haven't seen any in close to a year.
Which RRA are you looking at?  If the National Match it will have a freefloated barrel, 1:8 stainless barrel and target rear sight (available in .25 or .5 MOA adjustments, as opposed to the standard 1 MOA).  The National Match lower also has the nice RRA 2-stage trigger.  The National match is also a bit heavier which would be a consideration if it's a 'go hiking' rifle.
Hiking/beat-around general-purpose SHTF first AR: BM A4
Target rifle: RRA NM
YMMV
+1 on finding a used one, 20" aren't that popular right now and you could probably get a great price





I have 30 C-Products mags and all run fine, though a few here have had problems with bad welding.  Check the welding and seam, make sure the follower moves up/down smoothly and test each mag (like you should with any new mags).  C-Products seems to have good CS but I've never had to call them.
 

Armalite makes a nice AR15A2.  The barrels are about half way between a gov't profile and an HBAR.  

Armalite

You can usually get them for less than the MSRP, as with other rifles.  $850-900 is a likely price.  Bud's

If you're interested in an A4 style in 20" (I am) then Sabre Defence makes one. See here. Jensen Arms sells them on gunbroker. Search under "Sabre A4 Rifle 90221".





GL

+1 on finding a used rifle.  The uppers can be found cheap and you can add a lower.  Its what I did(only the upper was my fathers and collecting dust for years after he went and built a M4gery.

Its a Colt Hbar 1/7 upper with a Bushmaster lower.



If the rifle won't be used for serious target work I would recomend finding a Gov. profile barrel.  It is still very accurate and a lot nicer to handle.  I will be sending mine out to be reprofiled by ADCO for an easy $65.00.



An A4 wouldn't be a bad choice as well.  It could be deemed the best of both worlds.



I little insperation.

There is something about the 20'' A2's that have always drawn me to them. I'm not even a huge fan of the A2 stock but I still love the look. If the A2 stock was an inch or so shorter it would be fine. Just a little long for my taste.

I like the A2 receivers also, my current AR is a 16'' LW CL midlength A2. It is an RRA and has been flawless so far.

RRA 20" A2.  They come with a Wilson non-chrome HBAR barrel.  I sold it:



The BushMaster 20" A2 is available.  Here's a BM A4 type with a 1/7 barrel:



I prefere the BIY A2's whether it's a Colt with a swapped Gov't A2 barrel or a built from scratch AR.

Here's a couple of my A2s. They all have A2 Gov't profile 1/7 barrels (except the one Colt bbl was cut down to 16").