Best basic AR..

[les snyder]

santahog... recoil to me is subjective, and I probably use the term to mean overall movement, and not just rearward force from the bullet leaving the muzzle.. the piston guns seem to move around a lot more than the direct gas guns... I've spent some time and effort working on getting my direct gas gun to stay on target at longer distances

for hand guns, I can live with recoil, but use very heavy springs to get the muzzle back down and reduce perceived muzzle flip

[santahog]

Les, thanks for the clarification. it almost seems counterintuitive but I shoot an AK and there is alot more recoil than my old M-16 had. I know it throws a bigger round, but before I ever picked one up I had imagined them being about equal. The AR was easier to get back on target, with hardly any recoil in comparison..
Probably a combination of heavier round and operation. No shock buffer in the stock of an AK either..

[robert69]

If you already have a .223, and are a handloader, then try a .308.
If you are not a handloader, then the .223 is cheaper to shoot.
Factory Federal Match ammo, with the Sierra 168 grain bullet is very accurate, and If you watch Midway, you can pick up that ammo at $1.10 a round, and Federal brass is very good brass.  I am up to 12 reloads on their brass, with no problems.
I have 22.250's for my .22 varmint rifles, so I did not need another .22, besides, I handload.
The .308 cost more to shoot, but the .308 caliber is very impressive with its accuracy.
I shoot a DPMS LR-308, heavy barrel, 24 inch.
This is the flat upper, so mounting a scope is easy.
I bought this particular rifle based on all of the reports I had read, and I have not been unhappy with it.
It will shoot 10 round groups with the Sierra 168 grain HPBT that are a maximum of 5/8 to 3/4" at 100 yards if I do my job.
I do not recommend the factory trigger. It is at 6# plus.
I put a Geissele High Speed National match trigger in it, and adjusted the trigger to 1#10 ounces on the first stage, and 6-7 ounces on the second stage, which works out to 2#2-3 ounces total pull weight, measured with a digital scale, 10 trigger pulls.
It shoots the Sierra bullet with 40 grains of IMR 4895 at a chronoed 2500 fps. It will shoot those groups all day, if I do my job.
The scope is the Millet LRS .1 mil click at 25 power.
This rifle is not a carry rifle, as it weights 13 pounds without ammo.  I generally shoot with 10 round magazines, its just easier shooting from a bench.
Have fun, trying to figure out which rifle to buy is a big decision, and I went with the DPMS because of the reports I read, and the cost of the rifle was within my price range.
The only problem that I have is watching other shooters (or they have when watching me) at the range trying to hit targets at 100 yards.  I then invite them to shoot mine, (fly targets) and they find out what a .308 that is tuned can do, because they can shoot the same groups that I do, when they get used to the trigger.
Now I am bragging.
What is really impressive to those shooting alongside of me is when I shoot fly targets.  These are targets that I downloaded that have horseflys on it.  I can usually kill 8+ flies out of a 10 round magazine.  Really fun.

[Rastus]

If you want a piston gun you should get one.  There would be only one driver for me to spend the extra money and perhaps end up with a proprietary system that goes by the wayside...that would be reliability in conditions where I got crap in the gun all the time.  I'm not in an area of dry particualte matter day in and day out so I don't think I'll ever need that.  It may be great to have one in Iraq...but I'm not there nor am I in Death Valley or similar here.  I prefer to spend the extra money on other things.

I acquired a FailZero upper not too long ago because it is hardcoated.  Hardcoating alloys are used in industry all over the place successfully to enhance products or provide products that could not be made another way.  The hardcoating is it's own lubrication in this case and since I run a can...I really don't want lube catching the extra dirt and gasses from the can.  I know that a can is a reason for a piston...but this works great for the people I know who have one and the parts are otherwise standard mil-spec.  I haven't built the AR on it yet, but I'm in the acquiring mode.  Bill Wilson has the best trigger (single) out there for the money I think...it has a really great reset. 

I'm going with a VLTOR stock, a Centurion 18" threaded barrel and a Colt lower.    From training I'm a believer in holding my gun forearm stock with my thumb on top...so if on that 18" barrel I can't stretch my arm out enough I'll be going without the standard front sight post and will end up with something to cowitness on a rail.  If I had the $$$'s lying around I'd have it finished but what I do have is in the safe as spare parts for now.