http://www.aimsurplus.com/

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/ar-15-05.html

http://www.pkfirearms.com/

Have heard decent things about Palmetto State and thier branded items. Have bought from both PK and Aim, always good stuff and prices.

As for a complete upper look at the Rock River Arms, good, solid built accurate uppers, have two myself.

DSA is supposed to be good and has a decent rep.

Model 1 not good, have heard way too many bad things about them to ever trust their stuff.

Gunner

--
https://www.instagram.com/41gunner/
41 Mags rule, Baers rock!

Bravo Company

Black Rifle Works

Brownells

DelTon

ADCO

CMMG

How heavy the bullets you want to shoot define the barrel twist.

1/9 will work up to M855 62gr. Anything heavier needs the 1/7

Good luck on parts.

"Rguns"

I ordered an A-1 upper with a 16 inch pencil bbl and a 1/9 twist on 12/29/12. I finally got it around a month ago around the first of June. I bought a Rock River arms lower from a LGS a few years ago and had it ready for an upper before the panic.

I must say although it is a non chromed lined pencil barrel, it is very accurate. I have an old Colt style 3x carry handle scope on it. Shoots M-193 better than 855 ball. One thing that surprised me is that it put 77 grain Hornady Match ammo under 2 inches for 3 shots at 100 yards although it shot 6 inches higher than M-193 ball.

R-guns was not very friendly although I wasn't doing business with them to make nice. They had a product and I bought it. They said it was in stock and would take 4 weeks to ship because of the panic. Well it took almost 6 months. They do not charge your card until they ship.

I found out that when they say its in stock that means they have all the raw materials in stock therefore technically they have the gun but its is in pieces that have not been made. I think they make everything including the barrels as all the major parts say RG on them.

Good luck

Bob

http://www.dsarms.com/DSA-ZM4-A3-Upper-Receiver-16-Barrel-Mid-Length-HG---ZM4CBUMID/pro...

Also look at reliability before accuracy...

--
Of the Troops & For the Troops

I plan on going 1:7 so that I can shoot anything.

I think reliability and accuracy are equal and both have to be top notch . . .
Maybe top notch accuracy based on my ability.

I had plans on doing this last year before all of the craziness so may just sit back till all the pieces and parts are available.

May even be some bargains out there when the frenzy slows down some more.

Who knows may even be a lower I like show up on the market.

as some good ones have been listed by knowledgeable people.

Reviewing your expected tasks, the specific characteristic needed for each of them....

...and then reconciling reliability factor -- which may or may not be dollar related. But a good dollar spent with an upper tier mfg is cheaper in the long run, especially when the object being purchased has an application to defensive safety.

...is this for a fast unloading in limited spaces? What are the best specs for such a task? Weight and dynamics certainly applies there. You'd be surprised how much a 20" premium heavy bbl weighs. I was.

...are animal varmints at further ranges the main use, and personnel close quarters secondary? Then another set of specs apply.

What ammo to fire? A 1-8 twist in a Wylde chambered barrel - stainless - will do a lot towards using a wider spread of rounds, as well as a medium length gas system.

What after market grip, stock, trigger group [ahhh...Gissle[sp], thy name is loveliness for a varmint/sniper

and on down the line. I will say that if insist on having max range, long bbl life, and higher velocity you could find a good deal of that with a Rock River Coyote 24". But it isn't good for fast shooting in around corners in a hallway or out a car window while evading unpleasant peoples, etc.

I really haven't anywhere the experience and interests of a true AR guy. But my next upper will be a Rock River, mid-length gas, 16" LW bll., flat-top, with good backup sights and a dot optic. Medium size cocking tab, Chrome lined bbl/forged fluxed bolt an ye auld etc. And my gungho tactical nephew monitoring my purchase so it all melds into a light handy accurate reliable self-defense weapon. I can get it all in a Rock River [and probly many other good mfgs'] already built, for just a couple hundred bucks [or so] more than trying to part it out.

Were I an experienced expert, it's probable that I could achieve those goals quite economically. but I'm not and not gonna pretend I have the time and patience to become one. That's why a knowledge pool of gunners such as assemble here, are notable and to be depended upon for sage wisdom and advice -- Thanks to The Bunch, for good company can be hard to find. A tip o' the fave brown whiskey to you all.