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Thread: Info needed: RRA LAR-8

  1. #1
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    Info needed: RRA LAR-8

    There's a Rock River Arms LAR-8 for sale locally; it's cheap enough, but I know nothing about RRA quality.

    Does anyone have any experience with RRA customer service,build quality and particularly, the LAR-8?
    Here comes the thunder.

  2. #2
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    I"ll start by saying that I have no personal experience. That said, I would pass no matter the price. There's too many better options in the 308 AR world now.

    The LAR-8 originally utilized FAL mags which are climbing in price although DSA has US made ones that are affordable.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Drummer View Post
    I"ll start by saying that I have no personal experience. That said, I would pass no matter the price. There's too many better options in the 308 AR world now.
    Agree. RRA quality overall is mixed, OK, not awesome. But the LAR-8 is not the best .30 cal AR design, being extra, extra long to accommodate the mechanism for using FAL mags. It is long and clumsy, and on the heavy side.

    Digging into old memories, I think the LAR-8 is simply an evolution of the Bushmaster BAR-10, where they sold the design and rights to RRA for their use. And the Bushmaster design was made to use FAL mags because it was thought up during the '94 AWB, so 20rd FAL mags were available and fairly cheap, while other designs were either expensive (M1A) or not readily available over 10rds (AR-10 style).

    For nostalgia, there was also, briefly, a CMMG lower, compatible with a DPMS pattern upper, that used G3 mags. It never caught on.

    Quote Originally Posted by Drummer View Post
    The LAR-8 originally utilized FAL mags which are climbing in price although DSA has US made ones that are affordable.
    Yes, but the DSA mags (their original steel design) are not consistently good or always identical to milsurp magazines in dimensions. However there are two other brands of new production FAL mags besides DSA: Moses and another I'm blanking on. I would check those out if I were trying various FAL mags. Whatever way you slice it I think you're looking at $20+ per magazine, which isn't awful but isn't cheap either.

    EDIT: looks like the other polymer is another DSA design, and says it will NOT work with the LAR-8:

    https://www.dsarms.com/p-17211-ds-ar...und-black.aspx
    Last edited by SomeOtherGuy; 08-06-20 at 20:49.

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    Quote Originally Posted by SomeOtherGuy View Post
    Agree. RRA quality overall is mixed, OK, not awesome. But the LAR-8 is not the best .30 cal AR design, being extra, extra long to accommodate the mechanism for using FAL mags. It is long and clumsy, and on the heavy side.

    Digging into old memories, I think the LAR-8 is simply an evolution of the Bushmaster BAR-10, where they sold the design and rights to RRA for their use. And the Bushmaster design was made to use FAL mags because it was thought up during the '94 AWB, so 20rd FAL mags were available and fairly cheap, while other designs were either expensive (M1A) or not readily available over 10rds (AR-10 style).

    For nostalgia, there was also, briefly, a CMMG lower, compatible with a DPMS pattern upper, that used G3 mags. It never caught on.



    Yes, but the DSA mags (their original steel design) are not consistently good or always identical to milsurp magazines in dimensions. However there are two other brands of new production FAL mags besides DSA: Moses and another I'm blanking on. I would check those out if I were trying various FAL mags. Whatever way you slice it I think you're looking at $20+ per magazine, which isn't awful but isn't cheap either.

    EDIT: looks like the other polymer is another DSA design, and says it will NOT work with the LAR-8:

    https://www.dsarms.com/p-17211-ds-ar...und-black.aspx
    PSA has a bunch of Israeli FAL mags right now at $15 apiece. I wouldn't mess with ANY of the US made garbage that being the case.
    The truth can only offend those who live a lie.

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    I'll pass.

    Thanks all.
    Here comes the thunder.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Saber329 View Post
    I'll pass.

    Thanks all.
    Good to know your not an ASKhole. So many people ask for advice and do the opposite. When I came here I didn't know shit about AR's. So I asked and asked and did exactly what I was told to buy or not buy. And it has served me well. This sight can be troubling from time to time, but I ignore it and just take the good. Well done.

    PB

    PB
    "Air Force / Policeman / Fireman / Man of God / Friend of mine / R.I.P. Steve Lamy"

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pappabear View Post
    ASKhole.
    PB
    That's funny!
    Here comes the thunder.

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    You made the right call. I had one - it ran fine but was big and cumbersome. Sold it and much prefer my LMT MWS.

  9. #9
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    Useful. RRA had decent quality in AR-15, but that does not necessarily translate to the LAR-8 world. Useful info in the thread. The problem I see in the RRA LAR-8 is the FAL type mags, some aspects of which are variable. Currently, I'm in the market for a "308 AR", and am leaning to Aero Precision, or possibly a DPMS if the former deal doesn't come through. I want to be able to get mags without a hassle.
    Hurrah for The Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a single star

  10. #10
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    I was looking for an M1A (huge garand action fan, and LOVE the M14 EBRs) and I had a buddy who part owned a shop to look out for me (this was just after sandy hook). He had this come in, asked me to come check it out. I'd heard good things about RRA, liked the setup, and picked it up for $1544, while the going prices on armslist were $2500+. I'm happy with it, only complaint is the weight, hence the bipod and sling (I got over that very quickly though). My first full caliber rifle.

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