Comments from Rock River Arms owners?

[Lucky Strike]

Looking for comments from people that own an RRA. I've got a $900 budget and am looking at an RRA Elite A4 since I can get it with features i want like chrome lined barrel, midlength handguard, two stage trigger and tactical carry handle as a complete rifle and be in budget. I'd really prefer to buy a factory complete rifle and after looking around this one caught my eye. This will be my first AR

Anyways just looking for comments from RRA owners concerning accuracy, reliability, etc.

My intended usage is target shooting and will likely take a carbine course offered in my area that's a 2 day affair where you shoot around 800 rnd. I don't really intend to do any competition but i guess it's a remote possibility

I guess HD could also be on the list but i'd likely defer to a Ruger .357 or XD9mm for that purpose since they're quickly accessible from my bed in a handgun quick safe and the AR would be in it's case in my closet.

Thanks in advance for any helpful comments

[C4IGrant]

Looking for comments from people that own an RRA. I've got a $900 budget and am looking at an RRA Elite A4 since I can get it with features i want like chrome lined barrel, midlength handguard, two stage trigger and tactical carry handle as a complete rifle and be in budget. I'd really prefer to buy a factory complete rifle and after looking around this one caught my eye. This will be my first AR

Anyways just looking for comments from RRA owners concerning accuracy, reliability, etc.

My intended usage is target shooting and will likely take a carbine course offered in my area that's a 2 day affair where you shoot around 800 rnd. I don't really intend to do any competition but i guess it's a remote possibility

I guess HD could also be on the list but i'd likely defer to a Ruger .357 or XD9mm for that purpose since they're quickly accessible from my bed in a handgun quick safe and the AR would be in it's case in my closet.

Thanks in advance for any helpful comments

I am a RRA owner and authorized dealer. Take a look at the chart below to kind of get an idea how RRA stacks up against other brands.

For a hard use weapon, RRA would not be my first choice.


C4

[RD62]

I have owned a RRA for several years now. It is my first and currently only AR. I have been happy with it and it has been utterly reliable since I got it.

I purchased mine as a complete upper, stripped lower, lower parts kit, and collasible stock. Had I known then what I know now I probably would have bought an LMT or Colt.

I have the 1x9 Chrome-lined barrel, but its heavier profile didn't yield the best balance for me, so I had ADCO lighten it under the handguards. Fringe benefit is it's now parked under the FSB, but with shipping and all cost me about $90. I have replaced the BCG with a Bravo Co one that is MPI, properly staked, etc, to the tune of about $135. I have staked the castle nut, but would like to eventually replace the stock with a Mil-spec tube and probably a MagPul CTR Stock, the buffer tube being about $40. So I would have about $265 additional $$ invested in it to get the same features that some other rifles come with from the factory.

I prefer the extra reliability that these features may offer, you may not. I wouldn't talk you out of a RRA, I just think you may want to look around for other rifles in the same price range with the features listed in the chart above. Oh, and I'm not big on the tactical carry handle. It's designed to co-witness an aimpoint in a ow mount, but it's too high for the EOTech I run. I'd pass on the carry handle and put that money toward a good mount for whatever optic you decide to run if any.

Good luck in your decision! And enjoy whatever rifle you get!

-RD62

[Lucky Strike]

Thanks for the comments,

C4IGrant - what would you consider "hard use"?


RD62 - I don't think i'd ever get an EOTech (they seem really cool but likely outta my price rane) but would the tactical handle work for a regular scope? My dad has some that he's replaced on his hunting rifles and i was thinking about "borrowing" one that he no longer uses.

A couple of those features in that chart can be done for free such as staking the gas key right? I'm not the most handy of guys but I'd assume that'd likely be something i could handle if mine isn't properly staked from the factory. How long did you own and how much did you shoot yours before you performed some of those reliability upgrades?

[C4IGrant]

Thanks for the comments,

C4IGrant - what would you consider "hard use"?


RD62 - I don't think i'd ever get an EOTech (they seem really cool but likely outta my price rane) but would the tactical handle work for a regular scope? My dad has some that he's replaced on his hunting rifles and i was thinking about "borrowing" one that he no longer uses.

A couple of those features in that chart can be done for free such as staking the gas key right? I'm not the most handy of guys but I'd assume that'd likely be something i could handle if mine isn't properly staked from the factory. How long did you own and how much did you shoot yours before you performed some of those reliability upgrades?

Hard use to me is defined by attending training classes.


C4

[SHIVAN]

Hard use to me is defined by attending training classes or fighting daily...

I added what I think you probably meant, or even if you didn't I added it because I believe the amended version.

[C4IGrant]

I added what I think you probably meant, or even if you didn't I added it because I believe the amended version.

Yep. A weapon that you would defend your life and the lives of your loved ones is a hard use weapon to me.



C4

[RD62]

LuckyStrike,

You may have some eye relief and cheek weld issues trying to put a scope on the tactical carry handle, but then you can always just take it off. However that brings up the question if you are gonna leave a scope on it why bother with the carry handle? Use that money on rings or something. I just don't see what problem the tactical carry handle is trying to solve.

For usage, I only recently received my education about staking and such too. You can definately stake the gas key and the castle nut yourself. RRA loctites the castle nuts I believe so you may have to heat it to get it off if you need to. I hadn't put near as many rounds through it as I'd like when I started performing these upgrades. You may also want to add a Bravo Co extractor upgrade kit to your factory bolt until such time as you decide you may want to replace the bolt. The RRA should run right out of the box, and like I said I won't talk you out of one, but think you could save yourself some time and $$ if you went a different route.

I repeat I have had ZERO malfunctions thus far with my RRA, but it has been run very easy so far. I will be attending my first class this fall, so it should get a better workout then. I just strive for as much reliability as possible, and have been using the advice of those on this site that run their rifles much harded to help me decide what upgrades I may want for my rifle.

I guess ultimately it comes down to what yor plans are for this rifle. If its for hunting and plinking you should be good to go out of the box with the RRA.

-RD62

[SGB]

I like RRA lowers and LPKs but I'd not buy a complete RRA.

[Lucky Strike]

LuckyStrike,

You may have some eye relief and cheek weld issues trying to put a scope on the tactical carry handle, but then you can always just take it off. However that brings up the question if you are gonna leave a scope on it why bother with the carry handle? Use that money on rings or something. I just don't see what problem the tactical carry handle is trying to solve.

For usage, I only recently received my education about staking and such too. You can definately stake the gas key and the castle nut yourself. RRA loctites the castle nuts I believe so you may have to heat it to get it off if you need to. I hadn't put near as many rounds through it as I'd like when I started performing these upgrades. You may also want to add a Bravo Co extractor upgrade kit to your factory bolt until such time as you decide you may want to replace the bolt. The RRA should run right out of the box, and like I said I won't talk you out of one, but think you could save yourself some time and $$ if you went a different route.

I repeat I have had ZERO malfunctions thus far with my RRA, but it has been run very easy so far. I will be attending my first class this fall, so it should get a better workout then. I just strive for as much reliability as possible, and have been using the advice of those on this site that run their rifles much harded to help me decide what upgrades I may want for my rifle.

I guess ultimately it comes down to what yor plans are for this rifle. If its for hunting and plinking you should be good to go out of the box with the RRA.

-RD62

The reasoning behind the model with the tactical handle was that it gave me an iron rear sight as well as the ability to mount glass without having to remove the handle.....as well as just looking cool imo. I don't think i'd ever use the handle to actually carry the rifle (a sling would take care of that). However you make a good point about mounting issues and i'll look into that more carefully. I did think about just a flattop which would cost about $100 less but i'd need to get a rear site and those cost around $100 anyway so i figured I wasn't losing much with the tactical handle. I'll eventually mount a scope but i want to get proficient with iron sights first.