Let the opinions begin!!

[JimmyJoe69]

I am SERIOUSLY considering building and/or buying a varmint rifle built on an AR-15 platform. It will be used primarily to hunt coyotes and groundhogs. I would prefer a heavy bull barrel no longer than 20". And I prefer accuracy over just sending bullets downrange. In your (TGO readers) opinion, what is the best manufacturer, setup, etc. for this purpose? Thanks in advance to anyone whom responds.

[nightrunner]

the bushmaster predator looks very nice IMO. ive been casually looking at them for the past few months

[Rightwinger]

Just sold one. White Oak Armaments .204 Ruger upper. Lower of your choice but spend the money on the trigger group.

http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/

[Guest tnvol]

I'm a huge Armalite fan. I've also heard great things about the new Charles Daley ARs.

[Guest Brian@GunDepot]

Armalite and Stag Arms are good choices if you plan on keeping/using the rifle a lot. Good products and lifetime warranty... can't go wrong.

I also like the Bushmaster Varmiter.

[SkWaShDeM]

If you're buying a complete rifle in one go, either of the Bushmaster Varmint rifles should do nicely, I think both have a 20" barrel option. If you're going to piece it together yourself, well... we're liable to start an entire thread hijacking debate on .204 Ruger vs .223 Remington before we even get to what manufacturer to shop at for the upper.

Rightwinger speaks smartness and truthiness. The trigger on a varmint rifle is where you want to spend considerable time, thought, and money.

[JimmyJoe69]

Good point.... so let me put that item to bed. I would want it to be a .223.

If you're buying a complete rifle in one go, either of the Bushmaster Varmint rifles should do nicely, I think both have a 20" barrel option. If you're going to piece it together yourself, well... we're liable to start an entire thread hijacking debate on .204 Ruger vs .223 Remington before we even get to what manufacturer to shop at for the upper.

Rightwinger speaks smartness and truthiness. The trigger on a varmint rifle is where you want to spend considerable time, thought, and money.

[JimmyJoe69]

I know you just sold one.... I did not get in touch with you soon enough to see it firsthand to determine if I would want it. Since you are literally 'the next town over' it made my mistake even worse.

Just sold one. White Oak Armaments .204 Ruger upper. Lower of your choice but spend the money on the trigger group.

http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/

[DaveTN]

I am SERIOUSLY considering building and/or buying a varmint rifle built on an AR-15 platform. It will be used primarily to hunt coyotes and groundhogs. I would prefer a heavy bull barrel no longer than 20". And I prefer accuracy over just sending bullets downrange. In your (TGO readers) opinion, what is the best manufacturer, setup, etc. for this purpose? Thanks in advance to anyone whom responds.

You are going to get recommendations on every AR made.

My latest choice was a DPMS, but it’s in .308.

More important to accuracy is the optics. I have a 3X9 Leupold VX-I on my DPMS.

If you prefer accuracy over just sending bullets down range; an AR platform will never compete with a bolt for accuracy in a varmint gun. For that I have a Remington 700 VLS in .308 with a Leupold VX-III 6.5X20.

[bushfox25]

Bushmaster and RRA are good choices depends on what you want to spend on the set-up